Live bait legalities

[Liquor Box]

I was at the jindalee boat ramp the other night and only caught one fish, it was a jewfish (i think).

I was about to throw it back but the guy fishing next to me was after sharks and threadfin and wanted it for live bait.

Are you able to use undersize fish for live bait?

It would be a waste of a potentially great future catch if i had of given it to him.

What are the rules on this?

I have read people use Catfish and Mullet as livies, is there a legal size for them?

Thanks for any help

[ellicat]

No, you can't use undersize fish. You must release all undersize fish.

There are no size limits on catties and mullet.

[Cowfish13]

There is a legel size on Sea Mullet. It is 30cm. So you would have to be after massive fish to need a bait that big.

[Angus]

Yes Sea Mullet are 30cm.

But i have seen a 1 1/2 foot bully take a 35cm mullet so i would not hesitate to use one as bait.

The fish could have also been a putty nosed perch. However if it was a jew im glad you did not give it to him.

Angus

[Rex_Hunt]

do herring have any size limits. ive seen alot in the water and ive been tempted to catch some but not usre if it was legal or not?

[Bud]

This really is an issue that pops up a lot here and something that I see quite often whilst out wetting a line. Dad showing his kids how to catch and rig a live bait..great idea if he wasn't using a 15cm bream. Yeah guys anything that has a size limit, has a size limit no questions asked, no excuses, no reasons, you have to throw it back. If is has no size limit then it is fair game (but please be respectful) and as far as I know herring have no size limit but I am not to sure. Happy fishing and congrats on not handing over your fish for illegal uses...tell him to catch his own (legal) fish for bait.

[Feral]

Rex_Hunt wrote:

do herring have any size limits. ive seen alot in the water and ive been tempted to catch some but not usre if it was legal or not?

Get yourself a \"recreational guide to fishing\" its a free DPI booklet which shows all the size and bag limits (also the rules,how to measure a fish, tips, closed areas etc etc)and fits easily into your tackle bag.

If it is not in the book it has no size or bag limit. (Make sure you read the no take list at the bottom of the table!)