Northern Roe as Crappie Bait?

Hey, guys. I'm new here so I don't know if you have discussed my question. Have any of you ever tried pike roe (or crappie roe) as crappie bait?

I cured a couple skeins of northern eggs (and a few of crappie too) and wondered whether they might be good bait for crappies.

Thanks for any help you might give me on my question.

I have used salmon eggs when fishing for suckers and they worked quite well. I have never use eggs when crappie fishing.
I assume the eggs would add some scent to the lure and could work well.

Thanks, Bob. I will bait up a hook and give it a try next time I go out.

Whoa! You sure that's legal? Those are both game fish.

No1son,

Thanks for sharing your observation. After checking the MN fishing regs, I believe you are right. Under Bait on p.12 of the present fishing season, the first bulletpoint reads: 'Using whole or parts of game fish, goldfish, or carp for bait is unlawful'. I reckon that would include the eggs of the aforementioned fish as well.

Glad you tagged me rather than a CO! Thanks. Guess I'll just have to toss them out.

In Washington (and other states I'm assuming) you can legally use the eggs of game fish for fishing. Not so in Minnesota.

PS Heads-up, Bob. I'm guessing that using store-bought salmon eggs must be legal, just not those taken from game fish we have caught.

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Originally Posted by YooperDooper

No1son,

Thanks for sharing your observation. After checking the MN fishing regs, I believe you are right. Under Bait on p.12 of the present fishing season, the first bulletpoint reads: 'Using whole or parts of game fish, goldfish, or carp for bait is unlawful'. I reckon that would include the eggs of the aforementioned fish as well.

Glad you tagged me rather than a CO! Thanks. Guess I'll just have to toss them out.

In Washington (and other states I'm assuming) you can legally use the eggs of game fish for fishing. Not so in Minnesota.

PS Heads-up, Bob. I'm guessing that using store-bought salmon eggs must be legal, just not those taken from game fish we have caught.

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I was wondering what the DNR classified as game fish and found out:

game fish are defined in Minnesota Statute 97a.015 subd. 25: Game Fish. "Game fish" means walleye, sauger, yellow perch, channel catfish, flathead catfish; members of the pike family, Esocidae, including muskellunge and northern pike; members of the sunfish family, Centrarchidae, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, white crappie, black crappie, members of the temperate bass family, Percichthyidae, including white bass and yellow bass; members of the salmon and trout subfamily, Salmoninae, including Atlantic salmon, chinook salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, kokanee salmon, lake trout, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow (steelhead) trout, and splake; members of the paddlefish family, Polyodontidae; members of the sturgeon family, Acipenseridae, including lake sturgeon, and shovelnose sturgeon. "Game fish" includes hybrids of game fish.

That's a mess of species for sure. Thanks for sharing. Now, about catching them . . . .

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Originally Posted by YooperDooper

That's a mess of species for sure. Thanks for sharing. Now, about catching them . . . .

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I wasn't sure if crappies were considered to be game fish and I am enlightened now.
We used canned salmon eggs to catch suckers in their early stream run. It must not be a problem as the warden was watching us fish and no one got a ticket.