The laws are funny on this topic. They restrict using live bait, because of introducing a new, nonnative species into an area, but the dead fish laws are kind of overkill IMO. Look how many people use chicken for crabbing...... Thats a bacterial mess and non native! lol.
I know guys who use gold fish for bait and do very well. When we can find them, we sell land locked herring as bait and the fluke crowd loves them almost as much as the offshore crowd. They come from freshwater areas, sold live and work on just about everything. The tuna guys love throwing them into the slick and letting them swim for tuna and mahi, even the occasional marlin. I have heard its illegal, so I called on it and was told its fine. I think these rules are a little overkill, but until they change, we have to follow them.
