Can Gamefish Be Taken From A Public Waterway And Release Into A Private Pond?

[FishinCricket]

I picked up the wildlife code book tonight of the March 1st 2009 issue. I can not seem to find anything on the transportation of live fish to be put in your pond. I found where it says that fish can be transported as long as you have a fishing permit. But it doesn’t distinguish between whether they are alive or dead. So I think I’m right on this that its ok to take, transport alive and release the fish into your pond. What say ye?

well, a good question deserves a good answer. Anybody got a link to a good answer to this question?

[eric1978]

No links, but common sense would say you can. If you have the right to take the fish, you have a right to keep it alive (how about so it's as fresh as possible before cleaning and cooking). And if you own a pond, who says you can't throw him in there? Now if you were taking a fish from one public body of water and putting him in another public body of water, be prepared for some trouble. Your own pond? Why not?

Note: I'm sure I'm wrong and it's illegal.

Oh, and last I heard, MDC will stock your pond for free as long as you open it one day a year for public use. December 25th sounds good to me.

[CrappieMagnet]

Here's what I dug up for you all.Happy to have good friends on other websites.

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/22.pdf

1st paragraph...page 30

Pretty much explains it all.

Now if they were to just appear...who can say diddly?

[eric1978]

Here's what I dug up for you all.Happy to have good friends on other websites.

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/22.pdf

1st paragraph...page 30

Pretty much explains it all.

Now if they were to just appear...who can say diddly?

It just said "not recommended," not illegal, so...

[snagged in outlet 3]

MDC will stock your lake for free but you do not have to open it up for the public once a year. There was a complete article about that in the MO Conservation Magazine a while back. The MDC just wants you to share your lake or pond with family and friends but there is no official rule about it.

SIO3

[ozark trout fisher]

MDC will stock your lake for free but you do not have to open it up for the public once a year. There was a complete article about that in the MO Conservation Magazine a while back. The MDC just wants you to share your lake or pond with family and friends but there is no official rule about it.

SIO3

Yeah, there's no rule about opening your pond to anyone if the MDC stocks it. Unfortunately, I don't think they do not stock crappie (and I get the impression that's pretty far up on the list of species Buckshot wants stocked), so you'll have to get them from a commercial source or some other waterway. Now thinking about it, I guess I don't see anything wrong with putting a limit of fish caught from a river into a pond, it's really not all that much different than taking them home to eat, so I say go for it (run-on sentence there, I know). It would take a while to catch enough limits to have enough for a good stocking though. But it would be a lot cheaper than buying them.

But yes, for bass, crappie, and catfish, I would reccomend you have the MDC stock them for free. There's no harm in it anyway

[brownieman]

The MDC stocks fingerlings only so when stocked you have to wait a couple of years before anything worth catching gets enouph size to it.

If you put larger fish from wherever, stream, private hatchery, etc, if they are of catchable size they will eat anything smaller than themselves in the pond.

So whatever you choose just a little additional info...pro's and con's to both I reckon.

later on

bm

[eric1978]

MDC will stock your lake for free but you do not have to open it up for the public once a year. There was a complete article about that in the MO Conservation Magazine a while back. The MDC just wants you to share your lake or pond with family and friends but there is no official rule about it.

SIO3

Now all I need is my own lake.

[Chief Grey Bear]

One MDC restriction on stocking your pond is that it must be at least 8 ft deep.

[ozark trout fisher]

One MDC restriction on stocking your pond is that it must be at least 8 ft deep.

That's true. There also can't be any species present at the time of stocking that the MDC deems "undesirable". Don't know why, but that's just the rule. Also, with catfish, you'll have to keep stocking them each year. Usually, they don't establish good breeding populations in ponds, and need annual stockings. After one stocking, the bass and bluegill should take care of themselves with natural spawning.

By the way Buckshot, if I knew a good place for you to gather up some crappie for the pond, I'd help you out. But unfortunately I live in the other corner of the state than you, and I don't target crappie. I hope you find a good place to gather up a few for the pond though.