# Illegal use of Mingo for bait....what would you do?



## EFI Logistics

nevermind.....obviously people here could careless about laws.


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## 301bLLC

Someone passed me today speeding. I did nothing.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer

If you count it against your bag limit, it's legal.


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## jjam

If they were not getting any bites on whole mingo, next time tell them to butterfly them for better results.

Jimmy


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## TheFlounderPounder

You did the best thing by minding your own business!


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## Jason

Yall are a bunch of cane raising law breaking fools, now go on and start slinging lead at folks again!!!


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## panhandleslim

I've never used a Mingo for bait. I have, however, foul hooked a large number of them and didn't even realize they were on the line.


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## dustyflair

I sure as hell wouldn't do it, film myself doing it, then put it on tv like a certain local fishing host did...


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## dustyflair

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> If you count it against your bag limit, it's legal.
> 
> I think that's against the rules now...


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## lastcast

Can anyone find that in the regs? I have found it before but can't now.


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## Final Contender

20 miles out. Yes I to, would be careful playing police boat.


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## jjam

EFI Logistics said:


> nevermind.....obviously people here could careless about laws.


I was just kidding around with you, but RULE #1, NEVER INTERFER WITH ANOTHER BOAT ON THE WATER PERIOD!!!

Jimmy


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## MrFish

Aside from what the government thinks, what is the big deal with using them as bait? What's the difference between you eating them or another fish? Not saying I would use them to go after monster reef donkeys, just curious.


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## lastcast

Page 9 under additional rules.
http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/RecreationalRegulations.pdf


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## Murphy's Law

Final Contender said:


> 20 miles out. Yes I to, would be careful playing police boat.


+1

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## gator7_5

dustyflair said:


> I sure as hell wouldn't do it, film myself doing it, then put it on tv like a certain local fishing host did...


I thought when I saw them bring that aj up with a mingo hanging out of its mouth "I probably would have edited that part out". Lol


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## jim t

gator7_5 said:


> I thought when I saw them bring that aj up with a mingo hanging out of its mouth "I probably would have edited that part out". Lol



This is a no shitter...

I'll admit to using live mingo as bait years ago. But the biggest AJ I've ever seen was brought aboard by a guy who was reeling up a mingo caught on a smallish reel specifically targeting mingos. About half way up a 75# AJ hit it and brought the rod to the gunnel and him to his knees.

It was FUN to watch. He fought the beast all the way up and we landed it. But a small 2/0 caught both a 1# Mingo and a 75# AJ.

Jim

I think the same day we hooked a HUGE mako, it skied about a dozen times, just like you see on TV. It skies out of the water head first, then flips and enters the water head first. The last time was about 30' from the boat. I tactically moved out of the cockpit and under the tower then. We lost it soon after (thank God). I'm pretty sure we hooked that same Mako and heard reports on the old boards about other boats hooking a HUGE mako in the same area that same winter.


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## weedline

and again some of u think and talk to much this is the perfect example of dont ask dont tell


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## jim t

weedline said:


> and again some of u think and talk to much this is the perfect example of dont ask dont tell


I don't mind the discussion. It makes you think...

I've been there, I've done that.

I'd hope next time I'd throw it back and use a sabiki rig to bring up legal bait.

Sabikis work offshore too Even in 200' of water.



Jim


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## MathGeek

If there is an opportunity to do so politely and I see someone who may be breaking a regulation (according to my understanding of the law and facts) I very discretely mention to them what I have noticed with a comment along the lines that I'd hate to see them get in trouble for it.

I hang around a lot on fishing piers and near cleaning stations. The most common issue is slightly undersize fish, and occasionally a single fish that is well undersize.

I don't think I've seen a case of intentional poaching, just honest mistakes, sometimes imperfect measurements, sometimes failing to know a gazillion rules or recalling the right rule from the wrong state.

Sure, I'd call it in if I saw someone fishing with dynamite or with twice the limit, but getting your panties in a wad over the wrong bait or the wrong hook is almost as silly as some of the rules themselves.


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## chad403

NOTHING.. If you are in the mode of getting law breakers do us all a favor and right down tags of people who speed thru stop signs in neighbor hoods where small kids are playing, or texting and driving around bus stops or a drunk driver in the middle of the day. Save peoples lives not fishes.... IMO


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## submariner

*right on*



SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> If you count it against your bag limit, it's legal.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Alabama slayer is correct , if it legal size and counts in your limit it is legal. At least in Florida! :thumbup:


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## lastcast

submariner said:


> Alabama slayer is correct , if it legal size and counts in your limit it is legal. At least in Florida! :thumbup:


Ed, where did you find that? Thanks.


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## almo100

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/RecreationalRegulations.pdf

As posted before. Page 9

Reef Fish as Bait - The use of federally managed reef fish as bait is prohibited.

I don't think this is as bad as keeping undersized fish or re-spooling your line, taking the old line off by throwing the end into the water while the boat is moving and dumping a few hundred feet of mono into the ocean like I have seen on some charter boats. 

Laws are laws but some are more severe than others. You are more apt to report a guy who is doing 50mph through a school zone than a guy doing 80mph on the highway.

Using a Mingo for bait is not going to attract as much attention as those clowns who get busted with 300 pounds of illegally caught red snapper.


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## dustyflair

Use a trashfish as bait, not a future legal keeper sized reef fish, is what I read into the rules...In the past, when it was legal, I've seen some little butterflied mingos morph into some big groupers...It's tempting to do it now, but plenty of legal alternatives that make a little more sense to me now that I'm older.


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## JoeyWelch

I always liked these threads.

Your all are a bunch of villains and all of you should be locked away to keep the mingo's safe.

I would never consider using a bait that was illegal.:laughing::laughing:


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## feelin' wright

submariner said:


> Alabama slayer is correct , if it legal size and counts in your limit it is legal. At least in Florida! :thumbup:


 I was stopped at Bayou Texar a couple months ago and had several barely legal Mingos in the livewell. FWC stated that using them for bait was prohibited in federal waters but can be done in state waters. 

To answer the OP, I would let them fish with whatever they would like. Not my boat, not my fine, not my business.


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## submariner

lastcast said:


> Ed, where did you find that? Thanks.


florida fishing reg on line was looking for what I could keep. seems it is less and less everyday. I look for the link ed


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## lastcast

Did anyone find where it says you can use Mingo or any other regulated reef fish for bait? Seems this is still an elusive answer.


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## almo100

Yes, it was posted in here already. In Florida it's illegal, period.


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## eym_sirius

When a person's life or safety is in danger, I'm there! However, short of a situation that involves the potential of significant harm -- I pretty well mind my own business. There's a point, otherwise, at which an individual crosses the line from a legal system advocate to a petty legalistic busybody. The standard, as I see it, is, "Is the problem exceptionally egregious?" 
The comparison to reporting traffic issues is a valid one. It's ridiculous to report someone's tag number to authorities for his going 15 miles over the speed limit. Is it against the law? Certainly. Is it exceptionally egregious? Certainly not. On the other hand, if a guy is blind drunk and all over the road or driving on the wrong side of the expressway, one would be negligent for NOT reporting the guy. Why? Because his behavior was exceptionally egregious. I think that standard holds true when it comes to conforming to fishing rules and regulations.


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## Caddy Yakker

Where's Batman when you need him?


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## Blake R.

Caddy Yakker said:


> Where's Batman when you need him?



This is more of an aquaman situation.


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## badonskybuccaneers

Blake R. said:


> This is more of an aquaman situation.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Don't you watch Big Bang- Aquaman sucks:001_huh:


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## Blake R.

Of course he does. About the only thing me can do is swim down and take that poor mingo off the hook.


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## jim t

Lesson learned...

While bottom fishing in gin clear water in the Bahamas...

When you fish for a yellowtail snapper. If you hook one near the bottom and it goes nuts all heck breaks loose. The predators come out quickly to take a strike. Typically they miss. Then you reel him in.

If you send it back down on a hook. If he is docile when he getd to the bottom he is ignored. Not always, but generally. By Grouper, Kings, etc.

So if you send a big live bait down and nothing happens for awhile and it dies, bring it up and replace it with a new live bait.

It might get nibbled by smaller predators, but if you are targeting BIG predators a lively large bait will work better than a dead or near dead bait. Not saying yo cannot catch a nice grouper on a butterflied ruby red lips. But you'll catch more on an active live bait.

Likewise, you'll generally only fool a grouper on a new spot with a bottom jig on the first or second drop. After that I'll pull the jig up looking for AJ's. Grouper will need some time before they might try again on a jig.


Not always, and maybe a different jig/color will bring a strike, but generally, I've only seen a single or couple chances with a jig on the bottom.

So "lively" is better, "new" is better.


Jim


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## Chapman5011

EFI Logistics said:


> nevermind.....obviously people here could careless about laws.


Most of these guys on here, a lot of them anyway, come out of pensacola pass. I would follow every rule that's out there, because pensacola water police, water patrol, coast guard, marine resources, game and fish, call them what you want, I call them game wardens, they will bust your A$$ if your breaking the rules and it will be very expensive. I have a buddy that made a joke last year saying that if he left the pass 8 times, he got checked 7. 
From what I read on here, you can use the mingo as long as it's 10 inches and you count it towards your limit. I come out of orange beach. 
I dont recommend pointing fingers at people in a WHOLE on this forum as it will haunt you later on when your looking for advise or info. People on here will help you out if you don't piss them off. 

But we do thank you for your concern with the laws and regulations. 

I TRY to follow the law. At the least the ones I know of.
I dont bring back undersized or out of season fish. I may have 2 or 3 tasty cold ones out there in the open ocean, yet 2 beers will legally put you over the limit. So I guess I'm a hypocrite now. 

.

.


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## Chapman5011

weedline said:


> and again some of u think and talk to much this is the perfect example of dont ask dont tell


I thought that was bill Clinton's winning slogan.
"Don't ask don't tell "


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## aldeepdropper

Nothing you do offshore is illegal........until you get caught.


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## hjorgan

*This is a trueism...*

We often leave via Pensacola Pass but come home through Peridido Pass. Have been stopped at least 1 of 3 times coming in Pcola, less so in Bama. And we try our best to be legal in all areas. But the stops are a hassle not worth the time.



Chapman5011 said:


> Most of these guys on here, a lot of them anyway, come out of pensacola pass. I would follow every rule that's out there, because pensacola water police, water patrol, coast guard, marine resources, game and fish, call them what you want, I call them game wardens, they will bust your A$$ if your breaking the rules and it will be very expensive. I have a buddy that made a joke last year saying that if he left the pass 8 times, he got checked 7.
> From what I read on here, you can use the mingo as long as it's 10 inches and you count it towards your limit. I come out of orange beach.
> I dont recommend pointing fingers at people in a WHOLE on this forum as it will haunt you later on when your looking for advise or info. People on here will help you out if you don't piss them off.
> 
> But we do thank you for your concern with the laws and regulations.
> 
> I TRY to follow the law. At the least the ones I know of.
> I dont bring back undersized or out of season fish. I may have 2 or 3 tasty cold ones out there in the open ocean, yet 2 beers will legally put you over the limit. So I guess I'm a hypocrite now.
> 
> .
> 
> .


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## Chapman5011

As long as the mingo is 10 inches and you have 10 in the live well, I don't see what the issue is. You can always get rid of your bait by giving a good rip or two.


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## OBsession

Well, i can tell you that Mingo work way better than Red Snapper. But no one on here would ever admit to doing that. Red Snapper fillets come off the hook too easy.


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## Caddy Yakker

Just watched Gary Finch throw some mingos in the live well catching bait fishing out of Destin. They couldn't even get a limit of snapper....kinda sad really.


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## lobsterman

almo100 said:


> http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/RecreationalRegulations.pdf
> 
> As posted before. Page 9
> 
> Reef Fish as Bait - The use of federally managed reef fish as bait is prohibited.
> 
> I don't think this is as bad as keeping undersized fish or re-spooling your line, taking the old line off by throwing the end into the water while the boat is moving and dumping a few hundred feet of mono into the ocean like I have seen on some charter boats.
> 
> Laws are laws but some are more severe than others. You are more apt to report a guy who is doing 50mph through a school zone than a guy doing 80mph on the highway.
> 
> Using a Mingo for bait is not going to attract as much attention as those clowns who get busted with 300 pounds of illegally caught red snapper.


This by the way is a new reg they snuck in on us without saying a word in hopes of catching people is my guess. They absolutely used to be legal through last year as long as you counted it in your aggregate. pretty soon you won't be able to catch them using hooks either.


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## marmidor

Yep.........This is what this forum has became!!! Geez just go fishing.


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## lobsterman

marmidor said:


> Yep.........This is what this forum has became!!! Geez just go fishing.


It is sad we have gotten the idea of trying to bring our neighbor down instead of truly caring for and helping out our neighbor.


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## tank1949

Probably cause some idiot in Tallahassee got fired. Oh wait!!!! Bureaucrats never get fired, only create more regulations to keep them and attorneys employed. And of course "milking" the tax payers... No wonder, America is broke...


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