Bag limits and size limits for sportfish must be followed regardless of the means of catching fish. Any fish that does not meet these restrictions must be released immediately. It is illegal to possess, for any reason, a game fish that does not meet the bag limits or size limits indicated for that species. Any legally-caught fish may be used as bait. However, it is illegal to use live carp or gizzard shad for bait, except at Brookville Reservoir, where live shad are allowed.
Live goldfish are legal baitfish.
Do not dump bait buckets or move any live fish from one lake or river to another waterway. Live carp and gizzard shad cannot be used as bait, except at Brookville Lake where live shad may be used. The laws do not prevent the use of dead shad as bait in any Indiana water. Gizzard shad are not native to Indiana and have become a nuisance fish in many of our lakes and rivers. When young, these fish provide some forage for predators.