Cast Net Regulations by State
Navigating Cast Net Regulations Across the United States: A Guide for Live Bait Enthusiasts
Whether you’re chasing mullet in the surf or shad in a river, nothing beats a perfectly thrown cast net… except getting a ticket because you had the wrong size. We’ve scoured every state’s 2025-2026 fishing regulations so you don’t have to. Here’s the most accurate, up-to-date cast net breakdown you’ll find anywhere.
| State | Max Radius (Diameter) | Mesh Size Requirements | Key Notes / Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 15 ft (30 ft) | None specified | Hand-thrown only; recreational |
| Alaska | Varies by area | Varies | Mostly personal-use herring fisheries; rarely true “cast nets” |
| Arizona | 4 ft radius (8 ft) | None | Baitfish only; seines limited to 10 ft long |
| Arkansas | No radius limit | ≤1" square | Requires bait dealer or free netting permit in some cases |
| California | Almost entirely illegal | N/A | Legal ONLY north of Pt. Conception for surf smelt; illegal everywhere else for bait |
| Colorado | No radius limit | None | Allowed for baitfish & salamanders; prohibited in most streams and many counties |
| Connecticut | No radius limit | None | Tidal waters only; illegal inland |
| Delaware | 10 ft radius (20 ft) | ≥3/8" | General recreational use |
| Florida | 14 ft radius (28 ft) | ≤1" stretched (freshwater) | Saltwater: max 2 nets per vessel; game fish must be released immediately |
| Georgia | No radius limit | None | Shad/herring for bait; license required |
| Hawaii | No radius limit | ≥2" stretched | Throw nets (common); lay nets require registration |
| Idaho | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | ≤3/8" square | Minnow/seine permit required |
| Illinois | 12 ft radius (24 ft) | ≤1" bar | Sport license allows minnow netting |
| Indiana | 10 ft radius (20 ft) | ≤3/4" stretched | No game fish retention |
| Iowa | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | None | Minnows only |
| Kansas | No radius limit | ≤1/2" | Baitfish ≤12"; prohibited in trout waters |
| Kentucky | 10 ft radius (20 ft) | 1" bar | Prohibited in some FINs lakes |
| Louisiana | 8.5 ft radius (17 ft) | None | Recreational; no red drum |
| Maine | No radius limit | None | Mostly menhaden (pogies); 1,050 lb/day limit |
| Maryland | 10 ft radius (20 ft) | None | Tidal waters only; illegal in non-tidal |
| Massachusetts | ~10 ft radius (~20 ft) | None | Inshore net area restrictions |
| Michigan | 4 ft radius (8 ft) | None | Great Lakes & St. Clair only for smelt/minnows; illegal inland |
| Minnesota | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | 3/8–5/8" | Permit required for gizzard shad; monofilament only |
| Mississippi | 12 ft radius (24 ft) | None | Marine waters; ≤50 lbs shrimp/day recreational |
| Missouri | No radius limit | None | Live bait only |
| Montana | 6 ft radius (12 ft) | None | Baitfish only |
| Nebraska | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | ≤3/8" square | June–August in specific waters |
| Nevada | 4 ft radius (8 ft) | None | Colorado River system & Lake Mead only |
| New Hampshire | Very limited | N/A | Dip nets/seines preferred; cast nets rarely addressed |
| New Jersey | 10 ft radius (20 ft) | None | Freshwater ≤8 ft; saltwater generally 20 ft |
| New Mexico | No radius limit (seine ≤20 ft) | ≤3/8" | Minnows only |
| New York | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | None | Hudson River below Troy Dam only; illegal elsewhere |
| North Carolina | No radius limit | None | Coastal waters; no rec. shrimp license needed |
| North Dakota | Illegal | N/A | Dip nets ≤24" diameter only |
| Ohio | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | 1/4–1" square | ≥1,000 ft from dams |
| Oklahoma | No radius limit | ≤3/8" square | Nongame bait only; banned on scenic rivers |
| Oregon | No radius limit | None | Mostly squid & shellfish; dip nets common |
| Pennsylvania | 10 ft radius (20 ft) | ≥3/8" | Permit required; specific waters only |
| Rhode Island | No radius limit | None | Saltwater common; freshwater restricted |
| South Carolina | No radius limit | None | Nongame devices; commercial shad/herring requires permit |
| South Dakota | No radius limit | None | Baitfish only |
| Tennessee | 10 ft radius (20 ft) | 1/4–1" square | Explicitly defined as 10 ft radius |
| Texas | 7 ft radius (14 ft) | None | Nongame/bait only; saltwater & most freshwater |
| Utah | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | None | Nongame fish only; must kill or release immediately |
| Vermont | ~5 ft radius (~10 ft) | None | Baitfish dealer regulations |
| Virginia | No radius limit | None | Menhaden, mullet, minnows for personal bait |
| Washington | 5 ft radius (10 ft) | ≤1" stretched | General bait use |
| West Virginia | 12 ft radius (24 ft) | ≥3/8" square | Commercial bait dealers mostly |
| Wisconsin | Illegal except boundary | ≤1/2" stretched | Only legal on WI–IA & WI–MN boundary waters |
| Wyoming | No radius limit | None | Baitfish seining license required |
Quick Takeaways for 2026
- Most generous: Florida (14 ft radius), Alabama (15 ft radius), Mississippi (12 ft radius)
- Most restrictive: Texas (7 ft radius), New York (5 ft radius Hudson only), North Dakota (banned)
- No size limit at all: AR, GA, KS, MO, NC, OK, OR, SC, SD, VA, WY (but mesh & species rules still apply)
- Tidal-only states: CT, DE, MD, NJ (saltwater), NY (Hudson below Troy)
Always double-check your state’s current fishing pamphlet or call the local game warden — boundaries, seasons, and emergency rules can change fast.
Tight lines and perfect pancakes! — The LiveBait.com Crew
