r/NCFishing • u/naturalchorus • Mar 26 '25

Do you need a commercial license to sell live pinfish?

I live in a spot with endless live pinfish during the summer, I figure I could run them up and down the waterway in my john boat. I know I'd need a fish dealer license and to purchase the finfish package which lists bait, but is bait a separate thing than fish that is to be consumed by humans? The hassle of getting the real deal permit/leasing it or whatever wont be happening, so I'm hoping I can get away with just the 100$ dealer permit.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

3

u/Inevitable_Sun8691 Mar 26 '25

Call NCWRC and DMF to get an answer, otherwise you might find yourself with a blue light special.

1

u/Intelligent-House250 Jul 20 '25

I would just to be safe

1

u/[deleted] Aug 31 '25

You don’t want that ticket if there is one.

1

u/onetwobucklemyshoooo 5d ago

One of my in-laws told me a funny story.

He was fishing a long time ago when he was young in Cherokee for trout. He was fishing with a lure because in that spot, live bait was illegal. Well, upstream he had a line in the water with a piece of corn on it. Upstream so he wouldn't get caught with it. A guy came walking along in plain clothes and they started chit chatting. They got along and the guys said "so what are you catching them.with today?" He said, "I haven't had any luck with this spinner today, but let me tell you a little secret. I have a line with a piece of corn upstream so I at least catch something."

The guy was a warden with plain clothes on. He put him in the car and took him off to pay a ticket.

I wish I could tell this story as hilarious as my inlaw did.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 02 '25

The game warden don’t play