Corn is best known for its use at summer cookouts, but it has a variety of other uses. Is fishing with corn, on the other hand, a good idea, and is it legal to use as a bait in California?
Corn, which is probably best known for its use as bait for trout, but it is effective on a variety of fish species found throughout California, including stocked trout, panfish, bass, catfish and carp.
Corn can be extremely beneficial to newer fishermen, despite the fact that it is not widely used as bait by many serious or professional anglers. If you want to take your kids fishing but don’t want to deal with stinky cut bait or live bait, corn is a great alternative bait.
Corn, unfortunately, is not legal in every state. But what about California? Can you fish with corn in California?
Is It Legal To Fish With Corn In California?
In California it perfectly legal to fish with corn in areas where bait is permitted. While California permits the use of corn as bait, it is not always legal to attract fish by chumming with corn.
Taking a closer look at the regulations in the state of California we can see that it is legal in California to use corn as bait for any species of fish and in any type of inland water wherever bait is allowed to be used. According to CCR Title 14, section 4.00, “Legally acquired and possessed invertebrates, mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians (except salamanders), fish eggs and treated and processed foods may be used for bait.”
However, you need to be sure to do your own research to find out the restrictions of using corn in any body of water in the state of California before you head out on your next fishing trip.
Why Do Fish Like Corn?
Fish Like The Color of Corn
It’s also possible that the fish are keyed in on that specific color that day, and anything that looks like chartreuse or yellow will help you catch fish. So, absolutely, you can go fishing with corn.
Corn Looks Like Food Pellets
Many stocked fish eat corn kernel-sized pellets before being released into lakes and rivers. Some believe that the stocked fish recognize the round corn kernels as the food pellets that were their main source of nutrition while at the fish hatchery.
Corn Kernels Resemble Fish Eggs
One theory, especially when it comes to using corn as bait for trout, is that the corn kernels look a lot like fish eggs. Many species of fish will feed on fish eggs. So this is one reason that corn can be a good bait to use.
Final Thoughts
Even though fishing with corn is legal in California, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is legal to use in every body of water. And when it comes to chumming, the legality of corn use can be a completely different issue. So be sure to do your own homework and research before fishing with corn in California.
