Andover Branch

VT Sale of Fish

A person shall not buy or sell a salmon, trout, lake trout, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, black bass, or other fish specified by regulation, taken in this state, or imported from another state or country where sale of such fish is prohibited, except such fish reared in licensed propagation farms within the state. No person shall buy fish for resale without a Fish Buyer Permit issued by the commissioner.

VT Foul Hooking

Foul hooking is hooking a fish in any other part of the body than the mouth with a hook or hooks, or manipulating hooks to hook a fish in a body part other than the mouth. A person fishing by open-water fishing or ice fishing shall not take any fish unless it is hooked in the mouth. Any fish not hooked in the mouth shall be immediately released without unnecessary injury.

VT Snagging

Taking or attempting to take fish by snagging is PROHIBITED in all Vermont waters. Snagging shall mean the intentional hooking of a fish in a place other than the inside of the fish's mouth. No person shall pull, jerk, or otherwise purposefully and/or repeatedly manipulate a hook, or hooks and line, to snag or hook a fish in any method other than to entice a fish into taking, by mouth, a hook, lure, or fly. Repeated and/or exaggerated jerking or pulling of the fishing line and/or hooks in any attempt to snag fish, whether it results in physically snagging a fish or not, shall be prima-facie evidence that snagging has taken place. This shall not apply to the use of a gaff to land a fish that has been legally hooked.

VT Ice Fishing

A person may take fish only by using not more than eight lines, except on Lake Champlain where no more than fifteen lines may be used. He or she must have immediate control over all lines. Each line may not have more than two baited hooks or three artificial flies or two lures with or without bait. Six lines are allowed on the Connecticut River.

VT Open Water

Fishing by means of hook and line in hand or attached to a rod or other device in open water, or fishing by casting or trolling baited hooks, artificial flies, or lures is considered open-water fishing. A person may take fish only by using not more than two lines of which he or she has immediate control. Each line may not have more than two baited hooks or three artificial flies or two lures with or without bait.