# Are spring lizards legal bait?



## scott44 (Jul 21, 2011)

For some reason im thinking no..but...dont acually  know.I never see em for sale anymore


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## dgilles (Jul 21, 2011)

*spring lizards*

We used to buy them at a bait store close to Acworth Ga. We would use them for spots on Lake Allatoona. Killer bait


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## Steve78 (Jul 21, 2011)

I've never heard that they arent, the dam store used to sell them years ago


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## scott44 (Jul 22, 2011)

I thought i heard a few yrs back they got classed as endangered..but really not sure ...was just thinkin i used to see them for sale in the springtime years ago..50 cents apiece i think...but havent in yrs


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## Twenty five ought six (Jul 22, 2011)

They are legal.

People just too lazy to catch them and sell them to the bait stores.

Used to be the "go to" big bass bait.

People that get upset about fishing beds, haven't ever dropped a live spring lizard in a bed.  Like having an M-80 go off.  Don't have to worry about hookset, because if he doesn't get it the first time, he's coming back for another whack.


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## bpoulin (Jul 22, 2011)

How do you catch them? I see them everywhere, but they're quick little buggers.


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## Twenty five ought six (Jul 22, 2011)

bpoulin said:


> How do you catch them? I see them everywhere, but they're quick little buggers.




You've got to be quicker than they are.

Best way to catch them is find a couple of 12 years olds and tell that if that put down their Gameboys, you will give them 50 cents (probably a dollar now) for every one they bring you.


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## Twenty five ought six (Jul 22, 2011)

bpoulin said:


> How do you catch them? I see them everywhere, but they're quick little buggers.




You've got to be quicker than they are.

Best way to catch them is find a couple of 12 years olds and tell that if that put down their Gameboys, you will give them 50 cents (probably a dollar now) for every one they bring you.


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## Garcia Mitchler (Jul 22, 2011)

scott44 said:


> *Are spring lizards legal bait?*



It depends if they are over 16 or not...


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## sbroadwell (Jul 22, 2011)

Twenty five ought six said:


> They are legal.
> 
> People just too lazy to catch them and sell them to the bait stores.
> 
> ...



Yeah, those things are good! I used to use them in the spring in Lanier. Sometimes catch 2 or 3 fish with one lizard.
I caught the biggest catfish I've ever caught there, on a dead spring lizard. Had one die, and since I was getting a bite another rod just threw it out the other side of the boat, in deeper water. Forgot about it, till I heard the clicker going off on the big red Ambassadeur 6000. A nice catfish.
I think you can still find a place here and there that sells them in early spring. I remember some place was mentioned here earlier this year as having some.


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## FALCON157 (Jul 22, 2011)

We use to catch them for a Friend of my Dad's Bait Store. That's been Year's ago.............. We would catch them in the Mountains... Find a creek and start flippin over Rock's. We would fill 5 Gal' Buckets up with them in just a Few hour's.   The Guy that owned the Bait store took it a little to  far, he would find a hole in the Creek bank and run his hand in there and pull them out along with other critters.


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## jigman29 (Jul 22, 2011)

If you want to have more fun catching lizards than fish take a 3' peice of stick and put a small aberdeen hook on the end and grab a flashlight.Go to a small spring that has lizards and slowly walk upstream and look all around the bank at water level and above looking for the head sticking out of they're holes.When you see one just dangle a small piece of worm in front of they're face and they will hit it like a small alligator.All you have to do is pull the stick slowly and drop them in a bucket,just be sure to keep a lid on it or they will crawl out.When we were kids we would spend all night catching them to sell to the local bait stores and fisherman for 6 bucks a dozen.I think the most we ever got was when my brother,3 cousins and myself caught 43 dozen in one night!We honestly hit every branck within walking dinstance of the house and were gone till the sun came up.We stayed all summer with granny so she was ready to beat some younguns when we came in lol.We were young and didn't know any better or I would never keep them like that know,but you can easily have a couple of dozen big lizards in less than on hour on a good creek and this is way more fun that flipping rocks and skinning your knuckles catching them the other way.Have fun.


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## GoldDot40 (Jul 22, 2011)

Twenty five ought six said:


> Used to be the "go to" big bass bait.



My dad used to fish Lanier a lot back in the early-mid 80s....all he ever used was spring lizards. He's caught some HUGE bass up there on those things. He still loves to sit and tell his stories about fishing with spring lizards back in the day.

He used to have this tin bucket with tiny holes all over the sides and top. I believe it was specifically for live bait....crickets, lizards, or whatever. One time he sent my mom to go pick up a bucket full from a lady in northern Banks Co who sold them. Me and my brother were very young....and I remember one of us turned the bucket over and the lid opened. The the backseat Ga Lizard Derby ensued. My poor old grandmother was riding shotgun that day. It's a wonder how she made it through it all.


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## General P (Sep 30, 2011)

Just curious, but what would be the best way to bait one.


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## Backlasher82 (Sep 30, 2011)

General P said:


> Just curious, but what would be the best way to bait one.



We always hooked them through the lips with a weedless hook.


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## GoldDot40 (Oct 2, 2011)

General P said:


> Just curious, but what would be the best way to bait one.



My dad says he would go in through it's mouth and exit through one of the eyes. Seemed to make them 'squirm' a little more and attract more fish.


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