Rules & Regulations
Cast net laws in North Dakota
Not an authorized gear typeInformational only — this is not legal advice
Fishing regulations change, sometimes with little notice, and can vary further by county, water body, or season within a state. This page is a starting point for research, not a substitute for the law. Always verify current rules directly with your state's fish & wildlife agency or TakeMeFishing.org before you fish. BasicGear is not responsible for citations, fines, or gear seizures resulting from reliance on this page.
Last verified: 2026-07-08 — regulations are re-checked periodically; see the date above before assuming this is current.
Summary
Cast nets don't appear among North Dakota's enumerated legal baitfish-taking methods — the legal alternative is a dip net or trap, capped at 24 in diameter / 36 in depth.
Size, mesh & licensing
- Max size
- Not applicable
- Mesh
- Not applicable
- Water type
- Freshwater only
- License
- Not applicable for cast nets
Recommended BasicGear net
No recommendation — Cast nets aren't listed as an authorized method in North Dakota — the legal path for personal bait is a dip net or trap instead.
Official source
ND Game and Fish Department — Fishing Regulations↗
Medium confidenceThe agency page never uses the phrase "cast net" — absence was inferred from the exhaustive list of what IS legal, not an explicit ban statement.
Last verified: 2026-07-08
See all 50 states, or shop the cast net lineup for North Dakota.