Forage fish angled for trout and salmon which they called "game fish". Fish other than game fish were disdained as "coarse fish". These days, "game fish" refers to Salmonids (other than grayling) — that is, salmon, trout and char. Coarse fish are made up mostly of the larger species of Cyprinids (carp, roach, bream) as well as pike, catfish, gar and lamprey. Coarse fish are no longer disdained; indeed, fishing for coarse fish has become a popular pastime. Forage fish are sometimes referred to as "bait fish" or "feeder fish". Bait fish is a term used particularly by recreational fishermen, although commercial
Bait Act the sale of bait to Canadian fishermen. In the early 20th century, the Bait Act was directed against American fishermen. Bait Act Bait Acts were laws passed in Newfoundland to try to control the sale of bait to French fishermen, and later to Canadian and American fishermen. In the 1800s France claimed exclusive rights to fish along the shores of Newfoundland, and to cure the fish on the shores. Newfoundland was a British colony, but Britain had other priorities when negotiating fishing rights, and did little to protect the Newfoundland fishery. In 1857 Britain signed an agreement allowing the French