Minnow-Shiner and leach traps

[croixflats]

Any ideas on minnow-shiner and leach traps.Got a buddy who has a pond on property full of fatheads,shiners and leaches.

With prices as they are and gas converting to gold looking for anyway to save.

I know ther is regulations for public land but is there any for private.

[Gissert]

For minnows, a standard seine is hard to beat if you have a spot where one can be used.

For leeches, I take a 3 pound coffee can and put some meat like liver, or beef scraps in it. Squeeze the top down so the opening is only a half inch wide or so. Tie a string to the can, and toss it in overnight. Check it again in the morning - the earlier the better.

[Scott M]

Gissert has the right idea on Leeches.

A good cylinder with inverted cones trap will work great for fatheads. Bait it with some dogfood and keep it close to shore this early in the year. The fatheads males are black with tubercles on their heads and the females are fat with spawn. Fatheads will look for rock edges, woody debris, or plant structures to nest nearby.

Shiners you should look at a deeper net, seining may work but more likely professionals will have better ideas. A cloverleaf trap or something else that can get them in deeper water is the ticket.