Trapping Minnows

[Fisher Dave]

I have recently started to trap some of my own minnows with marginal success. I have been moving my traps around searching out likely locations, but haven't been getting good results as of yet.

The baits I have tried and was told worked is bread, dog food, and crackers.

The bread has worked *ok* I guess, and the dog food has done more than I thought it would .. but where I think I might have a problem is all these baits float to the top of the trap, where the minnows can pick off pieces from the outside of the trap.

Does this make a difference? Should I sink my bait, use different bait? Like I said, I'm new to this.

In the past I have used things like bologna to catch creek chubs on hook and line .. worked great. There is a good supply of rainbow chubs in my area I live now .. do they like the meat also?

Any help would be great. I am open to all suggestions from anyone who has some trapping knowledge.

[Lowe]

Fisher Dave, try using a lady's nylon to hold your bait (I use dogfood). You can add weight if you need by putting a rock in with the dogfood. The nylon lets out a slow, steady stream of scent and prevents the dogfood from washing away quickly. I've had the best luck placing traps under overhanging banks, where the minnows feel safer and are more active.

[MapSD]

I have had luck without bait for minnows.
I place the trap just so its under the water, in other words very shallow. If the minnows are there they will just swim into the trap at sometime during the day or night. Hope you have good luck.

[rubber duck]

Try putting your trap in the narrowest part of the creek. Normally the minnows are running by now but they seem late this year mabe do to low water?

[Guest]

For Chub catching witha hook, I've had the best luck with a small piece of raw Bacon.

The Chubs love it and it doesn't fall off the hook like other meat-type baits.

------------------
Chells

[rubber duck]

I have never tried this but hear it works. Get a small can of dog or cat food and punch a few holes in the lid with a nail and put that in the trap. good luck!

[The Chemist]

My best trap is a box trap. 2x2x3. Much better than the round store bought ones. They work but the bigger the trap the better I've done. Alos I have never required bait to catch them.

[Fisher Dave]

The water up in my area in pretty low at the moment, but there is flow. I will give the nylon thing a try, and possibly the canned food if I get desperate.

I'm still in search of that *perfect place* in my area to set the traps. I am surrounded by rivers and small creeks here and there. Most of the small rivers here are all cut banks and a little on the deep side for their size.

The help is appreciated, I'm open for all I can get.

[Evenflow]

I'm currently trying the canned cat food with holes punched in it. It's worked very well in Alaska for shrimp, so I thought I would give it a try. I have my trap in what I would consider a very poor spot. I'll let you know how it works though.

Evenflow

------------------
It's all just theory till you hit the water.

[Ely Lake Expert]

I am not sure the legality of it, but I have a saner net, so 2 of us just walk up the river going through my land and we can catch enough minnows in 20 minutes to fish everyday for a month.

Ely lake expert

[Fisher Dave]

Ely lake expert ..

please send me an email regarding your idea.

[email protected]

[Dennis Steele]

I gave up using bait and the results are about the same.Like others have mentioned if you put the trap in a neck down area of a creek the minnows just swim right in.Heck I have even chased them right into the trap!

[Fisher Dave]

The best results I have had yet are in *neck* areas on the down side of shallows with swift current ... the *hole* with lesser current is where I'm getting some, not what I want, but they have fins I guess.

The trick here is finding the right body of water. I have a few different rivers within a block or 2 of me and creeks, drainage ditch's, springs, etc, all over the place ... trial and error will eventually pay off. Most of the areas here are far too wide and deep to put the trap without bait.

This is as hard as hunting flatheads.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Fisherdave,

You have mail.

[Moses2531]

I live near the Rum River... I have been trying to capture minnows there with a store bought trap for a couple years now. I was wondering if there are shiners or Red-tail shiners in the rivers? I swear I have had them schooling around my feet when I wade into the river and fish, but every time I throw a trap out there, I never catch any? Are they smart or something? I have used dog food and bread and some worms, but haven't got a thing. Am I using the wrong bait? If anyone has tips, it'd be greatly appreciated!