Trapping your own minnows

[rickl1968]

How many trap your own minnows and keep them for the ice season? I am looking to start a tank of my own and wondering if I could get some help on designing it. I am looking at picking up a small chest freezer to keep in the garage.

Could you guys share some pictures, pump sizes, filters, etc.

[Mr.Seaguar]

My tank is not set up right now. I use the term tank loosely as its an old plastic garbage can. I went and bought a 30 gph filter at walmart. I use some window screen as a cover on top. I put creek water in it and use an aerator. That sums it up, high class all the way. I only keep creek chubs because thats what fish hit the best. I dont keep little ones and I dont keep real big ones. So maybe 4-7" long. I would be happy if they were all 5". 10" perch, 45" muskies and most everything in between will hit 5" chubs. I have better luck with a hook and line than traps. If I was after perch and crappie bait I would use traps. You cant keep chubs and perch minnows in the same tank. I guess you can until the chubs eat them. I tried that. You end up with the minnow equivalent of the Elephant Gravyard at the bottom of your tank. I had about 100 chubs in 35 gallons of water last year. This year I am going to have more chubs in the same amount of water. But of course that number keeps going down, as the season goes by or at least you plan on it going down. Good Luck

[DTro]

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1368961/Bullheads_are_Catchable_Get_th

[rickl1968]

Thanks for the link! Awsem post it helps alot! New tank comming soon

[muskE]

I went and bought a 30 gph filter at walmart. I use some window screen as a cover on top. I put creek water in it and use an aerator. That sums it up, high class all the way.

Doesn't the DNR frown on water transport and why we have to pull plugs when trailering even with a dry hull?

[DTro]

You are correct.

Portable bait containers are not part of the new water transport laws, but you can't be transporting water that is not from the tap or baitstore. Make sure that "creek water" came from a tap.

[muskE]

You are correct.

Portable bait containers are not part of the new water transport laws, but you can't be transporting water that is not from the tap or baitstore. Make sure that "creek water" came from a tap.

DT- According to the MN DNR HSOforum (link below), respectively, you are partially incorrect. While bait containers may not be a part of the new transport laws, they have been in place prior to the changes.

MINNESOTA LAWS

It is unlawful to:

1) transport aquatic plants, round goby, zebra mussels, or other prohibited species on public roads

2) launch a watercraft with aquatic plants, zebra mussels, or prohibited/regulated invasive species attached

3) transport water from infested waters in boats, livewells, and bait containers

4) transport watercraft without removing the drain plug and opening water-draining devices

Also, under the Required Actions, there is the following note:

Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash. It is illegal to release live bait into a waterbody or release aquatic animals from one waterbody into another.

Transporting trapped minnows to another body of water other than where you trapped them is in violation of this interpretation.

(http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/preventspread.html)

[germanshorthairs]

But #3 only applys to infested waters-if the creek is not infested I would think you are ok.

[chris63]

Now I know why all the waterfowl were lined up at the car wash the other day.They were being responsible ducks and ridding themselves of harmful aquatic hitchhikers!c63

[CrappieNut]

i just took one of my coolers that i wasn't using much, drilled a hole in the top for my bubbler ($6 Walmart). i use tap water which is city water and have kept them alive for weeks. just refreshing it every few days. i don't know why it doesn't harm them. crappie and fatheads last the longest, suckers didn't last a week. plus if you use a cooler it wont freeze the water in the garage

[Mr.Seaguar]

I am in Iowa. Our DNR figures that with all the feedlots causing problems, whats a few buckets of minnows. But if I was in MN I would do the same thing, just not talk about it on the net.

[PurpleFloyd]

I have a 125 gallon fish tank in my basement and I keep a good supply of minnows in there most of the time for fishing and also for just watching when I am home. I tried creek chubs last year and as stated above a dozen of them will go through a scoop of minnows in a few days so don't try to mix them.

The key to keeping minnows alive is to keep them fed and filter the heck out of the water and make sure to do regular larger water changes with non chlorinated water. I had a tropical fish hatchery set up down here some years back and have plenty of experience with keeping lots of fish alive in tanks.