Keeping minnows

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

Has anyone ever kept minnows in a trap, or box attached to the end of their dock? I was thinking of giving it a try. I have constructed a Fairly large screened in container/box. I would like to keep dozens of minnows in it. I am having a few problems though...
What would be the best way to attach a lid or top to it that I would be able to access without all the minnows getting out?

How about attaching it to the dock?

I plan on keeping suckers and shiners in it, I have not ckecked the reg's yet but I will. Does anyone know if this is a legal thing to do. I have a feeling that It might not be.
Thanx for any advice.
-Big Island Dude

[Fisher Dave]

Hanging fish baskets(spring loaded top) work great for keeping minnows alive.

I dont think its illegal.. many people have minnow buckets tied off to their docks. The only snag you would run into is if your *minnow cage* had the ability to catch minnows.. at that point you have certain regs to go by on the size of the *trap* and opening...

For what your referring to, a large hanging fish basket, or a couple should do good.

[CRAPPIEBAIT]

COMPLETELY LEGAL.I SET MY MINNOW BOX IN ABOUT 3' OF WATER AND USED A PIANO HINGE SCREWED INTO THE BOX AND A SCREENED LID AS WELL.WORKS GREAT KEEPS BAIT FOR A LONG TIME.

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Greg

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

How do you go about keeping the thing in one place, do you anchor it down on the bottom, or attach it to your dock? What do you use for screen on the sides and top of the box, do you use a metel screen or some kind of mesh? Is there somewhere that I can buy minnows wholesale or in bulk? I have a place up north of grand rapids, so I wouldnt want to travel to far with bulk minnows.I dont have a live well in my boat and I am sick of running out of suckers and shiners when there is a good bite on, the bait shop is 8 miles from my place.

[fiskyknut]

A couple things....

Redtail chubs will kill one another, and any other baitfish kept with them in no time flat until you have just 1 big mean Redtail left!

You can only possess 288 minnows {24 dozen} per angling license.

fiskyknut

Had to fix that poor math!

[This message has been edited by fiskyknut (edited 04-28-2004).]

[CRAPPIEBAIT]

I BUILT THE BOX FRAME OUT OF 1/8" ANGLE W/WIRE MESH FOR THE SCREEN (ANOTHER TERM USED IS METAL CLOTH)THEN WELDED A PIANO HINGE TO THE BOX AND SCREWED IT TO THE LID.IT ALREADY WEIGHS ABOUT 20LBS.NO COONS OR STORMS HAVE HURT IT "YET".

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Greg

[Ole1855]

It works fine if you can keep the critters out like, racoons, turtles, otters (if you have them where your at) etc...

Ole

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Olson Insurance Agency
[email protected]
952-224-4774

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

Cant you just put some sort of locking device on it. I know coons and otters can become pretty smart after a while, but I would think that if you built it tough enough it would keep them out. If its summerged how would the coons get to it?

[korn_fish]

I keep bulk suckers and chubs, approx 4-6 dozen XXL size in a 5 gallon pail with a lid. Drilled holes all over to basically make it a gigantic flow troll

Worked like a charm for me. Never had a coon or anything get into it for the 6 years that I have been using it.

[CRAPPIEBAIT]

I JUST USE A DOOR LATCH.KINDA LIKE A HASP.

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Greg

[IFallsRon]

I used a two-piece heavy guage screen trap and occassionally got some extra minnows, too. Until the crayfish got in and ate all the inventory. I use a Flowtroll now and it works fine.

[psegriz]

Someone replied only 12 doz. minnows allowed that is correct. Don't mean to pick on you fiskyknut but 12 doz. = 144. Just didn't want anyone to get into trouble.

GRIZ

[fiskyknut]

Whoops....My math is bad!

You're allowed 24 dozen.....288 minnows.

There thats better!

Fisky

[Ruttin' Buck]

Maybe before you spend a bunch of time and money on your setup take into consideration the water temperature on the first few feet of water even in late June early July.

Suckers will likely only make it a day or two in warm water and direct sunlight and shiners in mid summer are lucky to make it home from the bait shop.

Here's my cheap and easy way to make minnows last and keep them seperated...may not work depending on the depth at the end of your dock. Buy 3-4 minnow buckets and find the equivalent number of baseball sized rocks. Insert rocks into minnow buckets...need I specify 1 per? Add 8-10 feet of your favorite rope and sink 'em. Water is much cooler 10 feet down and the sunlight isn't as intense. I haven't had a mink get a free meal since I started doing this either.

I hope this is legal...I have not been told otherwise nor do I recall it in the regs. I do know it is better than the people I see dumping their live bait into the lake at the landing or in their ice hole!

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Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day....
Teach a man to fish and he'll spend the rest of his life buying rods, reels, boats, tackle.....

[psegriz]

Fiskyknut

Your right it's 24 doz. when did they change it from 12 doz.

GRIZ

[LocalGuide]

BIG ISLAND DUDE, heres what I would do under certain conditions.
If the bottom an the end of your dock is rock this will work great!

Make your box like 16"x24"x12" or what ever you desire. Make sure its strong b/c there will be some weight in it. Make a lid that will lock down on it somehow. Then on the very end of ur dock put some good sized rocks in it. Put a rope on it how ever you choose and lower to the bottom of the lake. Just like Buckblaster stated.
Thats what I do with my minnows if I need to and it works great, they stay alive much longer.

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And keep those hooks sharp!

[1Yogi]

My expereience is from a neighbor who did the same type of thing, He had a He11 of a time keeping Racoons,Skunks,Mink, and other varments looking for a free meal out of the thing. Turtles were a similar nusciance.

[huskiesplayer15]

what we have always done is we took the basket out of old washing machines, two or three of them and sorted our minnows in there by type/size, another thing that works is frabill make a a big mesh one that is atleast three feet in diameter, maybe try those.
best fishes
chris