Minnow trapping in a stream

[Doctor J]

I have an rectangle minnow trap with one end having the inverted cone opening. I put it in a stream last year and caught a good number of shiners. Does anyone know if its better to put it in so the opening is upstram or downstream? No difference? Wow, you think I'd have something better to post than this, eh? Slow day at the office...

[pikestabber]

Minnows, like fish, move upstream (against the current) to spawn, so facing it so that they swim upstream into the trap would be best (in other words, the opening is on the downstream side of the trap). That said, in areas where shiners rest when migrating, they mill all about, so any direction in a slack-water will work. A minnow's curiosity is usually what gets it in trouble, so they usually find their way in.