Catching your own bait?

[freebledsoe]

Does anybody regularly catch their own minnows for bait? I know bullheads are caught and used for catfishing, but I'm wondering about how to/ where to try for something like creek or river chubs or fatheads. When I was a kid there was a stream I fished with my cousin using small hooks and pieces of cheese (!) and caught chubs that way. Can you seine them, and where would they be hiding out? Thanks all.

[Fisher Dave]

Theres lots of places .. but they are best kept secret.

I go to various places on Minnehaha Creek, people I have known have done ok on 9 mile also.. there are lots of places, but it takes some foot work to find them.

I ususally get large chubs using worms or bologna on a little hook.. Creek chubs can engulf numbers of crappie minnows.. they are aggresive(I have one in an aquarium).

I havent tried a seign net, but I do want to.. if your not afraid to brave some chilly water I have some decent places to go, but it take 2 to pull a net.

[barnyard]

We catch our own shiners in a couple of nearby creeks. On a light rod, they are a ton of fun, plus wild caught shiners are WAAAAAYYY more durable than store bought.

Tom B

[poutpro]

I sein a lot of my minnows in area lakes and rivers. There are usually minnows up close to shore in inches of water, and you can see them. Just get a sein and a buddy and make 1 or 2 passes and you'll have a lot of minnows. It might take a few tries to get the right lift technique, but after that it works pretty good. Make sure you put back all game fish though.

[fish-n-geek]

There's a trout stream near me that holds lots of creek chubs. Toss in a minnow trap with a slice of bread and you'll have five or six dozen overnight.

Not sure what MN has to say about trout streams, but I know its legal in WI.

-rus-

[Mark Christianson]

We sein our own lake shiners in early May.

Minnows galore usually, and what a money saver!!!!

[poutpro]

How many shiners can you legally have in your possession without having a liscense?

[fiskyknut]

288

[Mark Christianson]

Wrong Fisky.

In 2003 they upped it to 318.

[fiskyknut]

Wrong eh? You may want to check page 83 in your 2005 regs booklet then!

Regards....fiskyknut

[Mark Christianson]

kiddin' fisky...

[poutpro]

How do you guys keep your bait alive? I just have a deep sink that I have an airator in. If I lived on a lake, I think I'd get one of those big blue grain barrels and sink it next to a dock. What types of minnows do you guys all get?

[ChuckN]

BLB you are such a funny guy.

Actually the shiners can be had right now. My traps went just out, but it's early!! I need to figure out a way to keep them alive in the meantime.

[freebledsoe]

FisherDave, I'm not afraid to get a little wet... If the water is too cold I'll just throw some waders on. I'd love to catch some frisky minnows and chubs...

[Ely Lake Expert]

I use a sein net in a local creek to catch my minnows. Early in the year, I seem to find all the shiners and big sucker minnows I want. Once the water starts to warm up it is mostly chubs in the river. To keep them alive, I just put them in what I would call a minnow cage. I just keep it in the water next to my dock.

[MNUser]

For those that might be interested:

I have access to a bunch of those 55 gallon blue Pepsi barrels. A friend sells them and I know he would be willing to pass them on. I use one hooked up to sand point well and it keeps my bait alive for weeks on end. It recycles new water in four times a day for an 1.5 hours each time. I have kept shiners alive for weeks and weeks.

We always seine our own for the first month of the season or so.

Email me and I will see what he has left: [email protected]