Seining Minnows?

[squeedunk]

I have much better success when using minnows that I seine out of the same lake system that I am fishing than I do with store bought minnows. However, I have a few questions about seining minnows from one lake and then using them in a lake that is 3 hours away. First off, I know it is illegal to transport fish from one lake to another but does the same go for minnows that you net? Secondly, if I can transport minnows to another lake are they as likely to work as the ones I might net directly from the lake I am fishing? I am asking because I know I can get all the minnows I could ever need down here in the cities but may not have the chance to get minnows up by my cabin where I fish for opener. The seined minnows are always more durable and a heck of a lot cheaper but I am not sure if it is even legal to transport them.

If you can buy minnows and transport them I would assume it would be okay but I thought I would check.

~Squeedunk

[Lunker]

It is my understanding that it is legal to transport bait from water to water as long as the species are legal and not exotic(no goldfish for example) and there aren't special regs like the boundary waters. A good example would be catfisherman who catch minnows, creek chubs, and legal baitsize bullheads and then go and use them for bait on the rivers.

[OldBear]

I think keeping the minnows at a water temp. relative to the water temps. you'll be putting them in has a lot to do with the survival of transporting them. Non-chlorinated water has to be used. I have real good luck keeping minnows in my basement all winter and using them for ice fishing by letting them adjust to temperatures more gradually.