Expert advise on minnow biology needed

[fuzzyray]

In the past I have caught my own minnows (usually seining) and would like to get into it again. I was hoping someone here could run me though a Minnow Basics 101. I tried a few smaller rivers around St Cloud this week with minimal success. What type of seasonal patterns do minnows follow and what are the ideal conditions/areas to look for when catching minnows. Where would the minnows be this time of the year? I am assuming they make some type of spawing run in the spring much like our state's gamefish. Would this run be nearer to the outlet of a stream into a larger river/lake or should I start by looking further upstream. I guess any tips would be appreciated. I have waders, seinging nets and a few traps and I am ready to get rolling! Just point me in the right direction!! Thanks a lot.

[bulletboy]

HEY FUZZY, ON HWY 75 IN ST JOSEPH THE WATAB CREEK RUNS UNDER THE HIGHWAY, NOTE, WATER 2 FEET DEEP, AND GOES THROUGH MILLSTREEM PARK. ITS A 2 MAN JOB BUT JUST WALK THROUGH THE TUNNEL W/ NET, YOU WILL FIND LOADS OF MINNOWS HERE. GOOD LUCK!

[Matt D]

Depends on the minnows you're looking for I suppose. Stream species are really active and move a lot this time of year with the "love bug", so some funnel traps in a small feeder stream should get you an ample supply. That's what I used exclusively for my grad research, and May/early June was by far the jackpot season. Low effort and high return. Places that exclude predatory fish are good bets (e.g. slow deeps spots in shallow streams). Good luck!