Trappin minnows

[Cooter]

Just bought a frabill minnow trap - wondering what to use for bait in it. Thanks.

[Ole #1]

I don't trap but some of my relatives do and all they use is dog food.

[Moose-Hunter]

Hey cooter...

I have the same traps and found that, for me, no bait works best. I tried bread, dry cat food and dry dog food with very limited success. Now, I leave the trap empty and position it so the current flows into one of the funneled ends. I trap mostly in small, shallow ponds but seem to find at least a little current. Even if it's wind generated.

If you need to use bait, try dog food. I stuff a few pieces into a lint trap (used on the output side of washing machines)and hang it in the middle of the trap with a cable zip tie. TIP: use the plastic mesh or the fabric mesh lint traps as the metal screen ones tend to rust in a hurry...

Hope this helps...

[carlcmc]

let me echo the recommendation of dog food. put it in a small creek, only needs to be deep enough in one hole to almost or completely cover the trap and you are good to go. put dog food in. i put it in with no bag or anything. just throw it in and put trap in facing into current.

[Walleyeguy31]

You could use styrofoam pieces as well.

[MrSenarighi]

I have had good success with bread. Ball up a piece really hard and it will stay together for a long time.

[shadrapla]

I have been trap minnows for over 20 years I use metal traps( over 20 years old no rust) I use white bread

[shortfatguy]

tinfoil makes a good attractant i use it and some dry dog food. i have heard that a can of tuna with the lid cut open just a little works good. one thing i have noticed is that if you check the trap early in the morning you tend to get more minnows... i think they find their way out during the day

[WAG416]

I also just purchased the frabil minnow trap-

In years past I liked to use corn. I seem to find more crayfish in the dog food set traps. I don't know if others have noticed this. There has been times that I have used dog food, and all I have is crayfish, and NO minnows. I read in outdoor life that a stick of gum works too, never tried it though.

WAG

[Cooter]

Thanks for the replies, keep em coming. Might try some yellow Berkley power nibbles. Will relay the results.

[ChuckN]

My best producer for lake shiners and chubs has been plain oatmeal wrapped in a piece of cheesecloth (or any mesh material). Just tie it off with a twist tie and place it into the trap. I've tried countless attractants, empty traps, this worked the best.