I've heard people use bread and fish flavored cat food for bait. But the key is to put it in running water.
I purchased a minnow trap from Walmart and have been setting it out in a creek by my home with no success. I've been using a dinner roll for bait. I was wondering if you guys had any advise on how to make this trap successful. I appreciate the help.
-Tex
I've heard people use bread and fish flavored cat food for bait. But the key is to put it in running water.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
Bill H. PTC USN Ret
Chesapeake, Va
Shallow water, just enough to cover the trap. Wet cat food mixed with crackers until you can make a pretty dry bal out of it. If the trap has a sock or basket for bait use it if not use mesh ( fabric section at Wal Mart ) You want a little piece to drift out occasionally but not much. In deeper water your more likely to get small eels ( great cat/striper bait) but fewer minnows. Minnows want to be near grass, shallow ledges so they can hide!!
Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. :rolleyes:
I've trapped minnows for years----hard to beat dry dog food. Just don't use too much.
Are you sure there are plenty of minnows in the creek? My dad always used a slice or two of white bread and caught plenty of minnows, but he was trapping in some ponds that were just stuffed with them. It may not be the bait but where you're trapping.Originally Posted by TexasTom
I have always just used white bread and it worked well.
I caught bream for years in baskets. I'd assume minnows would be about the same. Trick is to NOT completely submerge the basket as the minnows will eat the bread that floats up from the top of the basket vrs. having to go inside. Leave a couple inches of the basket out of the water. 'Course it helps if there's minnows there in the first place too.
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
since we're talking minnows here I've got a ,maybe dumb, question. there's a small creek not far from my house and in the summer it's full of minnows. Right now you couldn't find even one there. Question is where did they go?? I know they'll be back come spring.
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& Team Geezer
don't know for sure what the problem might be but i also got a trap from wal-mart and the ends where the minnows enter was smooth as a button like it had a ring around it i was catching no thing either so i cut that ring off the inside and just left the little jagged edges stick out and tried it caught some but you might have to take some screen and cone it down and wire it to the inner cones to make them smaller depending on how small of a minnow you would like to catch .
Scott
Life comes at you fast ... Better have a net...
Scott Beitzel----Western maryland
I've always had good luck with bread myself. The best places I trap are usually right next to ledges or logs laying in just enough water to cover the trap. But I have also done fine in deeper holes, especially for larger chubs or bluegills. The trap I use is an old one my dad has had around forever and it works like a charm. One tip, don't leave it in too long. I have left some in overnight before and not had the same luck as just a couple hours. Maybe they find a way out? Who knows?
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