In Search of the Elusive Wild Shiner
I have been attempting to catch wild shiners with no luck. I live on a lake, and have a dock behind the house. I can see shiners in good numbers around the dock. There are also tons of Bluegill of various size from fry to adult. After studying Youtube videos I purchased a Gee's Minnow Trap in galvanized steel. I baited it up with bread, and placed it in about 3 feet of water on the bottom. I could see shiners in the area where I placed it. The next morning, nothing, as in zero anything in there. I moved it shallower, rebaited, and checked it the following morning. There were a few juvenile Bluegill in there, and zero shiners. I rebaited and placed it back in. Checked it that afternoon with the same results. Bluegills, no shiners. Now I have it moved back into deeper water where I see the shiners congregating. I have it suspended just below the surface at the level that I see them swimming. I also suspended the bread in the trap so that it would not float, and the shiners woudl have to actually go in to feast on it. Too early to see if there are any results, but I would like to ask you that are more knowledgeable what I may be doing wrong.