Minnows make excellent bait for all kinds of fish and are largely considered to be the most successful live bait that you can use. But how do you easily get some minnows? While you can buy them from places like bait shops, this can be expensive and they are still not always easy to find. Instead, many people will trap their own minnows to use as bait.
Buying a Minnow Trap
One of the easiest ways to get started in trapping minnows is to buy a commercial trap from a store. These simple traps are inexpensive and can generally be found anywhere fishing tackle is sold. They function all pretty similar to trap fish, having a narrow opening that the fish can swim through but cannot swim back out. Bait is placed inside the trap to convince them to enter it, and once inside, they are trapped.
Building a Minnow Trap
If you want to save a little money, you can also create your own minnow trap and use the same design as those from the store. These can be made with something like a 2-liter plastic bottle with the top cut off. Simply reverse the top so the minnows will swim through the small bottle opening and into the bottle itself after your bait. You can even use sticks in the water on a shallow area of water to create a natural fish trap.
Bait to Use for Minnows
The good thing about minnows is that they are not picky eaters. In fact, you probably already have plenty of things at your home that can be used as great minnow bait in order to lure them into your trap. Some of these baits include things like:
- Dog food
- Hot dogs
- Bread crumbs
- Shellfish
- Bacon
- Crackers
All of these things will work as an effective minnow bait when placed inside of your trap. You can either let the bait drift around in the trap itself, or you can ensure that it is suspended at the center of the trap for maximum effectiveness. To do this, place loose bait inside a mesh bag or some old pantyhose. Place this inside the trap so the bait will suspend at the center, and you can use things like wire or string to help keep it secure and right where you want it.
Final Thoughts
Using minnows is one of the best ways to catch many species of fish, and there are plenty of easy and inexpensive ways to catch them. From buying a minnow trap to building one yourself, if you spend the time to catch a few minnows you are sure to see a lot more fishing success!
Interested in checking out more information about fishing bait? Look no further than our articles on:
Why Bigger Baits Trigger the Biggest Bass
Top 5 Most Attractive Trout Baits
How to Build Your Own Worm Bait Farm
For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.
