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Catching minnows for dummies #10782463 04/20/15 10:22 PM
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shapster Offline OP
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So the dummy part is for me because it seems no matter what I try, I can't catch em. I live on Joe Pool and anytime I purchase minnows, it's almost a guaranteed crappie fish fry, but I'd like to not have to go to the bait store every weekend. Anyone have any ideas or tips that can help land some minnows in my bait trap? Thanks!

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10782482 04/20/15 10:29 PM
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Why not use a jig? If your catching them good with minnows, step your game up and use jigs.

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10782486 04/20/15 10:30 PM
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shapster Offline OP
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I do use a jig from time to time, minnows are more for my kiddos that are still learning to fish.....

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10782542 04/20/15 11:01 PM
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1/4" mesh cast net, throw in riffles in creeks, wind blown banks, or boat ramps

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10783089 04/21/15 02:08 AM
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Jon Offline
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Do you have someone to help run one end of a seine?
Absolute fastest way to get a good supply of bait. Plus you can get an assortment of shad, flatheads, ghost minnows, baby perch, and shiners. Big ole slab crappie love those little 2" perch. My buddy and me probably went 2 years at Lavon without buying a single minnow.

My answer to the question of why not jigs is that sometimes they want minnows. Or a minnow hooked on a jig. Of course you can catch them on jigs- just not as well as minnows on certain occasions.

Reread your post. One of those kids can hold one end up close to the bank if they're no tall enough to go out very far. You can carry your end on out to 3 or so feet and then let the in close kiddo hold the pole stationary and vertical as a pivot. Then when you and him are even, just both drag it on up the bank. Boat Ramps are excellent but you gotta be quick to stay out of the way. Swimming areas are next best and you don't have to be so rushed about it. Most kids have more fun catching baits as they do fishing.

Last edited by Jon; 04/21/15 02:17 AM. Reason: Added the kid factor
Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: Jon] #10783626 04/21/15 11:24 AM
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shapster Offline OP
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Thanks Jon.......appreciate it.

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10783733 04/21/15 12:26 PM
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One drag at the boat ramp with a seine will often get us enough for the day. Usually have no problem later in Spring. Can you catch them in a seine at current water temps?

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: donothin] #10784006 04/21/15 01:48 PM
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Not sure about the current water temps, but i'd bet there is bait on the boat ramps right now.
FYI some of those baits will not stay live very long without special treatment. Ghost minnows and shad probably won't live long, but keep the dead ones fresh on ice and the crappie will eat them just fine. I caught a monster crappie on a fresh dead 2" perch. They eat fresh dead from the lake way on better than dead bait shop minnows. Not sure why that is, but an old timer taught us that and it's true.

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10784095 04/21/15 02:16 PM
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I agree with Jon thumb

If you buy a seine, go ahead and get two and tie them together. It makes it a lot longer and you won't need as many trips out. If you haven't ever done this, you will need to buy/obtain two long sticks to hold the net on each end and make sure that you (and the other end) drag the net, so the bait doesn't get under (this is tricky with kids) and they have floats on the top, so you don't need to worry about that part. You'll figure it out, as it's pretty easy. The kids love to look at the bait in the bucket and catch them for you. Get a little aerator for the bucket also will help keep them alive.


Originally Posted By: Dan90210 ☮
you know, nothing wrong with seven men who met on the internet going for a swim together
Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10785736 04/22/15 12:40 AM
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Quarter inch cast nets are illegal. They have to be 3/8 inches minimum. I bought the longest seine and mounted it to two aluminum poles that are used for sweeping your pool. They are cut to 6 feet in length with eyelet bolts to hold the seine in place. With the long poles, you can walk and reach out and scoop the seine back to the bank/ramp/beach, or walk the shoreline with a buddy. I also have a shorter seine set up the same way in which I can seine by myself. I think it is illegal to seine at boat ramps, but that is the chance to take.

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10785802 04/22/15 01:04 AM
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Actually, the only restriction on a cast net is no larger than 14' diameter...seine no larger than 1/2" square holes...
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Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: DanC] #10785826 04/22/15 01:17 AM
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Originally Posted By: DanC
Quarter inch cast nets are illegal. They have to be 3/8 inches minimum.


Can you provide documentation for that DanC? I have a 1/4" cast net I use all the time that is 6' radius(12' Diameter).
I like it because the shad I catch for Hybrids and catfishing do not get stuck in the net and just fall out when I open it up. When I use my 3/8" net about 75% of my bait die due to gills getting stuck in the net. All i could find was a limit of 14' Diameter on the cast net. See the link: http://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoo...evices-for-fish


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Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: bogey♂] #10786496 04/22/15 12:40 PM
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Seine Max length is 20F in texas

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: shapster] #10786717 04/22/15 02:04 PM
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OK, lots of conflicting info here. And to throw in one more issue - what about when the GW checks your boat and minnows? If you don't have a receipt showing where they came from, how do you avoid a ticket?? Just asking so I stay out of trouble. Thanks in advance!

Re: Catching minnows for dummies [Re: DFW-fisherman] #10787212 04/22/15 04:30 PM
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Look at the link posted above by both DRCrappie and SaltyDawg88
Both take you to TPWD regulations page for Legal Devices, Methods & Restrictions.
There's no conflicting info in those regs as far as I can tell.

I don't have the link to info on your question about game warden, minnows, and receipts but my understanding is:
It's illegal to transport bait (or water) from any body of water in the State away from the source it came from.
It's not illegal to catch bait at the lake, keep it in the boat while on that lake and then dump it back in the water when you get ready to come in. Then, to prevent spread of zebra mussels, your supposed to drain, dry, disinfect, etc. your boat and trailer before you leave the lake.

I would suggest to call TPWD and ask them for the regulations about this and where to find it on-line to make sure you don't run into a problem with the game warden. I'd be curious to hear what they tell you and where to find that regulation about transporting bait.

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