Minnow Traps

Post by **uplifta** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:39 am

hey guys..anyone out there traps their own minnows?

what type of traps are u using...i just found out, that there are an alot of minnows, that can be trapped by old mills station(in toronto)...anyone been there b4?????

Post by **Woodsman** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:59 am

I trap my minnows year around in the small creaks near where I live. In the winter you have to chop a hole to fit your trap thru.
My trap is the type that looks like two wire baskets with funnel shaped ends. Mine is metal coloured but in the stores now I only see black ones.
I also have a square minnow net with a metal frame you lower into the water and raise quickly when minnows swim over it to the bait.
I mostly use stale bread as bait.

Best Wishes

Post by **Tip-up** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 9:12 am

I have never found the traps produce as good the sein.I have caught minnows in traps but nothing campared to the quants of minnow you get dragging a sein through a beach or creek.One run with the minnow sein will get more minnows in 5 minutes than a weeks work of trapping

Invest in a sein, and there not expensive either, I had got mine 4foot by 10 feet for $10, it will save to loads of $$.

Just watch out where you are catching your bait and fishing with it.Never empty your bait bucket into another body of water other than where you caught it.MNR is strict about this.Also read up on the rules and regs, there is alot about possesion of bait and catching it in there.

Tip-up

Post by **Bruin** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 9:19 am

I also have a basket style one.... I use croutons in it...They seem to stay together longer.....I catch as much as I'll ever use in a day....If I know I'm going out, I'll set my trap the day before, and leave it till next morning
I always have enough to get the job done. Only take what you need!!!
I've also got the odd leach in it too!!!!!!!

Post by **Netman** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 9:24 am

Good points tip up. I have the older basket type like woodsman has. I read in the regs that u have to have your name and addy on it. I also heard if u find one that doesn't have the name of the owner on it u can claim it. Although i don't know if this is true. A phone call to the MNR would answer any questions u may have. Good luck.

steve

Post by **Tip-up** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 9:53 am

''Olny resident anglers with a valid Ontario fishing licence or those who qualify to fish without purchasing a licence may capture their own bait-fish for personal use using a bait-fish trap or dip net.Resident anglers may have no more than 120 bait-fish caught under the authority of a valid fising licence in their possession at any time.''

''Bait-traps
To catch bait, resident anglers may use one bait-fish trap(no more than 51cm (51cm long and 23 cm wide), and it must clearly be marked with the name of the user.A trap can be used day or night at any time of the year exept for divisions 13 and 23"

''Anglers must NOT release live bait into waters other than the waterbody where the bait was originally captured."

Post by **Bruin** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 10:00 am

Just spoke to an MNR officer, IT is NOT law to have your trap labelled unless you are trapping commercially. He did advise though that it is a good idea, to help prevent trap theft. He also said to keep it low key, as people like to take (steal) other peoples minnows.

Good news- Not breaking the law if its not labelled
Bad news- Someone out there likes to steal traps and minnows

Post by **uplifta** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 11:34 am

any tried 4 minnows at black creek & lawrence ave west..there is a small stream & a park there?????

Post by **Moosebunk** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:16 pm

I trap my own. My buddy and I debate which trap is better, his silver vs my black. Obviously bread is best, but I find my minnows prefer white.

I catch 3 types of minnows. Sticklebacks, black nosed dace and another kind with a bright yellow stripe down it's side and a thinner red stripe. All these kinds of minnows suck in comparison to shiners and suckers, but, it's all I got.

Right now my trap is back in the pond. 4 times in the water this year. 1st, caught about 15-20 dozen (the motherload), then it dwindle to about 5 dozen, then last tuesday only 7 minnows all dead, 3 ate themselves death and 4 gotten eaten by a big leech. Hopefully I do better tonight, but heck, the eyes seemed to be on to worms today anyways.

Post by **lars56ca** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 7:35 am

I've never personally had my traps stolen, but I know a few guys that have. I doubt putting your name on it would stop anyone. Sad but true.

Sometimes when I want to trap in a few different places at once, I'll rig up some traps by using a 2 litre pop bottle. Just cut the top off and invert it into the bottle. You can either duct tape it together,or punch a few holes in it and tie it up with string.

As for bait, take equal parts of oatmeal and flour, sprinkle some salt into it and add just enough water to make little dough ballls. Let them dry for a day or so , or put them in the oven for a bit until they dry out.
A dough ball the size of a golf ball will last about 3 days

I've tried using 2 traps, side by side. One baited with bread, one with a dough ball. The dough ball outcatches the bread by at least 5 to 1. I can only assume it's the salt that makes the difference? or is it becuse the dough ball lasts longer?

Post by **Netman** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 8:54 am

lars56ca that pop bottle method is a good way for catching leeches. Just add a chunck of meat instead of bread or doughballs.

steve.

Post by **Woodsman** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 6:56 pm

tip-up wrote:I have never found the traps produce as good the sein.I have caught minnows in traps but nothing campared to the quants of minnow you get dragging a sein through a beach or creek.One run with the minnow sein will get more minnows in 5 minutes than a weeks work of trapping Invest in a sein, and there not expensive either, I had got mine 4foot by 10 feet for $10, it will save to loads of $$.

Tip-up

I agree seine nets can be excellent but only when used in the right type of place.
In the small creeks I trap in they would be useless. Also they require a second person to be used effectively.

Best Wishes

Post by **Wallyboss** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 9:53 pm

Bunk , do you fish with the sticklebacks I used to throw them out went I caught some in my younger days.

Post by **Moosebunk** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:28 am

Wallyboss wrote:Bunk , do you fish with the sticklebacks I used to throw them out went I caught some in my younger days.

Yep. I don't get as many as I do the dace, but I opened up a nice brookie one day and found 14 stickles inside. That convinced me.

Post by **orrsey** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 8:07 am

I spoke to a CO this spring while fishing near someone elses minnow trap. He asked if it was mine and it wasnt. He said there is no name on it and there is supposed to be. He said he will take traps without a name on it. I will look into what actually is the law.....