Minnow Trapping

[Dr.Bob]

Has anyone started trapping minnows yet?

I am thinking about tossing out a trap a week from today to see if the rainbows are running yet.  I think they probably are already with all of the warm weather we have had.

Anyone one else?

[GRIZ]

Hey Bob

They run all year but only in the water.

[SoHawk]

Jake has had the trap out in the creek for about 2 weeks now but has gotten nothing.  I went down to check it today and he had it in the wrong spot.  I moved it and this evening I had 6 nice creek chubs and one rainbow.  I'll see what I have in the moring , should be good, I hope.

[Rapalaguy]

Yes we got a bunch of Redbelly Dace behind the place. They are all over!

[Dr.Bob]

Yes we got a bunch of Redbelly Dace behind the place. They are all over!

Rapalaguy, do you mean they are all over spawning or all over the place? Where are you located?

SoHawk - I wish you could send me some of those creek chubs over the web or something.? Those things are pretty hard to come by in my neck of the woods and I would love to have some for fishing hawgs.? I bet then I could catch fish as big as that smallmouthbassguide feller does .

[SoHawk]

Hey doc you need to take a road trip and come get some of these.  I always have cold beer here too! 

[Dr.Bob]

Fawwkinnae.

I wish I had time Mike.  That sounds like a heck of an idea!

Doc

[SoHawk]

This morning I had 1 1/2 dozen more, mix of creek chubs and rainbows.  Average size is about 3".  Later this spring I'll get into the really nice creeks...about 5-7". 
Doc- you have an open invite here anytime you want to stop by.  I'll have the big tank and aerator set up this week so I can keep these indefinitely. 

[Dr.Bob]

Cool - Thanks Hawk.  Someday I'll take you up on that.  You know you are always welcome here too.  The ER is just sitting out in the yard waiting for guests :).

I am going to set up a 100 gallon stock tank in my basement this year.  I usually catch a TON of rainbows and fatheads in just one night and that is all I have to trap.  If they are running good I can catch a gallon of minnows in one set with this big old trap that I have.  I don't know what it is about that thing, but the minnows just pack into it.

The only problem is they are not spawned out yet and I can only keep them for about a month and they start to croak on me.  No biggy though because by then it is leech time anyway.