# Anybody trap their own mud minnows?...



## rifleroom (May 19, 2009)

I have never done it before and would like to start. What kind of area do you look for and what tide do you like to use? Water depth etc...


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## Nautical Son (May 19, 2009)

I trap mine in a small creek that has water in it at low tide. I use a trout carcass for bait and let it soak for 12 hours, usually I get around 30 or so. I also found that the galvanized traps seem to work better than the black painted ones.

Just make sure no other folks see you placing the trap as I have had mine stolen several times, finnally caught the KIDS that were doing it, needless to say they won't be stealing my traps anymore.


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## rifleroom (May 19, 2009)

Thanks alot T. I'll go for a low tide ride this weekend at SSI. Thieves suck! Thanks for the tip on trap type. Where do you find your galvanized traps? Cant find anything but black in Waycross? I guess I could make one if I needed to.


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## micahdean (May 19, 2009)

*minnows*

ive always had very good luck with finding a small creek w/ trap water in it. i use can of vienna sausage, let it soak durring the dead tide. usually get more than i need. sometimes through a dead shrimp in w/ sausage. 

i noticed youre going to ssi, if youre heading towards christmas creek i can give you a very reliable creek near xmas creek that ive always had very good luck with. shoot me a pm if interested. good luck, post a report. im finally headed that way in a few weeks after a long winter off.


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## Nautical Son (May 19, 2009)

I got my galvanized trap at West Marine, The Tackle Shack ??? I think is the name of the place in Brunswick may have them although I don't get that far south so I'm just guessing.


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## rifleroom (May 19, 2009)

Hey thanks alot man! Good luck with your fishing


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## hevishot (May 19, 2009)

frozen pretzel is good bait and will produce more than u can use in a day...most of the time.


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## rifleroom (May 19, 2009)

thanks guys!


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## ratherbefishin (May 19, 2009)

Wal Mart in Brunswick had the galvanized traps a while back, that's where I got mine.


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## creekrocket (May 19, 2009)

Go get you a can of cat or dog food and be done with it.It'll cost you a whoppin $.75


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## sentrysam (May 19, 2009)

*potted meat*

at 39cents a can .some cheaper,in my black trap ,i have no problems,open the can only partialy or they'll eat it up and escape.seems the skrimps like it to...ss


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## rifleroom (May 20, 2009)

Hehe! Thanks guys...I might have to check on somadoze skrimpses myself!


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## Wild Turkey (May 20, 2009)

A can of oil soaked tuna fish. poke holes in the can with a triangle can opener and youre ready to go.
I always keep a few cans on the boat. Really brings the pin fish together to cast net also.


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## Redbow (May 20, 2009)

Ain't nothing no better in a minnow trap for catching Mud Minnows than a crushed up Crab !

Enough water in a tidal creek to hide your trap at low tide, Mud Minnows will be there !


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## alfred (May 23, 2009)

*Caught and used them fresh & saltwater for over 50 yrs.*

I like the round double ended 1/4 inch wire mesh traps.I cut 4 equally spaced 1 inch long slits in the throats of each so I could gently spread or narrow the throats to the size of the minnows I was fishing for.Some pollywogs get 3-4 inches long and have huge heads for their length.I also used the same traps to catch the Native Guppy,Shiners and other Minnows in fresh water that I fished with.I kept 4-6 minnow traps for most of my almost 60 years of fishing.

A 1/4 inch mesh seine works well "IF" you have a clean bottom.You can "StaKe one side and pull the other side in a loop by yourself.It also makes a great "WING"to divert minnows into your trap!My favorite and most productive spots were the Tidal washed out holes where culverts dumped out after going under roads.Crushed Mussels,Oysters,Snails and Crabs were my bait.My bait was always picked up where I set my traps!

Keeping them alive!Cover with Wet Spanish Moss!Do not have enough water for them to use up the Oxygen and drown in! A container with a large surface area and well drained works best.Keep them cool!Ice made from NONE Chlorinated water works fine as long as it can drain as does air conditioning.I have carried Mud minnows and live crabs this way from Tybee island Ga.to East Tn.Over 400 miles with nearly all arriving alive!.

For years I had a old patched up aluminum boat with a flowing well running into it at a steady 65 degrees F.I kept them in it for a month at a time if I could get them the 40 miles home alive.In winter,I just taped a sheet of plastic up the sides and tailgate of my long bed Ford pickup and dumped the wire traps into the bed!I had two holes on each side of the road on Wilmington Island that I could sometimes catch several thousand out of in a couple of hours if everything went well.(My kids did the counting)They are much more plentiful in cool weather.Too hot or too cold and they start getting scarce or disappear.They were never waisted and the mortality rate was low.I had a lot of "Buddies"coming by for free bait!I lived on the Santee and sold Bait there as a kid,so I knew how to keep bait of all types alive.

The Polywogs or Mud Minnows are also GREAT bait in our Black Water Rivers and Swamps.The LARGE ones are Excellent Jack or Chain Pickerel bait.So-so for Bass and Catfish.Even the SMALLEST ones are GREAT bait for Bream of all kinds,especially in the bedding seasons when the Bream hate minnows eating their eggs.

I never had much luck with them in mountain rivers or "Yellow water"such as the Savannah River though they were great bait in the Black Creeks running into it.alfred


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## alfred (May 23, 2009)

*Preserving wire minnow traps used in Salt water.*

If you do not properly care for wire galvanized minnow traps they can rust out with one use!

The way I did my round wire double throat-ed two piece minnow traps.The following is the way I did mine for 50+ years.You may have a better way!

Use them.Break them down.Wash them with fresh water ASAP!Completely submerge and soak them for up to a couple of days in fresh water.Dry.OIL them with motor oil!Store them stacked sectioned in metal 5 gallon buckets until ready to use again.Wash well in Octagon soap or Dawn dish liquid before use!

Caution.Use a wire and stake them or tie them off if you leave them!Best to stay with them.Coons,Otters,Gators and People will make off with or destroy them.I found one of mine once hanging about 40 feet up in a large Water Oak with a Coon.How it climbed that tree with it,I will never know,BUT it did! We were camped and in camp about 100 feet from it.It was broad daylight!alfred


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## creekrocket (May 24, 2009)

*professionals*

Wow, Dude, if  you dont catch a minnow now, I'll be ashamed of you


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## 11P&YBOWHUNTER (May 24, 2009)

I wish i saw this thread yesterday morning.  Yesterday afternoon i set my minnow trap out with a piece of bread in it and went to the gas station and got a Coke.  I went back and pulled the trap, about 20 minutes had passed.  I had about 60 in the trap and they were mostly large mud minnows.  I wish there was an outlet for them in the SAV area, cause now i have a few spots, i could bring in about 80 dozen in a single low tide.  Oh yea, and my minnow traps are all the black ones cause the galvanized ones DO rust!


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