03-25-2024, 02:19 PM
(03-25-2024, 01:10 PM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: Thanks Pat, that's a great summary of minnowing... I enjoyed it a bunch and wish it would have been out there before I went to the school of hard knocks or rather, snaggy bottoms... Kind of put a few holes in my first casting net... I almost have as much fun catching minnows as the big fish when I can find them... Didn't mention what happens when you get a 30" carp in your casting net... That can tend to go rough on a casting net as well... Do you have problems with minnows getting stuck in your casting net? Seems like sometimes the minnows get their heads through the mesh and their gill plates stick so they can't go backwards, so you have to help them out of the net... One other thing I have found is I tend to get lots of different kind of minnows, so I have to sort the gamefish from the bait fish. I quite often have crappie and bluegill in with the carp and fatheads... I've even seen an occasional LMB in the mix.... So it's probably good to mention that before minnowing, you need to know how to identify the target species and throw everything else back... Do you think we'll ever get to use live minnows in Utah? I really enjoy watching the midwest videos of monster walleyes they pull in with the live minnows... Guess after this many years I've learned it isn't the bait that catches those fish, but still looks like a fun option for ice camping and fishing at night while you're sleeping... One last thing, how do you identify a good location to catch minnows? Seems like I find more blank water locations, than productive ones. What makes a good location, other than casting where the fish are..., how do you tell where they are going to be? Later J
Thanks, Jeff. Glad you liked it.
1. Yeah, I know all about the big carp problem. There have been several spots I have thown my net over one or more big carp and had a real hand to fin tug of war...with a long time spent untangling the net from the serrated dorsal fins of those big buglemouths. Have had some nasty holes put in my nets by those things.
2. Multi-species. If you toss a net in waters with both non-game and protected species it is almost a sure thing you will have to do some sorting and releasing of the non-legal net captives. During late summer I toss a net a few times off the ramps at Willard...for the schools of baby carp and some spottail shiners. But, as you mentioned, there can be "others" in there too. I have also had largemouth, crappies, bluegill, shad, catfish, bullheads, baby wipers and walleyes...and the aforementioned bigger carp. Not too hard to sort out the throwbackers and they usually survive okay if you get them back in the water quick enough.
3. Live minnows in Utah? Doubt it. DWR has two main concerns. First, they hate chubs and don't want them introduced into any waters where they are not already established...even if there are no trout and the water needs a forage species. Anti invasive species thing. Secondly, and not quite as obvious...but it goes back to earlier days when Utah was managed for trout only...is that they hate to give anglers an unfair advantage in molesting their hatchery pets. (Just my opinion)
4. Walleyes and minnows. Yeah, live minnows are great for walleyes...open water or ice fishing. But if you watch many programs from the midwest walleye whackers you will note that there are also a lot of walleye caught on dead minnows...pinned on various kinds of jigs. Some guys just pinch off the head and put it on the hook. Others use half or whole small minnows.
5. Finding minnows. Just like fishing for other fish...ya cain't ketch 'em where they ain't. But finding them is not always easy. Most of us know where a few species can be caught. But after that it helps to know the annual cycles of the water, minnow spawning times, location and depth variations throughout the year, etc. No substitute for putting in the time and gaining the personal experience. And no guarantees on any given minnowing excursion. My fave spot out in the west desert can be fickle. Usually at least enough minnows to harvest enough for a few trips. But there have been times when there was not a single minnow (or married) to be found. It is a pond where a warm spring comes in and then flows down into a wildlife management area. When water conditions in the upper part are not comfy for the minnows, they all go downstream until they feel like coming back up within reach. I have heard of a few small trickles out in the wilds that harbor populations of dace, shiners, suckers and/or chubs. So it sometimes pays to just travel the backroads and do some sampling. I had a jackpot for a short time when I discovered a small farm pond visible from the road...and got permission from the owner to cast my nets. Filled a cooler with a few throws. Went back one other time and also had good results. The third time I found the pond empty and the property resently sold to someone else. Whimper whimper.