Minnow run

[Kent]

Kory and I made a minnow run.  It was nice that Mother Nature left a snowdrift to keep them fresh until we were ready to head home.  We each caught ~250 to 300.  All of them were red-sided shiners except for one lonely Utah sucker.




My final haul.




My minnow rod.

[SkunkedAgain]

Nice job Kent, are the red side shiners good minnows to use? I don't know where to find any of them so I've never tried one... I know the fatheads don't seem to be as good as Pat's chub minnows, but they sort of work when I don't have anything better... Good job on your catch... Later Jeff

[Kent]

Nice job Kent, are the red side shiners good minnows to use?  I don't know where to find any of them so I've never tried one... I know the fatheads don't seem to be as good as Pat's chub minnows, but they sort of work when I don't have anything better... Good job on your catch... Later Jeff

If you are fortunate to catch red-sided shiners and can use them fresh, I prefer them over any other minnow.  They tend to get a little mushy when they are thawed out.  This time, I spread them out on a cookie sheet and froze them first, before putting them in bags and vacuum sealing them. I hope they won't be as mushy, when I thaw them out, but we will see.

[SkunkedAgain]

Good luck and let us know how they turn out... I seem to have mushy trouble with most fish I freeze to fish with later, but I think they still like the smell and flavor of them... At least they usually bite on them... Later Jeff

[RockyRaab2]

I wonder if they'd be better if salted. Lots of videos about how to salt minnows.

[Kent]

I wonder if they'd be better if salted. Lots of videos about how to salt minnows.

All of my chub filets are salted and my whole chubs are salted.  I didn't salt these, but we shall see if I should have salted them.

[TubeDude]

For some reason, redsides simply do not benefit by being frozen.  Even when salted they become very soft when thawed.  Fish still eat them but they are difficult to properly hook and fish...without them folding up and sliding off the hook.  And one tap from a fish gets the goodies...often without getting the hook.

[RockyRaab2]

I meant just salted, not salted and frozen. Properly done, they don't have to be frozen after being salted, and they're shelf stable. I just bought a pack of salted shad at Walmart. Haven't used them yet, but they don't require refrigeration, and seem to be pretty tough in the package. Next trip to Willard, I'm going to drag some on a bottom bouncer.

[Kent]

For some reason, redsides simply do not benefit by being frozen.  Even when salted they become very soft when thawed.  Fish still eat them but they are difficult to properly hook and fish...without them folding up and sliding off the hook.  And one tap from a fish gets the goodies...often without getting the hook.

That has been my experience also, but I keep hoping for the best and expecting the worst.

[wiperhunter2]

Wow, that is a lot of shiners, that should do you for a trip or two.

[RockyRaab2]

Kent, you ought to try salt-curing a few dozen.