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Assembly
Assembling a plastic minnow trap is straightforward, as the trap requires the joining of two polypropylene ends. What's great about this trap is that it will never rust, unlike metal traps that rust after one or two uses. The usual dimensions of store-bought plastic traps is 17 inches by 1 foot, with just 3 inches of opening on each of its end, according to the Amazon website.
Bait
When deciding on what baits to place within the trap, go with items that produce a strong smell, such as bacon and cheese. Oily based foods such as these will send a strong aroma through the water and bring fish from all directions to the trap. Wrap the bacon or cheese in a mesh netting and tie with a rubber band. Attach a string to the bacon or cheese wrap and place the item inside the trap. Additionally, good baits that catch mud minnows are fish heads, shrimp and crushed crabs; even white bread anything with protein will attract mud minnows. It is best to try a combination of baits in the effort to attach mud minnows to your trap.
Where to Place a Minnow Trap?
Once the trap is finished, find a location where it can be positioned. Consider locations that are out of sight of predators. In addition, settle on a narrow stream or shallow tributary. Look for undercut banks in areas where there is a lot of vegetation. Position the funnel end up the trap facing the current or upstream so that minnows naturally will flow into the funnel as they follow the current.
Checking Your Catch
Once satisfied with the location and the placement of your trap, allow the trap to sit overnight. Fortunately, mud minnows can survive for days and even weeks within a plastic trap as long as they're in highly oxygenated water. On arriving the next day, lift the trap out of the water and there should be several minnows flopping around within the trap. Transfer these fish into a minnow bucket using a small net or wet rubber gloves. Do not use your bare hands to transfer the minnows from the trap to the minnow bucket, as your hands can remove the mucus coating the minnows. This could lead to inflect and illness, something to consider if keeping mud minnows for an extended period.
Keeping them Fresh
If fishing for a few hours, place no more than a dozen minnows within a 1-gallon bucket. Mud minnows, if packed like sardines, will die within a matter of hours from lack of oxygen. Add a supply of oxygen to the bucket with the use of a battery-operated pump or through oxygen tablets that provide oxygen on dissolving in water.