Things You'll Need
Instructions
Choose a site for your trap. A small bay or cove with a gentle current is an ideal habitat for minnows.
Bait your trap with bread, dog food or cat food placed in a small, mesh bag. Secure the opening of the bag. Open the door to the trap, and place the bag inside the trap. One cup of food is sufficient.
Tie one end of a rope to the minnow trap, and the other end to a secure, stationary object on the shore. This might be something as simple as an overhead branch or the end of a dock. Suspend the trap so it hangs freely without touching the mud and silt on the bottom. Mud and silt contaminates bait, and the minnows will not be interested.
Position the opening of the minnow trap in line with the current flow. Minnows turn their bodies sideways when swimming against the current.
Harvest your catch by pulling the trap up and out of the water. Open the trap and pour the minnows into a pail filled with water. Replenish the bait as needed. Change the type of bait if your catch is not up to your expectations.
Check the trap for eels and other predators on a regular basis. These scavengers steal bait and eat trapped minnows.