Hobbies And Interests

How to Use a Minnow Trap

Minnow traps are made from a variety of materials. The trap designs range from sophisticated wire cages to homemade gadgets made from plastic soda bottles. Most freshwater lakes or streams abound with bait fish; catching your own bait with a minnow trap is an easily mastered skill.

Things You'll Need

  • 10 feet of rope
  • Bread, dog food, or cat food
  • Small mesh bag
  • Pail
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a site for your trap. A small bay or cove with a gentle current is an ideal habitat for minnows.

    • 2

      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.

    • 3

      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.

    • 4

      Position the opening of the minnow trap in line with the current flow. Minnows turn their bodies sideways when swimming against the current.

    • 5

      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.

    • 6

      Check the trap for eels and other predators on a regular basis. These scavengers steal bait and eat trapped minnows.


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