# Rocky 12-7-17



## Fish Commish (Sep 8, 2006)

My longtime fishing buddy John caught and released 2 nice steelhead on Rocky 12-7-17. It was a 4 hand warmer day, 25 degrees in morning, we fished four spots along east branch. He used bourbon soaked shiner minnows.


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

Fish Commish said:


> My longtime fishing buddy John caught and released 2 nice steelhead on Rocky 12-7-17. It was a 4 hand warmer day, 25 degrees in morning, we fished four spots along east branch. He used bourbon soaked shiner minnows.


On the rocks or neat? Never heard of bourbon soaked shiner minnows...if I see steelhead swimming around in circles I'll know why.


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## walleye4803 (Oct 2, 2010)

Perch like vodka, steelhead like bourbon, that why fisherman like fishing


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## Fish Commish (Sep 8, 2006)

1More;

Well it's a long story so bear with me on this one! I used to just salt and freeze my left over *shiner minnows* from perch fishing incase there was a shortage of live ones, as we saw in the last couple of seasons, but they would be mushy if put on a hook and last only a nanosecond with those light biting perch! So discussing this mushy problem last year with Fishtracker1 while perching one day last year (obviously too much time to kill while fishing) ole Fishtracker1 told me;

"If you ever have a chance to keep live shiners and freeze them yourself try this. Dump them into a strainer to get water off, let them flop a bit. Lay them on paper towels, place a couple over them and pat dry. Gently place them in a baggy then pour rubbing alcohol or cheap vodka (never used the vodka) just enough to wet them good. Gently squeeze the air out and freeze. They won't freeze solid, I know this sounds like a hassle but they do remain very firm and stay on the hooks much better. This process save my trips from a "no bait available day" the last couple years with shiners being non-existent at times. We easily caught our limits, I usually double hook my minnows if the thieves are greedy."

So I tried the raspberry vodka, my kids left in my pantry one Christmas eve, and by gosh, no more mushy minnow and of course they smelled better too. I've caught lots of perch and walleye and steelhead the last two seasons with these leftovers.

So my buddy John, after fishing with my raspberry soaked shiners decided he would follow suit by preserving his minnows in the same fashion, but he didn't have any VODKA so he used BOURBON and they worked well last Saturday as he out fished me 2 to 0!

Try it you may like it!

Ken.


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## walleye4803 (Oct 2, 2010)

Do the fish know when happy hour is?


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## Fish Commish (Sep 8, 2006)

walleye4803 said:


> Do the fish know when happy hour is?


11 a.m. give or take a couple of snorts!


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

Unconventional but I like it! Great tip Fish Commish. Thank you for sharing. I think this is something I'll have to try. You sold me on the fact that they don't get mushy. Very cool!


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## DancinBear (Apr 21, 2009)

Wintergreen rubbing alcohol works amazing too


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