# using minnows



## BIgbassin07 (Jul 12, 2007)

is there anywhere thats worth buying minnows in a bag and using them for steelies? or are the ones from the bags no good? never tried this before soo its just a thought..thanks


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## lpltonker (Sep 9, 2006)

I take what I have leftover from every perch trip I make in the fall and lay them out on paper towels and let them dry out. Then I put about 12-15 in a freezer bag with kosher salt and throw them in the freezer. If I need minnows for the Steelhead season, this does the trick. Caught one this morning in the Hoga on a frozen minnow!


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

Why Kosher salt ?


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

You are better off with live ones of course. Keep them alive in the basement or garage. Just stock up with a few dozen once in awhyle. If you like using minows alot and dont live right bye a baitshop, it pays to invest a little on keeping them alive. AIRATOR.

The frozen will work just not as well. If you tea bag a steelhead with almost anything, they will open up. The salt is to help preserve the bait.

It's all about confidence in what you are using. I would not ever use frozen or bagged. I would just toss a jig or spawn at them in that case. I always give myself a few bait options on any given day.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

You don't have to use kosher salt just don't use any salt that is iodized. Kosher salt is not iodized, I use canning salt, but plain old non-iodized table salt works just fine.
Tripled-j


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## lpltonker (Sep 9, 2006)

I usually use spawns sacks or rubber trout worms but when those aren't working, I like to have minnows. I use live ones when I can but they are not always easy to get so the ones I freeze have been very good for me as a back-up. 

I will say this...when I use live ones, I hook them thru the back half to try and keep them alive as long as possible. For the frozen ones, I hook them through the head because it keeps them on longer.


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## One Legged Josh (Jan 27, 2008)

When freezing them try using an old bath towel. Fold it in half and lay them in rows. I have tried paper towels and they stick and pull apart the shiners. When the chrome wants minnows frozen are better than none.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

I don't take anything to the river that I can't fit in my wading vest so I never even bother with live minnows. I keep both a pack of salted freeze-dried shiners and Berkley Power Bait Realistix soft plastic minnows. I have yet to catch a fish on the salted shiners but have had success with the Realistix minnows (got 2 fish today on the Realistix minnows). The Berkley Realistix minnows are scented, look fairly realistic, and have great action in flowing water. I bet that those new Gulp minnows that come in a bucket would work very well also.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

> I bet that those new Gulp minnows that come in a bucket would work very well also.


I was thinking the same thing. But who wants to carry that bucket around?


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

I know they are overpriced(as is most everything dealing with fishing), but you can buy a small minow container that clips on your belt. I have used them and they are very nice to have. I also have used a regular old water bottle and it did work just fine and fit in my vest.

You wont see me carying around a bucket. 
They hav different kinds but most are about 8 bucks.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

I bet that those new Gulp minnows that come in a bucket would work very well also. 



archman said:


> I was thinking the same thing. But who wants to carry that bucket around?


If I were to buy one of those Gulp buckets I'd just put about a dozen minnows in a small zip-loc freezer bag with a little juice (more compact) and stuff it in the wade vest.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

Joewallguy, how well did you do with those Gulp minnows?


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

the only time I used a gulp minow was on a spinner I took the trebel off and replaced with a #8 single hook. Worked really well but dont really throw spinners anymore. I bett they would work fine drifted though? So would ALIVE. I just have never tryed it. May have to throw a baggy in my vest?


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## jrsfish (May 21, 2004)

I started using gulp alive emerald shiners 3" size,I can tell you they are deadly on steelhead,the only pain is carrying the little bucket around, I solved this problem by putting them in a small olive jar,with the juice inside. I use a small jig and nose hook them,they work really well when the water is off color.There $20 a jar of 36.


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## archman (Apr 30, 2004)

I just have a hard time spending $20 on bait. Can you at least get more than one fish out of each minnow?


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## jrsfish (May 21, 2004)

archman said:


> I just have a hard time spending $20 on bait. Can you at least get more than one fish out of each minnow?


Archman, you can get numerous fish off the same minnow,sometimes they tear them off,but thats the minority.


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