Live Minnows Fisherman

[Bob La Londe]

Live Minnows

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I used to use minnows for bassing all the time. Usually whatever I could
catch. I actually had a pretty good setup for minnow fishing including a 55
gallon plastic barrel for my bait. Anyway, I was watching Mark Sosin's
Saltwater Journal the other evening and he had an interesting technique.
His bait was dead, but I was wondering how well it might work for large
shiners or or other live bait fish. He slid the hook and line in the mouth
and out through one gill. Then he put the hook in the side of the fish
about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way back so it layed semi flat along the side of the
fish.

When I used minnows for bass I just hooked them through the lips. In most
good bass spots the minnow got clobbered so fast it never mattered how long
the bait lasted, but I was wondering if Mark's method might work better for
those guys who drift and troll big shiners for smalleys in places like Dale
Hollow.

Would the line through the gill damage the gill and kill the minnow quickly,
or would its small diameter allow the water to flow better than a typical
lip hooked minnow allowing it to stay fresh and lively longer?

Hmmm..... I may have to dig out my throw net and go catch some minnows.

Yeah, I know. A lot of you guys aren't allowed to use live bait on your home
waters, but here in the southwest corner of Arizona we have lots of different
legal baitfish.

[JohNNy Utah]

*NM*

[mark poulson]

I thought throw nets were illegal in CA. Or is it just on Castaic?

[Bob La Londe]

I thought throw nets were illegal in CA. Or is it just on Castaic?

They are. I'm in Az and we can use a throw net up to 4' radius for bait fish in areas where legal to use live bait fish.