Minnow size

[Mr.Seaguar]

What size minnows does everyone use for perch and walleye? I like much smaller bait than everyone else, apparently. I like 1.5" minnows for perch and very active 2.5" for walleyes. I would rather have my bait on the small side than the big side. Yesterday I saw guys using 4" minnows for perch is why I ask. Thanks

[Polar]

For eyes I use a 3-3.5 inch minnow.Perch 2-2.5 inch

[firsticerules]

i usually use a 1-2.5" minnow for perch and never went for walleye but i've talked to guys that use 2.5-3" minnows for them.

[nocash0000]

4" + for bass and salmon (stocked) 5"+ for pike (golden's or sucker's). I don't have as many flag's as my partner's do but with the larger bait i think i do very well.have placed first or second in many derby's.

[eyedoktr]

Most of the people at Sodus that use tip downs for perch, use the large bass minnows. That's the only way to keep the dinks from bothering them all day. When jigging for perch, I use up to 2" minnows and will use the same ones for walleye but I have nothing against using 3-4" fatheads if I can find them.

[olds-Pa]

I trap my own creek shiners for bait. I prefer them to be 3 to 6 inches in length for walleye. If a perch hits it and gets hooked, it is usually a keeper.

[mrlongbeard1]

  I like 1" to 2" minnows for perch & crappie. Bass shiners for every thing else. I think that bigger bait works better for pike and tigers but I haven't had any trouble with the smaller bait. Bottom line is its location, location and location. I don't see to many fish passing up an easy meal..

[grumpymoe]

for walleyes in clearer water, i like to use a nice fat 3-4 inch chub and in murkier waters a nice 3-4" shiner works great-(adds a little flash). when fishing for perch, the smaller the better, unless you're stacked on top of jumbos  

[acsacmboy]

perch i always use fatheads(about 1.5-3 inches long) and emerald shinersabout 2 inches. ill get a better mesurement later. when we get iceee

[Flash_King]

It boils down to Match your bait to the species your targeting ,location where your fishing and the common bait present in your area.I always like to follow NoCashOOOO's advice and have at least one trap with a larger than normal bait.The old adage goes   BIG BAIT-BIG FISH

Good Luck - Good Fishing

[DipLip]

Last wknd, the largets perch we iced (just under 12 inches) ate a 5" shiner, rigged for pike. They're a pretty fearless fish when it comes to smacking and swallowing a baitfish of considerable size!

Up here, I mainly use pinheads. Infant emerald shiners from 1-3" long.

I like the fact that many of you guys in the US use maggots, wax worms etc. I read not long ago that pet-shops often carry them. I'd like to try them out. I'm sure the topic has been beaten to death, but any input on these baits is appreciated. I have 0 experience with them, and would like to experiment. Lord knows I've got enough empty chew tins to house the little beggars in.....Thanks.

[TroutFishingBear]

3-4 inch sucker minnows are good for walleyes.

[Lottie]

as they say Big bait= Big Fish however i use 2.5 to 3.5" shiners for eyes setup which usually does the trick for perch also.  I have also caught nice perch on my 6" shiner base/pickerelle setup.

[canadarocks]

Use a 3-4 inch sucker for every thing but pirch and whitfish i use wax worms for them

[TJG]

I like the fact that many of you guys in the US use maggots, wax worms etc. I read not long ago that pet-shops often carry them. I'd like to try them out. Lord knows I've got enough empty chew tins to house the little beggars in.....Thanks.

DipLip, make your own, the eggs from a female perch are maggots just ready to hatch.
A week beside the furnace and your in business.
Later TJ

[Lobes]

My wife say's minnow size does'nt matter. But I have this sneaking suspicion it's the reason I have been getting to go fishing more often lately!
(OWCH!)
 

[billditrite]

big bait, big fish ,its that simple  smaller bait you get what swims by,and thats fine for many people.however i want the big fish.. now i am not saying that a big fish wont hit a small bait,dont get me wrong sometimes they just want a snack  for bass 5-8" shiner or sucker and you would be amazed at how small of a fish will eat it for togue 4-5"suker squashed & on bottom for brookies and browns  2.5 - 4" shiners salmon 1.5 - 3 " shiner right under the ice

[BASSandICE65]

I usually use bigger shiners for bigger fish. I catch a lot of larger bass using the 4-7 inch shiners. Caught one last week over 7lbs on 6 inch shiner.

[TJG]

Up here in my part of the Great white north, we are regulated to using frozen minnows.
The problem we run into is, after they thaw once, you can't re-freeze em, they turn to mush. Any one have any tips to keep em fresh when re-froze? It's not that a tin of frozen minnows is so expensive we can not go buy some more, I have a habit of packing everything and forgetting the bait in the house. But there is always one in the back of the truck, never waste what you can use the next day!
Later TJ

[wallyguy]

try salting them it makes there skin tougher so you can refreeze them

[fozsey]

We've been doing real well for walleye on croppie minnows here. I suppose they are 1.5 to 2"