How do I catch golden shiners?

[TimG]

Hey all, I am completely knew to Ice fishing and just made a few of my own tip ups. Now my question is How do I catch golden shiners through the ice to use for bait?

[JustOsmo]

Hey all, I am completely knew to Ice fishing and just made a few of my own tip ups. Now my question is How do I catch golden shiners through the ice to use for bait?

But a Jig rod and small hooks (#6 maybe? idk) and small bait? or a small lure? SOmeone else will have to chime in to correct me as im usually wrong.

[FishingNewEngland]

Smallest jig you have tipped with a spike or waxie. They bite real light so be ready to set the hook.

[BASSandICE65]

Kinda tough because ya want a good soak and if folks see ya hole with the trap bye bye trap if ya leave it overnight and catching them is really tough with a rod

[GrizlyGarou]

The first step is finding them.  Then, they're like any other fish, only they have really little mouths or you have to leave your bait trap sitting out for 12-24 hours.  Lots of traps go missing, and lots of traps get pulled out empty because the shiners didn't find the trap, or the trapper didn't find the shiners.

I'd suggest you buy bait for the rest of winter, then once the ice melts hunt them down.  Find yourself 4 or 5 places that produce regularly and make sure you don't trap them all out, or you'll ruin your shiner spot.  It's enough time and effort to just toss the trap out into the water, let alone cutting a hole big enough to fit the trap into then getting it back out of that hole after it refreezes.

You can jig them up if you know where they are, but they're not going to move a lot once the water gets cold so you basically have to cut a hole on top of them if you're going to jig them up.  Drop a hook and some kind of bait into a bucket of shiners and see how they like it and if the hook will fit in their mouth or not.  Good luck getting the hook set, though.  It's not easy at all with such a small fish.

I think there might be some old posts about how to find them, too.  You could search for those, there's a search box up in the top left corner of every screen.

[V Menzone]

ive only got them late october early november on a tiny hook and bobber and keep them alive in a cast iron bath tub as my bait tank. for some reason i only get them after i cant catch dace anymore and the bite only lasts a week or two.(im talking goldens over 8 inches the small ones can be caught all year in traps)

[treemanjb]

Try around sundown and have a good eye on the line. The bite is very sensitive.  Where?   Treemanjb

[Roncarr]

you can trap through the ice it is hit or miss if your worried about theft dont use a line take a treble hook and put it on a painters pole to retrieve the trap just make sure its long enough before you let the trap down.jigging does work its tough, if you get into them chum the holes with bread crumbs or oatmeal to keep them around the hole. and try a sabiki rig but you can only use 2 hooks on them for fresh water in this state.it is better to get them before the ice comes .

[GrizlyGarou]

you can trap through the ice it is hit or miss if your worried about theft dont use a line take a treble hook and put it on a painters pole to retrieve the trap just make sure its long enough before you let the trap down.jigging does work its tough, if you get into them chum the holes with bread crumbs or oatmeal to keep them around the hole. and try a sabiki rig but you can only use 2 hooks on them for fresh water in this state.it is better to get them before the ice comes .

It's 2 hooks on open water, 5 on the ice.  Standing on ice and dropping your line into open water on a brook or something isn't ice fishing, either.  I called the EPOs and asked...

[PIKEHUNTER69]

good advice allaround   they are hard to get through the ice!  i have done it though! but never got more then a 1/2 dozen in a day that were big enough for pike bait!  we do trap them in november and december before big ice hits, and we throw a handfull of dogfood in the traps and soak em overnite! ussually get a ton of small to mediums, but there great for trout salmon perch ect.....

[Roncarr]

It's 2 hooks on open water, 5 on the ice.  Standing on ice and dropping your line into open water on a brook or something isn't ice fishing, either.  I called the EPOs and asked...

two hooks one hole is what i meant just like a quick strike rig.

[musky-man]

iv had pretty good success putting my trap down with cat food and then jigging right next to it with a small jig and waxworms. small bait small hooks. its easier to watch the line for hits depending on how sensative ur jigging rod is. the best way to get them is to try! go out and have fun