Catching shiners

[Bearseatfish]

What is your favorite bait for catching shiners I've seen all kinds of opinions from dog food to hot dogs.

I would like to try and trap my own bait this year I have a minnow trap, but is there a certain depth I should be attempting to achieve or should I just put it straight on the bottom?

 I am looking for wisdom from the old timers that know how to get it done.

[Coffin Dodger]

What is your favorite bait for catching shiners I've seen all kinds of opinions from dog food to hot dogs.

I would like to try and trap my own bait this year I have a minnow trap, but is there a certain depth I should be attempting to achieve or should I just put it straight on the bottom?

 I am looking for wisdom from the old timers that know how to get it done.

Favorite bait depends on the individual. My personal opinion is that shiners don't know the difference between a hot dog and a bun, never mind dog food. They're curious in nature. Put a trap in, if they're there (in the right spots) they will come. Location is everything.
This time of year, your traps should be suspended a foot or so.... Whether it's in open water or under the ice.
 

[TheCrittaC]

Market Basket brand cheese curls work good for me.

[800stealth]

Favorite bait depends on the individual. My personal opinion is that shiners don't know the difference between a hot dog and a bun, never mind dog food. They're curious in nature. Put a trap in, if they're there (in the right spots) they will come. Location is everything.
This time of year, your traps should be suspended a foot or so.... Whether it's in open water or under the ice.

Agreed... I use whatever leftovers are in the fridge, the shiners in my pond don't seem picky...

[PenguinIII]

Pizza crust, it stays in the trap longer than bread and will not wash out.

[Birchbeard]

I put my traps out today I’m using dog food, one trap is stainless and the other is black rubberized curious to see which collects more shiners. Ive seen some guys take a package of peanut butter crackers and clip off the ends of the wrappers, it keeps the crackers together but let’s off the crumbs and scent. Mine are sitting on the bottom I will try suspending them when there’s ice. My first year trying to catch bait too

[Coffin Dodger]

I will try suspending them when there’s ice.

You can suspend traps in open water with a 1 quart milk, bleach etc. bottle and a short leash. I also use a 1 liter bottle attached to a coat hanger with zip (electrical ties).

[Roccus]

I like stuffing bread...the loaves are cheap and you can tear off a chunk to bait the trap..in swamps and bogs I suspend the trap under a length of weathered 4x4..they attract less attention than other floats..in rivers and creeks I let them lay on the bottom tied off to natural looking stakes...I fiind weathered traps and black nylon coated fish best..

[rdhammah]

I trap in October and early November. I suspend the trap by zip tying a 16 oz water bottle to each half of the trap. I put water in it for ballast. The amt of water determines the depth that the trap hangs

[AlMacdougal]

I've been using cheatos or bread and they've been working fine. Like most things in life I find the biggest thing with trapping shiners is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. once you find them they're not picky and will eat just about any bait you have. I've been trying some new spots the last few weeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, etc. Ironically my honey hole for trapping bait is a small retention pond the size of a tennis court in my apartment complex LOL. You never know where you'll find them.

tight lines.

Al