Shiner trapping

[Lcabait]

So I have had excellent luck trapping shiners right up until two weeks ago!! It’s like they just shut right off. Is anybody else seeing this? Any tips would be great!! I am most trapping rivers

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Besides trying different depths, although I prefer up top in brooks, streams, rivers, creeks, channels whatever. You could try diff bait. I’m guessing they may have just left the area from my experience. Water depth, current, and feed can all change in the blink of an eye in those systems and I love it. Grew up on Rivers and every house I’ve lived in has been on one. I’ll take a river any day. Things just change so often and quickly and don’t get old. If you can fish/trap rivers you can do it anywhere

[Lcabait]

I have tried different baits different depths and spots on the rivers!! Just can’t seem to find them or they just aren’t interested.

[Dispy]

Oxygen deprivation is your culprit, fish tend to go into non feed modes during this time of year......be mindful that in this situation, you need to tend the traps more frequently as they will die in the traps from lack of oxygen. Weeds are almost fully decayed in most ponds etc.....therefore dissolved oxygen is at a premium for the scaly fellas.

[flagup!]

They must spawn at some point.  I trap mummies, salt water brackish minnows, and they come way up into the fresh water tributaries to spawn this time of year.  What do Shiners do?

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

So I have had excellent luck trapping shiners right up until two weeks ago!! It’s like they just shut right off. Is anybody else seeing this? Any tips would be great!! I am most trapping rivers

happens every year in the winter it seems. They shut down completely for a few weeks. Sometimes its January sometimes its february or even March but I notice it every year. I go from getting 8 dozen average to maybe 4 shiners if I'm lucky.

[flagup!]

They must spawn at some point.  I trap mummies, salt water brackish minnows, and they come way up into the fresh water tributaries to spawn this time of year.  What do Shiners do?

Nope that's not it they spawn when temp is 60-65 degrees.

[SalmonAndStriper Stalker]

Nope that's not it they spawn when temp is 60-65 degrees.

x2
I also noticed that are like bluegill and can spawn multiple times a year under the right circumstances.

[Lcabait]

I just wouldn’t think oxygen would be that depleted in a good flowing river, but I guess it’s possible.

[kayl]

What do you like to use for bait for them? I've never tried doing it, but it sounds fun!

[Lcabait]

I use hard dog food and bread and a chunk of styrofoam in the trap

[TheCrittaC]

What do you like to use for bait for them? I've never tried doing it, but it sounds fun!

Dry dog food and store brand cheese curls

[Dieseldog]

Interesting. Why the styrofoam? Does it attract them?

[Lcabait]

It does,I tested the theory. Had two traps one with dog food and one with styrofoam both had good results dog food had slightly more

[dunphy11]

I keep a little gravy style dog food in a white sock and less free flowing food to encourage the bait to come in and investigate