Minnow Trapping in NY

[c07pernice]

Mods-please dont move this, it is specific to NY state so I put it here instead of in bait section.


Does anyone have any luck trapping minnows in NY state this time of year? January/February? I know you cannot transport but there are some smaller ponds and stuff in my area that have fish in them and I was wondering if It would be a waste of time or if I would have any success. It would be nice to be able to trap minnows in these areas a day before I fish them so I do not have to drive out of my way to buy them. Also, is it possible to trap them in rivers this time of year? Could I drop a trap by my shanty and catch them or will I have limited success? I am in upstate NY/st law river area.

thanks ahead of time

[Huntyeraws]

FYI - YOU CAN TRANSPORT IF YOU HARVEST WITHIN THE TRANSPORTION CORRIDOR AND USE THEM THERE ALSO.     

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/locorridor.pdf

 Baitfish collected from the New York portion of the Lower Niagara River/Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River water body may be transported within this corridor. 

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/47282.html

[c07pernice]

FYI - YOU CAN TRANSPORT IF YOU HARVEST WITHIN THE TRANSPORTION CORRIDOR AND USE THEM THERE ALSO.     

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/locorridor.pdf

 Baitfish collected from the New York portion of the Lower Niagara River/Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River water body may be transported within this corridor. 

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/47282.html

Nice, now how to catch them this time of year. Is it as easy as during summer/fall? Am I wasting my time and gas? The st. law river is  pretty big. And the beaver ponds may work, just really not sure

[c07pernice]

bump

[missfishy]

only kind of minnows I ever caught in a trap were creek chubs, with bread, in the summer. never had luck in the winter
most minnows are caught with a sien net not sure how you could do that in the winter. good luck

[c07pernice]

anyone else?

[BIGJim223]

I have no trouble catching shiners, chubs, suckers, dace, etc in my local creeks and ponds if it is not extremely cold. When the temps are moderate it is no problem. You don't get as many as in summer and fall, but they are there.
  Too bad I can't transport my caught bait from my stream to the local lake which my stream runs into! If my minnows are in the stream, they are surely in the lake 2 miles away!

BIGJim223

[adk dave]

yes cut the ice with a chain saw set trap in with a rope and set a stick across the hole to hold the trap just under the ice you dog food and bread for food

[c07pernice]

yes cut the ice with a chain saw set trap in with a rope and set a stick across the hole to hold the trap just under the ice you dog food and bread for food

What depth of water? I know you say do it under the ice but in 5 feet of water or 10-15?

[adk dave]

i set mine just under the bottom of the ice so the top of the trap is like 6"under the ice

[Ice Wine]

I use white bread and/or saltine crackers and set my bait trap right on the bottom in four feet of water. No need to put a lot of bread in there, about half a slice will do it. Leave the trap overnight. The pond I trap from has a good population of golden shiners. Usually get about three or 4 dozen per trap even in cold weather.

[Goatskin]

So if I am understanding this correctly. Any bait I trap south of the purple line I can use in any waters south of it? Or does it only apply to waters north of it?

[General]

If you are going to cut ice with a chain saw, you better not use bar oil. Needs to be biodegradable oil. I've had a friend get a ticket for polluting the water, using a chain saw with regular oil during trapping season, two years ago.