minnow trapping through the ice

[bootstrap]

anyone ever putting a trap through the ice or heard of anyone else doing it? is it legal? any success? I have never tried or heard of anyone doing it.

[Chris338378]

I don't live in Vermont so I don't know if it's legal there or not but here in Pennsylvania you can trap minnows any time of the year. I did it once years ago and I usually got a decent amount over night using bread for the bait.  The one thing you have to be careful of is that no one steals your trap and you don't cut the rope or line holding the trap when you chop it out of the ice.  I haven't done it in years because I didn't have the time and  it's easier to buy bait the day before or on the way to my fishing spot but I'm going to do it this year.  If you have the time and it's legal I'd give it a try especially if you have somewhere you can store the minnows.  I've been told by a few people that the minnows you catch will hold up better than the minnows you buy but I can't say that's right or wrong.

[Fish Farmer]

I used to trap minnows that way in late December when the ice had just formed on small ponds. If you trap you own bait you can only used it on the same water body where it is trapped and can't transport it away from that waterbody.

[Champlain Islander]

I did it years ago right off the Burlington launch near the ferry. Cut a big hole and chiseled it bigger and then let a round 3 to 4' net down and dropped some oatmeal and when the minniows came I pulled it up Caught lots of bait. Not sure if you can do that today and it is a moot point since I don't ever fish with bait anymore.