Commercially Produced Live Baitfish Rant

[wyoutdoors]

Is there any reason in particular Commercially Produced Live Baitfish can't be sold with any size to them? Picked up a dozen today ($5.85/doz) and none of them would even qualify as a decent crappie minnow. I'm really disappointed in the quality of minnows "commercially produced" in Wyoming. I believe this is my last minnow purchase until things improve.

Anyone remember the good ol' days when minnows were sold by the scoop, not meticulously counted in a miserly fashion, and when you held one to hook it, it actually felt like you had a minnow squirming in your hand? 

[minnowguy]

Is there any reason in particular Commercially Produced Live Baitfish can't be sold with any size to them? Picked up a dozen today ($5.85/doz) and none of them would even qualify as a decent crappie minnow. I'm really disappointed in the quality of minnows "commercially produced" in Wyoming. I believe this is my last minnow purchase until things improve.

Anyone remember the good ol' days when minnows were sold by the scoop, not meticulously counted in a miserly fashion, and when you held one to hook it, it actually felt like you had a minnow squirming in your hand? 

Call me sometime and I will try and explain some of it to you. It would take to long to type it out. Marvin 431-0072

[Wyofarmer]

I completely agree WO. That's why I decided to take care of that situation myself and seined my own. It has been a lot of work keeping the little buggers happy and alive but it's been worth it. I was tired of getting "perch" minnows and using them for walleye and never having them produce anything bigger than an "eater eye". I don't care what anybody says, big minnows produce big fish...period.

[rbmchief]

alot of the reason is the joke regulations we have here in Wyoming. Wish the G&F would work on fixin it

[Kinkyline]

   What's to keep fish from Colo. from ending up in Glendo?  With subdivided areas of section 5 drainage this becomes a problem for local fishermen to obtain the legal bait for the same drainage (N. Platte) that they desire to fish.

[wyoutdoors]

alot of the reason is the joke regulations we have here in Wyoming. Wish the G&F would work on fixin it

+1

I have fished in numerous States and can honestly say, when WY G&F regs are more complicated and detailed than my divorce decree, there is something amiss... Not asking for a "change" in anything, just allow and raise some larger baitfish. A couple inches would be a start. No one is griping because they can't find 8" live bait, just something please...

[Kinkyline]

   Yeh...N.Dak. bait shops sell their minnows...big fatheads for 2.50/scoop= around 3doz. Bait is easier to obtain up there.

[crazyeye]

I think It really has to do with biology and Wyoming's cooler climate. The only commercially raised baitfish in Wyoming is fathead minnows. Fatheads can and will spawn multiple times troughout the summer months but in cooler climates it may take them 2 years to reach maturity and ultimately larger size (due to water temperature.) This in turn probably makes it less cost effective for a baitfish hatchery to hang on to fatheads for another year to feed and allow to reach a larger size. This would be my best guess.

[appleye]

Maybe we should see if one of the biologist could explain why the regs are they way they are. I've grow up in WY and when I fish in other area I'm amazed. One thing that I was told years ago was the movement of undesirable fish. Well with all the best plans, lake trout in Yellowstone, burbot in Flaming Gorge, walleye in De Smet. I've seen carp show up in stock pounds  and was told the eggs stick to the ducks. So there you go. I wish I could understand it but I don't.

[doublehaul]

Kinda tough to target the next WY state record pike on KH using 1 inch minnows. I try not to beat my head against the wall too much on this one. Basically if a guy wants big bait you have to obtain your own seining liscense, plus be in a drainage that has a population of chubs/suckers.

[bbkyle35]

The way I see it is this: Midwestern states waters are like a conglomeration of everything. Asian carp are going everywhere, zebra mussels, and so forth. All that stuff spreads by people, not ducks. I know someone will say zebra mussels can by spread by animals, but you will never find a paper that supports that. Wyoming is wayyy more pristine. We have very, very few invasive problems compared to other places. And there is no such thing as a good invasion, they always cause problems. Regulations are designed to prevent this, why would you want it any other way? Compare Wyoming to Alaska, where I fished several drainages this year. If you think Wyoming regulations are a little restrictive, try up there. They limit where you can fish, what you can use, how big your hook can be, time of day you can fish, everything!
In Wyoming you can raise larger baitfish. Perfect example is Gehrig over at Ocean Lake. He raises them up to 4 inches or so, and sometime you can get a few even bigger. Fatheads are raised because they have a bigger market. They are a statewide minnow, and IMO should be the only one.

[MountainMan]

I completely agree WO. That's why I decided to take care of that situation myself and seined my own. It has been a lot of work keeping the little buggers happy and alive but it's been worth it. I was tired of getting "perch" minnows and using them for walleye and never having them produce anything bigger than an "eater eye". I don't care what anybody says, big minnows produce big fish...period.

Hey Wyofarmer,
If a guy wanted some of those larger minnows you have, could he send you a pm? Do you have any to spare?

[Special]

Funny thing about minnows I was just in rapid city. I was in scheels and looked at the minnows and wished i could purchase a couple of dozen nice and big, 3-4 inches plus if you picked and choosed.  Minnowguy, still keep at it I'll still purchase what is avalable because I caught a nice 10lbs walleye this spring on the smallest minnow I had, going for a crappie.  But If by chance someone can come up with bigger minnows I'm in, and if we need to get togeather and buy in bulk, count me in for some. 

[Wyofarmer]

Hey Wyofarmer,
If a guy wanted some of those larger minnows you have, could he send you a pm? Do you have any to spare?

Sure. Contact info in the "info thread"

[jasonfishn]

I think we should be able to buy nice minnows such as shiner or chubs from either a certified bait dealer in Sd. or Mt. or wyoming should start raising them for us if they dont want them brought in. I agree about the mussel thing but we have river chubs in the bell fourche river here and I have seen some nice shiners in there too so its not like its a new interductory. And charging 5.50 a dozen for minnows that you need 6 or 8 on a hook to make a perch look at it is insane!! wyoming needs to take some lessons from Sd and Mt on some reg changes for the future.

[esox slayer]

Funny thing about minnows I was just in rapid city. I was in scheels and looked at the minnows and wished i could purchase a couple of dozen nice and big, 3-4 inches plus if you picked and choosed.  Minnowguy, still keep at it I'll still purchase what is avalable because I caught a nice 10lbs walleye this spring on the smallest minnow I had, going for a crappie.  But If by chance someone can come up with bigger minnows I'm in, and if we need to get togeather and buy in bulk, count me in for some.

Out here if you want to target really big pike, we use 8-12 inch suckers, and the local bait shop has a LOT of them.

That 3-4 inch stuff you poor guys are stuck with out there is what we use for small walleyes and green carp.....

Bought some "large" pike bait from a big sporting goods store here a few weeks ago and got 4-6 inch minnows instead of REAL large bait....

[fishsqueezer]

The answers to a lot of these questions are complex and involve a lot of detail, which I won't try to divulge here...  Not trying to duck the question, but my suggestion would be to get in touch with a biologist in a Regional Office near you and ask them for some time to discuss live bait fish and your concerns.  Most, if not all will, always make time for face-to-face, which generally results in a much better understanding from both parties. 

[Ize]

I think the minnow regs have a lot to do with a non-native species that gets the spinny disease, a flyrod, and a client that likes to watch his guide get his hands wet so the fish isn't stressed.  Then goes back to the outfitters lodge to eat an Alaskan salmon.   

What else but disease could the already regulated minnows transfer from one drainage to another if the bait is native to WY?

[doublehaul]

 

I think the minnow regs have a lot to do with a non-native species that gets the spinny disease, a flyrod, and a client that likes to watch his guide get his hands wet so the fish isn't stressed.  Then goes back to the outfitters lodge to eat an Alaskan salmon.   

What else but disease could the already regulated minnows transfer from one drainage to another if the bait is native to WY?

[Ize]

The answers to a lot of these questions are complex and involve a lot of detail, which I won't try to divulge here...  Not trying to duck the question, but my suggestion would be to get in touch with a biologist in a Regional Office near you and ask them for some time to discuss live bait fish and your concerns.  Most, if not all will, always make time for face-to-face, which generally results in a much better understanding from both parties.

Perhaps we should increase the price of a fishing license so the G&F can afford to study this complex issue.    We are talking about a  2-3" fathead minnow. 

[Ize]

Is there any reason in particular Commercially Produced Live Baitfish can't be sold with any size to them? Picked up a dozen today ($5.85/doz) and none of them would even qualify as a decent crappie minnow. I'm really disappointed in the quality of minnows "commercially produced" in Wyoming. I believe this is my last minnow purchase until things improve.

Anyone remember the good ol' days when minnows were sold by the scoop, not meticulously counted in a miserly fashion, and when you held one to hook it, it actually felt like you had a minnow squirming in your hand? 

And they didn't fall through the holes in your ice scooper!   

[Special]

Perhaps we should increase the price of a fishing license so the G&F can afford to study this complex issue.    We are talking about a  2-3" fathead minnow. 

Heck look at Montana there license is cheaper than ours and they have done studies! Also this is Wyoming one of the riches states put our tax money were it counts, or do we need to play politics for a 3" minnow?     

[jasonfishn]

something else about your Montana fishing license is it allows you to sien up to 24 dozen minnows if your a non resident at no extra charge. why in the heck cant wyoming do that 

[appleye]

Oh fishing at Glendo would be too good! When I lived close I had a permit for Glendo and would trap up stream. Great bait! Better fishing with better bait!

[jasonfishn]

Big bait big fish they go hand in hand 

[LingEater]

I have been struggling to find decent places to seine around Lander - anyone have a tip?

[WYeyes]

I have been struggling to find decent places to seine around Lander - anyone have a tip?

Kind of tough to find a place to seine right now with everything froze up. there are a few good places on the popo agie east of town and it looks like it is starting to open up a little. You might be able to drop some traps in. Good luck

[wyoutdoors]

Minnows still sold by the SCOOP! At $1.99/Scoop!!! Not $5.85/doz like in Wyoming 



A dozen 4"+ sucker chubs less than a dozen minnows in Wyoming...



And even the 4"+ shiners are available just across the border...



My wife mentioned a possibility of her taking a position with her company in Rapid City... I can work out of Edgemont... After seeing REAL baitfish, I think I"m ready for the move. Crossing my fingers! 

[jasonfishn]

YES wyoming needs to seriously re think there policies on bait around here and until they do I will be giving all my buisness and so are all my buds to the nabors in SD ND and MT. Its not worth my time nor money to waist it on junk fat heads for 5.50 a dozen when for the same money and 2 hrs away I can get good bait and catch some nice fish.