Catching Minnows from a pond?

[Cloud-9]

What's the best way to catch small minnows from a lake or pond?
Is there a way to trap them?

I'm toying with the idea of using these fish to feed a very picky carnivore.

[Tightdog1]

the way i used to catch mass amounts of minnows in my creek behind my house was to get a big net with small holes in it and just net them. thats how i used to do it.

[Andy16]

if you can get to a peir and you can see the minnows, i would take a net and some bread, you drop the bread in front of the net and wait till some come to eat it. then you scoops em up.

[Tinycl]

Most bait shops sell minnow traps in my area.A mesh cylindrical basket with cone shapes openings in each end.Put some dog food or bread in sock and tie it inside it,place it in the pond over night and you should have plenty of minnows.
You should also be careful of parasites in the minnows.

[Mantis_22]

Tinycl has the best recomendation. I have a black cylinder type minnow trap I got at a Bass Pro Shop down the road. It works great. You just add some bread dried into the puppy and throw it out into a lake or river with a rope connected to it. The next day I had close to 8-14 minnows. Works wonders and a great live alternative than buying goldfish for oscars:D

[Cloud-9]

That sounds like a plan. Now, my snook can only eat fish that are about 1" or less. Most minnows are bigger than that. Will those minnow traps work for those tiny mosquito fish?

[Mantis_22]

minnows are smaller in a lake. The commercial ones I know are over 2" and higher for fishing.

[Cloud-9]

I'll call the local bait shop down the road and see what kind of minnow trapping equipment they've got for sale. If they don't have one that will work for my needs, then I'll have to design and make my own.

[Mantis_22]

ok, mine costed around 4-5 bucks so they arent that much. You can make your own easily though...

[scott]

Have you tried earthworms? Now thats a viscious kill.:D

[Cloud-9]

There is one small problem with using a trap. I have to go to a public park lake to do this. Meaning I can't set a trap and leave it for any long period of time. I might just put together a rectangular frame out of PVC and then use silicone glue to attach a nylon window screen to the frame. I could sink the contraption in shallow water, put food on top, wait for the fish, and then pull the whole thing up. Any thoughts?

[Mantis_22]

jsut do it hillbilly style, tie a rope to the trap throw it out far in the deep along the current, tie the rope to a heavy rock then put a whole bunch of debris over it all so it isint noticed. (Sounds like I do this daily huh?) :)