Mud Minnows

So with live shrimp hard to come by at times this time of year mud minnows are a good option. The problem for me is having consistent success in catching them to be able to rely on it for a day of fishing with sometimes 3 other bait users on the boat. Looking for tips, tricks advice whatever your willing to share. Have learned the galvanized trap works much better than black. How long do most of you leave a trap in and what baits seem to work for ya? I've tried can cat food opened about half way, hand full hard dog food, bread and slice of lunch meat. Always get some but never a load, places I try have been loaded with minnows just hard to get then in the trap. I talk to others who sit in these well known spots for half hour or so and load up. What am I missing? Thanks for any advice!
 

Riplukelee

Senior Member
Use a can of sardines and a can of Vienna sausage ... cheap and I've caught 200+ in an hour this way ... tide matters too ... gotta have a different spot for, low, high, and in between. The rocks placed around culvert openings seem to work best for me
 

sea trout

2021 Turkey Challenge Winner 2022 biggest turkey ?
Yep funny how that works, kinda new to the forum so thanks again for all the advice. Looking forward to trying some of the different baits. Will post again with results after giving a shot.
 

blocky

Senior Member
A crushed blue crab works great.
 

shallowminded

Senior Member
Anything meaty, chicken parts, frozen mullet, fish heads, etc. Just make sure you have plenty in there. If they run out of food, they will look for a way out. Plenty of food, plenty of minnows.
 

trippcasey

Senior Member
I used a can of Viennas today and had about 3 dozen in 15 minutes. Put a few sausages in the trap and a few in my belly. Im gonna drown some minnows on my lunch break tomorrow.
 
Gonna try Vienna sausage tomorrow, maybe if i get plenty of minnows tomorrow then after Saturday I will have some trout scraps to try lol.
 

Redbow

Senior Member
My Uncle who lived in Hampton Virginia used to use nothing but an old piece of broken dinner plate white of course in his minnow trap and he caught plenty of mud minnows..There was a creek not too far from his house and he set his trap there..This was way back, many years ago now. Maybe the minnows are not nearly as plentiful now as they were back then..
 

BBaker

Member
Your bait doesn't matter they will eat anything.. Find the minnows and toss your trap in the middle of them. If there thick it will take just a few minutes. Mud minnows are the most aggressive fish I have ever seen. They can swim out of the trap. You could place it in the middle of hundreds of minnows and if you leave it there to long after the bait is gone they will swim back out. Low tide is your best bet
 

leftystar

Senior Member
Piece of Styrofoam in current but cant never go wrong with Viennas. Try to get the trap in the run. If you can find a spot that's still holding minnows on low tide. They may be swimming back out. We have checked trap dropped it back then and got them on the way fishing and seemed to have less than we had before.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Always caught plenty with dry dog food or fish carcasses.
 
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