Many anglers say that worms and insects are not the best bait with which to catch the big one. Instead, they use minnows. These small fish are the dinner of choice for most larger fish. Catching minnows is not difficult if you have the proper equipment and the technique. If done properly, you have will have plenty of bait.
Basically, minnows are baby fish and a good all-around freshwater bait. They're readily available from bait and tackle shops or you can catch your own if it's legal in your area. Minnows come in different sizes. Use larger 'shiners' for bass and pike fishing. For cast and retrieve, trolling and drifting, hook the minnow vertically through both lips or through the tail. For still fishing with a bobber, hook the minnow through the back just above the dorsal fin. Take care not to damage the spinal cord. The key is to keep the fish moving on its own.
For really good action, hook the minnow upside down on a light jig. It will struggle to regain an upright position Store minnows in a minnow bucket using the same water from which they were bought or captured, and take care not to crowd them.
Step1
Find a school of minnows to target. In most freshwater areas this is not hard to do. Simply stroll up and down the banks or coastline and look a few feet into the water. Minnows regularly feed very close to the land. They will most likely appear as small black or silver shadows in the water.
Step2
Lower your fishing net into the water near the minnows. You don’t have to lay it directly over the school as you will not be catching the fish at this moment. The most important thing to remember is to drop it gently into the water so that the fish are not too frightened.
Step3
Rest the net a few inches under the water and sprinkle some bait over the center to attract minnows. Bread or cracker crumbs work best to attract these miniature creatures. Hold the net steady while they gather in order not to scare these skittish fish away.
Step4
Raise the net swiftly when a large pack of minnows are dining on your bait. It is important to quickly raise the net so that the fish are not given time to escape. Lift the net completely out of the water and be sure not to tilt the opening too far.
Step5
Fill a bucket with water before catching the minnows. Once you have a net full of fish, dump them into this water. Experts believe that if minnows are kept alive an angler will catch bigger fish.
