Minnow question

[007]

I have a question about putting unused minnows in the lake - triggered off by Misfish's poll.

 

I will be going up north this weekend and may get minnows on the way up so it is likely that they won't have come from the lake i'm fishing, so judging by what many people on the poll question have said I shouldn't put any left over minnows in the lake afterwards?

 

This makes sense when I think about it - trying not to transfer diseases to new bodies of water but surely the fact that I am using the fish for bait means that I will be introducing them to the body of water anyway?

 

Should I really only get minnows from the lake i'm fishing?

 

Thanks

007

Edited August 7, 2007 by OO7

[danbouck]

There is no guarantee that the minnows at the lake are in fact from that lake. Buy them wherever but just don't dump them in when your done.

[joonmoon]

Keep them take them home when you are done...set up an aquarium and keep them cool. Then when you go out again you won't have to trap or buy as many the next time. I keep around 100 or so in the fall and winter for ice fishing in aquariums in my garage. Saves me having to buy them so often and you almost never use all them up...the store I get them from gives a generous scoop for $4 and I take at least half of those and leave them at home, too many and they just die in the minnow bucket anyways.

[OhioFisherman]

When you get them from a bait store you really can`t be sure where the bait was caught. If I buy bait it is more of what I want then where they were caught. Diseases aren`t the only problem, a lot of minnows sold and transported and sheer volume prevents checking every one to make sure it is a minnow and not a fish un-natural to the waters.

 

I have gotten small smallmouth and small trout in my purchases also a moon eye, some trout waters don`t handle competition from bass. It helps to be able to identify species, or just look for odd shapes. I like bigger bait and generally don`t buy minnows less than 4 inches long.