Freezing Minnows - VIDEO

[TubeDude]

Hey Pat, what is the best way to dispatch the minnows in the field so you don't get in trouble for moving live minnows?  I usually just put them in a bucket without water, but one time I got home and found a couple still flipping even though I thought they were all dead before I left...  I wondered about putting Clorox in the water, but figured I'd ruin them by making them smell unnatural... Do you just let them suffocate longer before you move on?  With carp I can manually dispatch them since the numbers are low, but I found a bunch of fatheads the other day and didn't know what was best to do since you can catch them by the hundreds, Not that I love fatheads to fish with since they go soft, but I've heard fall crappie like fatheads so I wanted to try it... Anyway I took a few to try it, which I did the manual kill and freeze, but I can't find fatheads very often so I'd like to package some for other times of the year while I can find a few... at least if I can take care of them so they are good bait later.. Just wondering what the best thing to do is?  Hey you usually put salt water on your minnows, will that kill them and condition them at the same time???? Thanks J

The law says that we are not to transport live minnows.  And there are good reasons for that law.  Just look at all the waters in which we are waging a battle against unwanted species.

I would be the last one to suggest ignoring that law and transporting live minnows to your home for dispatch and freezing.  But, in truth, I usually still find a few "floppers" when I get home...in spite of my attempts to "neutralize" them.  My "method"? I put the freshly caught minnows in a plastic bag and cover it with heavy ice...leaving it in my cooler for a few hours before processing the minnows.  Usually they are all cold and stiff by the time I put them in my sink for grading and freezing...but not always. 

In short, I am probably technically guilty of a violation.  In reality, even the still living ones are goners within a short time of packaging.  And I never get near another waterway to risk contaminating it with living minnows.  I have broached this subject with a couple of my fishing buddies in DWR and after stern warnings I was told that there would probably be no heavy fines or jail time for that infraction.  The intent is to prevent introduction of unwanted species in other waters...not to just kill minnows.

Howsomever, if you fear for your eternal soul and suffer great pangs of guilt, just put them in a cold salt water bath for a few minutes after catching them.  They will die quickly and the addition of a bit of salt usually enhances their attractiveness...as well as working to firm them up a bit if you use enough salt.

DO NOT USE CHLORINE...or any other harsh foul-smelling chemical.  They are not fish attractants.  Quite the opposite.  I can't believe that some vendors who sell "processed" bait fish...like shad...put them in a formaldehyde solution.  Man, that's embalming fluid.  I have talked to several anglers who have tried to skirt the no possession rule for shad in Utah by using the commercially sold stuff.  Haven't heard of anybody ever catching a fish on them...even catfish.

I never add scent to minnows before I first use them.  But sometimes after they have soaked a while without inquiries I might squeeze on a few drops of a good attractant.  I have caught a lot of fish immediately after "doctoring" an ignored minnow.  The other option is to take a knife and poke some holes in the minnow to release more natural scent.  That has worked well for me too.

Fathead minnows?  I have never had much luck with them.  Had access to a lot of them at one time but didn't get enough on them to justify messing with them.  In side by side comparisons the chub minnows always got more attention.  I let the fish tell me what they want.