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Let's Talk About Bait

SkunkedAgain
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SkunkedAgain Grand Master

SkunkedAgain

Posted
Posted

With the late ice-out, has anyone talked to the local bait shops about what they will have available for opener this week? I've heard some "general" stories on the news about some shops shipping in bait from out of state.

 

Did Joe complete the sale of Northwoods Bait? Are they going to be open?

 

I'm trying to figure out if I need to grab minnows on my way up versus buying them up there.

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rundrave Mentor

rundrave

Posted
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22 minutes ago, SkunkedAgain said:

I've heard some "general" stories on the news about some shops shipping in bait from out of state.

 

Did you know that Minnesota and Maine are the only 2 states in the US where live minnows for fishing must be 100% homegrown? Meaning in MN they can export bait to other states, but MN can’t import any when there are shortages.

 

Link: MN Bait Shortage

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smurfy Grand Master

smurfy

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1 hour ago, rundrave said:

 

Did you know that Minnesota and Maine are the only 2 states in the US where live minnows for fishing must be 100% homegrown? Meaning in MN they can export bait to other states, but MN can’t import any when there are shortages.

 

Link: MN Bait Shortage

yea what a crock of bullcrap.

 

i was just with my mom.........her husband, my stepdad lives in New Richmond Wi.  she said he let some guys hit a couple of his ponds on his property to trap bait. they already had sold 40 lbs of leeches and got a pile of minnows.  

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delcecchi Grand Master

delcecchi

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Mmmm invasive species.   Seems like a good enough reason to ban out of state bait.  Oh and deer farms too.

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CigarGuy Mentor

CigarGuy

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Posted

I called lucky 7 and Country Store Sunday, nobody has bait yet. Called Lucky 7 yesterday, she said getting bait this week, but couldn't tell me when. The telephone number for Northwoods wasn't working. The bait shop in Orr has plenty of bait when I called. I told my son to stop in Harris on the way up.

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smurfy Grand Master

smurfy

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, delcecchi said:

Mmmm invasive species.   Seems like a good enough reason to ban out of state bait.  Oh and deer farms too.

yea its like maybe 25 miles from the Minnesota border......i'm sure the invasives respect state boundries!!!!!!!🥴

 

kinda like the bird flu!!!!!!!

Edited by smurfy
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Raven77 Collaborator

Raven77

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, CigarGuy said:

I called lucky 7 and Country Store Sunday, nobody has bait yet. Called Lucky 7 yesterday, she said getting bait this week, but couldn't tell me when. The telephone number for Northwoods wasn't working. The bait shop in Orr has plenty of bait when I called. I told my son to stop in Harris on the way up.

I stopped at Lucky 7 and the Country Store today.  They only had crappie minnows.  Stopped at Northwoods.  Joe was there, which was a surprise as he sold the place.  New owners were there too. I bought chubs and rainbows.  Decent size and quality.

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delcecchi Grand Master

delcecchi

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Posted (edited)
On 5/10/2023 at 10:12 AM, SkunkedAgain said:

With the late ice-out, has anyone talked to the local bait shops about what they will have available for opener this week? I've heard some "general" stories on the news about some shops shipping in bait from out of state.

 

Did Joe complete the sale of Northwoods Bait? Are they going to be open?

 

I'm trying to figure out if I need to grab minnows on my way up versus buying them up there.

Yes it sold.   Just saw a story about it today, maybe on facebook.   Young couple bought it, Joe hanging around to show them the ropes for awhile.  Didn't say anything about inventory

Here's the story.    https://timberjay.com/stories/new-blood-at-old-bait-shop,20203

Let me know if it is paywalled.  I pay good money for a subscription and will post the article.

Edited by delcecchi
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gimruis Mentor

gimruis

Posted
Posted (edited)

There is a shortage of live bait right now, particularly "exotic sizable minnows" such as species of shiners and chubs, etc.  Its not necessarily because MN doesn't allow the importation of minnows though.  There are other factors at play.  I talked to a bait shop owner here twice in the west metro that is closing next month about it.

 

Low water levels from a drought going into winter, coupled with near record snow on top of the ice means less oxygen.  This results in winter kill and occurs when there is a lack of dissolved oxygen which usually occurs in shallow lakes, ponds, and marshes.  The exact type of habitat that supports populations of minnows people want when they go fishing.

 

Another issue is that there's simply less people in the business doing it.  There has been over a 25% drop in bait trappers/dealers than there was just a decade ago.  Less people trapping minnows means less minnows.  Less habitat for minnows means less availability of minnows.  Demand has remained stable, so the same amount of people are trying to buy minnows with far less supply.

 

I rarely use live bait anymore.  Really the only type of live bait I use with any regularity is crappie minnows, and even that is becoming less.  Before I left the bait shop, the owner pointed me at the crank bait section and said "learn to use those."

Edited by gimruis
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Kettle Mentor

Kettle

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There may be a decrease but it's not by choice for some. Some areas where shiners run and were typically used to get shiners are now off limits besides to American Indian band members. I have a friend who has been trapping minnows for 20+ years and starting last year he is no longer able to trap shiners where he once was.

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CigarGuy Mentor

CigarGuy

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Just got back from town, lucky 7 ran out of rainbows. I didn't ask about shiners or fatheads. Went over to Northwoods. Got some crappie minnows and some rainbows, they have a two scoop maximum on rainbows. They had a little bit of everything in stock, shiners, leeches, rainbows, crappies, think I saw some light pike in there too.

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gimruis Mentor

gimruis

Posted
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1 hour ago, Kettle said:

Some areas where shiners run and were typically used to get shiners are now off limits besides to American Indian band members.

Yes, that's correct also.  Some areas that were traditionally available to trap minnows are now off limits for various reasons as you have given in your example.

 

The only point I'm trying to make here is that there are several factors at play as to why minnows may be in short supply this spring.

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smurfy Grand Master

smurfy

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, Kettle said:

There may be a decrease but it's not by choice for some. Some areas where shiners run and were typically used to get shiners are now off limits besides to American Indian band members. I have a friend who has been trapping minnows for 20+ years and starting last year he is no longer able to trap shiners where he once was.

well i certainly hope they keep there minnows on the sovereign nation!!!!!!! 😒😠

Edited by smurfy
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Roseypike19 Apprentice

Roseypike19

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I'm all for supporting local baitshops and tackle stores, and I completely get the factors that play into this year's shortage of minnows, but if you can't get minnows, try plastics!  I'm positive a good looking plastic on a jighead will go toe to toe with livebait - or at the very least come in a close second.  Buy the plastics at said baitshop and you are still helping out the local economy.  I also appreciate the nostalgia that comes with opener - jigs, lindys, and minnows; it's a tried and true classic, but IMO the necessity is predicated on tradition rather than actual success.  Tie on a plastic, move your boat and bait a bit faster (or don't) and see what happens.   

 

Good luck to everyone this opener!     

Edited by Roseypike19
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Kettle Mentor

Kettle

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20 hours ago, smurfy said:

well i certainly hope they keep there minnows on the sovereign nation!!!!!!! 😒😠

I don't, I want to be a patron of their shiner minnow business. Don't care where they are from, I just want them 

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smurfy Grand Master

smurfy

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20 hours ago, Kettle said:

I don't, I want to be a patron of their shiner minnow business. Don't care where they are from, I just want them 

it was mostly sarcasm , but some of this is getting out of hand!!!

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gimruis Mentor

gimruis

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Bad.  Really hot weather isn't helping that cause either.  Impossible to keep minnows alive when the heat index is 115 degrees.

Edited by gimruis
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