Minnow Preference

[JBMasterAngler]

I'm just curious what kinds of minnows everyone uses out there. Not including crappie minnows, what are your preferences between fatheads, rainbow chubs, golden or silver or emerald shiners, sucker minnows, madtoms, or any other type of minnow. Add what you fish for with them, how and where you fish them, what season, etc. I'm just curious what everyone is doing out there.

[ozzie]

fatheads on the bottom foot of the lake.......

[fishkaholic]

sucker minnows cut in halves for catfish on any river in mn during spring and summer.

[JBMasterAngler]

Ever catch mooneye and use them for catfish?

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

Silver or golden shiners work great under a tip-up, but they seem to die quickly.I usually use med.-large suckers, for they are more hardy.

[fishkaholic]

have tried mooneye but not as successful as sucker minnows.

[deja vu]

Quote:

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fatheads on the bottom foot of the lake.......

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I picked up an underwater camera last year, and watching my bait has provided me with a great deal of information on the liveliest minnows for winter walleyes, and the best way to hook these minnows for continuous movement.

I used to prefer shiners, with rainbow chubs a good second choice. But my camera has convinced me that fathead chubs stay livelier longer, especially when you use an Eagle Claw extra thin wire Aberdeen hook. And fatheads are easier to take care of, last longer and cost less...

Ozzie's got the right idea...

For years I've carefully hooked my minnows through the skin next to the dorsal fin, with the point facing forward. And it's a good way to rig a minnow under a bobber. But in the winter, minnows hooked this way tend to hang motionless after a few minutes of strenuous activity... and they eventually stop reacting when you jiggle or tap the line...

I found that hooking minnows sideways through the top part of the tail just behind the dorsal fin provides a livelier acting minnow for the longest period of time. And if you tap the line they start wiggling all over again.

I thought that setting the hook might be less certain when minnows were hooked sideways through the tail, but I really haven't noticed an increase in missed strikes...

[hip_hop_fisherman]

I will usually stick with fatheads for 'eyes. As said before, cheaper and they last longer. If I'm staying in the house over night I'll drop a shiner down, but thats USUALLY it. (The perch on Mille Lacs were hitting small shiners 10 to 1 over fatheads/crappie minnows in December) For pike I usually stick with sucker minnows (or smelt) again because they seem to last longer.