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How to catch small minnows in small stream?
Started by
Guest_Pir_*
, Dec 12 2010 12:51 PM
16 replies to this topic
#1
Guest_Pir_*
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Posted 12 December 2010 - 12:51 PM
Near my house in MD, there is a woods behind our neighborhood. It has a smaller stream in it, and every so often we go down there. The stream is un-named, but it runs into Bynum run. The stream is 2 inches deep and 3 feet wide in some spots, but there are big pools that can be up to 5-6 feet wide and pushing 4 feet deep. In each pool, there is a school of around 20-30 little minnows. I don't know what species they are, but I'd like to collect some and find out. We have a minnow trap, but I'm not sure if the holes are small enough. We can catch mummichogs in it when we're down the ocean, but they're retty thick. I'm also pretty good with a cast net. I'm getting a seine net pretty soon, so that could be another option. I would only really want maybe 8-10 minnows, and I'd keep them in a 10 or 20g. While I am new to native fish keeping, I'm experienced with fishkeeping in general.
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#2
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 12 December 2010 - 01:35 PM
First off, do you have a fishing license? Here's a website on how to get one: http://www.dnr.state...ice/license.asp
Here's a printable fishing license application: http://www.dnr.state...nload/dnrf3.pdf
Remember not to collect any bivalves (here's a complete list of things whose collection is regulated: http://www.dnr.state...ntidalregs.html )
I don't see any regulations on seines. Here where I am in Ohio, there's a maximum size for seines and regulation on how big/small the holes in the seine can be. But I can't find anything on seines in Maryland. Hmm. You can ask the people when you get your fishing license. Then you can shop around for a seine that's within regulation size. I got mine for ten bucks on ebay.
Edit: Oh, and seining is a two person or more activity. At least for me (I'm a beginner at it). You might want to take a friend or two out with you when you go to seine for the first time. You can post an expedition announcement here on the NANFA forum and maybe one or two of the Maryland NANFA members will go with you
Here's a printable fishing license application: http://www.dnr.state...nload/dnrf3.pdf
Remember not to collect any bivalves (here's a complete list of things whose collection is regulated: http://www.dnr.state...ntidalregs.html )
I don't see any regulations on seines. Here where I am in Ohio, there's a maximum size for seines and regulation on how big/small the holes in the seine can be. But I can't find anything on seines in Maryland. Hmm. You can ask the people when you get your fishing license. Then you can shop around for a seine that's within regulation size. I got mine for ten bucks on ebay.
Edit: Oh, and seining is a two person or more activity. At least for me (I'm a beginner at it). You might want to take a friend or two out with you when you go to seine for the first time. You can post an expedition announcement here on the NANFA forum and maybe one or two of the Maryland NANFA members will go with you
Edited by EricaWieser, 12 December 2010 - 01:39 PM.
#3
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Posted 12 December 2010 - 03:39 PM
Thanks for responding
I don't need one for a couple years, I'm only 14. And yeah, I was going to go out with my brother to do it. I know that you put the seine downstream and then do the 'fishy shuffle' to scare the fish back down?? That's about all I know though.
I don't need one for a couple years, I'm only 14. And yeah, I was going to go out with my brother to do it. I know that you put the seine downstream and then do the 'fishy shuffle' to scare the fish back down?? That's about all I know though.
#4
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 12 December 2010 - 04:51 PM
Yeah, you basically got it. Or maybe pull the seine across the stream, if the bottom is fairly smooth without a lot of irregular rocks or wood. The major trick is to keep the bottom "lead" line of the seine along the bottom, because fish are really, really good at finding and swimming through openings under the net, if any.
#5
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 12 December 2010 - 06:39 PM
Agreed. Fish swim down when scared. I once put a four inch tall bowl full of a dozen goldfish into an aquarium, setting it gently on the bottom. The goldfish, scared and confused, remained in the bowl for several hours as they frantically tried to escape by swimming downwards. They only figured out to swim up and out once they'd calmed down.Yeah, you basically got it. Or maybe pull the seine across the stream, if the bottom is fairly smooth without a lot of irregular rocks or wood. The major trick is to keep the bottom "lead" line of the seine along the bottom, because fish are really, really good at finding and swimming through openings under the net, if any.
Edit: I bought two five feet half inch diameter PVC poles from the hardware store (Home Depot) and tied them to the ends of my seine to keep the bottom down. It helps to have a stick or PVC pipe you can use to keep the bottom from rising up. Even though it comes weighted it's still helpful to add that little bit of extra control.
Edited by EricaWieser, 12 December 2010 - 06:41 PM.
#6
Guest_Pir_*
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Posted 12 December 2010 - 07:41 PM
The bottom's pretty rocky in some parts, but not right after the big pools. I'll give it a shot when it's not as coldYeah, you basically got it. Or maybe pull the seine across the stream, if the bottom is fairly smooth without a lot of irregular rocks or wood. The major trick is to keep the bottom "lead" line of the seine along the bottom, because fish are really, really good at finding and swimming through openings under the net, if any.
That's pretty funny about the goldfish. I wish my puffer were that dumb... he's a real bear to catch.Agreed. Fish swim down when scared. I once put a four inch tall bowl full of a dozen goldfish into an aquarium, setting it gently on the bottom. The goldfish, scared and confused, remained in the bowl for several hours as they frantically tried to escape by swimming downwards. They only figured out to swim up and out once they'd calmed down.
Edit: I bought two five feet half inch diameter PVC poles from the hardware store (Home Depot) and tied them to the ends of my seine to keep the bottom down. It helps to have a stick or PVC pipe you can use to keep the bottom from rising up. Even though it comes weighted it's still helpful to add that little bit of extra control.
#8
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Posted 12 December 2010 - 08:21 PM
I have waders, they're quite warm actually, but it's starting to get a little ice-y. And I won't hsve the tank set up till after Christmas probably. And it'll take a little while to cycle.Or get waders, like all fashionable NANFA members do.
#9
Guest_schambers_*
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Posted 13 December 2010 - 10:06 PM
I lose interest in seining when it ices over, the ice makes it too hard to catch anything. Someone I went seining with had a chain attached to the bottom of their seine. It was very effective (and very heavy)! You can sew/tie extra weights to the bottom with fishing line.
#10
Guest_daveneely_*
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Posted 14 December 2010 - 09:16 AM
I lose interest in seining when it ices over, the ice makes it too hard to catch anything. Someone I went seining with had a chain attached to the bottom of their seine. It was very effective (and very heavy)! You can sew/tie extra weights to the bottom with fishing line.
Mono will break and scatter your weights to the currents. Even a single strand of braid will abrade and drop your weights if you are getting your lead line down on the bottom where it belongs... and the last thing you want to do is add a pound of lead to the riffle of your local stream. Chain is an OK fix, but the point is that the seine should have been properly weighted in the first place. If you're serious about this, you're better off getting a seine with extra weights already incorporated into the leadline -- leave the Walmart pool nets, E-bay cotton seines, burlap sacks, etc. for the noobs.
A 4x6 seine (think that's MD max size, double-check the regs to be sure) is relatively cheap from Memphis Net & Twine, or PM either our own itsme or netmaker. If you've already been buying tropicals, or compared to the costs of tanks/filters/etc., the correct equipment to collect natives is minimal.
You might want to pester some of the other MD folks on here to let you tag along on some fieldwork once the weather warms up, it's the best way to learn your fish and collecting techniques.
#11
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 14 December 2010 - 09:24 AM
I just got a 4'x12' net from Memphis Net & Twine, with 1/16" mesh, for $68 including Fed Ex shipping. The basic rate is $3.92/ft, plus a $10 cutting fee. Alabama has pretty lax net laws so anything up to 20' long is legal.
#12
Guest_schambers_*
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 09:16 PM
Mono will break and scatter your weights to the currents. Even a single strand of braid will abrade and drop your weights if you are getting your lead line down on the bottom where it belongs... and the last thing you want to do is add a pound of lead to the riffle of your local stream.
I didn't think of that! Thanks for pointing it out. My current seines came from itsme / Jonah's, so they are weighted properly.
#13
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 10:03 PM
In a small stream like that I think you would have good luck with a simple dip net. I've often caught minnows in a butterfly net by laying it on the bottom and throwing bait over it. Bread crumbs work well. Hard to do in deeper water, but if you find fish in a shallower pool I think this would be the way to go.
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