I go to Canada every sept. To fish walleye and I heard that minnows can be frozen and taken across the border, any tips on freezing minnows?
Thanks
flyguy
Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!
We tried it many years ago, like 30 years ago, and it didn't work very well. We freeze dried them, salted them and $hit on them but we couldn't get them to stay on the hook very long. They would get soft and mushy fall off. We quit trying after a couple of years. Maybe they have a better way now, I don't know. I just take jigs and crawlers up there.
Brine Them, certainly toughens Them up
fishrmans
Loc: Waushara Cnty Wisconsin and Port Charlotte Fl
We always froze them in water in a ziplock bag. About 20 to a bag. That seemed to work ok. Not like fresh but still pretty good.
How were they when you were fishing ? Mushy
Thanks
I am curious when you say you put them in Brine exactly what do you mean by that and when they thaw out do they get pretty mushy, what is the process?
Thanks
fishrmans
Loc: Waushara Cnty Wisconsin and Port Charlotte Fl
No, they actually stayed firm. Just not quite like live minnows. They worked well.
Garry
Loc: Wellborn, Florida
Brine is salt water if helps them stay fresh I use wild caught shiners frozen either in Brine or fresh water for cut bait for catfish they stay on the hook. Some people will nuke them for a few seconds to toughen them up just before heading to the lake.
Again thanks for the info guys.
I froze several bags of about 60 each this summer. Tried to catch Fluke/Flounder with them on five trips. Did not get the first bite. Switched over to strip Croaker baits and immediately started getting hits. So much frozen minnows for bait for me.
fishrmans
Loc: Waushara Cnty Wisconsin and Port Charlotte Fl
Fresh is always better but I have use frozen bait many times and I’ve had pretty good luck with it. In Canada you don’t have a lot of choices..
Bring a cast net or minnow trap and catch minnows at your destination
I use frozen squid and frozen fish strips and both work. Frozen minnows however do not look natural to predator fish.
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