My son and I recently ventured into the waters of Sag and beyond (6/28-7/2). It was as close as I've had to a perfect trip. Great weather, fishing, food, companionship, etc. Outside of the bugs it could not have been better. However, we brought a pound of jumbo leeches and went through 1/2 of them in the first 2 hours. So we were scrambling for plan B.

Hence I present, The ANALYZER MINNOW TRAP METHOD:

Step 1.

Locate Target

Step 2.

Empty Canoe and set it in the water, on it's side







Editors note (while 95lb aluminum aircraft carriers make wonderful minnow traps, I do not recommend them for portaging more than 3 rods).

step 3.

Prop Canoe (you may skip this step in some instances)

Step 4.

Toss small amount of pancake mix/fish batter in the back of the canoe. (yeah, yeah, I know I'm going to catch heat for this.... I assure you the minnows and cray fish consumed all of it)

step 5.


Wait.








editors note (If you have less than perfect weather, I do not recommend cotton t-shirts for bdub apparel. Also, I do not use a watch for this step. Watches, phones etc, stay in the car on my trips, sun dials, however, are acceptable).

Step 6.

When you see that enough of the intended target has entered the trap, have an assistant stand on the backside of the canoe, and quietly grasp the side.





Editors note (this is the ONE arm technique. I highly recommend using both hands. The young man in this photo is a VERY experienced minnow trapper and has the skill to pull off the one hand manuever. Do not attempt this at home).

Step 7.

One person should stand at a distance, so as not to spook the minnows, but yet in such a way that they can see if they have the desired number of minnows in the canoe. This person then shouts something like "NOW" to the assistant, who rapidly pulls the canoe over onto it's bottom. This should be a swift sudden movement. If you have too much water depth in the canoe it may be tougher. Make sure there is nothing on the backside of the canoe that will pierce the bottom.










Note, this may take more than one attempt. The waiting time between attempts goes much better with a chair and a small batch of vodka/lemonade.

Step 8.

Ok, now you have the minnows in the canoe, with several gallons of water. You have a couple choices: Chase them around endlessly, bail most of the water out first, and chase a little less than endlessly, or use your anchor bag. I recommend using your anchor bag, unless, you are one of those folks using the Basketball-net-anchor-bag-method. Then I do NOT recommend using your anchor bag. I am NOT using a basketball net, so I used my anchor bag. Which worked rather well.

Step 9.

Catch Fish!!!

Follow up on the AMTM...

We stored the minnows in the anchor bag. When we were out fishing, as we moved from one spot to the next, we would put the anchor bag in the large mess kit pan, in the canoe, so as to reduce drag. Then when we got on location, we'd put the anchor bag in the water. This system worked very well.

When we went to bed, we attached the anchor bag to several feet of rope, and tossed out into the lake...this did NOT work well.

We woke up to a bag full of holes. It appears that the seaguls got after the anchor bag, and tore multiple dime size holes in the bag. The bottom was ripped open like perhaps a snapper got into the action. Later we noticed an eagle set up shop in a tree right above our landing (which never happens) so perhaps he/she was the culprit. No way to know for sure. You may want to use a plastic minnow bucket or put a rock in your anchor bag and sink to the bottom. It may have worked to put the anchor bag in the mess kit, with a lid, and sink that in a few feet of water too. I'll have to get back to you on the NEW IMPROVED -AMTM'14.

Note we repeated the method twice the first day with excellent results, capturing perhaps 4 or 5 dozen minnows. The second day, after we had lost our original batch, did not go as well. It seems 4 sunnies decided to set up territorial boundaries, and would not let the shiners into the canoe. 2 set up shop in the canoe, and 2 under the canoe, and would chase away any other minnows. I eventually had to trap the sunnies, and remove them, before I could catch any other minnows.

Be careful as well. We trapped a few walleye fingerlings, and a couple smallmouth which had to be picked out and released. It is NOT legal to use game fish for bait.

Good luck with the AMTM. We had lots of fun with it.


...although, i miss my anchor bag, and I have no idea where my wife found it.

Dude that is priceless.................

:) Creative, but I'd leave the 95-lb trap at home and bring a seine :). Enjoyed your post. When I was younger, fishing in the Ohio River, we'd use very small hooks and bubble gum to catch a shiner whenever we needed bait.

Awesome! Great ingenuity.

quote analyzer: "Follow up on the AMTM...


We stored the minnows in the anchor bag. When we were out fishing, as we moved from one spot to the next, we would put the anchor bag in the large mess kit pan, in the canoe, so as to reduce drag. Then when we got on location, we'd put the anchor bag in the water. This system worked very well.


When we went to bed, we attached the anchor bag to several feet of rope, and tossed out into the lake...this did NOT work well.


We woke up to a bag full of holes. It appears that the seaguls got after the anchor bag, and tore multiple dime size holes in the bag. The bottom was ripped open like perhaps a snapper got into the action. Later we noticed an eagle set up shop in a tree right above our landing (which never happens) so perhaps he/she was the culprit. No way to know for sure. You may want to use a plastic minnow bucket or put a rock in your anchor bag and sink to the bottom. It may have worked to put the anchor bag in the mess kit, with a lid, and sink that in a few feet of water too. I'll have to get back to you on the NEW IMPROVED -AMTM'14.


Note we repeated the method twice the first day with excellent results, capturing perhaps 4 or 5 dozen minnows. The second day, after we had lost our original batch, did not go as well. It seems 4 sunnies decided to set up territorial boundaries, and would not let the shiners into the canoe. 2 set up shop in the canoe, and 2 under the canoe, and would chase away any other minnows. I eventually had to trap the sunnies, and remove them, before I could catch any other minnows.


Be careful as well. We trapped a few walleye fingerlings, and a couple smallmouth which had to be picked out and released. It is NOT legal to use game fish for bait.


Good luck with the AMTM. We had lots of fun with it.



...although, i miss my anchor bag, and I have no idea where my wife found it.


"

Thanks for sharing! Fun times, great idea, good read!

Garret you never cease to amaze me. Brilliant.

How'd I miss this one? Beautiful step-by-step demonstration!

Good job posting that you removed the game minnows. I'm sure it's violated all the time.