Minnow Trap Plans?

Hello,
I was hoping some other trappers could post some pictures or give some advice/plans for making some larger minnow traps for freshwater. Any information would be great, I have some 16 year old neighbor kids hoping to weld or build some out of wood.
Thanks

1/4 inch hardware cloth will work, check the regs for maximum length and diameter. When I was trapping and selling minnows we were restricted to 24 inch length so we used 24 inch rolls of the hardware cloth. Be sure not to exceed maximum trap diameter and cut the cloth 3 times the diameter you want to build. Roll into a tube and sew the seam with a flexible wire. If you are going to be trapping in current you only need a funnel on the downstream side, it is easier to cut and attach a flat cover on one end. The funnel end should be about 10 inches deep, with a one inch hole for the minnows to enter. I made a pattern to use for the funnel, after you get one cut to the proper size it goes faster if you use one. Cut a hole with a flap for a door to get the minnows out and you are good to go. I have used square traps also, they hold more minnows but you have to check the regs for sizes.

Good post.

This is what I make

Those look very nice beaverfoot.


What do you like to use for bait?

To get some minnow I would use some dog food and put in a bait bag

MANY info sources came up when I Googled "minnow trap plans"

https://www.bing.com/search?q=homem...mp;setlang=en-US&plvar=0&PC=HCTS

that would be full of mud bugs here! Only consistently successful minnow traps ive used were cloverleafs. Every thing from shinners to goldfish even bullheads with a red meat bait. But mainly perch for trotlining. Gold fish are my favorite in clearer waters

i Had made those trap for a person who wanted to get some water snake that was hanging his boat dock. He would put some live fish in it. My grandson had put some dead fish and got some crawfish.so I think if a person would put some dog food in it you get some minnow

Very interesting. Was he able to catch the snakes?

Yes they would go in and eat the fish and could not get out