Decent Minnows

[Downrod]

Was going to go perching this morning. That is until I stopped by three local bait shops last night. My choice was 4" golden shiners or 1" shiners. I chose to get neither. Does anyone know of a bait shop that has decent size minnows and a good count? If I can get some bait today, I'll be out there tomorrow.

Thanks
Frank

[Nascar31Fan]

Depends on where you're headed.
Blue Water always seems to have a good minnows and i always get a good count.
Selfridge had decent minnows last week, maybe a few more big ones than i'd care for, but got a good count.

[Gone Fishing]

Are you still in St Clair Shores? At least I though you were. :confused: If so, Michigan Harbor gas dock had good bait Thursday afternoon. Kind of a mix with mid size and large size Emerads. The large ones are almost too big but we did catch some fish on them but the mid sized ones did better. Good luck!

[Downrod]

John,

I'm in Macomb twp. I tried Selfridge, metro, and the crocker party store. Just babies. Maybe I'll head down to michigan harbor

Thanks

[Ed Michrina]

I checked Michigan harbor and Metro . the minnows look the same. good luck!

[MiketheElder]

I bought a dozen minnows Thursday at Moe's. Medium to BIG. I went this morning (Sat.) and got little ones. Must be the same delivery truck to every store.

[Hare's Ear]

I bought minnows at Lakeside on Friday night. The guy counted out 3 dozen. Most died before I could get a hook in them.

[profish]

I would not not go fishing over it. Dosent seem to bother the perch so much we caught 250 sat and 200 today in 4 or 5 hours all 8" up. Seems the minnow is not as important as most fisherman feel. You need airators to keep them alive. Pro Fish ,Beachway, Bluewater, and M&m as well as the guy north of Metro all get their minnows from the same guy and all always have the same minnow. Wich is always what is available never a choice its what they can catch in the lake at the time.

[johnnie-eye-catcher]

i went perch fishing with my father and a buddy,we were launching at 9.5 mile road,went to lakeside tackle on 10 mile to get some minnow's,i ask for 3 dozen,this older gentelmen gives me exactly 36 minnows, i was so pissed,i told him to keep his 36 minnows,and we drove to metro,where i always get a good count , take some lessons lakeside takle from metro,times are tough for everybody,and if i have to drive 10 miles to get a good count,by george i will,to me its just about the principle,by the way i told the guy at metro about lakesides selfish buisness tacktics,he made the bottom of my bucket disappear,maybe all bait n tackle stores should remember, if you bite the hand that feeds you,then what are you going to eat after we all go away?just one mans thought,good luck guys be safe!

[sniper's mojo]

I would not not go fishing over it. Dosent seem to bother the perch so much we caught 250 sat and 200 today in 4 or 5 hours all 8" up. Seems the minnow is not as important as most fisherman feel. You need airators to keep them alive. Pro Fish ,Beachway, Bluewater, and M&m as well as the guy north of Metro all get their minnows from the same guy and all always have the same minnow. Wich is always what is available never a choice its what they can catch in the lake at the time.


Pro fish you are right about the suppliers but the counts can be as different as day and night. I don't think the smaller size is that big of deal either, except if you like hooking them through the mouth then it makes it quite difficult not to destroy the head.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Most of them get thier minnows from the same supplier. Supplier gets them from Wisconsin as far as I know. (he's not 10 minutes from my house)

As of this afternoon, his wife said they were out completely. Won't have any till thier wholesaler brings another tanker load. Hopefully in a couple of days.

[Bruce William]

metro wayyyy to small this morning, steve jones place seemed to have some larger ones mixed in. You need medium to large minnows they out produced the small ones 8:1 with much larger fish. Call around you need larger minnows! When I say large not 4 inches but good 2-3 inches not 1-2 inches.

[Ed Michrina]

Dead minnows. It could be a couple of things. When delivered they are chilled and have a hard time adjusting to the new water temp.

Otherwise as soon as you get them take a Short boat drive to clear water and fill your cooler to the top.

If you had them in a 5 gallon bucket ? they will all die quickly. The Emeralds are cold weather minnows. Where a bucket may have worked good in the past (Oct.) it won't at 80 temps. bummer they bit the dust. We had a 1/2 gallon with 1/2 dead or close to dead. We headed to the lake ASAP, filled the whole cooler and 95% lived. Good luck.