Was planning a trip to ND for a quick morning trip, forgot I can’t take live minnows across the boarder and planned to be on ice before the local bait shop opens.
Has anyone taken live minnows and cut the heads off and frozen them to tip a jig or spoon with? Fishing for perch and walleye.
Why not just do what we all are thinking?
To whom it may concern…
Save your soap box preaching.
Was planning a trip to ND for a quick morning trip, forgot I can’t take live minnows across the boarder and planned to be on ice before the local bait shop opens.
Has anyone taken live minnows and cut the heads off and frozen them to tip a jig or spoon with? Fishing for perch and walleye.
I preserved some using pickling salt once. I think if they are fresh and you are gonna use them right away freezing would work just fine. In the long term they turn to mush and fall off right away. So do salties…..
Was planning a trip to ND for a quick morning trip, forgot I can’t take live minnows across the boarder and planned to be on ice before the local bait shop opens.
Has anyone taken live minnows and cut the heads off and frozen them to tip a jig or spoon with? Fishing for perch and walleye.
Way over thinking this. Quick trip in the morning throw some minnows in a plastic bag and bring said minnows with. They are no longer live in a bag with no water.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>SDfisher44 wrote:</div>
Was planning a trip to ND for a quick morning trip, forgot I can’t take live minnows across the boarder and planned to be on ice before the local bait shop opens.Has anyone taken live minnows and cut the heads off and frozen them to tip a jig or spoon with? Fishing for perch and walleye.
Way over thinking this. Quick trip in the morning throw some minnows in a plastic bag and bring said minnows with. They are no longer live in a bag with no water.
Or do what Mark eluded to.
I would not do what Mark eluded to.
Took From 2020 ND fishing regulations.
Didn’t see anything couldn’t bring from any other state
Definitions and Regulations
Legal live aquatic bait are leeches; native frog, salamander and crayfish species; and the following legal live baitfish species: fathead minnows, creek chubs and sticklebacks. In addition, live white suckers are legal aquatic baitfish in the Red and Bois de Sioux rivers only. Live rainbow smelt are legal aquatic baitfish when captured and used in the Missouri River System only with a dip net, minnow trap or by hand.
All other species of live aquatic bait are illegal.
The use of game fish and parts thereof is illegal, except for yellow perch eyes, and trout and salmon eggs.
All aquatic bait noted in this section, and nongame fish, which have been frozen, salted, preserved or cut into pieces (to include heads, entrails, etc.) are legal bait.
All terrestrial bait (live or dead) such as nightcrawlers and waxworms are legal.
Products manufactured as edible fishing bait and other inert biodegradable substances are legal bait.
No live baitfish (e.g. fathead minnows) may be used or possessed on the waters listed below. All other legal live bait (e.g. nightcrawlers, leeches, etc.) can be used.
never been asked for a bait receipt on the lake when stop by dnr on Devils lake
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>SDfisher44 wrote:</div>
Was planning a trip to ND for a quick morning trip, forgot I can’t take live minnows across the boarder and planned to be on ice before the local bait shop opens.Has anyone taken live minnows and cut the heads off and frozen them to tip a jig or spoon with? Fishing for perch and walleye.
Way over thinking this. Quick trip in the morning throw some minnows in a plastic bag and bring said minnows with. They are no longer live in a bag with no water.
Or do what Mark eluded to.I would not do what Mark eluded to.
Agree reading closer. Made my edit. 
Salt ’em. They last forever and stay on better.
I have been told by 3 guides and 2 different resorts to hang on to your receipt to prove your leeches were purchased in ND. Only been there in the soft water season.
If you go to North Dakota and you live minnows you have to buy them in state, and you better have a receipt for them if you get checked. that’s the way it was 3 years ago when I was out there.
as for salting minnows I just put them in a small container with pickling salt(enough to completely cover them) shake them so the salt gets on all of them and freeze, they’ll keep for a very long time this way.
we have been checked and the DNR as for our receipt
If you go to North Dakota and you live minnows you have to buy them in state, and you better have a receipt for them if you get checked. that’s the way it was 3 years ago when I was out there.
as for salting minnows I just put them in a small container with pickling salt(enough to completely cover them) shake them so the salt gets on all of them and freeze, they’ll keep for a very long time this way.
If you go to North Dakota and you live minnows you have to buy them in state, and you better have a receipt for them if you get checked. that’s the way it was 3 years ago when I was out there.
as for salting minnows I just put them in a small container with pickling salt(enough to completely cover them) shake them so the salt gets on all of them and freeze, they’ll keep for a very long time this way.
I think I’ll either do this or just freeze without salt, I plan to cut the heads off the night before so I don’t think they will get too mushy in that time. Have you noticed a difference between salted minnows and live?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Beast wrote:</div>
If you go to North Dakota and you live minnows you have to buy them in state, and you better have a receipt for them if you get checked. that’s the way it was 3 years ago when I was out there.
as for salting minnows I just put them in a small container with pickling salt(enough to completely cover them) shake them so the salt gets on all of them and freeze, they’ll keep for a very long time this way.<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Beast wrote:</div>
If you go to North Dakota and you live minnows you have to buy them in state, and you better have a receipt for them if you get checked. that’s the way it was 3 years ago when I was out there.
as for salting minnows I just put them in a small container with pickling salt(enough to completely cover them) shake them so the salt gets on all of them and freeze, they’ll keep for a very long time this way.I think I’ll either do this or just freeze without salt, I plan to cut the heads off the night before so I don’t think they will get too mushy in that time. Have you noticed a difference between salted minnows and live?
Not for what you are using them for. Either way they are dead. Obviously it’s nice to have live bait. I salted mine for a Canada Trip where live bait wasn’t and option.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Beast wrote:</div>
If you go to North Dakota and you live minnows you have to buy them in state, and you better have a receipt for them if you get checked.
Dude where are you seeing this? Looks like Troy copy and pasted the bait regulations in this thread and it was not mentioned.
If it is in the regulations, does it also say you have to have a receipt for proof of where you bought them? Because if it does not, the warden can ask you for a receipt but they can’t do squat if it isn’t a law.
Maybe the North Dakota bait shops started this rumor.
[/quote
It was in the regs the last time I fished around Ashley, It may be a county to county thing, best check the regs for the county you fish. but like I said, that’s been 3 years ago.
Ok my bad after further research found this in the ND regs.
All legal live aquatic bait used by anglers, including legal baitfish, must have been purchased or trapped in North Dakota. No live aquatic bait may be imported into the state by anglers. This includes live baitfish and leeches
Sorry for my lack of research 😔
Ok my bad after further research found this in the ND regs.
All legal live aquatic bait used by anglers, including legal baitfish, must have been purchased or trapped in North Dakota. No live aquatic bait may be imported into the state by anglers. This includes live baitfish and leeches
Sorry for my lack of research 😔
Guessing it is pretty standard now with all of the influx of research into invasive species. States aren’t gonna want bait coming in from other states.
Still no mention of a receipt.
was told by several people out when we bought minnows and was ask by the warden while out there for it, you don’t want to keep the receipt don’t, it’s no skin off me.
All legal live aquatic bait used by anglers, including legal baitfish, must have been purchased or trapped in North Dakota. No live aquatic bait may be imported into the state by anglers. This includes live baitfish and leeches
Sorry for my lack of research 😔
So the OP should have no problem buying minnows in the morning in MN or today for that matter, draining the water the morning of the trip so they are not ALIVE, and fishing with freshly killed minnow heads instead of frozen or salted.
It’s kinda funny how off track some of these posts get. The OP asks about using frozen minnows. Which several people answer directly. Then one guys says to willfully break the law. Then another says it’s not the law in the first place. Then we get into squabbling about whether one should save their receipt or not. Then we get free legal advice on how to get out of a ticket.
I for one say good on the OP for following what he believes to be the law and not trying to get around it.
Aldo Leupold said that ethical behavior is what we do when nobody is looking.
I live in ND. You’re welcome to come here and fish, but we’re trying to stop zebra mussels from spreading in our state. Please buy your bait from licensed ND bait vendors. Hope you have a good trip!
Feathers just remember a citation is a civil forfieture offense not a criminal one. The burden of proof for the prosecution of a civil offense is much less. yes lack of a receipt could probably get you a nice fine. They stress that for a reason. Do what they ask its not that hard.
I live in ND. You’re welcome to come here and fish, but we’re trying to stop zebra mussels from spreading in our state. Please buy your bait from licensed ND bait vendors. Hope you have a good trip!
Well said sir. I was taught growing up that as “Sportsman” we are supposed to be stewards to the land. When I went through gun training years ago there was a fence crossing during the field day for students to demonstrate they knew how to safely cross a fence. They had thrown down a couple of pop cans where you would see them while crossing the fence. The test was to see if you would pick the cans up or not. If you didn’t they mentioned it to you. I’m always surprised at how willing some people are to disregard a law that is obviously in place to protect the resource. Likely the same people who will complain about poor fishing once the resource is no longer there.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>SDfisher44 wrote:</div>
Was planning a trip to ND for a quick morning trip, forgot I can’t take live minnows across the boarder and planned to be on ice before the local bait shop opens.Has anyone taken live minnows and cut the heads off and frozen them to tip a jig or spoon with?
If you do that they won’t be alive by morning
Or will they ?
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
I was under the impression you can’t use shiners because the dont have any in there lakes but ND the sell fat heads 
Ok my bad after further research found this in the ND regs.
