I am wondering about using one of these traps to catch bait for fishing, would save going to town to buy bait, would be handy if they really do work.
Seems like they would need a tag with my name and address on it.
I am wondering where we get these tags. Does the DNR have them?
Seems I am full of questions, but never done this bait thing before.
Any help will be appreciated.
Tight lines,
Roger 
Yes they have work quite well in streams and rivers for me.
That was before the hassle of Mn newer water transport laws.
As for the tags, I would go to a pet store and buy dog tags with my name, address and phone number.
Ron
Couldn’t you just cut a tag out of an aluminum beer can and etch info needed into that? Just a thought.
It is a great way to catch a few minnows and it is nice to just put it on the water with some dough balls, and check it once a day. Ofcourse it isn’t as easy as throwing the trap in the water and up pops 3 dozen minnows, but if you have it in the right spot, and properly set, you can get alot of minnows and save money.
We use them all the time for our canadian – frozen minnow sets.
Load up the trap. salt and freeze.
Very nice in Canada.
Dog 
Quicker to get a small-mesh throw net and walk the creeks/ponds until you see a school of shiners or fatheads.
Not sure about Iowa, but in MN your walkin on wet toilet paper trying to trap bait and move it…. Ill just buy my minnows!
Two weekends back I put out a small trap in a creek up north. It was PACKED with river shiners or chubs and a few other things. Half died on the 2 mile ride home in a 5-gallon bucket and it wasnt even hot out. Most of the others died later. I dont think I will even do it again. At least not from that creek.
Shiners are the worst when the water starts to warm up. Have to have multiple aerators going or just a few minners in a 5 gal bucket. They suck oxygen like its a drug. Creek shiners are not as bad as river shiners, but they are still bad. Chubs are better but if the shiners sucked the oxy out of the water they have no chance.
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Not sure about Iowa, but in MN your walkin on wet toilet paper trying to trap bait and move it…. Ill just buy my minnows!
Iowa does not give a crap what we do regarding bait as long as we do not sell it, dump it back in the water, or use non-legal fish as bait. You can hook a live 8″ sauger on your hook and use it for bait if you want to, just cant use more than 6 and they are counted as your limit. One given to me straight from a CO was “you can use a 50″ musky as cut-bait if you want to, just make sure it is a legal fish”.
“We withhold the right to transport minners from crick to crick without judgement.”
I think that is in the Iowa constitution. 
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Not sure about Iowa, but in MN your walkin on wet toilet paper trying to trap bait and move it…. Ill just buy my minnows!
Iowa does not give a crap what we do regarding bait as long as we do not sell it, dump it back in the water, or use non-legal fish as bait. You can hook a live 8″ sauger on your hook and use it for bait if you want to, just cant use more than 6 and they are counted as your limit. One given to me straight from a CO was “you can use a 50″ musky as cut-bait if you want to, just make sure it is a legal fish”.
“We withhold the right to transport minners from crick to crick without judgement.”
I think that is in the Iowa constitution.
FREEDOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just talked to the local DNR officer, he told me most just cut a tag out of an aluminum beverage can, scratch their name and address in it, poke a hold for a tie to the minnow trap.
Works fine and cheap too.
His take on it, not a big deal to him, so sounds fine to me.
Roger 
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I am wondering about using one of these traps to catch bait for fishing, would save going to town to buy bait, would be handy if they really do work.
Seems like they would need a tag with my name and address on it.
I am wondering where we get these tags. Does the DNR have them?
Seems I am full of questions, but never done this bait thing before.
Any help will be appreciated.Tight lines,
Roger
Consider hook and line bait catching. At least in the creeks I trap, it’s just as easy and usually faster. Not to mention it’s quite a bit more fun. You can burn days catching just a handful of minnows if not set right in the current, or in the wrong location altogether. If you’re not keeping them in large volumes of water with a good aerator set-up, it’s also beneficial to catch them all at the same time rather than a few here and a few there.
I can get a few dozen chubs of the right size for walleye and/or catfishing with a small ice-fly, a chunk of crawler, and a small bobber in an hour of walking up and down some productive stretches of stream.
Joel
Regarding tags, look up a trapping supply house and you’ll find you can get all you want for little cost. Regarding hook and lining, that is a lot of fun. I used to get minnows like that a lot for my grandfather’s bait shop when I was a kid.
What do I look for in a trap?
Its been along time Kevin since I’ve heard the propper name that said crick, creek is for those that have no idea or other explaination of what that body of water is, to them its just a body of water running one way. I don’t know how many times I’ve said, crick, its the only propper way its said. Up the cow pasture crick without a paddle is also hows its used.
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