preserving minnows

i’m looking for the best way to preserve minnows for an upcoming camping trip, any suggestions?

bigdog:
i get 2 scoops of fats, drain them as good as you can. put them in a icecream bucket and fill it about 1/2 way up with canning salt. not table salt, use canning salt. mix them up in the salt and put them in the fridge for about 3 days. the salt should be wet like mud. pick the minnows out and put them back in the bucket and repete the process. after about 3 days they should be kind of bent and their sides will be sucked in. when they are at that point put about a cup of salt in a gallon zip-lock and add your minnows. they will rehydrate after they are on your hook. i have done this with leeches also but they don’t dehydrate as well. they worked ! some people will add a cup of sugar, i have never tried it so i can’t say if it works any better. the only reason they add it is flavor. try that, i hope it works out for you, good luck on your trip…………….tom f

thanks much puddlepounder, i will give it a try, i have done some research since posting and i’m going to try a couple of methods, 1. isopropal alcohol and anise oil in a jar pack with minnows, 2. heavily salted water in a jar packed with minnows, and 3. your way which is more of a “dry” technique, any other suggestions?

Yo, BigDog

Check out this link:
http://www.torgerud.com/Fishing/SaltedMinnows.asp

There’s one change I’d make to Step 1 – if the minnows are alive, before adding any salt, add a cup or 2 of borax and let them swim for 15 minutes. It’ll toughen them up even more.

I’m also thinking about adding some garlic salt next time I do it.

Have a great trip!
– Rick

I’ve prepared minnows for a group for several canada fly ins. I’ve bought the fatheads by the gallon (actually a 1/2 gallon will be enough for 6 guys for 4 days on a good bite) I use a 5 gallon bucket and about 20 # of salt 1″ salt, then a layer of minnows and keep going till done. I just leave the bucket in the garage as the heat doesn’t bother the process. After 5-6 days I bag them up about 25 or so to a zip lock bag. We keep them refrigerated but probably don’t have to. The first couple days the first trip nobody wanted them but after that they were our main bait. Also a tasty snack with a cold one!

jbb