Newbie Live Bait Question

I hear a lot of guys saying that they pull spinners with minnows for eyes in cold water then switch over to crawlers when the water warms up?

Is that because the eyes show a preference or because the minnows die in warm water?

Does anyone use minnows in June and July? What about leeches?

Thanks for any help here. Planning a trip to Francis Case in 2 weeks and was curious on your thoughts.

For me, fish start to show a preference towards crawlers when the water warms. Got nothing to do with minnows staying alive for me, I actually was just using some frozen shiners behind spinners this past week up at lotw after realizing the fish were still going good on minnows. By the end of the week you could tell the fish were transitioning off of minnows (all fish fly larva in their stomachs vs minnows) and the crawler harnesses started producing better. Seems to be pretty standard on the bodies of water I fish anyway. Minnows for the first few weeks of the season and but when the water warms, that bite really dies off and they switch more to crawlers/leeches

Night crawlers and leeches that time of year. Francis Case is my home lake. Minnows are pretty much done now. Water temp is upper 60’s right now and will be higher by then.

Minnows don’t do well when the water temp rises above about 60 degrees. Think minnows in the spring, leeches/nightcrawlers/artificials in the summer, and minnows again in the fall. That’s generally the trend. Obviously artificial lures/bait could be used all the time because its not “alive” or need to be kept alive.

This isn’t specific to Francis case, never been there, but it needs to be said generally since it’s in general forum minnows will always have their place year round on certain bodies of water.

SOME lakes the forage stays on minnows year round. Feed the fish what they want, not what you think they want. If they aren’t snapping on a crawler, go leech, then fathead, then gulp, then ringworm etc until you find the magical formula.

I’ve done well with spinners and fathead/shiner many times in warm weather months. Keeping minnows alive sucks tho in warm water.

Get a ‘ marine metal floatn airhear 10-25 gal’
Add a livewell timer (big foot Minuteman livewell aerator timer).

Best system to keep bait alive anytime of year.

Most I’ve used it on was a 48 can cooler with 50 scoops fatheads.

Never lost a sucker or other live bait with this system.

Will also keep your catch alive too.

Always been minnows springtime and then leeches when it warms up on my end. Figured it was due to as the water warms there’s more bugs and other stuff hatching. Spring time their feasting on Minnows and summertime bugs and what not. Kind of like golf though. Once you think you have it figured out you’re screwed.

It seems pretty consistent for me on ML, Minnows for the first few weeks, switch to leeches, when there are no more leeches, switch to crawlers, then when things cool off at the very end of the season back to large minnows.