Time to start raising my own bait minnows!

[taxid]

Went to my local bait and tackle to get bass size minnows to troll behind a dodger for trout. I've caught trout on this rig when artificials produce nil to none. "Nope sorry only crappie size minnows."  Drove  down the road to the next one not far away and another, "Sorry." 10 miles to the next one. "Sorry only Crappie size Minnows."  Next Bait store went out of business. (The one at the tracks in Syracuse that was also a wholesaler.) Doesn't say much for Indiana's largest natural lake when a bait store can't stay in business. (Not an angler friendly lake in the summer especially on weekends.)

Finally on the fifth try in North Webster at Ye Ol' Tackle Box, "How many do you want?"

I have four small ponds on the property. I've raised thousands of fatheads (crappie size minnows) in a 1/10th acre pond, and didn't even have to feed them. Just dumped in several dozen and the following year there are thousands of them of all sizes. Better quality then what I buy! Haven't tried shiners yet but will be tempted to next year.

Don't want to be a bait and tackle store. Just want bait minnows when I need them!

[JimmyD]

Must be some shortage ? Or maybe they are popular and being bought up ? I ran into the same thing earlier in the week in the Auburn area .

[taxid]

Well one guy did say someone bought the last of them for his pet alligator.

And to be sure I'm not blaming the bait and tackle stores. But I'm still tempted to raise my own as I have the ponds I can rear them in and easily seine them out (I have the seines.) I do know shiners are tough to handle without them getting bacterial issues this time of year.

How many of you knew most of our bait minnows are trucked up to the wholesalers from Arkansas? Same goes for the bluegill and bass that are used to stock ponds.

[hounds]

Sorry to hear that the Bait Shop in Syracuse is out of Business.  Liked that place

[taxid]

nope did not know that. 

how much they get for shiners these days?

Don't know off hand as I just handed over the plastic I was so excited to find some! I'll dig up my receipt somewhere.

[abishop]

nope did not know that. 

how much they get for shiners these days?

9.50 @ pound by me which isn't 2 bad except most wholesalers want you to buy 2 or 3 pounds minimum. They sell for 3.29 a dozen and buying 6 dozen is around 20 bucks. This gets expensive. Marvels used to sell them for 8 bucks a few years ago. I miss him, he passed away.

[sprkplug]

Well one guy did say someone bought the last of them for his pet alligator.

And to be sure I'm not blaming the bait and tackle stores. But I'm still tempted to raise my own as I have the ponds I can rear them in and easily seine them out (I have the seines.) I do know shiners are tough to handle without them getting bacterial issues this time of year.

How many of you knew most of our bait minnows are trucked up to the wholesalers from Arkansas? Same goes for the bluegill and bass that are used to stock ponds.

I knew it!

[taxid]

I knew it!

Hey Tony how are things over at Pond Boss?  How's your new job doing these days?

[sprkplug]

The job is challenging, but it's progressing well.

Pond boss, well, it's curious. Lots of new members, including Dr. Jim Wetzel. The man appears to be a walking encyclopedia of all things fish. And my take is that he delights in making sure everyone knows it. Watching he and Ewest spar over info leads me to believe that trouble lies ahead. We'll see.

How's business?

[taxid]

The job is challenging, but it's progressing well.

Pond boss, well, it's curious. Lots of new members, including Dr. Jim Wetzel. The man appears to be a walking encyclopedia of all things fish. And my take is that he delights in making sure everyone knows it. Watching he and Ewest spar over info leads me to believe that trouble lies ahead. We'll see.

How's business?

I know Dr. Whetzel. He knows a lot about all the sunfish species and rearing them. He's grown 1 lb. bluegill in 10 months in his tanks. He's been a big help to me when I have questions.

Glad to hear things are going well at your new job. If it's challenging you must be learning and not getting bored.

How's business? You mean the taxidermy business? I'm swamped. Am considering hiring someone but OTOH things should slow down this winter.

The other business - the fish sold to taxidermists -- is decent too. I sold out of all my really big bluegils, and have about 5 large yellow perch left. You may have seen here I hatched 3000 trout eggs in the basement this winter?  I'm feeding just under 700 brook, brown, and tiger trout in the flow through trout pond now from that hatch. They are growing 1.5 inches a month, and are 10 to 12 inches now. Will move many of them to the bigger warm water pond when temps cool down enough in October, as the trout pond isn't big enough to hold them all once they get larger. I hope to get them to 18 inches by the following May in the warmwater pond before they have to come out -- before the wear gets too warm.  If I can do that, I can sell all of them to taxidermists. Another 150 will stay in the trout pond to become 4 to 6 pounds plus the following fall.

So far with all those trout in the 1/10th acre pond I haven't seen any ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate readings.  One time when algae and chara is a good thing, although I don't let it get too far out of hand. I'm running a Kasco surface aerator at night to play it safe, and a diffuser in the center on the bottom 24/7. Water temps stays at about 56 F. from top to bottom even on hot days. Perfect for maximum growth.

Two Great Blue Herons have also noticed the trout. Even with two rows of staked lines, bottle rockets, and other noises etc. they kept coming back. Finally had to get a permit from three agencies to take a couple out. APHIS, State of Indiana, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife. Cost $100.00. Hate to do it but there's a minimum of $30,000 worth of trout swimming in that pond right now. More than enough to build a pole building when they are all sold, which is my next goal. Getting too cramped in the basement raising fish and doing taxidermy!  

[fishinpo1e1]

Went to my local bait and tackle to get bass size minnows to troll behind a dodger for trout. I've caught trout on this rig when artificials produce nil to none. "Nope sorry only crappie size minnows."  Drove  down the road to the next one not far away and another, "Sorry." 10 miles to the next one. "Sorry only Crappie size Minnows."  Next Bait store went out of business. (The one at the tracks in Syracuse that was also a wholesaler.) Doesn't say much for Indiana's largest natural lake when a bait store can't stay in business. (Not an angler friendly lake in the summer especially on weekends.)

Finally on the fifth try in North Webster at Ye Ol' Tackle Box, "How many do you want?"

I have four small ponds on the property. I've raised thousands of fatheads (crappie size minnows) in a 1/10th acre pond, and didn't even have to feed them. Just dumped in several dozen and the following year there are thousands of them of all sizes. Better quality then what I buy! Haven't tried shiners yet but will be tempted to next year.

Don't want to be a bait and tackle store. Just want bait minnows when I need them!

This reply is to correct one part of your post. The Syracuse Bait Shop by the RR Tracks is still in business. I can see how you would think it was Out Of Business as it moved to the south side of the industrial building from the original north side. It sold out to some local folks. The original owner messed with too many local fishermen to ever be successful around here. However the new owner has staffed his shop with some well known locals who fish, are friendly and know the business. I hope the business and the other area bait shops all survive. There are many days during the year when all the bait shops are starving for business. It ain't an easy business.

[rivereddy]

No kidding.... As far as I know, Indy has only two decent bait and tackle shops.  West Side Bait and Tackle, by the river on the near west side and The Bait Barn on the east side are the only two that I know of.  Both have large and small minnows as well as all of the usual baits except leeches which are a rare find anywhere in central Indiana.  Only problem is neither one of these places is even remotely on the way to the places I fish.  Going to either one doubles my drive time to Eagle Creek.  It's just not Indy. Driving from town to, say, Oakdale on the Tippe, there is no place to consistently get minnows.  Smitty's by the dam used to have them, but if he's closed I have to drive an additional 20 miles, up and back, to Norway just to get minnows.

fish on,

rivereddy

[taxid]

This reply is to correct one part of your post. The Syracuse Bait Shop by the RR Tracks is still in business. I can see how you would think it was Out Of Business as it moved to the south side of the industrial building from the original north side. It sold out to some local folks. The original owner messed with too many local fishermen to ever be successful around here. However the new owner has staffed his shop with some well known locals who fish, are friendly and know the business. I hope the business and the other area bait shops all survive. There are many days during the year when all the bait shops are starving for business. It ain't an easy business.

I and another guy tried all the doors with no luck. The other guy was a local and at first he was sure it was open somewhere in that building but the heck if we could find it. 

I'll try harder next time but a decent sign would be nice.

And you don't need to tell me how difficult a business it is. I've had friends that opened bait businesses and they found out in a hurry it was not what they thought it would be. 

I will say I refuse to buy any tackle from Walmart, BPS, or Cabelas unless I have to as in can't find what I need locally. I do my best to support local bait and tackles, but am just getting back into fishing on a regular basis.  Told myself I don't have time but now I'm making time.

[taxid]

No kidding.... As far as I know, Indy has only two decent bait and tackle shops.  West Side Bait and Tackle, by the river on the near west side and The Bait Barn on the east side are the only two that I know of.  Both have large and small minnows as well as all of the usual baits except leeches which are a rare find anywhere in central Indiana.  Only problem is neither one of these places is even remotely on the way to the places I fish.  Going to either one doubles my drive time to Eagle Creek.  It's just not Indy. Driving from town to, say, Oakdale on the Tippe, there is no place to consistently get minnows.  Smitty's by the dam used to have them, but if he's closed I have to drive an additional 20 miles, up and back, to Norway just to get minnows.

fish on,

rivereddy

The problem is they can't make it on the bait alone. But they have to compete with Walmart, BPS, and Cabelas for the stuff they can make money on.

[crappiecrusher34]

rivereddy, springboro bait and tackle has all the minnows bait ect. Its south of Oakdale springboro and 18. Its about five mins from the dam. Good freind brought it about year ago. He has the best bait in the area right now. He fishs so he gets the right stuff. Opens at six everyday.