Mail Order Minnows

[Bass Chiropractor]

In the next few weeks I'm going to attempt to order some live minnows through the mail. I'm sure I'll have to order as a minimum more than I need or can use. I'd like to coordinate with another angler or two to share some of the costs. I live in the LA area and would like to meet the day they come in(the day before fishing) and divvy them up. If anyone is interested let me know.

[udamonkeybutt]

Where do you order from?
Is it costly to order them?

[Bass Chiropractor]

I haven't order any yet, but I googled my butt off and identified a couple of possibilities. I think a lot of the costs will be the overnight shipping? I'm waiting for my boat to get out of the shop and I'll start to really look into it. I'll update the post when I know more.

[Nessie Hunter]

What the heck are you going to do with them?????

"Illegal" to use as bait in freshwater. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not cost effective as Saltwater bait !!!
Bait Barge is much cheaper, with local bait fish.....

Maybe you should rethink this?????



.

[Mojave River Angler]

What is "illegal"? Wouldn't this be a location specific situation. Someone call the bait shops at Lake Isabella and tell them they are all selling illegal bait...by the dozen.

I'm all confused!?!

MRA

[Bass Chiropractor]

Illegal really? I've bought fathead minnows by the dozen in California bait stores. Does the bait barge sell minnows? Where is that? I'm just trying to get some minnows without having to drive two hours one way to get them. Shipping costs would be cheaper than gas and my time.

[tunagod1]

Bait Regulations for Inland Waters (CCR, T14, Chapter 2, Article 3)
4.00. Bait-General
Legally acquired and possessed invertebrates, mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians (except salamanders), fish eggs and treated and processed foods may be used for bait, except:

(a) No species specified as endangered, threatened, candidate, fully-protected, or otherwise protected under state and federal law may be used as bait.
(b) No salamander may be used as bait. See section 5.05 for other amphibians that may be used as bait.
(c) See Section 5.35 for restrictions on crayfish;
(d) See Section 7.50(b)(74) for restriction on bait collecting in Hat Creek;
(e) No trout may be maintained or possessed in a live condition in any container on or attached to any boat;
(f) Except for restrictions listed under special regulations, dead ocean fish may be used as bait statewide. This section supersedes the provisions of sections 4.10, 4.15, 4.20, 4.25 and 4.30.
4.05. Bait Fish Capture Methods.
(a) Approved bait fish may be taken only by hand, with a dip net, or with traps not over three feet in greatest dimension. Such bait fish may not be purchased, bartered, sold, transferred or traded; or transported alive from the location where taken. Any other species taken shall be returned to the water immediately. Traps need not be closely attended. Dip net use: A dip net must be hand held, and the motion of a dip net shall be caused only by the physical effort of the operator. A dip net may not be moved through the water by any mechanical force or motorized device.
(b) Within the area bounded by Highway 111 on the north and east and Highway 86 on the west and south, approved bait fish may be taken only with dip nets with diagonal mesh size one inch and greater, or by traps in water greater than four feet in depth. Traps may not exceed three feet in greatest dimension. Approved bait fish may not be taken by hand within this area.
4.10. Bait Fish Use in the Southern District.
Except as provided below, live or dead fin fish shall not be used or possessed for use as bait in the Southern District:

(a) Dead threadfin shad and live or dead longjaw mudsucker may be used in all Southern District waters.
(b) Live threadfin shad may be used only at the location where taken.
(c) Golden shiner and red shiner may be used in San Diego County.
4.15. Bait Fish Use in the Colorado River District.
Except as provided below, live or dead fin fish shall not be used or possessed for use as bait in the Colorado River District:

(a) Live or dead golden shiner, fathead minnow, red shiner, mosquitofish, longjaw mudsucker, threadfin shad, goldfish, sunfish, molly, and dead carp may be used in all Colorado River District waters.
(b) Live carp may be used only at the location where taken.
(c) Tilapia may be used in the Salton Sea, and may be taken for bait only within the area bounded by Highway 111 on the north and east and Highway 86 on the west and south (except as in subsection (d) below.
(d) Tilapia may be taken and used for bait in the Colorado River and its associated backwaters only within the area bounded by Palo Verde Diversion Dam south to the Morelos Dam.
NOTE: See subsection 4.05(b).

4.20. Bait Fish Use in the Valley and South Central Districts.
Except as provided below, live or dead fin fish shall not be used or possessed for use as bait in the Valley or South Central District:

(a) Live or dead golden shiner, fathead minnow, mosquitofish, longjaw mudsucker, and staghorn sculpin, and dead threadfin shad, Mississippi silverside and lamprey may be used in all Valley and South Central District waters except those listed in subsection (f) below.
(b) Red shiner may be used only in the Valley District north of Interstate 580 and Highway 132.
(c) Yellowfin gobies may be used in the Valley District only in those areas described in subsections (d)(1)-(3) below.
(d) In addition, except for trout and salmon, fin fish lawfully taken in the following waters by angling or with bait fish methods approved in Section 4.05 may be used only in the waters where taken:
(1) Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay and their tributaries and saltwater tributaries.
(2) Sacramento River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from the Highway 32 bridge near Hamilton City, Feather River downstream from the Oroville Hatchery Fish Barrier Dam, Yuba River downstream from Daguerre Point Dam, and American River downstream from Nimbus Dam.
(3) San Joaquin River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from Interstate 5 bridge.
(e) Live threadfin shad, Mississippi silverside and lamprey may be used only at the location where taken.
(f) Fin fish may not be used in Keller Lake (Glenn Co.), Letts Lake (Colusa Co.), Merced Lake (San Francisco Co.), Upper and Lower Plaskett Meadow Ponds (Glenn Co.), Whale Rock Reservoir (San Luis Obispo Co.).
4.25. Bait Fish Use in the North Central District.
Except as provided below, live or dead fin fish shall not be used or possessed for use as bait in the North Central District:

(a) Golden shiner, fathead minnow, red shiner, mosquitofish, longjaw mudsucker and staghorn sculpin may be used in Napa and Sonoma counties, in Marin County except for Stafford Lake, in Lake County except for the Eel River and its tributaries, and in Lake Mendocino (Mendocino Co.).
(b) Live threadfin shad, Mississippi silverside and lamprey may be used only at the location where taken.
4.30. Bait Fish Use in the Sierra and North Coast Districts.
Except as provided below, live or dead fin fish shall not be used or possessed for use as bait in the Sierra and North Coast Districts.

(a) In Donner, Fallen Leaf and Tahoe lakes Lahontan redside, tui chub, Tahoe sucker, Lahontan speckled dace, mountain sucker and Paiute sculpin may be used only in the same lake where taken.
(b) In Shasta Lake only golden shiner, red shiner, fathead minnows, mosquitofish and threadfin shad may be used or possessed for use as bait.
(c) Crayfish shall not be used for bait in the Pit River and all tributaries between Pit 3 Dam (Lake Britton) and the Fall River-Cassel Road Bridge at Fall River Mills, California (includes Hat Creek and Fall River and their tributaries).

[Bass Chiropractor]

Okay, thanks.

4.05. Bait Fish Capture Methods.
(a) Approved bait fish may be taken only by hand, with a dip net, or with traps not over three feet in greatest dimension. Such bait fish may not be purchased, bartered, sold, transferred or traded; or transported alive from the location where taken. Any other species taken shall be returned to the water immediately. Traps need not be closely attended. Dip net use: A dip net must be hand held, and the motion of a dip net shall be caused only by the physical effort of the operator. A dip net may not be moved through the water by any mechanical force or motorized device.

The above looks like my issue. I'm all for being law abiding. Any other suggestions for getting live minnows for LA/Orange county, 'locally'?

[smokehound]

you cant use minnows here.

the only finfish live baits allowed in OC/LA are Longjaw mudsuckers, threadfin shad taken from the same lake, and crawdads taken from the same lake.

[Bass Chiropractor]

I'm impartial to minnows. I had a bucket full in Mariposa and had the time of my life. I want to take my boys out and have the same killer bait.

[Nessie Hunter]

It is all regulated by DFG "Regions", each is a little different.
I think in San Diego region they added silverside & golden minnows.. ????
Colorado River Region you can used a lot of live baits even bluegill.????

Just know before you go..
Hate to see someone tagged with a $1200 ticket for not knowing..

[Bass Chiropractor]

I'm dying just a little bit each reply.

[smokehound]

all is not lost, friend. There are tons of live baits you can use that will outfish minnows.

ever used dragonfly nymphs? that's a common prey item in city-park lakes.

[Bass Chiropractor]

Never used them. Sounds interesting. Where do I get them or how do I collect some?

[skunkmaster]

I hear you on the minnows bro. We KILL them up north in the winter when the artificial bite shuts down. As a matter of fact both mine and my wife's PB LMB were on live jumbo minnows!

Bummer we can use them down here.

[smokehound]

they are fairly easy to find, they like to hang out around the margins of ponds and lakes, under leaf litter in the water. They feed on mosquito and midge larvae. just dig through the leaf litter in the shallow water along the shoreline, and you should find some.

they also crawl through the weeds in the shallows.

http://www.riseformflyfishing.ca/Site/images/hatches/nymphs_darner_muddweller.jpg
That's what they look like. Take the hook, and push it through the hood on their back, size 3 hook should be fine. Simple as that.

The nymphs prefer shaded areas.