Almost any grainy, doughy, or bread-like food can work to attract shiners, such as:
- Dog food or cat food
- Corn meal
- Chicken feed
- Livestock grain (Hog Feed)
- Old Bread, biscuits or crackers
- Oatmeal
- Even cereal!
What do you feed a shiner fish?
Keep a record of the amount of commercial food you feed the shiners. Feed your golden shiners a commercial fish food that contains small worms such as fly larvae or mealworms. Leave your shiners undisturbed and allow them to spawn.
What do golden shiners eat?
Juvenile and adult golden shiners feed primarily on zooplankton and aquatic insects, while the newly hatched fry (baby fish) are omnivorous. Golden shiners readily accept commercial fish feeds, and catfish feed is a close match to their dietary requirements.
What is the best dog food for shiners?
Almost any grainy, doughy, or bread-like food can work to attract shiners, such as: 1 Dog food or cat food 2 Corn meal 3 Chicken feed 4 Livestock grain 5 Old Bread, biscuits or crackers 6 Oatmeal 7 Even cereal! More ...
What eats a shiner?
Just about anything that swims eats shiners. Walleye, catfish, bullheads, pike, chain pickerel, bass, striped bass, yellow perch, crappie, and trout will readily eat shiners if they are present. As such, shiners are an excellent live or dead bait option if legal in your state or local waterway.
What can I feed my shiners at home?
Algae, goldfish, and some flies and beetles are excellent sources of nourishment for the shiners. Place the shiners into the tank. Make sure that the water is at room temperature when you place the shiners in the tank. A temperature shock may cause the shiners to die.
Will shiners eat fish flakes?
They will eat, but very little goes a long way. I feed them goldfish food crushed to a fine powder, and I feed them the day befoere I plan on changing the water.
How do you keep shiners alive at home?
0:442:51How to make your own holding tank for wild shiners. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's just the galvanized bucket with some sulfur material in it that filter material typically comesMoreIt's just the galvanized bucket with some sulfur material in it that filter material typically comes in a roll. Just cut it to fit and put it in the bucket the water from the pond pump.
What plants do shiners eat?
Some of the common organisms seen in this fish's diet are filamentous algae and other higher plant organisms including detritus. More adult shiners will begin to feed on aquatic insects, both the larvae and the adult form, such as the mayfly, and microcrustaceans.
Can you feed minnows oatmeal?
What to feed minnows to keep them alive? Commercial fish food is an easy and inexpensive option to feed minnows. Any tropical fish flake dried blood worms, or even oats will work.
What do I feed bait minnows?
A great food choice for minnows in an aquarium is freeze dried blood worms. Another option is to simply feed your minnows tropical fish flakes or even goldfish flake food. Some minnows are pickier than others, choosing not to eat the flake food.
How long will shiners stay alive?
They live a year or so, and die soon after spawning season. Shiners live much longer. Suckers keep really well. I had 5 lbs of undersized ones for a couple months a while back.
How long do shiners live in a fish tank?
Final Thoughts. Minnows live up to six years in the wild, and you can recreate their environment in your home. They are great fish for bait or pets. If you keep the minnows' water cool and clean, give them enough space, and don't overfeed them, you'll be able to have tamed tank minnows for several years.
Can I feed minnows bread?
Pet minnows are known to eat frozen shrimp, blood worms, bread crumbs, plants, brine shrimp, and vegetables. They like to eat food that dips into the tank rather than food that floats on top.
Will shiners breed in a pond?
In ponds that draw down, golden shiners can spawn once and have lots of eggs each spring when water is highest.
How fast do shiners grow?
In cold waters, the young golden shiners generally grow to lengths of 1.4 to 1.8 in (36 to 46 mm) within a year. In warm waters, they can reach lengths of 3 in (76 mm). Young fish can grow to lengths of up to 5.5 in (140 mm) by their second year of life, but after this, their growth rate typically slows significantly.
Will shiners eat fish food?
Juvenile and adult golden shiners feed primarily on zooplankton and aquatic insects, while the newly hatched fry (baby fish) are omnivorous. Golden shiners readily accept commercial fish feeds, and catfish feed is a close match to their dietary requirements.
How long do shiners live in a pond?
These are your "golden cows" and will often live to 7-9 years of age. Both golden shiners and fathead minnows should be stocked by May 1st in northern ponds, earlier in the South.
How big do shiners get?
between 4 and 6 inchesThe common shiner (Luxilus cornutus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, found in North America. It ranges in length between 4 and 6 inches, although they can reach lengths of up to 8 inches.
What is in catfish food?
Energy feedstuffs used in commercial catfish feeds are primarily grains (corn and wheat) and grain by-products (corn gluten feed, corn germ meal, wheat middlings, and rice bran), animal fat, and fish oil. Corn has traditionally been used as the main energy source in catfish feeds.
How to feed golden shiners?
Feed your golden shiners a commercial fish food that contains small worms such as fly larvae or mealworms. Leave your shiners undisturbed and allow them to spawn. Keep a record of the size of shiners every 2 months. Scoop up shiners with 6-foot nylon net. Measure the length of the shiner from head to tail.
How to keep golden shiners healthy?
Golden shiners are a resilient species of fish but are easily susceptible to diseases and parasites. Invest in chemicals to fight disease and monitor your shiners for illness. A bubble aerator will circulate water in a pond and keep entire sections cool . Water that is too warm can make shiners susceptible to illness.
How many golden shiners can you have in a 1 acre pond?
A 1-acre pond would support up to 5,000 golden shiners and allow for spawning. Remove predator game fish such as bass, crappie, catfish or other aggressive fish. Place a bubble aerator in the pond to help supply oxygen. Keep the pond at a constant 70 to 80 degrees to maximize egg laying.
What is the best cover for golden shiners?
Scatter larger rocks and natural cover throughout the pond to enable shiners to hide from predators. Natural cover can be driftwood, large rocks and aquatic plants that occur in the natural habitat of the golden shiner.
What is the golden shiner?
The golden shiner is among the most abundant species of fish in North America. It has become a food source for large freshwater game fish and for commercial farms. Due to its easily identified vibrant scales, this minnow is used by anglers to lure large fish into striking their lines. Golden shiners can be raised with little effort as they thrive ...
Can golden shiners be collected from a pond?
Do not collect golden shiners from a local stream or pond. The shiners could carry diseases and transport the disease to your pond. Thomas Ganio began writing in 2006 for the "Northern Virginia Daily," a community newspaper in Richmond, Va.
Do golden shiners care for their offspring?
Golden shiners are not caretakers of their offspring and within a few days after hatching, the fry start competing for food with adults. Warnings. Large game fish in the pond can significantly reduce the numbers of golden shiners. Do not collect golden shiners from a local stream or pond.
What fish eat shiners?
Just about anything that swims eats shiners. Walleye, catfish, bullheads, pike, chain pickerel, bass, striped bass, yellow perch, crappie, and trout will readily eat shiners if they are present. As such, shiners are an excellent live or dead bait option if legal in your state or local waterway. In this article, I will present as much information as ...
What hook do you use for shiners?
There are a number of ways to rigging a shiner on a hook. I would strongly recommend a standard bait hook or octopus hook when fishing with shiners for most species. For catfish, though, go with a circle hook. For 3-inch shiners, a 1 to 4/0 hook is ideal. For shiners in the 8-10” range, go with a 5/0 or 6/0 hook.
How big of a shiner to use as walleye bait?
A great size range of shiner for use as walleye bait is between 3-5 inches. Walleye usually won’t mess with any bait much larger than 5 inches.
What fish are good for striped bass?
Striped bass are often hybridized with white bass to produce what is referred to as “wipers”. To fish for striped bass or wipers with shiners, any sized shiner will do but for truly large stripers, go with golden shiners greater than 6 inches. 4. Walleye. Walleye are a prime predator of shiners.
How big do shiners get?
Feeding on insect larvae and zooplankton, shiners are commonly less than 3 inches in length with some golden shiners reaching up to 10 inches in length. Because of their small size, abundance, and protein-content, shiners are a key food source for many gamefish.
How to hook a shiner?
For shiners in the 8-10” range, go with a 5/0 or 6/0 hook. There are 3 ways to hook the shiner. Through just the lower lip for the healthiest baitfish but most challenging to cast with. You could hook through both the top and bottom lip which is better for casting but a little worse for the health of the baitfish.
Do smallmouth bass eat shiners?
Smallmouth bass will also readily consume shiners. Since they have a much smaller mouth than largemouth bass, focus on shiners under 4 inches in length. Smallmouth bass frequent many of the same habitat-types as largemouth (under docks, weed lines, submerged timber) but to really have some exciting smallmouth fishing, drop shiners near rocks and underwater boulders. Bass will be here chasing baitfish and crayfish between the rocks.
What can I add to my water to make it slime?
There are many different products that you can add to the water. A few examples include chemicals that remove chlorine from tap water, conditioner, antifungal, and antibacterial agents, electrolyte boosts, and stress-reducing mixes that increase the minnows slime coat.
What baitfish should I use for a fathead minnow?
Not just your common Fathead Minnow or Shiner. This rule applies to Gizzard Shad, Threadfin Shad, and other fragile baitfish but also to more hardy and tolerant options like Suckers, Common Carp, and Bluegill. Freshness is the key to success. This is always the case.
What to do if minnows die on you?
1. Obtain Your Minnows At The Right Time. The very first thing you want to do is to make sure that you purchase or catch your minnows at the right time.
How to keep shiners alive?
Keep them aerated! This is the most important part of keeping your shiners alive. Use a battery-powered aerator, a water circulator, or a livewell pump to keep rich oxygen in the water. Keep them fed! If your only planning on keeping your shiners alive for 24 hours or less, don’t worry about feeding them.
How to catch shiners in a trap?
Simply bait the trap and place it in the same area as you would normally catch shiners. Try baiting the trap with a durable dough like bait such as a bagel. Break it up into a few big chunks. You can also chum the surrounding area to attract more fish.
What is a golden shiner?
Wild shiners, otherwise known as the Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) is a native baitfish in the minnow family that naturally occurs throughout the United States. These wild shiners are often caught by commercial fisherman and re-sold to bait shops as a premium baitfish for anglers. They can be very expensive, but make no mistake about it ...
How long does it take for a shiner to come out of the cover?
Once you chum the first area, go to the next one and chum it up. Do this a few times, and by the time your finished chumming it should be about 20-30 minutes to go back to the first area and start catching! This will give the shiners in the area to come out of the cover and feed in and around your attractant.
What bait to use for big bass?
Now go catch some wild shiners! Nice bass caught on wild shiner. Ask almost any bass fisherman and they will tell you nothing beats a large wild shiner as the best live bait to target big bass. But they are also a great bait for catching big catfish, walleye, muskie, pike, and stripers.
How big do shiners get?
They inhabit freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, ditches, and streams. Wild shiners can grow up to 12 inches in length and females lay between 100,000-200,000 eggs per spawn. Due to their size, shiny color, and natural scent they are a fantastic choice when it comes to live bait!
How much does it cost to catch wild shiners?
How To Catch Wild Shiners For Bait (Step By Step) Wild shiners can cost as much as $50 per dozen! Ouch! Well, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg at the bait shop to fish with wild shiners. In fact, chances are your favorite lake, pond or river has a population of shiners ready to be caught!
What is a Golden Shiner?
The golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas is the most common baitfish sold in the United States. It is also stocked as a supplemental forage fish in sportfish ponds.
Where do golden shiners come from?
Today, the majority of golden shiners produced come from hatcheries. Mats with eggs are brought into an indoor hatchery and placed into tanks, where water temperature, dissolved oxygen and other environmental parameters can be controlled. Once the eggs hatch, the fry are transported in water within plastic bags that are filled with oxygen.
How many eggs do golden shiners lay?
A pound of golden shiners may produce over one-half million eggs in a season. Golden shiners are broadcast spawners; they lay adhesive eggs on submersed vegetation, or in culture ponds, on mats of latex-coated coconut fiber. The small eggs (~1-mm diameter) hatch in three to five days, depending on water temperature.
How big do golden shiners get?
The typical adult size rarely exceeds six inches, although larger fish have been reported. Juvenile and adult golden shiners feed primarily on zooplankton ...
How long does it take for Golden Shiner eggs to hatch?
The small eggs (~1-mm diameter) hatch in three to five days, depending on water temperature. Golden shiner culture methods have changed over time as a result of on-farm innovation and university research.
How many fry per acre?
Fry are stocked into nursery ponds, often at rates of one to two million fry per acre, and raised to juvenile size. After four to twelve weeks, the juveniles are transferred to grow-out ponds at lower densities.
What is the feed form for a fry?
Fry are fed a finely ground commercial feed (meal) for the first month or so, then the feed form is switched to a crumbled extruded pellet, then to an extruded floating pellet. The feed pellets are too big to fit within the mouth of a golden shiner.
