Are live minnows a good bait for trout?
For lake trout, yes, where it is legal. A lively or freshly dead minnow, cisco or sucker under a tip-up or on a deadstick rod set beside the jigging hole is a standard ice tactic, and a minnow on a jig head or behind a slip sinker takes lakers from shore at ice-out. Big rainbows and brook trout in lakes also eat minnows — fish make up more of the diet as trout grow. The catch is regulatory and ecological: many trout waters ban live baitfish outright, or all bait, because released bait-bucket fish have damaged trout lakes across the continent. Bait-caught trout are also hooked deeper, so where you plan to release fish, a lure or fly with a single barbless hook is the better choice.
The full story
This answer is one piece of a longer lesson — setups, diagrams and the reasoning behind it.
More questions about What this means for fishing
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- How do I catch lake trout in summer without special gear — and with it?
- What are the basics of ice fishing for trout?
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Same topic, other species
- Are crankbaits any good for crappie? — Crappie
- Do live shiners and other live baits catch largemouth bass? — Largemouth Bass
- Beyond bucktails and big rubber: do spinnerbaits, lipless baits, spoons and jigs catch muskie? — Muskellunge (Muskie)
- How do I unhook and release perch without hurting them — or my hands? — Yellow Perch
- Can you catch pike on a fly rod? — Northern Pike
- Is live bait effective for smallmouth bass? — Smallmouth Bass
- What are the best lures for walleye, and when does each category shine? — Walleye