Preserving dead minnows

What is the best way to preserve/keep minnows to use for tipping jigs/spoons? I hate dumping a bucket of Fatheads when I mostly use them for tipping lures. Just freeze them, or do I need to salt them? Thanks

Salting them will firm them up a bit and make them hold on your hook a bit better.

Salting them is the best way to keep them

Sweet, thanks! Just dry them out and cover them in salt?

I think there a lot of ways to skin the cat.

If your going straight salt put some pickling salt in the bottom of a ice cream bucket and use alternating layers of salt and minnows. This dries and preserves at the same time. Your going to want to check them to ensure you don’t dry them too much. They can get very dry this way. Once adequately preserved put them in a zip loc bag with a lightly damp paper towel in the freezer. Pull an hour or two before use.

I like to use a 50/50 mix of borax and pickling salt with a cup of sugar. This seems to keep them more pliable. The key being be sure not to dry them out too much

Very helpful, thanks! On another note…who skins cats!? Where do these sayings come from?

Brian wrote:

Very helpful, thanks! On another note…who skins cats!? Where do these sayings come from?

About 55 years ago my father told me it’s a southern expression about skinning catfish

Pat K wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brian wrote:</div>
Very helpful, thanks! On another note…who skins cats!? Where do these sayings come from?

About 55 years ago my father told me it’s a southern expression about skinning catfish

Nicely done! That had me scratching my head.

Never tried salting but I still got shiners from LOW that I just froze and they still look good enough. This was from 2017. As long as you don’t thaw them out completely on your outings, they should be good for some time. Unfortunately some of mine got a little too thawed and now are trash. Thinking I will be chumming my hole a bit next time out!

eyeguy507 wrote:

Never tried salting but I still got shiners from LOW that I just froze and they still look good enough. This was from 2017. As long as you don’t thaw them out completely on your outings, they should be good for some time. Unfortunately some of mine got a little too thawed and now are trash. Thinking I will be chumming my hole a bit next time out!

Careful Eyeguy, I think the correct term would be disposing of unused bait in accordance with the law. If you’re in MN the fish police declare chumming to be an illegal activity. Not accusing you of anything just looking out for a fellow angler

Minnows that are salted and never frozen stay on the hook longer than ones that are just frozen or salted then frozen. If they are frozen they eventually turn to mush as they thaw.