How to Make a Minnow Fish Trap

Live minnows make great fishing bait. So, when heading out fishing, many anglers stop by a bait shop to pick some up. However, when on a long wilderness fishing trip, anglers can't walk into a convenient curbside bait shop. When no bait shop is nearby, savvy anglers catch their own minnows using a homemade minnow fish trap. Two 2-liter bottles make a light and inexpensive minnow trap that catches minnows as well as expensive commercial designs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

2 two-liter soda bottles
Scissors
Nail
Fire
Pliers
Rope

Step 1

Cut the bottom off of one soda bottle. Make the cut several inches away from the very bottom of the bottle. Recycle the bottom, because it isn't used for this project. This bottle serves as the outside of the trap.

Step 2

Cut the top off the other soda bottle. Cut seven inches away from the bottle cap. Remove the cap from the bottle. This bottle serves as the inside of the trap.

Step 3

Insert the inside bottle into the outside bottle. Align their bottom edges flush.

Step 4

Heat a nail over fire. Because the nail gets hot, hold the nail with a set of locking pliers.

Step 5

Poke holes into both bottles above their aligned bottom edges at intervals of one inch. You will use these holes to tie the two bottles together.

Step 6

Poke holes into only the outside bottle to allow the water to flow into the trap. Poke these holes in a grid pattern spaced at one-inch intervals.

Step 7

Use rope to tie the bottles together. Thread the rope through the holes you made along the aligned bottoms.

Step 8

Bait the trap with breadcrumbs and sink overnight.

Tips & Warnings

After catching minnows in your fish trap, transfer them to your bait bucket.

Wear protective gloves to prevent burns when heating the nail over the fire.

Article Written By Bryan Hansel

Bryan Hansel is a freelance photographer and kayaking guide who began writing in 1993. His outdoors articles appear on various websites. Hansel holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and religion from the University of Iowa.

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