How to Make a Wire Minnow Trap

Minnow traps work on the same principle: Minnows, attracted to the trap by the smell of food, swim into the wide end of a funnel. The funnel narrows and releases them into the trap. But once inside, the minnows can't find a way out because the exit is too small. Making a minnow trap out of wire doesn't cost much, and because wire sinks, the trap is easy to set.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

¼-inch wire mesh
Tin snips
Spring clamps
Stainless steel wire
Marker

Step 1

Cut a 2-foot by 5-foot rectangular piece of ¼-inch wire mesh. Tin snips work best for cutting. Cut off all the loose strands of wire from your initial cut---this avoids having wires that snag on equipment or that could cause injury.

Step 2

Roll the two 5-foot sides of the rectangular piece of wire mesh together to form a cylinder. Overlap the sides to form an inch-wide seam. Temporally clamp the seam using spring clamps.

Step 3

Bind the seam using stainless steel wire. Make sure there are no holes along the seam---holes let minnows out of the wire trap.

Step 4

Using a marker, trace the outline of the bottom of the cylinder onto a new piece of ¼-inch wire mesh.

Step 5

Cut the mesh circle out and bind it to the bottom of the cylinder using stainless steel wire. The more squares stitched together with wire, the sturdier your trap.

Step 6

Form a funnel out of ¼-inch wire mesh. The funnel should be between 9 and 12 inches long. Point the funnel into the cylinder and attach the large opening to the cylinder with stainless steel wire. The small opening should be no larger than one inch.

Step 7

Cut a door on the side of the cylinder that can be used to remove minnows. When setting the trap, hold the door closed with more stainless steel wire.

Tips & Warnings

Another option is to make two funnels and bind one to each side. This doubles the capacity to catch minnows in your wire trap.

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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