Minnow quality

[walleyechaser]

Frozen minnows seems to be absolutely brutal this year. Anyone able to find some parker minnows in southern ab

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[MooseRiverTrapper]

Candle lake shiners or nothing!

[trigger7mm]

Is it just me, or do the candle lake minnows seem mushier that Parker’s? The few Parker’s that have been in Edmonton are long gone, and they don’t know if any more are going to be coming.

[walleyechaser]

Originally Posted by trigger7mm

Is it just me, or do the candle lake minnows seem mushier that Parker’s? The few Parker’s that have been in Edmonton are long gone, and they don’t know if any more are going to be coming.

Yeah parker's are far superior to Candle lake

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[Talking moose]

It’s been a mushy year for sure. Not sure where the fault lies.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Do you guys salt them? I put a table spoon of salt in each tub.

[RavYak]

Parker’s are always higher quality but rarely available and sometimes too big. The candle lake shiners are decent but need to be used quick, keeping them on ice will help them stay better, if you refreeze them they will turn to mush. The white Manitoba shiner tubs are a bit better quality but often not filled to the brim or have a bunch of small size minnows mixed in.

I just get candle lake shiners, start thawing them when I get to the lake(dunk tub in the water and try to soften up/break off a few to start the day) and leave them on ice in a small cooler trying to leave them as close to frozen as I can. Works significantly better then just leaving a rotting tub of minnows out in the sun.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by RavYak

Parker’s are always higher quality but rarely available and sometimes too big. The candle lake shiners are decent but need to be used quick, keeping them on ice will help them stay better, if you refreeze them they will turn to mush. The white Manitoba shiner tubs are a bit better quality but often not filled to the brim or have a bunch of small size minnows mixed in.

I just get candle lake shiners, start thawing them when I get to the lake(dunk tub in the water and try to soften up/break off a few to start the day) and leave them on ice in a small cooler trying to leave them as close to frozen as I can. Works significantly better then just leaving a rotting tub of minnows out in the sun.

Many of the tubs I’m getting are mushy from the get go. Leads me to believe they weren’t froze properly during packing or thawed during transport. Or at the store.

[walleyechaser]

Originally Posted by RavYak

Parker’s are always higher quality but rarely available and sometimes too big. The candle lake shiners are decent but need to be used quick, keeping them on ice will help them stay better, if you refreeze them they will turn to mush. The white Manitoba shiner tubs are a bit better quality but often not filled to the brim or have a bunch of small size minnows mixed in.

I just get candle lake shiners, start thawing them when I get to the lake(dunk tub in the water and try to soften up/break off a few to start the day) and leave them on ice in a small cooler trying to leave them as close to frozen as I can. Works significantly better then just leaving a rotting tub of minnows out in the sun.

That's what I always do. Last 15 tubs of Candlelake shiners have been mushy right from the get go. All the guys we fish with have had the same issue

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[RavYak]

I have only used 2 tubs this season, both have been normal. Candle lake shiners have always been borderline quality, they must not handle them as good as Parker etc.

Can try the Manitoba shiners if you want better quality. Hard to find a full tub of decent size though.

[ponokajoe]

Soggy minnows usually means they were frozen slowly or frozen, thawed then frozen again. Find yourself some very fine copper wire and wrap them lightly to your hook. It will help hold them in place. Fine fly tying wire, thin beading wire or stripping an old lamp cord should help you out.

[roughneckin]

Originally Posted by RavYak

I have only used 2 tubs this season, both have been normal. Candle lake shiners have always been borderline quality, they must not handle them as good as Parker etc.

Can try the Manitoba shiners if you want better quality. Hard to find a full tub of decent size though.

Just grabbed some of the Manitoba ones from Caroline today. They were good quality and size. Maybe they got a good batch.

[Teamprotz]

Been using Campbell’s Catch salted. Look normal but are incredibly firm even after being refrozen several times.

[Talking moose]

I’d like to do a test on a pickerel rig with salted on one and natural on the other. I can’t bring myself to use salted. Maybe after a hundred fish from the river I’ll post results. I’ll switch em up as well with top hook and bottom to be fair.
Hoping salted wins though. Sick of re baiting with the slightest of bites.

[Gear guy]

I just buy mine from Superstore and seem to work

[trigger7mm]

Originally Posted by Teamprotz

Been using Campbell’s Catch salted. Look normal but are incredibly firm even after being refrozen several times.

Where can a person get Campbell’s Catch minnows? Never heard of them before.

[S_Mooj]

https://harmonbrookfarm.com/enter-on...sPage=products

just ordered some from here for the heck of it.

if they are any good maybe we can get a few guys and do a bulk order?

[barbless]

Anyone ever go to the bigger Asian markets and get them frozen in bulk? Plus the smelts in bulk are a great price. Sometimes they get mushy when thawed but have had good luck for the most part. Just put them into smaller baggies or containers. Good idea guys with the salt. Now which type of salt? Iodized table, sea salt, the real coarse or fine or maybe borax?

[Teamprotz]

I got mine from Wildside Outdoors in Lloydminster , had them and Candle lake shiners and like the rest said , candle lake were mushy , even after home salting. Campbell’s catch are out of martinsville, sk.