Where can I buy Minnows in VA?

[ComeOnFish]

1. Around OCCoquan River

2. Warrenton/Gainesville area

3. How long do minnows live during the transport in a trolling bucket?

Joe

[jsnyd86]

better yet

where can I catch them? I have a small minnow trap I can fit in the back alongside my live well minnow bucket. I would think of sticking to docks other structure but are they even around at this temperature?

[kanvery]

Joe its been a long time since I've tried to find minnows but I always remember it being quite a chore. Luckily, there is a place near Occoquan. It's called Dawsons and is on Rt 1 headed south from Occoquan. I haven't been there in some time so I'm not positive they still sell minnows but its worth giving them a call.
14510 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Woodbridge, VA 22191-2808

By far the best place is in Fredricksburg, the Gander Mountain there has all types of baits and probably your best choice for the Gainesville area that I know of.
3708 Plank Road Fredericksburg, VA 22407
(540) 548-1330

When I used to buy minnows I found that two dozen in a 5 gallon bucket did pretty well, easily the whole day. If I were you I would transport them in a 5gallon bucket and transfer them in a trolling bucket once I got to the water.

Also I seem to remember Leesylvania State Park selling minnows but I'm not 100% sure and they don't open until April anyways.
Hope that helps, you could always try to catch your own!

[kanvery]

jsnyd, I'm sure if you threw that trip into 4 mile run you'd have more than you could deal with.

[jsnyd86]

jsnyd, I'm sure if you threw that trip into 4 mile run you'd have more than you could deal with.

awesome! I think I might drop by Saturday for a bit. I see its going to rain but that may be a little fun if it stays warm.

[J.A. Veil]

I cannot help with where to buy minnows in VA. But I do have some experience with keeping minnows alive. I have purchased minnows from Anglers (near Sandy Pt state park) 4 or 5 times this winter. I typically buy a pint of them at a time ($8). They load them into my minnow pail. I set the minnow pail into a 5-gallon bucket to avoid sloshing around while driving. I do not add any extra water to the 5-gal bucket. I set the bucket on the floor of my garage and leave it there without aeration or food addition. Admittedly, this winter has been milder than most with no overnight temps below 15 deg so freezing within the minnow pail has not been an issue.

I have been fishing 3-5 days each week this winter. Each time I go out, once on the water, I drain the minnow pail then immediately fill it again with water (fresh or brackish -- it does not matter -- these are euryhaline species that can tolerate a wide range of salinity). It holds roughly a half gallon of water up to the drain holes. At the end of the trip, I drain and refill the pail again. Then it goes back into my garage until the next trip. I have kept minnows in the pail for as long as 3 weeks using this method. The minnows I get (mud minnows or mummichogs are incredibly hardy).

When on the kayak, I bring along the full minnow pail, but scoop out 5-10 minnows and set them in the molded-in cupholder in front of me and cover them with an inch of water. In the 20-45 minutes it takes me to use them all up, they remain very frisky.

On the one trip where I used my Difter kayak that does not have a good self-draining scupper system, I left the minnow pail in the car and transferred 20 minnows into a 16-oz plastic dry roasted nut jar. I filled it halfway with water and carried the minnows onboard that way. They survived a two-hour outing just fine.

On the last two batches of minnows from Anglers, I had several dozen dead minnows by the following day. I remove them, and have no more mortality for at least three weeks.

[tj06sti]

Dawson's

The closest place I found and bought minnows from last year for YP on the Occoquan is in Woodbridge.

http://dawsonssmallarms.com/index.htm

TJ

[ComeOnFish]

Thanks for the Info.

Now I have a plan.
I bring three 5 gal buckets with lids on my truck. Stop by a creek before the bait store. Fill the buckets with creek water. Buy 5 - 6 dozens of minnows. Keep the buckets in the garage. I can do this after work one day.

Once I have minnows at home, I don't waste time to get minnows during weekdays when I have few 3 hour fishing windows.
Bring a 5 gal bucket along with the minnow bucket when I go fishing. When I leave the fishing site, fill the 5 gal bucket with fresh water
Joe