Make Your Own Minnow Trap Using a 2-Liter Bottle
Click here for a PDF version of these instructions.
You’re ready for fishing. You’ve got everything … but bait. And no cash to buy any. Well, forget throwing money at minnows. Gather your own! It’s simple with this easy-to make trap. Here’s how:
You’ll Need:
- Two plastic soda pop bottles. The three-liter size is best, but two-liter will do.
- One woodworking nail, about 6-penny size (the exact size is unimportant).
- Some twine, kite string or something similar.
- Adult permission and/or help.
For tools, scrounge up a pair of sturdy scissors and locking pliers (such as Vise-Grip) or common slip-joint pliers. A utility knife can help with initial cuts but isn’t necessary. You’ll also need a controllable flame source — the kitchen stove is perfect.
STEP 1: Label one bottle “A” and the other “B.” Cut off the bottom one-third of bottle A and put in your home recycling bin. Leave the bottle cap on.
STEP 2: On B, cut off the neck & shoulders, close to the top of the bottle label. It should be cut just below — maybe a half inch or so — where the sides begin to straighten out. Toss the bottom and spare bottle cap in the recycling bin.
STEP 3: The remaining steps should be done near your flame source, with the pliers and nail handy. Keep a bowl with cold water nearby also. Fit funnelshaped piece (B) into the bottom of A so it points toward A’s remaining bottle cap. It should now form a nice little “cave.”
STEP 4: Holding the two bottles together firmly in your weak hand (left hand if you’re right-handed, right if you’re left-handed), turn on the flame with the other hand. Pick up the pliers with your free hand and firmly grasp the nail near its head with the pliers. Carefully hold the nail over the flame so that it gets good and hot.
STEP 5: Keeping your grip on both the A and B bottle parts and the hot nail in the pliers, push the nail point through both the funnel and bottle, in 10 to 12 spots around the lip of the “cave” that we mentioned. Drop the hot nail into the cold water.
STEP 6: Using your string or twine, sew the two bottle parts together. Alternately, simply cut the string into short pieces, using the same number of pieces as there are holes, and individually tie each hole up so that the two plastic parts A and B don’t come apart.
STEP 7: Reheat the nail as in Step 4, and put a bunch of holes all over the sides of the bottle (A). A couple of dozen should do it.
Setting Your Minnow Trap
To use your trap, add some bread or cracker bits through the funnel (B). Sink the trap in your favorite pond or lake for a few hours, preferably overnight. Tie it securely to a dock or tree. The minnows will go in the trap but aren’t smart enough to get out. Next morning, simply open the bottle cap and pour the minnows into your bait bucket. You’re all set for a day of fishing!
real nice ill try it out sometime
I love that idea now lets see if it will work ,I hope it does.
Using twist ties to connect the two parts of the trap makes it much easier to open and close the trap.
You could also use it while your fishing so the fish catch the scent of whatever you put in b and they are attracted and come towards you
cool
Where can I find 3 liter bottles?
Raptor,
use 3 liter soda soda bottles.
Works amazingly well but putting some buttered saltines attracts minows like moths to a lantern
Dog food makes great bait.
I used this trap In a little stream and I caught trout in it and also lots of minnows
Poor Minnows!!!! Don’t hurt them!
Awesome looks easy I am definitely going to try it!!!
Minnows make great bate for bigger fish. Sorry.
don’t worry, they’ll just get impaled by a hook and eaten!
This trap works use it and hook the minnios through the mouth to keep them lively plus the fish go for the head first
butter and bread makes good bait
Side holes are for fresh water to circulate
Can’t wait to use this! ( btw what are the side holes for can anyone tell me?)
So it can sink
it works i caught 18 minnows and crawfish
I AM GOING TO USE ONE IN THE OHIO RIVER
You can staple the two parts together instead of using a hot nail. In 20 minutes I got 50 minnows leaving it for a few hours you would have too many!
Can you use fishing line in place of the twine
Way Cool!
Outstanding! Use it and teach the younger guys! It does work! Great job!
I do not have a place to get minnows but I do have a place to get crayfish.I put my crayfish in with my turtle and he is terrified of that crayfish.
I made one and it works really well!
crumbled up saltine crackers work very well, that’s all my dad and I have ever used
Haha that’s easy
stolen
Hey use a stick of gum for bait it works great
Nice thanks for the info can’t w8 to try it
i dont care
I made my own trap like that but with 2 entrances and caught about 20 minnows a couple of shad and crawfish
Gonna try this out. Just hope it works
old pencil soldering irons make the hole for twine so much better and easeir and safer
good idea!
awesome
im ganna do that
thanks for the great ideas guys.
I made mine out of gal. size vinager jug also used gal. milk jugs…. Work great 🙂
I’m sure this trap could also work for leeches.
try using squirtable cheese as bait
don’t use a hot nail. just use the pointy end of scissors or a knife.
just use twisty ties to hold it together. that’s what I always did as a kid and caught thousands of the things.
That seems cool, i’ll have to try it some time.
I just duck taped mine together
if i was u i would not use duck type because it doesn’t work very well,because i have tried it be for and the type came off and i all most lost all my minnows because i didn’t fix it the way it really was supose to work out.
I am using duck tape
I used it and i caaught bout 25 minnows it works really good. Another good bait is dog (or cat) food
Dry dog food works great for attracting minnows, will last about 8 hours.
You can make a better one out of PVC pipe and a small. Tin
neat idea saved me twenty bucks I was just going to buy one.
Nice!
Boring
If you don’t like it then don’t do it
i love this idea just made one in ten min hopefully it will work in my pond i have a koi pond in my yard and when i have left over minnows from fishing i put them in my pond but i actually dont know if the koi ate the minnows or not the test will be revealed tomorrow when i check the trap
koi do not eat fish however they will eat fish eggs including thier own
You can make frog/toad traps much the same way. just use a container with a wide mouth, fill with dead flies from the windowsill or other frog food, and camouflage in or near a wet, cool place where you know has frogs/toads. You can use the caught ones as bait, or food for your turtle.