Thread: Pin minnows at Reelfoot

Are you talking about the lure or the stupid minnow called pinheads?

The little minnows. I remember when I was younger you could buy them at bait shops frozen in Styrofoam cups. The yellow bass in late summer would tear those things up. We would fish over off the piers at south shore resort. I just didn't know if anyone still sold them.

I can't remember that type minner. When I was a kid we never bought bait. We seined the pond(s) on on our farm for minners and crawdads. We dug worms from around the chicken house. We also set traps in town to catch cock roaches. Not many roaches out in the country. Most the cock roaches are gone now, either by hook or spray.

At one time (1940s-1950s when I wuz a kid), you could buy cock roaches at Culpeppers Store, Had-a-Call Store or The Black Boat Store in our area at Ky Lake. The cock roaches ....gone. The stores.....gone. Some call it progress but I call it sadness. I could tell some tales about socializing at these stores. All gone.

I remember when I was little we used to get them at gooch's and if I remember correctly we got the at eagle's nest as well. I hate my kids didn't see how things used to be up there. I still remember how much fun we had as kids. We loved the kiwanis club park. We rode that train so much. I was hoping to maybe get them into a mess of yellow bass. They fight so hard and bite so fast.

You might try and jig some blade baits just off the bottom, or even small spoons or Kastmaster type lures.

We've caught Yellow Bass 'til our arms were wore out, casting under Shad schools in the backs of bays on Watts Bar Lake in E. Tenn. We would simply cast out and let the bait hit bottom, then lift the rod up about a foot ... and we'd usually get a jarring hit, and if not we'd simply repeat the drop/lift action until we did.
Now, that was in the Fall ... but, Yellow Bass should still strike these types of lures at most any time of year.
Baring that ... simply buy regular sized minnows and cut them in half, then offer the Yellow's "heads or tails"

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

I can't remember that type minner. When I was a kid we never bought bait. We seined the pond(s) on on our farm for minners and crawdads. We dug worms from around the chicken house. We also set traps in town to catch cock roaches. Not many roaches out in the country. Most the cock roaches are gone now, either by hook or spray.

At one time (1940s-1950s when I wuz a kid), you could buy cock roaches at Culpeppers Store, Had-a-Call Store or The Black Boat Store in our area at Ky Lake. The cock roaches ....gone. The stores.....gone. Some call it progress but I call it sadness. I could tell some tales about socializing at these stores. All gone.

Boy Cane Pole you are bringing back some memories. I was raised in Southern IL. VERY small town. At night we would go up town with 3-4 gallon milk cartons opened all the up. Yes for you young pups the gallons of milk used to come in cardboard cartons.. Anyhow we would lay them on their side throw a piece of banana peel in each one. We would go around about every hour and pick the cartons up and shake the cock roaches out into a bucket. Absolutely by far the best fish bait I have ever used in my life. Everything bit on them. I think it must be the odor they put off.

Some folks believe I am pulling their leg about the cock roaches. Glad u chimed in.

Originally Posted by Cane Pole

Some folks believe I am pulling their leg about the cock roaches. Glad u chimed in.

LOL. I'm sure you do more than your share of leg pulling. But I will stand behind you on this one. Actually the guy that turned me on to the roaches for bait called them wood roaches. They were big roaches, and stink! Easily 1" long or more and fat. But boy did they catch fish. Catfish crappie bluegill. They would out catch crickets 10-1.