Lake Mendo General Closed!?!

Not too much of a big deal not having minnows at Mendo anymore. Just buy them the night before locally, put them in a bucket with an airator and whawlaa... live bait for Mendo. I do this sort of thing all the time and I've had minnows last upwards to 2 weeks like this. Make sure you don't put any tap water in the bucket though... It's like mustard gas to minnows.

Freddie

You can buy golden shiners direct from the big fish farms in Arkansas, but you need to pay California about $70 a year for a permit

Thats what they did, but the bait quality sucks.  Half of the time it would all be dead.  The vendors on CL get it locally and it IS much better.  If you get it and its good, it will last a long time, mine used to grow!

Alright Sean! thanks for steppin up and volunteering!  
     I'm sure we could come up with the $$ NO PROBLEMO'    

I'll get a thread started right away!

Not too much of a big deal not having minnows at Mendo anymore. Just buy them the night before locally, put them in a bucket with an airator and whawlaa... live bait for Mendo. I do this sort of thing all the time and I've had minnows last upwards to 2 weeks like this. Make sure you don't put any tap water in the bucket though... It's like mustard gas to minnows.

Freddie

It is kind of a big deal when there is really nowhere else to get minnows between Santa Rosa and Ukiah. 

I believe there is a place near Lake Sonoma but they have little 1.5" minnows all the time from what I hear.

Or I guess I could drive the 20 or so miles IN THE WRONG DIRECTION to the Petaluma baitshop...

How many super agents can you safely transport in a 5 gallon bucket?
I heard there is this dude in lake county who wants to catch big stripers.
Also heard he has beautiful feet.

Rock Hopper-

That kind of sucks for you then... but, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. If you like, when I fish Mendo and you happen to be fishing too... I'll bring you some fresh South Bay Super Agents. Either that or you're going to have to start chucking some plastics from those line sides up there. I lived in Santa Rosa a while back and the only bait shop I stopped by was the one out off of 116 in Petaluma. Pretty cool little place with some nice ab mounts in there.

Hydro-

I don't know about a guy with "beautiful feet" but, I've transported 3 dozen easy in a little pale. I bet a could get twice that in a 5 gallon bucket. I may just have to load up the truck and start a little side job up there on May 3rd... with a 100% mark up  My "Army" and I will be up there in force then.

Freddie

 Ill check with the FASTOP to see how many agents they would sell me per visit.
Cant support an event but Im willing to transport as many a I can on the random weekend or mid-week adventures.

Jim and I usually just sent Naoaki to Petaluma to pick up our minnows the night before.  He's really into keeping fish and loves to see how many minnows he can keep alive in a 5 gal bucket.  He uses a portable airpump as well as some magic tablets that release oxygen and can keep several dozen happy in a 5 gal bucket for days.

When I was growing up in Upstate New York we'd get large shiners by the pound from the local wholesaler to use for ice fishing and keep them alive in large coolers out on our garage in the winter.  A combination of cool temps, a good air pump, and frequent water changes kept them alive for weeks. 

Keeping minnows alive this time of year, even in California shouldn't be a problem.  Come summer however, the increased water temperature and subsequent increased metabolism of the fish can cause problems for keeping minnows alive long term.

Jim and I usually just sent Naoaki to Petaluma to pick up our minnows the night before.

Naoki what was it you wanted for Dinner at CSBA

freddie, where are you loading up on bait in the South Bay?

Hojo-

Nowhere in particular... there are a lot of bait shops that sell minnows down this way. I just go in and take what they give me. If it's not enough, I just hit the next baitshop.

Freddie

Rock Hopper-

That kind of sucks for you then... but, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. If you like, when I fish Mendo and you happen to be fishing too... I'll bring you some fresh South Bay Super Agents. .....

Freddie

Freddie - You're my hero! 

May just be a SoCal guy that doesn't know the water, but do minnow traps not work there?  Chuck one out the afternoon before with the rope tied to a hidden spot on a bush by the edge.  We used to make all the live bait we needed this way

I heard that Craig, the former owner of Mendocino General closed up because the rent at the place was just too high and that he's trying to reopen a shop at the north end of the lake.  I talked to Craig and he confirmed this but said that he's running into red tape and won't be open until March at the earliest.

Jim and I usually just sent Naoaki to Petaluma to pick up our minnows the night before.

Naoki what was it you wanted for Dinner at CSBA

anything that wrapped w/ bacon (but no bacon wrapped oreo tho...)
but seriously let me know before hand, I can probably get max of two 5 gal full of minnows ( probably 4 or 5 dozen jumbos) if the Petaluma store has them.  I'll be helpful to yakers for CSBA, but not the BAM!!! 
People from South of Petaluma.  The store is only less than 10 mins away from Hwy 101 & they open early & close late, so don't worry...