frozen minnows

[Moeannie]

Let me start by saying I've never tried this. I had a conversation with an old timer yesterday on this subject and he said the best way to preserve them is to put the live minnows in a zip lock bag with a can of regular coke then straight in the freezer. According to him, he has done this and three years later pulled them out and the shiners still have the same color and texture they went in with. Something about the coke formula that prevents it from completely freezing. All I know is I'm ready to try anything after Using pinheads on Saturday. Has anyone used this method?

[Mark]

Moe,
A little food science from a retired chef....
There's a lot of sugar in a "regular" Coke and that slows down the freezing process and the more sugar in a solution the harder it is to freeze. Kind of like salt in water. I wonder if the sweeteners in "diet" Coke would have the same effect?

Let me start by saying I've never tried this. I had a conversation with an old timer yesterday on this subject and he said the best way to preserve them is to put the live minnows in a zip lock bag with a can of regular coke then straight in the freezer. According to him, he has done this and three years later pulled them out and the shiners still have the same color and texture they went in with. Something about the coke formula that prevents it from completely freezing. All I know is I'm ready to try anything after Using pinheads on Saturday. Has anyone used this method?

[Moeannie]

Mark,

He said it has to be Coke Classic. It won't work with Diet Coke or even Pepsi. Like I said, I will try anything the next full moon cycle to avoid the pinheads. I might try this coke method with a batch and then another batch of the dried and salted recipes others have posted here and then post the results. We're planning to get out Wednesday and hopefully we get some good shiners and I'll start my experiment afterwards.

[wakina]

Mark,

He said it has to be Coke Classic. It won't work with Diet Coke or even Pepsi. Like I said, I will try anything the next full moon cycle to avoid the pinheads. I might try this coke method with a batch and then another batch of the dried and salted recipes others have posted here and then post the results. We're planning to get out Wednesday and hopefully we get some good shiners and I'll start my experiment afterwards.

Just so you know the full moon has little to do with the pinheads(YOY Emerald shiners), we may be stuck with those pinheads for awhile until they grow some. Just depends what the netters can draw into their nets as to what is available for bait. The next full moon will be August 29th and named (Sturgeon Moon) Credit to the Farmers Almanac.