Un used Goldie’s

[DeBaited]

What are all of you doing with left over Golden shiners. I have been bringing them back in & letting them die. I then take them home & roll them into my garden. I only save Real shiners to use another time. I dry them out & put in a zip bag with yellow corn meal then freeze.

[Ole fisherman]

If gol. I do jdies is all that is availiable, I go back home. Never had any success with them, not worth burning the gas. I do keep emeralds, add alcohol to preserve them then freeze. They don't freeze solid and not fall apart soft.

[gb1234]

I throw them in Lake Erie. I figure some perch will get fed and be bigger for my next trip.

[sherman51]

I throw them in Lake Erie. I figure some perch will get fed and be bigger for my next trip.

Did you know it is a crime to release them into Lake Erie? I could be wrong, but I think it's illegal in all lakes.

[gb1234]

News to me. I just did a quick search of the Ohio regulation book and found that minnows cannot be returned to any water from which they did not originate. But don't the bait people acquire minnows from Erie tributaries anyway? Can anyone confirm?

[Ole fisherman]

No....many times when emerald shiners are scarce, the bait wholesale folks get goodies and others from minnow farms where they are raised in ponds. Some times creek minnows are from creeks not local to lake erie. Unless you know your extra minnows came from lake erie, never return them to the lake. I have a pond at home with bass, blue gill, and catfish. They look forward to my return home with extra minnows...snack time!

[gb1234]

Well I'm glad for this post then because I had no idea.
In the future I'll throw them away at the cleaning station.