Ever get sick of setting a minnow trap and waiting several hours to catch a few minnows?  Those minnows might not even be large enough to interest a big bass or pike.  Here's a way to catch shiners with hook and line that is actually enjoyable.  Use an extremely small hook (a small hook is important because their mouths are about the size or a pea) with a single corn niblet or a little piece of bread under a floater or bobber and cast it out near some dense weeds in around 3-5 feet of water.  Usually this will draw some Bluegill and other sunfish, so you may catch some of those, too.  Big shiners usually travel in schools of around 10 fish, all around the same size.  Not all bodies of water have alot of big shiners.  Most of the bodies of water I catch them in have a lack of large predators, such as bass and pike, and are usually overpopulated by sunfish. 

The Classic Michigander 

Sometimes I get lucky and catch them with angle worms...

With the advent of VHS many states are restricting the movement of fish and such from one body of water to another. Before catching shiners or anything else in one body of water and using them as bait in another, check your state's regs. Here in Illinois it is legal to catch and use as bait any non-sport fish as long as only one body of water is involved. Tom

Up here in New york we get common shiners that get the size of yellow perch. I dont know if thats uncommon but they put up a good fight and there fun to fish for.

Posted By bassmasterbk on 27 Aug 2010 05:53 PM
Up here in New york we get common shiners that get the size of yellow perch. I dont know if thats uncommon but they put up a good fight and there fun to fish for.

Big shiners are not uncommon in some places where I live.  I've caught shiners up to 13.5 inches.  Oh yeah...big shiners also like tiny dry flies.  You should consider those, too

The Classic Michigander 

I have big golden shiners in my lake which are the result of other people fishing and tossing away their bait at the end of the day.  It use to really tick me off but after many years it has really helped the crappie and bass population.  Both species are huge because of it.  However, I have seen them overpopulate a lake and really mess up the fishing--so be careful with your bait lest you ruin someone's else's lake.  They school pretty much off the end of dock where we feed catfish and blue gills and get  to be quite large, some well over a pound.  The key to catching them is small hook with most any kind of bait.  I have just caught them with a gold hook.  When I fish for big bass I have started using lures like Bomber Long A in a gold or silver flash.  They make a prism which is much the same and you can occasionally find the flash or foil color on Ebay.  I have also gone to the saltwater version which gives you a bigger bait.  Usually change the hooks by putting a red treble hook on the front and doctor the gill plates with a little red paint.  When I am fishing for crappie I often touch the jig hook up with a minnow (shiner-that is natural order of the food chain.  Hardest thing I have trouble with the big shiners is keeping them alive.  Usually, make two events of it, 1) catching several big shiners 2) fish for bass later--best luck I've had keeping them alive is in wire fish basket.  Of course, in Georgia you can fish with pan fish for bait as long as you don't exceed the kreel limit for them.
How far North do shiners exist?  Good luck and good fishing!  How bout that surprise birthday party.  Great cake and great pictures!  Uncle Tom

We have golden Shiner in MN.