A Minnow Trap from Recycled Flotsom

My back has flared up in annual protest for some perceived slight. I can't sail, I can't ride, I can barely walk. I can post something trivial.

Collecting critters and fishing may not be sailing, but I love them both. Even more, I love introducing my daughter to the natural world. Add to that father -daughter time the opportunity to teach a D-I-Y ethic, recycling and thrift all in one stroke; a bargain.

Any plastic bottle with a cap will do. Two are required. Any beat-up thing from the wrack line will do. 2-liter jugs are best, but even 12-ounce bottles do well.

• Cut the bottom off one.
• Cut the top off the other and insert it inverted. Leave the cap on the external neck only--it's handy for decanting the catch. The other neck, of course, is the entrance.
• Secure them together. I've seen everything from staples to cable ties to bolts to bits of string.
• Poke a few 1/8 holes near the neck to allow some water flow, carrying the scent of the bait our the inverted opening. Additional holes only attract fish away from the trap entrance.
• Tie a string around the neck to orient the neck into the flow, if any.
• Add bait. Bread is a good starting point.

We've caught minnows, spring peepers, small crabs, grass shrimp, and eels.

Something to entertain the kids and an idea to keep in your tool box for your next Cast-Away adventure.

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 Post Script. We actually carry a commercial minnow trap, which gets heavy use, both at the dock and at anchor (use care at anchor not to wrap the line around the rudders--just enough line to get it to the bottom).