Pike minnow

I'm gonna try to eat a pike minnow.  one day.

I'm gonna try to eat a pike minnow.  one day.

Outdoor Chef Life did it like this:

Im always looking for information on pike-minnow. I have explored quite a few areas and I have a few local honey holes. They are my favorite striper bait. Super easy to keep alive and extremely lively on the hook. Ive heard they can even stay alive for quite some time in the salt water  . They are nocturnal feeders primarily so they can at times be a bit tricky to catch mid day. The juvenile perfect bait size specimens seem to like pools with current running into them but not direct current. As the sun is setting small spinners are my preferred lure. Mid day they can be finicky, they seem to prefer bait that is naturally drifting and suspending not directly on the bottom. I have bumped red worms right into their noses just for them to swim away. They will eat worms but sometimes they are just not in the mood. The one bait I have found that never seems to fail is American or cheddar cheese! They go absolutely nuts for cheese, they literally start swimming around viciously like piranhas. Chumming with cheese has worked extremely well for me in small streams all over the central valley and bay area. Remember to use circle hooks if you're using them for striper bait.