What's a "Slick"?

[Bill Babler]

Boy's I have a question? What is a steelback minnow? I had several experenced gentlemen that were in there early 80's, tell me of using these minnows in the 1930's and 1940's

They were one of the favorite baits for the float outfitters, of the day, along with craw-daddy's.

Are they slicks, or chubs?

[hornyheadchub]

Boy's I have a question? What is a steelback minnow? I had several experenced gentlemen that were in there early 80's, tell me of using these minnows in the 1930's and 1940's

I did a quick search of this and this is what I think: I would guess that a Steelback Minnow wasa reference to an early commercially available lure, (see this link, look at number 10). This makes sense given the age of the gentlemen you speak of and the production dates of the lure.

This is purely speculation, but the only other references I have found to any sort of Steelback, were for a fish in Australia.

Topminnows are important controls for aquatic insects (a similar niche to that occupied by the Mosquitofish); they occupy the upper portion of the water column. They have poorly developed swim bladders to be kept at depth of more than a few feet, so they would likely not make good bait anyhow.

[wildminnow]

well I have long seined for topwater minnows and will continue to do so. My favorite way to get em is to find a spot in the creek that has become a "pond" so to speak no water no longer running into it, easy to seine, and they are not going to live any way. And they are by far the best live bait around, I have seen many fishing trips where us guys with the topwaters are the only ones to be catching any fish. I can gurantee us seiners are not responisble for poor stream quality to any gamefish either, other wise I would think the conservation dept. might have something to say about that.

[taxidermist]

Slick becomes a regional term. I know the old timers around here call Chubs and small suckers, slicks. There is any number of old timers I can go to and get slicks from their tank to bait fish with.

Times change as these old guys die off.

[SKMO]

They have poorly developed swim bladders to be kept at depth of more than a few feet, so they would likely not make good bait anyhow.

Beg to differ on this they are great bait. Very durable and the SM loved them over any other live bait including softshell 'dads.

[PowersiteProwler]

I have to agree with you wildminnow. There are far more damaging issues to the ecosystems in our streams right now then seining topwaters. If seining the topwaters are so distructive, I would think MDC would be regulating? In fact, they do have regulations on seining certain types of minnows/fish and the topwater is not one of them to my knowledge? I'll keep seining as long as it's allowed, in fact I enjoy the hunt and seining of minnows.

[wildminnow]

I would have to agree with skmo about the durability of topwaters they can go deep and have no problems they swim circles around black heads or shiners in my book

yes prowler there has also been some talk on this board about keeping walleyes, but again i would say I think MDC is capable of setting regulations to keep the population at its best, I say follow the posted rules and do what you want within them

[hornyheadchub]

Beg to differ on this they are great bait. Very durable and the SM loved them over any other live bait including softshell 'dads.

I don't know much about them as bait, because as I said, I don't use them.

I have to agree with you wildminnow. There are far more damaging issues to the ecosystems in our streams right now then seining topwaters. If seining the topwaters are so distructive, I would think MDC would be regulating? In fact, they do have regulations on seining certain types of minnows/fish and the topwater is not one of them to my knowledge? I'll keep seining as long as it's allowed, in fact I enjoy the hunt and seining of minnows.

Actually, Topminnows are covered by The Code as they those species of fish not defined as game fish

3 CSR 10-6.605 Live Bait

PURPOSE: This rule establishes seasons,

methods and limits for taking species defined

as live bait.

(1) Daily Limit: In the aggregate, one hundred

fifty (150) crayfish, freshwater shrimp,

and those species of fish not defined as game

fish in 3 CSR 10-20.805;

I would have to agree with skmo about the durability of topwaters they can go deep and have no problems they swim circles around black heads or shiners in my book

They may go deep with the help of some weight and a hook, but the fact is that their swim bladders do not connect to their throats as in the majority of fish, but rather the gas exchange is done through the blood. This makes them less than good swimmers of their own accord when at depths of more than a few feet because they are incapable of purging their swimbladders of air.

Further, topminnows and other kilifishes are so important to ichthyologists, biologists, aquarists, ecologists and behaviourists, because of their unique beauties and characteristics and because they are critical tools to control diseases where an aquatic insect is the vector.

I never said to not utilize them as bait, I simply believe that when we remove an organism from an ecosystem we should be as aware as possible as to the effect it has on that ecosystem.

[Sam]

I seldom fish with minnows now, and I buy them when I do. My experience with setting minnow traps is from back before Tablerock was built when I used to fish the Finley, James, and Beaver Creek with my dad and grandpa. Minnow traps were glass at that time, and you had to be real careful not to break them on the rocks.

We didn't know anything about the minnows scientifically, of course. The ones we called "topwater minnows" swam at the surface of the water, were about 2" long, and had a white spot on top of their heads. They weren't very good bait, as they'd die quickly on a hook. Are those the ones you're talking about?

The minnows we liked to catch and use were the ones called "slicks" now. They're stonerollers, I guess, and they'll stay alive all day on a hook.

[wildminnow]

Would not an aquarist(any joe smoe with an aquarium) be be removing an organism from the ecosystem by using kilifishes to stock in their new aquatic home? Just wondering what everyone else thought about that.