News Release Distributed 01/06/12
ABBEVILLE, La. – An LSU AgCenter workshop that will provide information for raising cocahoe minnows as baitfish for recreational anglers will be held at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 17, at the Vermilion Parish Extension Office.
LSU AgCenter aquaculture researchers with Louisiana Sea Grant have been refining techniques to produce this popular baitfish used by fishers to catch speckled trout, redfish and flounder.
The researchers will discuss the biological requirements of the minnows, breeding and brood stock care, water quality issues, feeding requirements and handling procedures.
Cocahoe minnows are also referred to as larsh, mud minnows or gulf killifish. These are native fish that are found in brackish or low-salinity areas along the Gulf of Mexico coast. They can be raised in small ponds during most of the year, and tank production is possible over the winter to have a supply of minnows early in the spring.
“Current availability of the minnows is dependent on catching them in the marshes with minnow traps, and the supply is often limited due to season and trapping conditions,” said Mark Shirley, LSU AgCenter fisheries specialist. “Pond production would provide a dependable supply of bait throughout the fishing season.”
The extension office is located at 1105 West Port St. in Abbeville. For more information, contact Shirley at 337-898-4335.
Bruce Schultz