I can understand your frustration. I trap bait for myself and all my fishing partners because they are having the same problem. Paying a dollar or more for one minnow is out of the question for me. I find a good spring that leads to, or is close to a big creek. The bait seems to hold good during the winter and it wont freeze. I live in the Akeley Swamp so I have several to choose from. As far as small creeks go I don't even try. Another thing I do is build a good bait tank in the spring so the bait is always handy. Try to stay out of the trout approved waters, they frown on that! Good luck!