Since I am now a "Minnow" poster, I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to ask a question regarding how to hook live minnows, LOL.

 

I've seen numerous variations of how this can be done, but whenever I hook a live minnow one of two things always seem to happen:

1. The minnow escapes the hook

2. The minnow dies too quickly to be very effective

 

How do you hook yours: Nose? Tail? Body? Something else I might be missing?

i hook every small live bait through the nose except mullet....for mullet i hook then through the top of the eyes(not cutting into the eye but through the eye sockets

I tend to hook them through the mouth for 2 reasons... 1 they don't get killed from the hook as easily, and 2 you have cleaner hookups...

 

Another way would be to hook the shiner right below its dorsal fin, but not far enough to hit it's spine. This way results in the fish to die sooner and more gut hooks for the fish...

Remember when hooking them in the mouth or nose, only go through the top lip if you hook it's mouth closed than the shiner can't "breath"...

 

Try hooking the upside down as well, they move pretty crazy to try to get themselves upright

we also trim some off the tail to make them an easier meal and make them swim weird

I usually hook them through the back. A little bit under their dorsal fin. I find that even when they're dead the fish don't seem to mind much...

Both, through the top lip and through the back are good.  Depends on what you're doing.  Fishing with a little jig and tube, hooking them through the lips is good.  I like to troll really slow, that way. 

Under a bobber hooking them between the top fin and the spine is good.  If the fish are hitting good the minnows won't have a chance to die.

I nose hook them

Through the bottom lip and out the top for me. If I'm using bigger baits like shad or sunfish I'll usually hook them through the nose. 

we also trim some off the tail to make them an easier meal and make them swim weird

^^ Absolutely^^

A few things should be considered, match the hook size to the bait rather than the fish, too big a hook will kill your bait.  For a small minnows I like the upper lip.  Some species of baits will have a hard area just underneath the eyes, I hook those across the nose, that gives me double penetration in an area that keeps the bait on the hook better as well as keeping it alive. For some of the larger baits any area that does not come too close to an organ and allows the bait the to swim, lip back or tail is fine.  Toothy critters I like the back, many of those species like to cut the bait in half so I like a centered hook, inhaling fishing like a bass or snook I prefer the hook forward in the lip area.

I hook them through the lips (only problem is they have trouble opening their mouth but they still last pretty long). When I am not feeling lazy I hook them through the upper lip and out their nostril (this allows them to open their mouth and they last longer only problem is they slip off the hook easier when casting)

I hook them through the lips and they seem to last forever for me. This past weekend i used the same shad for about 2 hours before he decided to swim into some rocks and get me hung up