Horizontal vs Vertical vs Minnows vs Maggots

[chow]

First off just wanted to say that I am pretty new to the site, but it is simply awesome being able to bounce questions, ideas, gear and fishing reports, etc on this site.

Now for the question. For crappies when fishing with minnows do you guys generally use some sort of a vertical jig and tail/dorsal fin hook with the minnows?

and

When using a horizontal presentation jig do you stick with maggots/wax worms ect or will you still tip a horizontal jig (like a marmooska) with a minnow. With the horizontal jig if you do use a minnow do you use a head hook on the minnow or tail hook?

I guess by trial and error so far I have fond that vertical jigs can do equally well with minnows or maggots. Depending on what the fish want that day. I have also found that when using minnows I get more hits/fish if the minnow is tail hooked (not head hooked). As far as the marmooska (horizontal presentations) I have done much better using maggots and very little success with minnows.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,
chow

[redhooks]

I like vertical (Northland creeps, phelps tics,gemneye, shrimpos, or red gammegatsu) w/ minnows and have had success hooking them in mouth,dorsal and tail but usually go with the dorsal. As far as horizontal I like small minnows hooked in the mouth but really prefer vertical. I don't use waxies much cause I can usually coax em w/ minnow. big bait=big fish. Tight lines.
redhooks

[juggs]

I ice fish crappies a lot and have found that horizontal is almost always better. I will even cock a vertically hanging jig to be as horizontal as I can get it by sliding the the knot all the way to the left or right. As far as minnows go, you always want to keep them horizontal since they swim that way anyway. I haven't found any difference in success between dorsal hooking and lip hooking so I use both depending on the hook/jig I'm using. If it's a horizontally hanging rig, I lip hook, vertically, I like to dorsal hook.

[Guest]

It all depends on what the fish want. I typically use vertical jigs when tipping minnows through the dorsil fin as well as sometimes through the lips. I also like to tail hook minnows while using a horizontal jig. I've used all combinations on both presentations. Some work better then others on one lake for a particular fish but won't work at all in a different situaiton. I typically use maggots when fishing horizontal and vertical for crappies. If I'm deadsticking I'll use a minnow or if the situation calls for a small minnow on the active rod.

Last year I was fishing crappies after dark and marking fish all over the vex but they were weary to bite. I dropped maggots down on every type of jig. I dropped minnows down on both types of jigs but nothing worked. Finally I tail hooked a minnow just barely through the end of the tail on a plain hook with a split-shot about 10 inches up and wham! I couldn't keep fish off the hook. Just takes a little patience and some trial and error before you find something that works.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Scott Steil]

If you look back we have covered this one before. But, basically when fishing a live minnow you want them to be presented as natural as possible. With that said, I prefer vertical for live minnows. I prefer a Phelps tic jig or any glow jig that has a good hook gap yet still has a thin shank. I really like the phelps jigs! I always hook the minnow near the dorsal fin to keep them lively.

If I am fishing with Wax Worms I prefer Horizontal. I like to use a Genz Worm or Marmooska tipped with a wax worm. This year the new red glow has been a very good color. Occasionally, I will use a minnow head on a small jig. If this is the case I fish that horizontal also, usually on a genz worm.