condition called panfish lockjaw

[erikwells]

Most of us have experienced this more than once. I use a vexilar which makes this condition even more frustrating. I have attempted to remedy lockjaw by putting on every bait known to man with jig, plain hook, small pimple, jig slow , jig fast, scenct, jig small ticks and jig like a maniac. I can honestly say my level of success with condition lockjaw is poor. I believe they are not feeding but will soon. However the fish will move to feed. They will not move far. Any experts have any remedies?

[Scott Steil]

Brian-When the bite is tough you have to pay attention to the small things. Sounds like you have covered a few. The biggest thing that comes to mind is make sure the hook is not exposed. Give it a try once.

Some lakes are just tough nuts to crack. No matter what you do, they just won't bite(sound familiar Toad). You have to remember, that on a lot of lakes in the winter the fish don't feed all day. You are hitting them at a specific time and odds are good they may be neutral. Atleast the bigger fish.

If you know the fish are there, I would try different times of day. Also, the new Red Glow hooks that are out this year really seem to work on the tight lipped gills and crappies. I like the Red Glow Genz Worm for gills and the Red Glow Phelps Tick jig for crappies. Both seem to be very effective this year.

However, some lakes really shut down in the winter and probably the best bet is to find another lake. We are in that period of winter when things can get real tough. Ice is thick, snow on the ice, weeds are dying, O2 levels are getting low. The best fishing is right around the corner!

[Guest]

Depending on water clearity you could also try natural colors like black, brown, grey, etc. I've found that those colors have worked in the past when others don't.

Scott, you bring up a lot of good points. The exposed hook idea could often be the key. I'm with you on the feeding patterns and inactive lakes during winter.

If I'm on a group of fish that aren't biting over deep I will move towards shore to shallower water. I've found out in the past that active fish have been right near deep water up on a shallower shelf when the deep fish are negative. Depth change may only be 4 feet, so its not necessary to make big changes.

The red glow Genz Fatboy is a good lure to try as well. I've had some pretty good success this year with red glow horizontal presentations when fish are negative. A minnow with the tip of the tail cut off has worked well too.

erikwells, what are some characteristics of the lake you are fishing? Depths, composition, etc.

Good Fishin, Matt.

MJ5 and Fishing Minnesota...
http://frida.blc.edu/~mjohnson/mj5.html

[united jigsticker]

No doubt, these mid-winter lulls can be a doozy on the dinner plate for the Sunday afternoon fish fry.

Scott and MJ5 hit a home run with stating to cover the tip of the hook. Like they said, the little things, no matter how insignificant they may seem, are the big keys to unlocking the fish's jaws.

Also, a real secret ingriedient sometimes is to go bigger with your presentation. It may not work all the time, but it's always worth a shot in my book.

Angel eyes and Glow Devils, some of the best weapons in the aresenal. They are available here on the site as well.

Good luck to you

[swampman]

Just wanted to add something to scotts comment on dropping 02 levels. this can be used to your advantage when the 02 drops into the danger zone but it doesnt last long maybe a week. panfish will bite very aggresive when this happens im not even sure they are even hungry but may be more of a stress situation. anyway they will either be found suspended very high often right under the ice or very shallow usually in a hard bottom area without any weeds. 02 in both these places is usually higher. doesnt happen very often but can be a very hot bite.I am sure scott and some of the field staff guys have hit this before but thought maybe somebody might benefit from this in right situation.

[hawgTime]

ew

Besides trying different presentations, trying different techniques sometimes works. Two of my favorites, which have worked for me in the past are: 1) Position your bait/lure 4-8' above the bottom or the fish you are marking and just vibrate it. This will often trigger the active/neutral fish to make a move. 2) Do the exact opposite of the last technique. Position your bait/lure 4-5" off the bottom and just let it sit. This also seems to trigger the active/neutral fish to bite.

hawgTime

[This message has been edited by hawgTime (edited 02-14-2003).]

[Guest]

Like Scott said, times of the day can be a huge factor. Most Panfish bites on most lakes will peak at dusk and dawn. The bite may also be well after dark. The fish have to eat sometime. Seek other schools of fish for active feeders as well.

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