Finky Crappie Minnow Trick

[protrapper]

Here's a little trick I learnd from a guide friend of mine.

When the crappies are hitting minnows or any bug bait very light, take a minnow and pinch the tail section of the minnow off. Hook the base of the tail to a horizontal jig, in effect this will look like a minnow in the water to the crappies. Then jig the lure in front of the fish. You will be suprised how fast and hard they will hit this presentation.

I have used this method on Red and Cutfoot Sioux with excellent results and many other lakes in Wisconsin and Minnesota. So I think it will work any where. It will also work on bull gills. I caught a pound three ounce bull out of Cutfoot last winter.

I have never really shared this trick with anyone so go out and give it a try.

Good Fishin,

Trapper

P.S. I ment finiky at the title. LOL.

[This message has been edited by protrapper (edited 12-09-2003).]

[LuckyFish]

Protrapper It works here in southern mn too.
I found I get more mileage out of my minnows
when I pinch the head off to use on my jigging spoons and use the tail on a small ballhead jig. I use a slow 2" to 3" lift drop jigging action, sort of wag it in their face. Works very well.

------------------
Good Luck & Good Fishing. Lucky

[Guest]

Trapper,

Good one. I also like to cut just the end of the tail off of the minnow and keep it alive. That way I hook it on a small tear drop through the dorsil fin or however and the minnow wiggles but can't move much. Makes an easy meal for a non-aggressive crappie. Those little wiggles of the minnow mimic what the minnow does before it darts off or flees from a predator, the crappies is triggered by those movements and will often times strike. You also don't have to use a split shot when using this approach to keep the minnow in the desired position and without the split shot the crappie feels even less resistance when grabbing the minnow, which can mean more fish on negative days.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

------------------
[email protected]
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum

[BLACKJACK]

protrapper, just trying to understand what you're doing. When you pinch the base of the tail off, are you putting whats left of the minnow onto the hook or just the pinched off tail?

[protrapper]

Yes, I just use the tail. Hook the base of the minnows tail{wich will be the fat part of the tail} to your horizontal jig they work better, cause they imitate a minnow I think. And jig the the bait like you normally would, I like a kicking motion.

Good Fishin,

Trapper

[CrappieJohn]

This sounds like a great trick. When you stop and think about it, the tail is most likely to be the first portion of the minnow into a mouth on the hit...really don't need to have the extras hanging there if you are giving the jig it's motion. And the tail gets them to thinking it is the real McCoy. Who ever your friend is, he must be wise!

------------------
Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[protrapper]

Yes, he is very wise. He guides and fishes some tourneys. Kinda took me by the hand about 5 years ago ice fishing wise. We where on Winni and he was nailing the jumbos. They wouldn't hit the whole fathead though. After complaining enough through my Fish Trap he showed me the trick, and he was useing it on Red The night before when they where really picky and he got his limit at least 45 minutes before me.

Like I say I have used this trick for awhile now all over and it works just unbelieveable everywhere I have tried it.

Give it try let me know how it works.

Good Fishin,

Trapper

[Ice9]

When you say "pinch" do you mean pinch? I'm new at the whole "minnow head" thing. I've been carrying a pair of utility scissors and cutting the minnow off cleanly. Do you think a pinched-of minnow--mashed and trailing some guts--is better than a clean cut one? Do you cut on an angle or straight through? Do we think they're taking it (walleyes, I mean) as a part of a minnow or does the part of a minnow on your hook just add taste or odor to the jig? When you say head, what exactly do you mean: the head alone, some body, what? The tail trick sounds like a winner. Can't wait to try it.

d

[Guest]

I like to pinch instead of cut. Pinching leaves little flaps of skin or trailors of flesh/entrails that cutting doesn't. Those little extra pieces of skin or etc will add action triggering power.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

------------------
First Choice Guide Service

[email protected]
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum

[Matt Breuer]

I have a conflict with this trick. Fish will only take down a minnow head first, if anyone can catch a fish with a minnow in it that's tail first, I would be impressed!! I'm sure it will still work, you just may miss more fish because they will hit the jig or line with their top lip. I like to hook a minnow just between the vitals and the tail, longer life, head first presentation. I may be wrong, just my experience.

------------------
Matthew J. Breuer
Northcountry Guide Service
[email protected]

[CrappieJohn]

In light of all the ideas posted here, I have to agree with Mr. Breuer about the placewment of the hook while using the whole critter. If you think about it a minute you will see how such a location will allow the minnow to pivot allowing the heads first entry while still shortening up the distance to the hook. Myself, when the fish are playing games, I usually hook the minnows as Mr. Breuer stated but also open the hook's gap up a bit,make sure it is sharp and drop down in minnow size to the smallest I can find in the bait pail.

------------------
Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[protrapper]

Matt is interpretating the method wrong. You use just the tail of the minnow with a horizontal jig. I like the fat-boy by lindy. The jig takes the place of the minnows head and the tail assumes its orignal position. It works when the fish wont hit a whole minnow but still want some sort of meat and the tail gives them that. It would be no different than the fish inhaling the jig with euros or waxies on it. Of course they hit the jig head first, the tail is the teaser piece.

I have to say I dont miss many fish with this trick. I have had superb results using it in 4 states I may add. For crappies, gills, and perch. Also has worked on walleyes.

Good Fishin,

Trapper

[captain hook]

Yes that is a very good trick to use in the winter but also in the summer fishing for panfish. Though there is one thing that I don't like about that way is that once the fish hits it the minnow is gone and sometimes the fish its the head and takes the minnow but still most of the time that is the best way to fish.

[Guest]

I must be inventive, because this is a little trick I tried to see if it would work and it did. I happened to catch a nice bass the first time I did it and have done it periodically when I would think of it. I have not tried it specifically for the finicky biters because I have gotten pretty good at triggering those with maggies.

I also think the FatBoy head is ideal.