Small Minnows....

[Matt Johnson]

When you head out on the lake take with some of the smallest minnows you can find if you are in search of crappies. I've noticed numerous times that the crappies that I normally get to respond to typical presentations are acting different this year. One of the presentations I've found to out perform others is downsizing the minnow. This past weekend it was put to the test...

We were marking crappies all over in a 23 foot hole. They were eager to rise to presentation but with no strikes in most cases. Maggots and minnows were used on different variations of jigs, basically covering the whole spectrum. I knew the fish weren't in a neagtive mood it had to be the offering. I dropped down the same jig but with a tiny 1-inch minnow...and wham! Those crappies attacked on the fall. They wanted those small minnows. Just to prove this was the answer, I dropped down another line with a medium sized-regular crappie minnow, but with no takers. Every single fish came in on the small minnow. I walked around and talked with the group of people I was with on the ice and they were not getting many bites. I asked what they had on and they said a minnow, but it was a medium sized crappie minnow. I could take my presentation, with the small minnow, and drop it down their hole and catch fish. It was the size of the minnow that was the deciding factor on the ice that day. For every crappie that came through on the medium sized crappie minnow there were 10 that came through on the tiny minnow.

So, just a little tip to take with you on the ice the next time you are in search of crappies and you are marking them but with no luck. Sure did the trick this past weekend.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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

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

[protrapper]

Matt,

Good point. Four of us had to do that on Gull Lake for eyes this weekend. They only would hit small Rosie Red minnows. They were very aggresive towards them. Big fatheads they would swim up to and then swim back to bottom. But they would smack them little Rosie's.

Four of us got our limit of eyes. Biggest was 8 pounds.

Good Fishin,

Trapper

[EBass]

Happened in Wayzata bay this past weekend. I was using crappie minnows for eyes and everyone else was using fatheads or shiners. I was 3-6, with a dink, 14" and 21".

[CrappieJohn]

Good subject to look at Matt. I preach down-sizing at this time of year....whether it is plastic, bait or any other sortof lure. I think that is one of the reasons that this new bio bait ice grub stuff is so effective at times. When the fish want compact baits, this stuff fits the bill. Same with plastic. It works under the ice as well as open water, but it had better be short and thread-fine. Minnows are just another shining example of how getting as tiny as possible will become a part of one's arsenal of tricks. I find that the trend is for smaller and smaller baits until the ice is on it's last solid legs and then you need to begin getting a tad larger. Here in the SE corner of the state the shift to larger baits usually becomes apparent in mid to late Feb., depending on the winter, the weather, and the ice conditions.

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

[FI Guide]

The same thing happened to me this weekend. My friend is sitting catching crappies every time he drops it down the hole. As soon as I put the smaller minnow on i got a bite right away. My opinion since the fish are more sluggish in the winter downsizing has been the way that I have iced more fish. Released many crappies but took 10 so my sas could have a meal

------------------
Dan Ament
[email protected]

[Matt Johnson]

Yeah, its hard to find them. Vados Bait in Spring Lake Park usually has them, but they were out the last time I stopped in there. Sometimes you can find them at different baitshops. You can usually find a few tiny minnows mixed in with the crappie minnows most baitshops give you, but you might run out fast

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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

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

[ole]

Hey All, Where are the better places in the North Metro to find them tiny buggers?
Seems most places I go to only have medium sized crappie minnows. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks, OLE

[Guest]

Matt...minnow downsizing does work! Friday on Chisago I not only got my limit of nice crappies with small minnows but a couple 8" sunnies and a bonus 15" walleye. Thanks for the tip!

[Matt Johnson]

aftacrops,
Glad to hear you got into the fish! Those Metro crappies want smaller minnows this year for some reason and why not give it to them

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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

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

[Chad Anderson]

FI Guide (Amentonian), YES I did get all the bites!!!!! But yes along with all of you i have also downsized and had better luck. Dont know what the deal is but whatever works.

FI-You got me back this weekend though

------------------
eat, fish, try to sleep

[CrappieJohn]

This small minnow thing creates some challenges, the greatest being is to find the darned thing consistantly. I have no idea why, but every few years we will get a winter where the tiniest minnows are the fish catchers. It is during the last ice following a winter such as this that you can almost bet that the craps are going to want some serious meat. Towards the end of next month you should take a mixture of minnows along when crappie fishing. One day they will want small, the next a larger bait. Be ready when this shift occurs as it is generally unannounced and can frustrate you.

------------------
Plastics...making better fishermen without bait! Good Fishing Guys! CrappieTom
[email protected]

[FI Guide]

Andersonian yea i did hey but you didnt do to bad yourself you know whatever works i got this new lure you gotta check it out

[G_man]

I agree Vados has some small minnows, but I'm wondering if anyone else can point us to another baitshop with smaller minnows too. I'm on the south side of the Metro and Vados is quite a haul for smaller minnows.

[fishnutbob]

G-Man Try cabin Fever in Victoria, he may have them or ask him if he can get Pin Minnows from Kens Bait. I did get some pin minnows when I had a bait store IN St. Bonifacius, from Ken's wholesale Bait. But they are hard to find but they work.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Bought some minnows at the bait shop in Chisago yesterday, pretty consistent with the 1" - 2" smaller crappie minnow if that helps any of you guys looking for the smaller sized minnow, smaller from what I've been able to find anyways.

Lwn

[Matt Johnson]

LwnmwnMan2,

Thanks for the report!

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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

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

[Fishcatcher]

Can't agree more... Got some small minnows yesterday and limited out on crappies in 3 hours. Missed abunch because they bit light, but also through a bunch back. Kep wide range from 8" - 12"

40 foot hole, marking all over teh place, but shallow 20 foot were most agressive

[Matt Johnson]

Fishcatcher,

Welcome to Fishing Minnesota!

Good report! I was out yesterday and small minnows were the ticket as well. Anything over 1.5 inches never got touched. Downsizing your minnow has been the key so far this winter for consistant action in the Metro. As you head more north I've found that I can use larger minnows. Suspicious crappies are feeding lighter in high pressured lakes, not willing to take large baits or chase all that much once midwinter rolls along. Small glow jigs in 1/64 to even 1/200oz tipped with two or even a single maggot has been producing lately. Let the jig free fall down to the fish, let it fall very slow and keep it still once you are near the fish. I've noticed that the crappies have been hitting a still jig lately. You want to add some twitches and slight jigging motions but keeping it still and letting the maggot or plastic tail do most of the work has been the key.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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

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

[Matt Johnson]

Small minnows did the trick again last night. I fished from 6pm to about midnight out off a deeper hole up on the flat area near some rock piles. Caught a lot of crappies and a majority of them came on tiny 1 inch or so minnows tipped on a 1/64oz red glow jig. Very light biters. Fisherdog19 joined me last night and he had the hot seat for the last hour or so pulling in a fish every couple minutes. Maggots produced a few fish but I'm giving the small minnow the upper edge last night.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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

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