Fussy Fish!

[theeotherwhitemeat]

The fish in my area don`t seem to be biting.I have tried color change,bait change,time change, as well as alot of drilled holes.Where should I be looking? What time is best?Is there a certain hot bait to bring them out of hiding?Also,there`s heavy snow cover on the ice...!

[CrappieMagnet]

This time of year,you have to downsize everything.Get the smallest hook,splitshot and bobber,perhaps the new ice bobbers,they have out now,cuz you want to adjust the weight to the sensitivity.the slightest movement you will be able to see it.Also try to find abrupt changes in depths and corners.Crappies are attracted to these.Often they will suspend in deeper water and move up on to feed.Look to deeper water,also. good luck

[Matt Johnson]

Well put CrappieMagnet, downsizing is the key, and fish slower as well. The fish are also biting light so look for slight changes in your line or rod to indicate a strike. And like CrappieMagnet said, the Ice Buster Bobber in the smaller size cut down to barely float your jig is a good choice as well. Going small to like 1/64 or even 1/200 oz tipped with single maggot might be the plan of attack. I've been doing well with pin nail minnows tail hooked on a 1/64oz jig. Good luck!

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
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Stone Legacy

[theeotherwhitemeat]

Thanks for the info!What colors are you guys having luck on there?Should I stay with a darker color due to the low light penetration because of the snow cover?

[CrappieMagnet]

I would try multi-colors this time of year.Possibly Moon glow colors.Greens and white combo's with some silver speck or maybe pink and white with gold or copper.I use bright colors this time of year and also anything that mimmicks insects or plankton.Remember go small.GOOD LUCK!

[Matt Johnson]

I've been doing well with red glow. Charge it every couple minutes too. Green glow and blue glow is good too. Also, darker colors have been producing more fish out of a negative school as well. An all black size 10 Ratso is a good choice.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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First Choice Guide Service

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Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
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[phin101]

I did well this past weekend with a small minnow hooked through the top of the eye socket. It doesn't kill the minnow, unless you go too high. The minnow just sits there and fans it tail and fins. I had a line down with an active minnow hooked through the dorsal fin and one hooked through the eye socket. the fish would come up to check out the active minnow, then inhale the other one. The only thing you have to watch is whether the eye hooked minnow is swimming upright. They tend to turn the the side with the wrong type of hook.

Matt, are you tipping all your ratsos with some kind of bait or scent or just using the jig/body on it's own?

[Matt Johnson]

Good one with the hooking tip for the minnow!

I like to add one or two euro larvae to my Ratso's. But leaving them plain works sometimes too. The action that the tail gives off can seal the deal on its own in a lot of cases. But adding a little piece of "meat" doesn't hurt. When the fishing is fast and the fish are aggressive, then there is no need to tip the Ratso with anything. Even on days where the fish are really finicky a plain Ratso can do the trick. Just have to be prepared for whatever the fish throw at you.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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First Choice Guide Service

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Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
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[theeotherwhitemeat]

What colors of ratso are you using and is it a colored larvae?

[Matt Johnson]

I like the pink head with the white body during the day. And then I switch to the all glow at night. Colored larvae, in white and red are the two best colors. I like to use two larvae at a time, but sometimes you have to scale down to just one to get the fish to bite. The action of the plastic tail on the Ratso is great and can entice the fish to strike as well.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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First Choice Guide Service

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