Favorite panfish ice fishing lures

[Pat Burch]

Well its getting to be that time of year, most of us are winding up our hunting seasons and are transitioning into ice fishing gear. I know what I will be doing this week, time to take inventory on the ice gear and probably add some new stuff. I like to get out on some of those small lakes that freeze up first and hit the sunnies and crappies. I know there are 1,000's of different styles, shapes and colors out there, but lets hear what a couple of your favorite sunfish/crappie crushers are.

I personaly have always loved the fat boys, the moon shape neon lure and the red glow genz bug tipped with 3-4 euro larvae.

For small spoons the perch frostee with the gold back and wax worms one on each hook chandelier style has always been deadly too.

I am also looking forward to trying the lindy toad and Lindy bug this year.

Lindy Toad - good bottom pounding design

Lindy Bug - nice fluttering design

[carpshooterdeluxe]

anything #12-#16 in tungsten. Last winter I always seemed to do best on a chartreuse mooska tipped with spikes for crappies and gills. I also used gold or white small swedish pimples a lot as well.

[OnAFly]

#6 orange glow demons always work for me for Crappies. Other than that, ratsos and shrimpos work well. I'll be trying some small tungsten stuff this year for a change of pace.

[fishin]

The Outdoor Pro Series Flutter Jig is hard to beat for attracting and triggering panfish strikes.

Here's a picture:

Pat, your ice fishing jigs and lures are awesome too!

[Jeremy airjer W]

I wont leave home without nuclear ants. Either purple or gold in color sometimes black.

[Pat Burch]

Yeah I like those ants as well. I honestly have not tried much of the propeller stuff for pannies.

[broncosguy711]

The Outdoor Pro Series Flutter Jig is hard to beat for attracting and triggering panfish strikes.

Here's a picture:

Pat, your ice fishing jigs and lures are awesome too!

with the flutter is there a high "tangle" possibility? seems like it could be is all. just wondering. thanks

[Rick]

Not at all. I've used the OutdoorProSeries Flutter Jigs for a couple years now without a tangle.

I can vouch that it's a very effective lure for Crappies, Perch and Sunfish. Even walleyes.

[jwmiller33]

Two panfish jigs I will have with me everytime I am out on the water:

1) Ratso

2) Flirty Girty

[robert aldrich]

Northland tackle Bros BUGS. i have all of the Bros bugs.

[dfv87]

Love the flutter jigs almost as much as the gill pill... almost.

[Bobb-o]

That Toad and Bug are going to be my go-to's this winter, but one i am really looking forward to experimenting with is the new micro-sizes in the slick jig. I think these will kill bluegills on the clear lakes i normally fish.

[Brad B]

I picked up some of those micro slick jigs and can't wait to try them. I also plan to try more of the plastics this year.

[RuddyDuck]

I have good luck with demon jigs in size #10, both glow and silver/yellow or chart. Also like the small diamond jigs and shrimpos, Nortland mudbugs and hexi-flys. I did pick up several of the Lindy toads and bugs this fall and will also be giving them a try.

[NCLaker]

I like to experiment with various jigs. But my fall back/confidence jigs are Demon and Fiskas Wolfram Tungston jigs. Also get a lot of use out of Diamond Jigs, Bro Bug jigs, Ratso & Rat Finkee, Genz Bug

[mr_jman]

A red flutter jig with a black dot on it made by Arnolds tackle, for Gills. (I should buy the flutter jigs that were previously posted as well!)

I still would take the Northland Tackle forage minnow in purple/silver/blue (backside glows) for Crappies any day on the ice.

[fishuhalik]

i've got about 200 jigs in my box but i only use aboit 6 of em. i always have one rigged with a white diamond jig & another with a chart/grn frostee jigging spoon. about the only other lures i'll use are tiny hair jigs, pimples, & marmooshkas. oh, and a deadstick is always set up too

[Deitz Dittrich]

I really like the neon glow jigs that Outdoor Pro Store makes.. But also have a diamond jig tied on a lot as well.

[hamms-scooter]

Gill pills, finkie,diamond.... all good. Really liking the tungsten heavy metal jigs. Most of northlands stuff as well. I can't say I stick to one, I like using lots of different actions and bait. jig-a whopper makes a jig called a hawg and I nail large gills on that last year tipped with a nuggie/euros

[Pat Burch]

Well guys were getting close, some of you guys up north have already been out. One more questions for you guys, how many of you guys are truly into plastics for panfish?

I have always preferred the live bait euro/waxes etc.. when ice fishing for pannies. Due to the slower presentation ice fishing presents, clearer waters and letharigic nature of the fish in the winter I have been reluctant to switch.

However, I have seen first hand some nice panfish caught on the new lindy ice jigs and plan to add it to my bag of tricks more frequently. I like them because you get 4 different styles of tails in each pack and lots of color choices. I am not saying I am switching over to plastics totally for panfish as live bait IMO is hard to beat, but like most lures they will have their time and place.

[Rick]

I have to say...those Lindy micro-plastics for ice fishing are hard to beat Pat

They literally have the action of the real thing... even when you try to hold it still.

[BobT]

Thanks for starting this thread, Pat. Good info.

[FisH_SLaYer24]

I picked up countless Northland Hexi Fly's and CJ&S Diamond Jigs last hardwater season. I love the wider profile that the Hexi Fly offers for picking up your jig on your flasher. I also love the Diamond Jigs because once you catch a fish, you can drop back down into the strike zone faster due to its weight. I also enjoy fishing the Ratso's, Gill Pill's, and I especially like the Northland Forage Minnow's and CJ&S Demon Jigs for deadsticking some pannies.