Best Ways to Rig Plastics?

[Panfish Guy]

Have been experimenting with some plastic baits with limited success. So far have used Nuggies, Wedgies and Gulp minnows. Wondering how others have rigged these baits for the most successful presentations?

[Sir_Sumo]

Check out northland tackle's new impulse plastics on their site. They actually have a couple videos showing the movement in water and I think it would give you an idea of how to rig or jig them with the correct jig head. Otherwise, you're not th only one who's been suckered into buying stuff that doesnt produce much either. Good luck

[OnAFly]

Getting suckered inot buying something? Happens to me too. But I'm OK with buying 10 new lures to find one that works better than anything else I have. Just keep experimenting. Try rigging some up and testing them out in a bucket of water. It helps to see what looks like it will work and what just doesn't look like anything.

[Dark Cloud]

I fish plastics quite a bit for panfish with great success.

I primarily rig them two ways. One is on a horizontal hanging jig so the plastic hangs horizontal also. Or on a verticle hanging jig so the plastic hangs horizontal.

I play around with rigging quite a bit and sometimes it can really make a difference.

I like to rig them and check em in a gallon jar filled with water. You can really see what rigging and how you jig effects the action.

Heres a pict of some rigged jigs for example...

[Panfish Guy]

Haven't tried it with the vertical jigs! Will have to give that a try. Thank you very much!

[bobbymalone]

I like ratso's. caught more gills on ratso's than anything else, although that's biased because I always use them since they work so well )

I've done alright with nuggies, but i like them on the same kind or similar jig heads as ratsos.

Haven't had much luck with crappies on plastics though. And part of that is that I usually stick with minnows or at least a head on a spoon if I am fishing crappies.

[hamms-scooter]

I use plastics exclusively now for crappie unless using eurolarva. I mainly use little atoms nuggies and wedgies for them. Crappies just inhale them when rigged and jigged right. For gills I like to use the nuggies and some tails called munchies. For live bait I use waxies and larva mixed colors but always at least one red one . With the right kicking motion you can make the plastics come alive. Always check the action you want to imitate, drop it in the hole and jig the bait so you can see what your doing. If you can make the tail move alot and not the jig as much I find that very effective in a negative mode the fish turns on its preditor instincts and attacks your bait. This is done best by using the tungsten jigs and nuggies.Good luck oh I never buy minnows anymore unless my son is coming with.

[bobbymalone]

oh I never buy minnows anymore unless my son is coming with.

it's tough not watching a bobber squirm around until it tap tap tap goes under )

especially when you have a second hole sitting right in front of you to jig whatever you want.

[hamms-scooter]

I do enjoy watching the bobber sometimes reminds me of when I was a kid. You learn alot about fishing from watching that float. Always fun!

[Scott827]

I really like the the Little Atom Nuggies and noodles for crappies fished on a tungston jig (3mm to 5mm). I fish the noodles rigged wacky style. I usually do as well and a lot of times better than people fishing around me with bait. Other than dead sticking a minnow every now and then, I don't take live bait with me. If you don't have confidence in plastics, try them when the fish are biting good on bait. You will probably start liking them.

[Nutz4Crappie]

I tried plastics for the first time lat weekend. I was surprised as to how well they worked. I hole hopped with a northland spoon with a minnow head and pulled 2 aggressive fish from the hole, then switched to a ratso with a plastic wedge. I was able to pull out 3 or 4 negative acting fish with the plastic. The use of the plastic to pull in the leary biters really helped to up my numbers per hole. I was able to ice over 25 fish in 2 hours using this method.