What's your favorite winter artificial baits?

[iceman2010]

Anyone have any luck with artificial baits under the ice? I've been trying crappie niblets by gulp. Seem to work about the same as minnows for me.

[workin4bait]

I have been using Gulp Alive Fish Fry for panfish with good results. It stays on well,I can catch around 10 fish per bait.The advantage is it never dies,but on the down side the jars leak and leave a greasy,stinky mess.

workin'

[Scott M]

Check out Maki Plastics now sold in the Clam Pro Tackle line. They are hand poured and made in the good ol USA. The action is pretty unique. Just the slightest movements get these things twitching.

Little Atom were the first plastics I used. Still have a bunch in my box and love them too.

Berkley Power Minnows are a solid choice. I like them when the crappies get active and your flasher lights up.

It's all about imparting good action via jigging and giving them something to chase. Good scents and texture seem to seal the deal.

[Rick G]

I'm with Scott on this, the Maki line has been very good for me this year, my favorite is the Polli.

The Little Atom's are also a good choice, and so are the Gulp alive minnows and minnow fry.

Custom Jigs also has some proven plastics in their lineup.

The biggest thing I have found about fishing plastics is you must have confidence in your presentation in order for it to produce fish.

[Gobbles113]

Ratso will always be my number one go to artificial on the ice as well as open water. Shrimps is my second go to. Both made by Custom Jigs. I do have other artificials but am not at liberty due to rigorous testing in which I need to decide if it benefits me on the ice as much as did in the last two years on open water.

[Icefishfun]

Does anyone know anywhere to get wax tails in the metro area? I have caught fish on them but can't find them except for in owatonna. Does anyone know if mikes bait on 8 sells them?

[MN BassFisher]

I like using a few different sizes and colors of the Custom Jigs and Spins plastics and shortening them to fit my jigs.

[Icefishfun]

Thanks. And does anyone know some good plastics that aren't ratso or shrimp

[JacobG]

For the past 2 seasons ice been fishing with plastics. the vicious shad have been awesome, I prefer the glow, and now this year ive been fishing with the trigger X as well and have had very good luck with them both the paddle tails and the rat tails.

[bbfenatic]

The Northland Impulse Mini-Smelt pink and white and their white tadpole with a pink glow jig head have both produced big crappies for me this year. I am getting away from live bait more and more and really enjoying the convenience and productivity of using plastics.

[going4it]

I have turned many people into believers with the nuggies. They look awesome on a jig and flat out catch crappies and sunnies. Fun when your outfishing the die hard live bait crew and they finally ask for one.

[Gobbles113]

Thanks. And does anyone know some good plastics that aren't ratso or shrimp

icefishfun, LOL!!! It is allright. Something for you to reconsider with a grain of salt afterI share this experience with you as well as others in this forum.

Almost a couple of weeks ago, there were 5 of us icefishing this lake that is well known but protected from the major population from knowing. Anyways, to the point--4 of my buddies despite Ratso and Shrimpo. They tried to tell me to use Northland or Trigger X jig-soft plastics combo. I was catching fish for fish every 3 minutes while they struggled. They admitted defeat and asked me if I could be kind enough to lend them a few after knowing I have quite a handful. The party is back on. We decided to call it quits and go to another lake to join the major population. My group decided to ditch my baits and gave them back to me--they went back to North lands or Trigger X's. They caught zip while I was still catching fish for fish from hole to hole. They had to beg a bit harder after admitting another defeat. I was happy to lend them my baits again. When we wrapped up the day, I saw my group hit their cell phones and started firing away with their thumbs to order large quantities of Ratsos/Shrimpos.

I am not stating one company is better than the others in which others will say I am biased. I am going to stand on neutrality grounds. I will say that if a product is a consistent fish catcher for you, stick with what is actually working for you and helps you be successful on the waters you fish. I do not wish or impose anyone by being biased that one product is better than the others. I bid and wish y'all a successful year on the waters whether on ice or open waters.

[bassinboy3]

I have really been liking the Northland Impulse line this year, the shrimp and the minnows have been doing well for me as of late. The Impulse baits seem to be really durable and I actually caught 13 crappies on the same minnow last night. Smelt and crappie minnow are my favorite colors.

Aside from that I have been using the atoms micro nuggies in either red or chartreuse.

I have been using pretty much only plastics for a few years now and just this year I have turned some of my live bait buddies into plastics fisherman, they work just as well if not better and eliminate keeping live bait alive and switching after every 1 or 2 fish. With plastics I am able to cover more ice and make the most out of the school underneath me before they move on.

[minky]

Great post.

[Jim Uran]

I've been digging the new trigger-x plastics that are out. As you know, I've caught a ton of fish on Northland Impulse, an Maki's. I guess I like to try new stuff, and these have really peaked my interest this year. The key to me is profile, and appendages that are thin enough to cause subtle movements while jigging them.

[Icefishfun]

I like the trigger x's also but one great panfish plastic is the vmc wax tail. I caught literally 110 fish in 4 hours 5 times, without replacing the plastic

[JacobG]

still have a place in my arsenal for the impulse shad, but I am really liking the trigger X paddle tails. have had really good luck with them this year and they can be fished very aggresive

[dan z]

I still am on the bubble on the plastic train yes I use them but I usually tip it with larvae or waxy. I have tried gulp minnows and have had some success. I think there are some subtle movements I haven't keyed in on with these plastics. I also have used impulse, maki and others.

[MikeRaetz]

I love most of the plastics out there but my go too's are the maki jamei, maki and polli along with the little atom nuggie tail.

Over all the jamei has been my first choice this season. Doesn't seem to fail.

[clayton08]

So here we go. I have an absolute arsenal of plastics that are on me at all times. My go to plastic is the northland impulse tapeworm. It works on pretty much every lake if you know how to work it. All the northland impulse line works even the summer stuff. If Im slamming big slabs im using the impulse minnows more than likely they love them tipped on spoons. But I have a bunch of other plastics. DH Custom Rods actually has some pretty good plastics in there shop I picked a bunch up a month ago and they work pretty darn good. The clam stuff hasnt sold on me yet ive tried it and it just doesnt perform the way that I like. I had a tourney for the Ultimate Panfish League on prior lake about 2 months ago and guess what we totally forgot the live bait all of it all I had was plastics which didnt bother me but anyway my partner is still on the fence. Needless to say we ended up winning it with no live bait in are arsenal. Its all about feeling confident in stuff that your using and working the jig like its a living creature. Thats what I tell people try to act like your a bug swimming around down there fluttering and swimming it really does make a monster difference. The fish get used to seeing the same stuff that all of us throw at them and its amazing on what you catch stuff on. The other day I was eating gummy worms and I made a little peice and put it on my hook and was hooked up withing 10 seconds with a gill. Find something you like and try it thats all you gotta do. I buy stuff just to try it worse thing that happens is you lost 3 bucks. Plastics work period and guess what you get down faster too. Thats my 2 cents. The only thing I dont like about the northland impulse line is there kinda hard to find at least the good ones so I dont tell people which color is my favorite anymore. lol

[ZachD]

Northland tackle bloodworm

[Fowlmouth]

Pretty much any jig by JB lures. Love the gem-n-eyes