panfish lure help

[mrpike1973]

Hi I have been really struggling trying to catch panfish i have been using small spoons all i seem to catch is a perch is it better to use small tungsten jigs. At this point I think spoons are over rated am I missing something do I need smaller spoons or better to use more smaller lures thanks

[mainbutter]

tiny jigs work great, can be tipped with some kind of insect larvae or with a soft plastic.

Crappie minnows on a bare hook with split shot sinker 6'' above the hook on a minimal floatation bobber rig also does well.

[Skhots]

The obvious part is make sure you have panfish where you are fishing.

I like plain hooks and crappie minnows or wax worms for sunnies. Plain hook, small jigs or tungsten jigs if you're willing to spend the extra money.

Try tipping with plastics as well. I've had good luck with impulse, clam, and custom jigs N spins plastics.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'll agree with skhots, make sure you are in an area that has the fish you are looking for. your small spoons may work perfectly fine. That said, small tear drops, or marmooska style jigs work great for panfish. Always a good idea to have a variety of different sizes and colors to match the conditions.

[bbfenatic]

Panfish can be very finicky and sometimes they want a horizontal jig with the waxie threaded on for that total horizontal look instead of a vertical look. Glow jigs work better for me and sometimes I will even up-size to get the larger panfish to trigger and bigger helps keep the pesky perch from bait stealing. I have even used #4 jigging raps when trying to get large crappies in the school to bite. Experiment constantly!