Which kind of minnows?

[Jim Uran]

I know a lot of fishing snobs who don't even use bait anymore, this question isn't for you. 

 

Are fatheads the utility bait, kind of comparable to Ex-Viking Leroy Hoard? Shiners are the fragile divas, kind of comparable to Ex-Viking Percy Harvin? 

 

Which do you use? I rarely buy a scoop of Shiners, I'm a utility kind of guy, but last night got me thinking. Those fish that came in and sniffed and sniffed just after dark, what were they? I'm guessing they were walleyes, could have been burbot or rock bass but I doubt it.

 

Could shiners have made a difference in your opinion? 

[Hawg]

I'm a shiner guy. Spottails,if available, silver, then golden. 

[ANYFISH2]

Early ice, which is over now IMO, my go to is golden shiners.  From Christmas on, I prefer rainbows.  They are hardy and swim hard under a bobber or dead stick.

[elkrivermn]

Fatheads, they are all I can afford on my salary  

[Wanderer]

4 hours ago, Jim Uran said:

Those fish that came in and sniffed and sniffed just after dark, what were they? I'm guessing they were walleyes, could have been burbot or rock bass but I doubt it.

 

Could shiners have made a difference in your opinion? 

 

Well Jim, I could use more info to answer that with my best guess.

 

What time of night?

What depth?

Type of structure?

What spot on what lake??

 

[perchking]

No surprises here, I am a fathead kind of guy. I can never keep those darn shiners alive. 

 

 

[RebelSS]

9 minutes ago, perchking said:

No surprises here, I am a fathead kind of guy. I can never keep those darn shiners alive. 

 

 

  X 2   .

[lawnbuilder]

I go with a scoop of crappie minnows and medium suckers. They are much easier to keep alive usually. 

[Jim Uran]

2 hours ago, Wanderer said:

 

Well Jim, I could use more info to answer that with my best guess.

 

What time of night?

What depth?

Type of structure?

What spot on what lake??

 

 

Lake Winnie, about 5:30-6:00 on the bottom of a drop from 12' to 24' 

[Wanderer]

7 hours ago, Jim Uran said:

 

Lake Winnie, about 5:30-6:00 on the bottom of a drop from 12' to 24' 

 

Yes.  

 

 

Seriuosly though, I've never regretted having 2-3 minnow options while ice fishing.  I like to keep different offerings out there till one proves to be the better one.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Wanderer

[Jim Uran]

I should add that I was jigging with a Rattln flyer with a minnow head, BUT my better half and the two kids were all minnow dunking at that time with fatheads. They didn't get touched, I wonder if they had shiners on if they would have showed me up. 

[Jim Almquist]

My first choice would be Shiners and 2nd would be Rainbows. When the bite is on fatheads will work but when its a little slow I would rather have Shiners or Rainbows. My biggest reason is Shiners are natural to the lake. Most of my favorite baits are perch pattern of sorts followed by green and blue. My go to jig in the summer is a green/blue glow and I will use it in the winter hooking the minnow back by the tail and let it swim.

 

 

I would have thought the fish that came up would have been walleyes or maybe even pout. Maybe they just were not in the mood.

[RebelSS]

Since I usually fish for the pannies. my first choice is crappie minnows. Second would be fatheads....

[Cooter]

Jim - were you able to get back out and do a minner test?