Favorite Crappie And Sunny Jig

[minky]

What is everyone's favorite crappie and sunfish jig? 

I always like to a have a demon jig on at least one of my rods.

I have had great luck with a white body and a purple, orange or pink head.

The demon has been my go to crappie jig for many winters!

I also like a red/ yellow demon for sunnies.

[Wanderer]

Demons are good!  I always have some with too.  But I usually start with a forage minnow in blue/glow.  Another I’ve learned to keep handy is a Rattling Blade Spoon.

 

Can’t say I have a hard go to for sunnies.  Sometimes they hit the forage minnow anyway.  But I do normally have a tungsten jig head with plastic ready to go if a good marking fish is interested but just won’t commit.

[JBMasterAngler]

1/16 oz chartreuse forage minnow. No need for anything else.

[minky]

I will give the forage minnow a try!

[monstermoose78]

1/64 Pug bug and a maki mino 

if I am just targeting crappies a 1/32 pug bug and maki mino.

 

Eyeguy got me on the 3 mm gold tungsten jig with a impulse mayfly it’s lethal for gills and crappies. 

[minky]

I checked out the impulse mayfly, looks really interesting! I for sure will be trying it.

[minky]

I picked up some impulse mayfly plastics and mud bug jigs. I have tried plastics in the past with mixed results. I expect good things from the impulse mayflys. It would be nice not to have to mess with live bait.

[eyeguy 54]

it takes some practice. I was skeptical at first also but friends did great on them so made the switch and I use them 95% of the time for gills and crappies now.  Still learning

[ANYFISH2]

A gill getter jig(horizontal) and a "flipper" jig(vertical) are the first two to go on the line for sunfish.  

Crappies are kinda my kryptonite, so i usually throw the box at them till something works.

I am still a meat fisherman, plastics have been very productive at times however.

[Rick G]

Like others have said, Impulse mayflies on a 3 or 4mm tungsten jig is my go-to for panfish. If you are targeting deeper crappies or big fish only give the Lindy frosted spoons a try, 1/16 works quite well tipped with a minnow head or waxies.

[BobT]

On 2/15/2019 at 9:30 AM, JBMasterAngler said:

1/16 oz chartreuse forage minnow. No need for anything else.

I've used these too. Do you add any meat or whole minnow? Hooked through the back or lip? 

[JBMasterAngler]

If it’s crappies, I use minnow heads. Eurolarvae for sunfish (and trout).

[minky]

Used the impulse mayflys today, the fish were not biting well. I ended up catching a few nice gills on the mayflys but more fish with  the demon/ waxie combo. I want to try some lighter line with the horizontal jig /impulse mayfly and see what happens. Maybe 5 years ago I moved away from winter panfish fishing. I am so glad I am back catching panfish, a very enjoyable way to pass a winter morning!

[Wanderer]

Minky, what lb test are you using?

 

I’m running 2 and 3 Micro Ice on pretty much everything I have for panfish.  I’ve been impressed with what it can handle along with its fish ability.  Pairing with the right rods helps a bunch too.

[monstermoose78]

I agree I run 3 pound test for all my small panfish jigs. It takes time to get the hang of plastics minky. If you get a chance fish with Eyeguy or rick g it will help you learn faster. I am willing to show people as well how to use plastics. Remember you might have to customize your plastics. Some days the gills want the legs off the mayflys and for gills I pinch a 1/3 of body off my maki mino to prevent short bites as much.

wander nailed it you need the right rod for plastics or a spring bobber. I agree with Royce on the frabil titanium spring bobbers. They take an ok rod and make much better.

minky March 9 I got a get together going on on blue lake and there will be some of the best anglers there to show and ask questions.  This year I will not be fishing but talking to everybody to help them get questions answered.

[eyeguy 54]

3 pound micro ice in the flo green has been good to me 2 winters now. I can see it! Havnt been using the spring bobbers much this year since I like them for the 3mm tungsten.  Mainly 4 this year. I needed a new one tho so grabbed another a couple weeks ago. Strange! Was out fishing and it would not hold the 3 mm up.  Got home and checked in the house and it was just fine.  Hmmmmmm, twilight zone?? Checked it again next time out and same thing. So when i got home i did a side by side test outside the patio door. Pic has a 3mm on each set up.  Come back inside and it goes back to normal. WEIRD!  lol WIll exchange it but mills is out of them so gotta wait till next winter. Sent frabill a note but havnt heard back yet. 

[minky]

I will give 3 lb micro ice a try. I have used spring bombers for many years, helps me to see light biters. I might stop out to Blue lake on the 9th, it would be good to talk to / learn from other fishermen.

[monstermoose78]

7 hours ago, minky said:

I will give 3 lb micro ice a try. I have used spring bombers for many years, helps me to see light biters. I might stop out to Blue lake on the 9th, it would be good to talk to / learn from other fishermen.

To watch how people work the jig is huge. Minky if the get together gets canceled I will let you know when i head out fishing

[minky]

Sounds good monstermoose!

FF was out of 3 lb micro ice line so I picked up some 3 lb orange sufex line.

The rod i put the 3 lb on had some form of braided line on it (got the reel from a buddy). I think I am going to notice a huge difference with the 3 lb line!

 

[monstermoose78]

On 2/24/2019 at 2:02 PM, minky said:

I will give 3 lb micro ice a try. I have used spring bombers for many years, helps me to see light biters. I might stop out to Blue lake on the 9th, it would be good to talk to / learn from other fishermen.

you will