daredevil

[deeky]

I was looking through some old stuff I have around and found some Dardevle Skeeters. I haven't seen these discussed in any threads, but wondering what you think. They are just under an inch long and only weigh 2/32. Seems like the size and low weight would give it a nice slow flutter. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Deeky

[CrappieJohn]

Anything small like those little devil guys are perfect for up-sizing when the fish want just a bit more than what is offered in typical ice fishing jigs. When the bite is really hot they are superb. I use the same sized daredevils for vertical jigging trout where there is no current. You'll find they work best if dropped on a tight line. In open water they have taken their fair share of fish too, but I do not often use them for much other than the trout, preferring to chase my crappies and panfish with jigs/ plastics and hairjigs. No reason they would not perform ok when cast though if the fish are active.

[united jigsticker]

Ohhh.

For a second, first thought to mind when I saw "daredevil" referenced in the Crappie forum, was something about or to do with Matt Johnson.

Good thing it was about a lure!

[Matt Johnson]

LOL ...you know me too well UJ

Cold weather is coming

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Matt Johnson]

Those small daredevils will work well for crappies through the ice too. They act like a flutter spoon and can trigger a lot of strikes.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[The Grebe]

I've been meaning to answer this for a couple of days...this stumps me?

When I was a kid, I used a little Daredevil on Wirth and Cedar lakes in Mpls. and I used to catch crappies pretty consistantly.

The years past and I rediscovered the little spoons, but do you think I can get the Crappies to hit them? No, no I can't, summer, or winter?

I get into a school that is taking other lures and think "ah

ha!" I figure I can finally bag em on the spoon...maybe I'll get some brushes, maybe get 1 fish...switch back to what they were hitting on and away they go?

I can get Trout, "Bing,bing,bing" on a spoon, Walleyes to, but not the Crappies?

I have even used the little flutter spoon and no sinker, with a fatty attached, to get river walleyes, when they would'nt touch anything else....cast upstream in the slow current and let the minnow fight the spoon on a fairly slow dessent, works pretty good until a pike cuts you off.

I try and will keep on trying...I see no reason why they should'nt hit them light weight, dynomite little flutter spoons? They hit Beetlespins? It has to be something that I'am doing, or not doing? I bet them Red Lake Crappies would be fun on a little spoon?

[Matt Johnson]

Grebe,

Pack the spoon with maggots. I seldom use minnows on jigging spoons for crappies. 1/16oz spoons packed with maggots seems to do the trick on aggressive crappies. If you use a whole minnow on a jigging spoon for crappies it gives off a pretty large profile, and although the crappies might be schooled up and aggressive, you might still get more negative responses than positive ones. If you're inclined to use minnows, maybe downsize and use just a minnow head instead.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[united jigsticker]

I agree with Matt.

Maggots on a spoon is deadly! And if I use minnows, I never go any bigger then just the head for reasons like Matt suggested. Too big a profile.

[The Grebe]

You know, in the winter I have used waxies on the spoon, minnow heads, what I call pin minnows, the smallest in the bucket of crappie minnows and hav'nt done well at all, one here and there.

I hav'nt tried the maggie approach in the open water, but the minnow head thing I have tried, same deal...I guess I just need more work on my approach?

I like to use 25# test line, that is about as heavy as I can go and still get it through the eye of the spoon, you know, just in case a pike tries to cut me off! "No, no, just kidding!"

[deeky]

25# test - lol, that made my night. I'm on my way to pick some up and re-spool a rod tonight - probably not an ultralight, but deffinitely no bigger than a light action rod. Thanks for the laugh and the ideas.

Deeky

[CrappieJohn]

Deeky.....Grebe uses that heavy stuff to achieve that nice slow flutter you spoke of in your original post. I hear tell of him maybe patenting the yo-yo action of the lure as the line un-coils and rebounds, hence the slow flutter.lol

[deeky]

If that's the case, I was thinking maybe piano wire - even better yo-yo action, but a smaller diameter, and you won't get bit off.

[The Grebe]

CT and Deeky....you guys have given me a great idea....I'm going to get right to work on somehow rigging up a flutter spoon on the end of a slinky!

No cut offs, constant motion with little effort, casting problems solved, (I'll use my Muskie rod and stilts) it will walk right over the rocks and snags, hummm, I wonder?