Types of Panfish Plastics

[CrappieJohn]

Old....When I first looked at paddletails, the brewer product was the only one available. I tried them but was not too happy with the size, especially early on. Culprit's units are perfect in size. The new Stub Grub from JRs is even shorter measuring 1 3/8 inches and has a ribbed body that makes for a nice drop rate. I designed these units and have been field testing them for three years now. And those from JRs come in a whole lot more colors.

[Dan Thiem]

Eyehunter, I enjoy your posts. Good reading for sure. Thanks.

[EYEHUNTER10]

Thanks guy I won't be a stranger you can count on that, wish I could see toms seminar, I am kinda a crappie freak too. Them big bulls really got me all worked up this winter and really gained alot from the tough fishing we had this winter chasing them pannys It didn't seem like alot of fun at the time especially that stretch in january where the highs were like 10 below. Reminds me never set a 3/blade strike master on a sunflower heater to remove the ice to keep drilling holes just a tip!!

[Matt Johnson]

I took a few more shots of the new plastics that CrappieTom designed. Let me tell you, these are some sweet plastics! I can't wait to hit the water and put these plastics to work!

Rat Grub

Rat Grubs in all the available colors

Stub Grub

(Stub Grubs are available in the same colors as the Rat Grub shown above)

The ring/ribbed feature of these plastics is going to really incorporate a slow-fall that I think is going to trigger both negative and aggressive fish into biting. Perfect plastics for situations like we're facing right now where the fish are in a negative mood and don't want to chase anything. However, one of the great features of these plastics is that you can fish them with an aggressive approach as well. Due to the size of the plastics, it allows them to match profile for several different conditions. The options are outstanding as well. I already see a few that are going to be my favorites

Here's a color of Stub Grub that's already proven it's worth its weight in gold during past fishing trips...

Purple with a Chartreuse flare is a go-to for many crappie anglers and for a reason. I sure know CrappieTom likes them...

Great work Tom! Excellent product!

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[CrappieJohn]

Thanks Matt. These are available at JRs Tackle Shop and will soon be available at TackleCity.com here at FM. Jrs has also come up with a nice "minnow head" to round things out when the packaged products become available. Of course, a collarless ball head will work too. Consider the plated heads from JRs....they might become your "sleeper" when used with these plastics!

[carlcmc]

It would really be nice if you had a package deal including a few of each color. For those of us who are not experts in choosing colors it would give us an assortment to work with so we would know how to order in the future.

How are you fishing these when you drift? I tried and it seems that the wind pushes fast enough that it pulls my slip bobber so that it doesn't go down the depth i want. Any tips for me?

[carlcmc]

i tried viewing both web sites but no luck seeing any of them.

[Matt Johnson]

They're not up on the websites yet. These plastics are very new to the market and just got finished a couple weeks ago. They are in the works right now and should be available to the Internet public soon. The only place you can buy them right now is at JR's Tackle/Tackle Outlet. Here's their addy...

JR's Tackle

8823 Zealand Avenue North, #A

Minneapolis, MN 55445

You can see them right off 169 just North of Fleet Farm. Look for the JR's sign on the window of the building...

Or else the words "Tackle Outlet."

All the colors in both styles should be available there. Once they can be ordered online we'll let you know.

Maybe Tom can give a little more guidance on the issue...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[krats]

Matt,

Thanks for posting those pics of the Stub Grub. I wanted to get some paddle tail type plastics for a crappie tourney this weekend. I ordered 4 different colors and Rob is shipping them today and I should have them tomorrow.

Great service!!

[CrappieJohn]

Right now the only place to purchase them is at the outlet store. They have limited numbers in packages of ten of one color/style. All of the colors were available a couple weeks ago, but the quantities are yet very limited.

And no, they are not up on the site yet so seeing them is still a problem aside from what Matt has posted.

I think the target date for full blown access is about 60 days out yet. Packaging issues have held things up a bit. But so everyone knows....for the last three years I have been using the hand-made proto-types all open water season long with very good luck. The warmer water still finds the paddletailed Stub Grub an attractive crappie tool for active , general fishing while the rat tailed Crappie Rat is right at home fished deep in weeds and wood during those ever changing frontal periods accompanied by cold air. The StubGrub is a mean one when we get into the fall water and things begin to cool down and the fish are relating to wood.

Carl....You live here in Roch so I can show them to you if you make arrangements by e-mail. Evenings are best for me.

[Matt Johnson]

Here are a few different plastics that have been working for me as of late...

Pearl/Pink Stub Grub on a silver 1/64oz collar-less jig

Chartruese/Orange Stub Grub on a 1/32oz collar-less orange jighead

Purple/Chartruese Stub Grub on a 1/32oz collar-less Chartruese jighead

Orange/Pink Rat Grub on a 1/32oz collar-less pink jighead

Clear/blue-sparkle tube on a 1/32oz orange jighead

Clear/gold-speckle 2-inch minnow on a 1/32oz Chartruese jighead

White/Chartruese Stinger on a 1/32oz pink/white jighead

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Lost]

CrappieTom, love the look of the rat grub! Reminds me of ice fishing. Now if I can just get myself to take a trip out to JR's....

[Captain B.R.K]

Hey Matt,

Where do you get some of the

Clear/gold-speckle 2-inch minnow on a 1/32oz Chartruese jighead

or the collarless jig heads?

These baits you've listed look deadly!

[Note from admin-

The collarless crappie jigs with slightly oversized - super sharp VMC hooks are now available at:

TackleCity.com - Click Here in 1/32nd & 1/16th oz sizes. ]

[Matt Johnson]

The clear/gold-speckle 2-inch minnow is a Berkley Power Minnow. The 1/32oz Chartruese jighead is just a standard jighead. The collar-less jighead is actually a jig that CrappieTom makes and has shared a few with me, but you can find collar-less jigs at most tackle shops. They work the best with the Rat Grub and Stub Grub.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Note from admin-

The collarless crappie jigs with slightly oversized - super sharp VMC hooks are now available at:

TackleCity.com - Click Here in 1/32nd & 1/16th oz sizes. ]

[Captain B.R.K]

Got it MJ5......thanks!!!

[markkstanley]

And there goes another "secret" bait. I have been using the power minnows during the summer for panfish. Very effective. Just a little hard to find them locally. I have done better on the chartreuse backed and the shiner colors. Going to try the Gulp version. Power minnows also work great on Pool 4 walleyes/sauger in the 3" and 4" sizes.

[Matt Johnson]

Here's a few more options. I think the Brown Stub Grub is going to be a hot one this summer...

Brown Stub Grub with a Black 1/32oz Collarless jig

Black/Pink Stub Grub with a Black 1/32oz Collarless jig

Blue/Chart Stub Grub with a Chart 1/32oz Collarless jig

Black/Chart Stub Grub with a Chart 1/32oz Collarless jig

Some awesome color options for Stub Grubs out there.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[united jigsticker]

Well I just came from JR's and bought about 20 packs of these stub grubs and rat bodies.

I am pretty excited now!

[Matt Johnson]

Let the fun begin Jeff!

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[united jigsticker]

Now comes the hard part though...

Which body and color scheme do I use with which color head...???

decisions, decisions, decisions....

[BDR]

And what fun it has been. I have caught well over 200 Crappies on these Rat Grub and Stub Grub plastics this week alone. All colors have been working. Fish have been nothing too big but what a blast.

Look for these very soon to be for sale right here at Tackle City

[Matt Johnson]

Here are a few different presentations that worked for me today...

Blue/Chartruese Rat Grub with a 1/32oz Collarless Chartruese Jig

Brown/Mustard Rat Grub with a 1/32oz Pink Collarless Jig

Junebug Paddytail with a 1/32oz Collarless Scenic Tackle Chartruese Jig

Chartruese Speck Paddytail with a 1/32oz Collarless Scenic Tackle Glow Jig

Clear/Speck Assasin with a 1/32oz Collarless Scenic Tackle Pink Jig

Chartruese 1-inch Stubby with a 1/32oz Collarless Purple Jig

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Oldtyme]

I know this has probably been covered, but I went out last week & tried to throw just a jig (1/32 oz head/with paddletail).

I had horrible luck, I felt I had no control of the jig & it was sinking too fast to stay in the strike zone. Now with a 1/32 oz head w/ a paddletail on a spinner I had better luck, but I know how to fish these. Cast & retrieve. Simple. Not so with just a jig. Any tips on how to properly fish these?

If a bobber is suggested, how to you fish them under a bobber? Cast,sit,retrieve,sit,retrieve,sit,etc?

On a side note, I did get a sampler pack of the stub & rat grubs & would like to use them tommorow night (1st attempt at night fishing tommorow night ) How should I fish 'em ?

Thanks as always. Enjoy the forum & the ideas on which it is based (C&R). I haven't killed but one fish this year & thought even that one had a chance.

(p.s. C.T, I "HAVE" to give you $omething for sending me that sampler. I thought a sampler was 2 or 3, not 56 )

[CrappieJohn]

Old.....nada......enjoy.

[delmuts]

if you go back to earlier this year, you will find some great info from Tom and the other guys about fishing jigs under floats. also a note; if you feel your jig is falling to fast, you can go to a little heavier line to help control the fall rate.