Panfish on Plastics...

[Matt Johnson]

BDR and I shot a short video today while we were out on the water chasing pannies. We landed a few real nice gills that went over 9 inches and were very thick. We also tied into a few crappies and a bonus bass. Stub Grubs were the ticket again for us today and the fish were in the shallows, 2-4 feet mostly.

Here's a link to the short video...

Panfish on Plastics

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Oldtyme]

Great video. I was hoping for a little more instructional though as I'm still trying to figure out the proper way to fish these.

I love plastics on a spinner, black & chart is always productive. 6 nice crappie & 2 nice gills today (in 4 hrs). While not great numbers, enough to keep me happy.

I bookmarked your site, great info. Looking forward to some trying some crappie fritters, interesting recipe. I might actually have to keep some fish this year just to try that. It's June & still haven't taken any home yet...

P.S. In case anyone else has trouble seeing the video. Direct Link/Save As

(I hope you don't mind I did that.It wouldnt load from the site)

[Matt Johnson]

The wind was pretty strong the audio didn't turn out that well so it was tough to talk while we fished. Only one piece turned out and that's the one that I didn't play music on. Next time we'll figure a way to add in some audio and better instructional info...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Oldtyme]

Yes. I'd love a little instruction on how to fish these.

I have tried fishing these under a small bobber but I usually give up quickly & go to my known tactic, spinners.

I think this Sunday I'm going to try just the jig as the fish were hitting deep & on the drop yesterday. (on spinners)

I don't why I feel I have so much more control w/that little blade attached

[Matt Johnson]

I'll put together a little instructional piece in the near future and we'll see how it turns out. Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Matt Johnson]

I like to try and almost "jig" the presentation even though it's under a float/bobber. You can do this by slowly, but quickly, pop the float a couple inches at a time. What happens is that the plastic will dance and hop, this really triggers fish or atleast gets their attention. And then you want to follow that up with a pause. The pause is usually what seals the deal. And if that doesn't work, try pulling the float/bobber a couple feet across the surface of the water, then follow that up with a pause. What this is incorporating is a "gliding" technique. The plastic will glide through the water only to come to a complete hault followed by a pause, this can be very effective on wary pannies. The Stub Grub also has a very slow fall/glide phase, so this will also add in the triggering power the plastic presents.

Don't be afraid to target these pannies without a float either. Sometimes by going without a float you can have much more control over what the plastic does. This also allows you to feel for the strike and use your reactions as a strong point. Like mentioned earlier, the Stub Grub has a excellent fall and won't crash to the bottom, instead it floats or "free-falls" in the water. A very effective presentation when looking for a plastic for pitching without a float. I would also try bouncing it off the bottom, that's worked well in past too, especially when targeting bed areas.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Oldtyme]

Thanks so much for that post. Knowing I'm at least fishing them correctly is a big confidence builder.

I'm willing to give this a try for the first few hours on my outing this Sunday. I'll let Dad use minnows & I'll fish with a stub grub or rattail.(thanks again CT)

I have an identical bobber you were using in the video....(never thought I'd use that thing)

Speaking of & this is going to seem weird, but how do you attach the bobber to line. Do you thread the line through the middle and then clamp the line? (I've always used a standard slip bobber)

Thanks again for your time & effort.

[Matt Johnson]

Which bobber are you referring to?

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Oldtyme]

That little round one.

[Matt Johnson]

It's just a clip-on style bobber with a spring loaded double-sided hook clip. I just hook the line through the hook on the bottom side first (the side with the weight) and then I position the bobber at the depth I want and then hook the line through the top side.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Matt Johnson]

I figured it would be easier just to add a few pics and explain the process...

One side is weighted, and I always like to start with the weighted side to determine the exact position I want the bobber to be in. So, I usually hook the weighted side first. Both sides are spring-loaded and you open either hook by applying pressure to the oppisite side

Now that the bottom (weighted side) is hooked onto the line and my depth is positioned, I now need to hook on the top side to make sure the bobber stays in place. They like to slide around if you don't hook both sides. Some people like to just wrap the line around the bottom side and fish it with just one hook clamped to the line, but I've found that to increase my chances of broken lines on the hook-set. And again, the top side is attached by pushing down on the bottom side which will then expose the opening of the top hook.

Now you hook the line through the top side and it should stay nice and snug where ever you decide to place it

In the end you should have the weighted side towards the jig/plastic, and both hooks should have line running through them and clamped on

The bobbers are relatively cheap and usually come in a pack of 3 or so. There are a lot of options out there and this type of bobber is just one of them. I like this type of bobber because of the added weight. That helps me with casting distance, and when you're trying to sneek up on panfish beds, it can mean the difference between no fish or an awesome day on the water. I use several other styles bobbers and floats as well, it all depends on the situation.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Oldtyme]

Thanks again Matt.

When I watched the video it almost looked threaded through the middle. I have a few of the exact bobber, just never used them.

I'm looking forward to fishing tommorow (well I look forward to fishing anytime )

[Mr. Pike1]

Matt, I have been planning on getting to JR's for a few of the stub grubs and rat tails. My question to you is does JR's sell the 1/32 jigs you are using with out the eyes. I have a huge selection of the 1/32 with the eyes. Just let me know.

My feedback on your HSOforum is that you have an outstanding look to the site, lots of good information, and I really would like you to see your video's expanded and contain more content. You truely have a passion for the sport and I hope you are able to find a nitch in the market place that continue's to allow you to do what you enjoy and hopefully one day make a good living at it.

[Mr. Pike1]

Matt, I also am curious as to who owns the rights to these new plastics that you are using. Who else distributes them besides JR. Is there a plan to market these nationally?

[BDR]

The Plastics are JR's and designed by Crappie Tom. They are available right here on fm.

JR's Crappie Tom plastics

[Matt Johnson]

Mr. Pike1,

Thanks for the feedback, very much appreciated. The videos on my site are just small-time and are intended as being just for fun. They will get better as we get the hang of it. HotBite Fishing and Ice Leaders have put together some awesome videos and I've been fortunate enough to host a few in the past, those are much better quality and they are intended for more of an educational purpose rather than just a couple guys landing a few fish. There should be a few more Hot Bite videos coming out in the near future.

Here's a link the IceLeaders videos archive if you want to check out a few of the past videos...

IceLeaders Video Archive

As far as the Stub Grubs and Rat Tails are concerned, they are a product of JR's Tackle and our very own CrappieTom helped design them. They are sold here on FM (at the link that BDR posted) as well as at JR's Tackle/Tackle Outlet in Minneapolis. I'm not sure on whether or not they will be sold in tackle shops across the state, etc. I know JR's has stuff in Sportsmans Wearhouse as well as several other tackle and bait shops.

The eye-less jigs that you see me using were a gift from CrappieTom. He made those jigs for me and they have been working very well. They fit the Stub Grub and Rat Tail just perfect. They are a 1/32oz with I believe a size 6 hook. JR's Tackle also has a few options for an eye-less collarless jig. They also have a few tricks up their sleeve for some very interesting collarless jigs with a little more "flare" that should be coming out soon. They fit the Stub Grub and Rat Tail very well...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Big Paulie]

Thanks for all the info on Panfish on Plastics.

This is really the first year I've targeted them.

Using some of the tips I've learned on this site

I caught my biggest ever sunfish tonight.

Of course no pics to share with you all, and no measurements. I did let her (I believe Female) go.

So anyways, I just wanted you all to know that I

really appreciate the tips and info you all share

on this site.

[Matt Johnson]

Big Paulie,

Congrats on the nice gill! It's always a good day when you set a new personal best! I'm sure you'll land some more piggies in future and glad to hear the plastics are working for you. Good luck!

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Mr. Pike1]

Matt, How do I change my aviator and add pics for that matter. I just got a digital camera and have added all the pictures to my desktop. I have a very nice picture of me and my daughter with a small mouth. I would like to put this in place of the generic aviator I have. I will then look to add a few pics from different upcoming outings.

[Matt Johnson]

Mr. Pike1,

You need to have a photo server on the Internet to host your picture. Check the Photo Sharing forum and do a search on posting pictures. There have been a few topics on this issue already and the info on there is better than I can give you.

If you can't find anything then drop me an e-mail and I'll see if I can help you out more. My laptop is on the fritz right now and I'm using someone else's desktop in the meantime...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[taxidermyguy]

awesome video! nice bluegills, just wanted to know what is a stub grub? I just moved to cottage grove from eauclaire WI and need to find a lake to catch some nice bluegills. any ideas? thanks!

[CrappieJohn]

Tax....

The Stub Grub is a ring-bodied paddletail plastic designed and developed by yours truely. They have a close kinship to the Crappie Rat ( also of my design) and are available here on line from TackleCity - FishingMinnesota's on-line tackle shop - just click on the "our sponsors" in any staff signature and you will find the way to get there. They are made and are available from JRs Tackle in NW Minneapolis . They come in 14 color patterns to meet the needs of all water situations.

[CRET]

Tom, I know it depends on the lake and situation ect.. What color combo do you find yourself favouring?(rats/Grubs) And what body are you using with a purple head(collarless 1/32)

Bob

[tonyjor]

Does anyone know how long it takes to receive Stub Grubs after ordering online? I ordered some on 6-16 and haven't received them yet. I'm not in any rush as I have my Muskie fishing to hold me over for a while. I'm just wondering how much demand there is and what kind of shipping delays I should expect. Thanks!

[CrappieJohn]

cret....The favorite of mine is the purple chartreuse in either design. In order, the next best is the blue/chartreuse, black/chartreuse, and solid chartreuse. And 9 times out of ten I will have the purple or the black head on, but adding a chartreuse head when using a dark body followed by the chartreuse tail can be a great swith hitter.

The four colors of bodies mentioned above are my go-to's for the lake I usually fish and for the backwaters of the Mississippi down here. But I have had days where the far end of the colors available have out produced my favorites hands down. Every color available has given me great rewards in their own times. Those opaque white bodies with the chartreuse and fire-tails of both colors are hotter than the sun at times. And I have hit northern lakes where browns and oranges prevail as a rule only to smoke the crappies using my stand-by purple/chartreuse.

The best rule of thumb is to start with a favorite color pattern and let the fish dictate what their color preferences are. Pay careful attention to how the hits are when working thru the colors. If they are all tending to get hit, but one is getting pounded by comparison to the others, I'd keep fishing that color or go back to it. It isn't an issue of how many hits a color is drawing, but, rather, how HARD they actually are hitting it. A hard hit is a hook-up whereas a peck or bump is nothing more than just that.

Fishing any plastic is about 95% fun. The remaining 5% is by far the most important portion of the deal because it is going to tell you what to fish, what color to fish, how to fish it, how deep to fish it....see where I'm going here? I have my favorite color and always have one rod rigged with it. Always. But I still keep an open mind and an active imagination, both of which are driven by what the fish are relating to me by paying close attention to what is happening.

If you fish a stained water, that purple/chartreuse is one of the most productive baits ever to be made, regardless of what you find for plastic with that combination. That pattern in a tube was my hottie for over ten years, but the tubes did little in the line of cold water preductivity....had to have warmer water. It wasn't the color, it was the shape of the plastic.