Almost Ready to Ice Some Pannies!!!

[Matt Johnson]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to ice a few pannies! With the cold temps we're seeing right now, I'm itchin' real bad to hit my first ice spots.

Let's talk early ice techniques... what does everyone use and how do they target early ice pannies?

Myself, I prefer either a 1/16 oz jigging spoon or a Size 8 Custom Jigs and Spins Ratso or Shrimpo.

The jigging spoon is an excellent aggressive, quick-drop technique that allows me to cover a lot of ice quickly, as well as depths. Pack the treble of the spoon with some maggies and I'm good to go. Good jigging spoon options include the Go Devil by Scenic Tackle, the NEW Demon Spoon by Custom Jigs and Spins, the Acme Kastmaster, and of course the Sweedish Pimple.

For the Shrimpo and Ratso I prefer to fish them plain during early ice, no live-bait. The finesse plastic usually seals the deal on its own. And when those pannies are going crazy I don't need to be constantly re-baiting all day.

Staying aggressive during early ice is just one of my preferred techniques...

[Jim Hudson]

I'm with you Matt... Gonna have to go inland to chase some pans before the big lake freezes over!!

End of next week, some smaller bays will be frozen!!

[CrappieJohn]

This wonderful weather ought to seal things up. Now, if the snow would go away until the ice ise solid....

[Stratosman]

A few days and night without the darned wind would help too. Matt, have never tried the jigging spoons, might have to add a few to the arsenal this year.

[CrappieJohn]

Stratos....

Jigging spoons are very effective on early ice....and late open water! If the cold doesn't get deep enought to freeze my pet puddle I plan to float the boat next week for some crappies over deep water and Scenic Go Devils are tagging along. Since August they have been consistant producers for me on the crappies and sunfish too. Word has it that Custom Jigs and Spins has a new jigging type bait based on the demon....a bit lighter than the Go Devil perhaps in the 1/16 size. I need to find a few of these Demon baits to round out some of the "go to" tackle. The jigging spoons are way more versatile than being used just for ice fishing. On early ice the overlap with the recent open water really is what makes them so hot then.

[Stratosman]

Thanks Tom!

I love the demons so I am excited to try out some of their jigging spoons too. That's the beautiful thing about what we do.. whether it be fishing, hunting or what have you, there is always something new you can try or some new product developed that is a must have. Can I find them at Tackle City or somewhere do you know? I guess I can look myself...

[CrappieJohn]

Strat....

Chris Hanson found a few in a metro Gander a while back. I am going to snoop around Rochester tonight. If I find some I'll let you know where/cost.

[delmuts]

hey Tom! do you really have to drive that little truck of yours to the different stores, or can you just tell it which one you want to go to and it will drive it self by now????

[CrappieJohn]

It would be nice if that were the case Del, but.........

Are you tending to the fish or making up excuses yet? lol How'd the knife work turn out?

[delmuts]

it turned out well. i was only laid up for about two weeks. he didn't grind as much off of the upper and lower bones and the knee cap as was done with my first one. to bad the crappies didn't turn on here this fall. for some reason the water at the lake stayed dirty. i hit the pond close to home to keep happy. lots of gils and a few crappies.i tried many different things. could get hits on many of them , but the fish would just kind of pop it and let go unless you tipped it with a waxie.i tried a swedish pimple( the only small spoon i have) and caught a couple, but still did the best with either a flu flu or a 1/80 jig with a shrimpo or wedgee body and a waxie.the fish were mostly relating to a brush pile, but once in a while i would catch one more out in the open.( note! this is only a 1 acer pond that gets tons of pressure, 15 ft deep in one area) but i had fun !

[Stratosman]

'preciate it bud.

[Corey Bechtold]

I'm almost ready for the hard water. Need to change some line and go through the jig box. Lets see what everyone else is rigging their rods with for these early ice Panfish?

I will go witn some Ratso/Shrimpo baits tipped with plastics along with Matt. My favorite color is White (gotta start somewhere ). Horizontal type baits have been my "go to" the last few years. One or two rods will have a Scenic Tackle Jigging spoon as well.

What will you be using to start this Ice season?

Corey Bechtold

[Matt Johnson]

Chances are I'll be chasing down some pannies somewhere, unless we decide to take a crazy route towards LOW again and bust out the walleye gear...

For pannies I'll be equipped with a 1/16oz Go Devil jigging spoon packed with maggots... or a size 8 Pink/White Ratso... or a size 10 Pink Glow Shrimpo... or a Fatboy... or might even have to break out the 1.5 inch jiggin rap. So many options

It could also change depending on whether I decide to target gills or slabs. Might even be the year where I decided to target bullhead, I donno...

Either way, I'll be ice fishing! I drove by a lot of ice today, not long now!!!

[CrappieJohn]

Bullheads.....leave it to Matt to have go-to species.

[Wayne Ek]

Hey C.T. I just posted on the Alex. site. I'm betting by next week, if the weather gets as cold as they say, we will have some fishable ice. I'm thinking in the 3 to 4 inch range...

[CrappieJohn]

Hi Wayne....We found some ice on the Mississippi river backwaters yesterday, but didn't testit. If the weather does hold up for the cold predicted I'd agree with you. Pretty warm here right now with our temps today in the forties.