Crappie Tom and Matt.. Paddle Tails Questions

[dwag70]

So are the paddletails a viable ice option ? and if so how would you fish them and have you seen a color preference ?

I was just gettting the ice tackle box ready and needed to know if I should enclude some of them !!! They have been great summer baits

[Matt Johnson]

I know Tom caught some fish with them last winter, but they are a little too big for my tastes when chasing under-the-ice pannies. Maybe during late ice when the pannies put on the feedbags again, but for most of the ice fishing period I'll stick with smaller plastics...

Tom probably has some more insight on this subject...

[dwag70]

So do you go with the rat-tail type lures ... i have not used much plastic under the ice ... but am looking to expand into it ... Suggestions ... Do you tip them or do plain !!

[CrappieJohn]

Dwag....

For the most part you can leave the paddletails and rat tails to home until we get into late ice. These took fish last spring on a few occasions when the crappies were really nailing everything that was put down the hole. That is key...they have to be very aggressive. If you find very active fish you could try them, but I'd recommend biting off the first 1/4 to 3/8 inch of the body to shorten their overall length.

When we hit up on the use of plastics thru the ice from early ice to late ice we are generally speaking of the very fine finesse plastics as is offered by Custom Jigs and Spins or even the Ratso or Shrimpo lures from the same. Lindy Techni-glo has some thin plastic to for dressing up very small jigs.

I guess it would be a worth a try use some of the larger plastics if you do happen across some hot biting fish. Crappies will be the best target for any plastic larger than the mentioned finesse products. The finesse stuff will be a definite must for sunfish/bluegills now.

[dwag70]

Thanks for the info guys !!!!!

As always Your opinions are very well stated and clear and very usable

[CrappieJohn]

dwag....

Just so you know, I carry a few of the open water crappie plastics with me in EVERY tackle satchel I own. Heads as well. The way I fish will often-times find me well outside of what is considered "conventional".

There have been many instances where having the ability to up-size greatly has paid some huge benefits catch-wise. Last spring/late ice I was fishing a huge eddy area with open water only yards away from where some serious panfish action had been taking place. Catfish and some awful nice northerns were getting caught along with some super sunfish and crappies. Most of the fish were coming off gold demons with a waxie, but in with these "nicer" fish some dink perch found their lips attached to an awful lot of those small baits. This area was very near to an area I would soon be casting for crappies and that would be done using full sized paddletails. I had some paddletails along so I shortened one a quarter inch and dropped it in one of the holes. When I marked a suspended fish, I grabbed that rod and got the paddy up just above the mark on the Marcum and bingo....a crappie would be on. When it was established the sunfish were the ones hitting deeper, I began to challenge them with the paddy. Same results except those sunnies that hit the paddy were huge. Many of these fish were approaching the 10 inch mark! The crappies were all 11 3/4 to 13 inch. I am convinced that early ice this fall would have shown the same results had I been able to fish that lake with truely early ice.

At every seminar that Matt and I have done together, I have told the audience that the greatest hinderence to a person's fishing will be their own lack of creativity. Don't be afraid to step outside of the invisible walls that get put around ice fishing. Dare to do something different....of the wall....way out of the ordinary. I am not saying for you or anyone to start their day outside of convention, just don't be afraid to go there if circumstances lean towards it. By having a little of the tackle you might need to do this will greatly foster your ability to expand, so, and I preach this too, go prepared to fish any and every way you can imagine. The largest compartment of my rod bag not holding rods is nothing but plastics and you find a paddletail or two in there.....just in case.