Favorite Panfish Presentation?

[Matt Johnson]

I'm curious to see what everyone uses when targeting panfish. There are a ton of options out there and so many of them work.

I've created a poll to see what everyone's favorite panfish presentation is. The categories are general, so feel free to add more specifics and reasons why you chose what you did by replying to this thread below. Or if you have another preferred way please post that as well..

[Wookiee]

I had always used live bait for panfish but through tips and advice of this HSOforum I am branching out into plastics, spinners, and mini-cranks. Many thanks fellow FM'ers.

[rosspj59]

Agreed, I am also trying to gain more confidence in plastics for panfish. Last winter I had some good outings with ratsos, but I am looking to expand my choices. I may try to use Exude micro shads as soon as I find some on the shelf. I am not a big fan of using credit cards to purchase online and I haven't found them at the sporting goods stores in Woodbury yet. The best thing about plastics instead of livebait is it doesn't seem like you deep hook fish so much.

[Slyster]

I recently discovered how good beetle spins with plastics work for pannies! Really fun.. I even target them now a days.

[BillP]

I am still a live bait man but will use anything that works. Recently I have found that sunfish go for the smell of Berkley worms. Tried others but the Berkley original is the only one that comes close to live bait. I just tear up the 5" or larger worms and put them on a jig. The only reason I use a jig is that it's easier to get them off the hook and I don't kill fish as often. Tried some of the smaller Berkley stuff but it dosen't work as well as the worms for me.

[Lip hooked]

For me it has always been live bait on a beetle spin until this year. I liked the small beetle spins tipped with part of a crawler or a crappie minnow. This seemed to work well throughout the open water season.

Now if I am going for panfish it is usually with one of the new plastics, especially the ones that give off scent. These seem to work as well as live bait when they are on a small jig or beetle spin.

I have two young sons and we used to do live bait on a bobber rig but now that they can cast better they like to use the same thing I am. As an added bonus the plastics are easier to keep.

[bgreen82]

i started having luck with plastics earlier in the year but right now i have been getting a lot more bites on live bait. i typically buy crawlers and cut about a 1" piece off to use for panfish. do you really catch them with cut up pieces of large berkely worms. i may have to try.

[Spork]

Normally I'm a solid live bait fan. Gimme a worm or leech and I'll start hauling them in. But this year I started diving into the art of using small plastics.

A small green speckled Mr.Twister on a 1/32 jig head and I started having some fun. It's always fun to try something different... and even more fun when you have success with it.

On top of that, it saves me the time and effort of getting live bait.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Matt, would a jig like Mr.TwisterLightnin bug or Flu-Flu fit in the Fly catagory? OR?

[riverrat56]

Started using little cranks last year in the spring they are the best way I have found to sort through the small gills as they will leave them alone.

Overall I use a jig and platic or live bait more, because it is versitile and I have confidence in it, but cranks are way more fun in my mind.

[Matt Johnson]

Quote:

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Matt, would a jig like Mr.TwisterLightnin bug or Flu-Flu fit in the Fly catagory? OR?

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I suppose that could be its own category. I never thought of that, and I was just throwing a Flu-flu (Crappie-Rocket) the other day. Well, it looks like there's an 8th option

[DEADhead]

The fly is still my favorite presentation to panfish, since they seem to explode when they hit the water to take the fly.

My most used tactic is plastics, though. Fronm Powerbait or Exude micros, to grub tails, pannies always seem to take the plastic. My other failsafe technique is using marabou jigs. Plus they are really easy to tie yourself if you are in the mood.

here is a pic of a couple crappies caught this morning using a black and yellow marabou jig. The bigger crappie on the right was around 14" and weighed 1.75#

[SpecialK]

I think I voted for spinners but I actually use a combination of the beetle spin, Flu Flu and plastics (Exude twister tails)as I have said in other threads. I may not limit out every time, but I always catch at least one fish whether it be a grass carp, slimer or the intended target of panfish.

[Huskiedevle]

I voted for plastics as a first choice, then flies and poppers on the flyrod, and lastly, live bait.All choices are equally as fun to use,but this is a generic list for what I use, depending on the conditions I find while on the water.

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

Mostly I like using tube jigs. A Small 1/16 ounce jig tipped with a 1 inch pink and white tube jig does the trick for me. This set up can get bites from other species too. It's not uncommon to be panfishing and set the hook on a bass or a pike even a walleye!

[Tony Boshold]

Great thread Matt! It's great to see that plastics are catching on.

I have $10,000+ reasons to tell you I prefer the plastics from Little-Atom all year long. These plastics have won the North American Ice Fishing Championship 2 years running and it's going to be hard to beat them this year. The C-9 scent turns sniffers into biters and they are so soft and lifelike compared to the imitations out there. In case you didn't know they sponsor the Michigan thread here so you can check the site from here.

My number one choice is the L-A Nuggie. For open water, I tip a large L-A Shmoe spoon with the Nuggie and cast and retrieve "slow rolling" it like a big spoon with a trailer for shallow fish less than 10'. As for not hooking fish deep with plastics, you may need to change colors untill they take it past the knot. Changing plastic colors is the fastest way I know to key in on the hot color for the day, hour, or minute even. If you are missing fish but they are biting short (snapping the plastic in half) you NEED to change colors of plastic, not jigs. You have the right mojo they want, but the color is not convincing them. Much easier than retying jigs. The other day we fished vertically in 20' with the L-A Optic Stealth jig tipped with nuggies while using the Ice Rods on the boat while double anchored. Guys around us caught one to our five and were astonished that our plastic out fished their live bait...as usual. Almost all fish had it past the knot. Not to mention they could not see or feel those bites with their conventional "open water" tackle.

To build confidence with plastics start by tipping with a spike or waxie or piece of crawler and when the bait is gone, send it out there with out the bait, just the plastic. Some days the added bulk of a live bait/plastic combo slows the fall and is just what they want. Heavier line also accomplishes this. All part of the presentation puzzle.

For shallow ice Gills in heavy cover its hard to beat a L-A Purist fished with out bait. But that's another option - HARD plastics.

[Matt Johnson]

We've just passed 100 votes and live-bait is holding on by a hair... plastics are close behind...

[eyepatrol]

I just voted plastics. I used to be a live bait guy, but after using plastics last winter and this past spring, I'm sold on using them. What an awesome deal to not always need to bait up! Just take the fish off and cast right back out. Doesn't get any slicker than that!

I would probably still be a live bait guy if it wasn't for all you pannie experts preaching plastics.

[harvey lee]

I am probably 90 plastics for both open water and hard.I believe the more confidence you have in them the more you will fish with them.Its nice when you dont have to buy bait or re bait all the time.More time for fishing.