best tactics for post-frontal panfish

[CALVINIST]

I'll be fishing a small lake by Ely next weekend, just about the time we''ll get blasted by a good front. Time to review best tactics to get those sluggish pannies to bite. I'll probably get their attention with some upward-downward jigging motions on a small profile jig tipped with a single euro larvae above the fish, then slow things way down to almost a dead-sticking technique.

Anybody else have anything they would like to share?

[decoy]

Pound a forage minnow tipped with a wax worm hard until something shows up. Watch your electronics. If they don't take the jig.

Have a micro jig or small plain hook, size 10-12 baited and ready on the bobber. If they are too finicky to bite the spoon, they'll probably look into the small jig.

I just barely move it a couple of times. They usually slurp that right up.

I get ready and flick the rod tip when the bobber moves slightly, as they bite Very light.

It's funny to me that during a front, at least where I fish, some of the sunfish come flying into the aquavu screen and pound the bait hard. While other sunfish slowly slide in take a look and slip away...

I've caught some real hogs using these methods. Two years ago I caught and released a 13" trophy on a 1/70 once jig with a size 16 hook and tipped with one euro.

I watched him on the aqua vu for close to 4-5 minutes until he finally took it.

Hope these little tips help. They usually work for me.

[eurolarva]

If you target blugills, the bite is slow and you are using a bobber wait till the third tap on the bobber. I watch sunnys on my aquaview and when they are skittish they tend to grab the larva or wax worm and start slowly swimming backwards. The next tap they get most of the bait in their mouth and the third tap they put the entire bait in their mouth then you set the hook.

[Stratosman]

Small and smaller, spring bobbers and itsy bitsy jigs along with a steady hand should ice you more high pressure panfish. And just like the others mentioned, your flasher will give you the best information, not uncommon for post frontal fish to stare at a jig for minutes before commiting, and without a good spring bobber alot of those bites will go undetected....it's kinda like a chess match.

[prodriverunner]

I know it has already been said, but if you dont have atleast one rod with a spring bobber you are really missing out. Also I have had them only hit when the waxie was hooked in the middle so it hangs horizontally. Also try ripping up your waxie a little. They can be picky little buggers.

[decoy]

So... how did you do?

[CALVINIST]

We did LOUSY! Oh well, that's what happens when you try a new lake during a cold-snap. I can't figure out why our spot didn't hold active fish...a large cabbage flat next to a small island adjacent to deep water, lot's of structure. I did have one decent size fish on using a small spoon, but lost it. Probably should have tried for lakers on Burntside...