What's Working Now - 2008

[Rick]

It's 2008 and let's see what is working now for you....

[muc33]

I never thought I as a usual walleye only fisherman on ice, that I would ever own so much puny, tiny, itsy bitsy little lures... I have expanded my flavors of fish this year much to my enjoyment and I can honestly say, I think I am going to need stronger glasses. Not only to see these little things, but to tie the knots!

My lessons are starting to pan out.... (pan pun intended)! With these little lures like the fiskas, and ratso and shrimpos, I have vastly picked up some good habits from good teachers. I also never realized a way to fish, other than with fly's, using no bait, but low and behold I am taught these other puny, itsy bitsy, tiny little tailes and grub looking plastics from custom jigs and spins, and little atom nuggies. Heck I thought nuggies were the things you did to your nephews at family gettogethers.

Mix in 1 and 2lb test line which for me was unheard of and voila! I am really loving this panfishing!

In my lessons so far this season, I am a finding that my go to presentation (at least the one that seems to be working the best) is to have on very small horizontal presentations. Like I said, now in 08, that seems to be working the best.

Having NO line spin is key, sometimes a passive still lure works, but for the most part, the slightes flutter of that puny little tail is just like fireworks on your first kiss! Also that a slow smooth presentation and how working an entire water column can really pay off.

I am loving it so far, and I am learning alot. I am proud to say this former full time Walleye guy is now Multi-sized!!!! I realy hope to expand my list of locations to try my new found techniques next season, but I have a few more weeks of ice to keep on learning and so far the learning is good and fun!

[CrappieFshr651]

I have had my best luck this year on panfish with demon jigs and shrimpos/ratsos. There's a few other presentations that ive had success with but those are my two main presentations.

[climbmda]

What are people finding in the metro right now? Have they started moving into shallower water, or are they still holding in the deep holes. I have not been out in over a month, so I am out of touch with activity right now.

[Scott M]

They were still in deep holes the couple times I got out this week.

[Scott M]

Really tough bite last night with the cold front moving through. Fish were as finnicky as I've seen this year. I used an orange glow Wolfram jig in about a size 16....Tiny, tiny, tiny bait. Tipped it with a glow in the dark paddle tail that I cut in half. Pounded it really hard and then just let it sit super still right about them. If the spring so much as quivered I set the hook.

The fishing probably won't get much better until we get some melting and recharge these lakes. Then its time to get out and go to work on those aggressive fish.

[fisherking01]

I had great success last night in 21 fow. I was using a #8 white glow teardrop. Once I got on the fish, they were aggressive and would have taken most baits. Kept 10 sunnies around 7-8 inches and a couple 11 inch crappies. They were very tasty!!

[Maximum12]

I had the same experience da chisel, the fish were neutral to negative yesterday too. I've never seen so many fish come up hard & then stop, sniff, & fade away. No schools either, just one & two at a time. Managed several, but had a lot more lookers & nippers on the Vex. Nice evening to be out on the ice though, that sun is starting to pack a punch!

[icefishing21]

went out today for 3 hours. i was in 6 FOW using a small white frosty jig and caught 6 crappies, one being 11 inches.

[kingkobbla]

hey fisherking, whats a teardrop hook?? Any pics?

[Scott M]

This should help:

Teardrop Jigs (First 2 rows of crappie kit)

[Matt Johnson]

Mister Twister has a new product coming out soon called the Mino. Keep an eye out for it because it's going to be one hot item If you like the 2-inch Berkley Power Minnow then you're really going to like this plastic... stay tuned...

[eyepatrol]

This morning my buddy and I found some really nice 'gills along with a few crappies mixed in near some spawning grounds in 24fow. Most of the 'gills were 7.5" - 9" and the crappies were mostly 5" - 8", but did get one at 11.5".

Black marmooska tipped with a waxie worked very well. The higher up you could draw the fish, the better chance it would be a good'en.

[evinrude19]

i have had luck with a genz worm with a 1" powerbait tube char. color and also custom jigs and spins ratso all glow color

[fishcast]

Been out a lot around the metro this last week. Fishing some clear lakes I have caught all my fish (mix of sunfish and crappies) between 6 and 13 fow in and around good standing green weeds. On the real clear lakes in shallow the fish have been real tough, but have caught them on light jigs with mostly little atom wedgees. I have done some sight fishing and I would swear some of those gills and crappies know I am watching them. The come in and just pick at the jig, or spit the jig out as fast as they sucked it in, and some come in fast and stop with their nose touching the bait almost and then take off. Real frustrating sometimes, but a ton of fun.

[Quackaddict9]

a #8 glow red Frostee tipped with a Crappie minnow..worked well for us on Upper Red Lake

[lovebigbluegills]

Pink and white snowmen have done the trick for 90% of my bluegills this winter, and for crappies, a glow-white snowman with a red stripe running vertically. 95% of my fish have been on waxworms, and some crappies and a few bluegills on small (<1")minnows. I'm quite sure "snowmen" isn't the correct nomenclature for what I've been using, so if you guys would like, I can add a couple pictures later.

[FL SNIPER]

You talking glow demons? Please post pics.

[lovebigbluegills]

After a little online research, yes they are demons, and #6 has been my size of choice for the winter.

[walleyeking19]

a pink ratso tipped with a wax worm has worked for the big gills.

[JustLOVEit]

Got a lake with a small stream running into it and its been producing nice size crappies after sunset... green glow-n-dark head tip with the samllest minnow...

"Doing it, cause Just LOVE It!!"

[Lunker]

The Crappies are startin on the rivers. Fished yesterday for 2 hours off the main channel on a nice current seam with a little slack water hidden from the main current. Caught about 25 crappies, 6 eyes and 1 smallie between a friend and myself. All crappies were between 8 and 13 inches. About 5 ft of water. 1/16 ouch jig with a crappie minnow or a 1/32 ouch jig with a red tube and crappie minnow both were producing well.

[Scott M]

Got into some nice bluegill shallow, like 4-5 feet. Highlight was a 9 incher. Set a JB Hothead a foot off the bottom with a float. Pretty basic setup, threaded on some leftover waxies I had. Might try some plastics at this spot later.

Got a nice picture with my camera phone. Maybe I'll upload later. Really shallow little lake, was close to some downed timber.

[irishwalleye]

Took the better half out on the lake yesterday and what worked for us was a slip bobber with a Rat Finkee and Berkley Honey Worm on the end. Thick weeds anywhere from 2 - 8 feet and it worked best if there was a deep drop near by.

The crappies were also hitting 3 inch Gulp minnows on a 3/8 jig.

Pink or Blue seemed to work best.

Good Luck

[Slyster]

I have been having great success with small jigs using 2" brown Gulp Minnow Grubs!