Thread: getting prepared

This is about the time of year I start trying to get my tackle put together for the coming spring. For me, this is pouring / painting / tying jigs, stocking up on plastics, getting line changed on the reels, etc.

Although generally use a lot of my own jigs... I thought I would try more plastics this year. I was wondering what your "go - to " plastics were and color / size most prefered...as well as jig weight. Your input will help me spend my money on the most productive stuff.

HHD

I almost always use a 1/16th ball or crappie pro jig head. The three most used plastics would be 1.5" yum wooly beavertails in pink/black and black/chart., 2.5" gulp alive shad minnows, and 1.5" tri colored tubes with crappie nibbles pumped into them. I am pretty new to crappie fishing, but I can say that I caught more crappie last year than I ever have growing up just using a bobber and minnow.

Scott

Keep in mind I only long line,cast or drop shot, I'm afraid if I spidered, on a slow day I would fall a sleep and go in head first.
Sliders: in black/chartreuse, junebug/chart, chartreuse, white, avocado, pumpkin, black, purple on a slow bite.
Kalians 2" with about the same colors
Arkie solid body tubes black/chart, red/chart.
Head sizes: 1/32, 1/16, 1/24/ 1/8oz,

My favorite plastic is the Berkley power grub in the 2 inch and 3 inch styles depending on the situation. I like to match the size of the bait fish and the 2 inch is more productive in the early spring when the bait fish are still small. I go to the three inch later in the year and always use the three inch when trolling. My favorite color is the chartreuse and pumpkinseed that is now just called natural chartreuse. I look forward to seeing you out there hoosier hog daddy. Snow day today and working on tackle myself.

I like tenn shad from kalin 2inch also blue pearl salt and pepper

HHD,

What style of fishing are you doing most? (casting, vertical jigging, trolling, etc.)
Knowing this will really help me suggest some plastics to you. I am on the Southern Pro Pro-Staff, and they offer a wide variety of different plastics. A lot of them are not on their website yet. But I would be happy to assist you anyway I can

As far as leadhead or jigheads go, I think it is pretty hard to beat the TeeZur Jighead. I most use them in 3/32nd ounce weight. This is a weight that is very hard to find just about anywhere else. They have a pretty unique design for plastics, they have a barb at the top and at the bottom of the collar, this helps hold plastics very well. Don Webb is the name of the man that owns the company, I am on his Pro-Staff too. His web address is TeeZur custom-made crappie jigs

As far as my "go-to" baits go, for me it may be different than others on here because I vertical jig about 90% of the time. Knowing this, you will find me most of the time with a 3/32nd oz. Teezur Hothead, and a 2" Southern Pro regular tube or minnow tube. This size seems to work for me year around.

If you stop and think about it, the hatch of baitfish is usually mid to late spring, so in the early spring the baitfish are already larger, and after the hatch of the smaller baitfish, and sometimes during the spawn, smaller plastics may work better. Most of the time I usually downsize for things like very tough days when fish don't want to bite, or after a very bad cold front.

I hope this helps and if you need any further information, feel free to PM me, I will help anyway I can!

Thanks for the advice everybody, keep it up. I am burning up the internet looking at this stuff. I looked at those teezur jig heads, they look like they would hold your plastic well. I have started seeing a few of the do-it molds now with a 3/32nd option. Hadn't thought of needing anything between 1/16 and 1/8th...however , I do know that fall rate on a jig can be very important. There are also some staggered barb and also screw-loc options out there. I pour / paint my own jigheads and I have a new chub head mold on order to use with these plastics. Don't know how that is going to work out yet. I do have an assorted box of tubes I've had a few yrs (southern pro I believe)...just haven't used them. I know they are mentioned a lot. Where is the best bricks and morter place locally that has a good selection of southern pro plastics?

Are you guys all using crappie nibbles with these plastics? Slaburns, what are you using to pump these? Advantages? In every case are these being stuffed into the hollow tubes or anybody just putting on the hook? I've never used them.

Jaypay / brushnjigs, I have tried some of the triple threat kalins in 2 or 3 inch and really like them. Haven't tried sliders yet. Wannabecrapieking got me onto some kalin in wallyworld color last yr, and I really like those. They are on my short list. Also looking at some of the Yum product...eg beavertails, curlytails, and vibraking solid tubes. Especially liking the idea of Glow plastic...as I am a nut for using glow paint on my jig heads.

I watched the Speckbuster crappie clinic out on the lake last yr, so going to have to put some faith in his selection of berkley also.

Crappieking, I have been dabling in most of the common techniques...eg pushing, long lining, casting, and vertical jigging. Probably more casting and pushing, than anything at this point, but I will try any method that catches fish. What colors do you like down at Monroe :D:D stained upper end usually, clearer lower end.

HHD

HHD,

I usually only put them in tube jigs. I put 5 or 6 nibbles in a syringe (5ml) and cut the top ring off around the nozzle of the syringe and this gives me a perfect size to fit the nozzle into a tube jig. Can get them in the pharmacy section or at hospitals. Never have tried the bait pump, but need to get one. Sometimes I just put a nibble on the tip of the hook with other style plastics. I have never had trouble with them coming off as far as verticle jigging.

1.5 tubes for me, basiclly year round. I use tube heads, or insert heads(actually fits inside the hollow tube), just my prefernce, normal heads work fine.
Although, color can make alot of difference, pick a handful of tried and true stuff, and stick with them, i own over half of the colors bass pro offers in there 1.5 tube selection(80 i beleve), can make for a tricky decision as which to put on. Its nice when you have options, when the fish dont cooperate, but dont over-complicate it right away(like i did).
1/32 and 1/16th generally cover the weight i need, however i carry down to 1/80th.

HB

oh and by the way, i dont think we are done icefishing yet, to get in to big of a hurry for open water stuff...LOL

HB