How Do YOU Hook Your Minnows ??

[blairarnold]

Always through the lips bottom to top unless minnows are really small and then sometimes I'll hook them through the eye sockets. I do this however I'm fishing.

[feelay]

Always lips, for crappie.

[Herewego]

The lips

[Danny Davenport]

Ok... I'm different. I start the hook in the back just in front of the dorsal fin and bring it out just behind his head. I have found that crappie eat the minnow head first. When I hook the minnow that way I hook the crappie in the roof of his mouth nine times out of ten.

I fish for crappie tight lining in brush piles. If I miss a bite I just raise my rod tip and I can tell if the minnow is still on because I can feel the drag of the minnow when it stays horizontal when hooked this way.

Of course this method would not work if you tip a jig with a minnow or stroll but it sure works great tight lining in a brush pile at Sam Rayburn.

DRD

[fearnofish]

lips

[VbSlabbin-n-NC]

I hook my minnows thru da lip bottom up. It seems to me the best way, the minnow gets to react to a stalkin crappie almost as it would if it wasnt hooked. I believe a scurrying minnows would just produce a harder strike.....get it. Not to mention most fish eat their prey head 1st and I believe thats where the hooks at. I do hook blue gill under the dorsal fins sometimes, they are stronger, giving them the more natural movements.

[azslabber]

You guys have already made my point,Exactly.Thanks for the replies,from all.

[CrappieLips]

Depending on what size minnow i'm putting on next, mostly from underneath through his lips thru the forehead,but if it a larger minnow, about 3/4 back to the tail. I seem to get more action, longer thru the tail end, and its a little harder from them to steal the bait sometimes.

[dgi]

Some of you guys say thru the eyes. it sounds like it would kill the minnows?
will it ? does it matter?

[blairarnold]

Some of you guys say thru the eyes. it sounds like it would kill the minnows?
will it ? does it matter?

No, it really won't. Evidently a minnows brain is not between its eyes. I actually hook through the eye sockets (both of them) and rarely pierce the eyeballs, and I only do this if the minnows are so small that hooking through the lips won't hold them because it tears up too much of the flesh. 99% of the time though I hook through the lips as I only have really small minnows if the bait shop has nothing else.