Thread: Jigs vs minnows

Dead of winter I prefer minnows when slow-fishing in 30' or so depths. Rest of the year I prefer jigs.

1/16oz jigs with a Crappie nibble for me. Chartruese and any color, worked most of the time.

I have not bought crappie minnows in many years. Jigs year round. Earlier this month, I fished with the water temp 40 degrees and had a steady bite on jigs long line trolling. Based on 50 years of crappie fishing, I use a lot of chartreuse and also pay a lot of attention to size and style of jigs.

Rick

Jigs 98% of the time for me. 2" Gulp minnows, Kailin's curly tails and charlie brewer sliders.

I use jigs only year round. Getting and keeping bait is irritating to me. With jigs and soft plastics I'm ready to go all the time, no need to stop and spend money. There have been days when I have wondered if bait might get me some bigger fish but rationalize that if I did get a big one on bait I would wonder if I could have caught it on an artificial.

I just about always fish minner over jig rigged in tandem ( Caps n Coleman type rig ).There have been times when I have fished jigs only when couldn't get minners but being I'm kinda new to catching white perch / crappie / sac au late, I feel like I need all the advantages I can get. There have been times when the jigs out fished the minners but not many. I believe as I gain confidence and experience I will probably go to jigs only.

100% jigs. Haven't used a minnow in about forty years.

I prefer a standard chenille-and-marabou jig, but plastics work, too.

My experience tells me minnows always work if crappies are there. Jigging is too tricky for dummy fishman like me. When I tried jigging I usually beg them to team up with me. Simply I don't knew what they want each time. It is not always working for me although it sometimes beats nimmows. So I always take minnows with me each trip.