Minnow tipped jigs?

[badbrad]

Can anyone tell me conditions where tipping a jig with a minnow would be most beneficial. Also advantages vs. disadvantages.

[GABoy]

Originally Posted by badbrad

Can anyone tell me conditions where tipping a jig with a minnow would be most beneficial. Also advantages vs. disadvantages.

When the bite is very slow or the weather/water is very cold I believe tipping a jig with a minnow increases your odds.....overall I believe it increases your odds on most days....unless they are on bed then you don't really need them I don't imagine......

[IBNFSHN]

It depends on where you are fishing. You will catch very few fish with just jigs in the places I normally fish. Apparently lakes are a different story.

[GABoy]

Originally Posted by IBNFSHN

It depends on where you are fishing. You will catch very few fish with just jigs in the places I normally fish. Apparently lakes are a different story.

Very true - I might use them 15% of the time I fish.

[whizkids]

The advantage of tipping with a minnow is that there is always the sight of a real minnow.
If I am tight linning I always tip with a minnow or just use a minnow. If I use a jig I use the lightest one I can find so the minnow will give it action.
If I am vertical jigging a brushpile, I would try both ways to determine if the minnow helped. If I was using a heavy jig or imparting motion to the jig myself, I would be less likely to use a minnow.
If I am pulling, I tip with a minnow untill my speed exceeds .5 mph. or untill a tripple ripple or curly tail has action on the tail. After that point I will let the fish tell me if they have to have the minnow. Why complicate the process and make it more expensive if the fish don't need a minnow. From now until fall it will rarely be necessary to tip with a minnow to catch fish. That said you may catch more and bigger fish by tipping. There is only one set rule. Keep changing and let the fish tell you.
If you are shooting docks a minnow will not allow the jig to skip.
If you are casting to docks or laydowns a minnow tends to fly off after several cast.

[michael holden]

Relative to the crappie stage were are in here in the south--during spawn I will most usually use a small squirrel tail jig (hand tied) and tip with a small minnow when casting w/bobber for bedding crappie. Sometimes they will hit and miss removing the minnow but since they are still focused they will go ahead and hit the jig giving you another oppotunity. Have had many times that a jig or minnow either one would not draw a hit but w/both the action was hard to keep up with.

[Bruce Carp]

I catch a few every time with a jig and minnow. Don't leave home without it!

[FalconSmitty]

I tip my jigs 90% of the time. During spawn you can lose the minnow and still catch fish. My biggest crappie have been caught with a minnow tipped jig. I think the size presentation is key here. Bigger bait=Bigger fish.

[GABoy]

Originally Posted by FalconSmitty

I tip my jigs 90% of the time. During spawn you can lose the minnow and still catch fish. My biggest crappie have been caught with a minnow tipped jig. I think the size presentation is key here. Bigger bait=Bigger fish.

I will admit, I probably don't tip enough, so I might be getting more adamant about doing so.....wouldn't want my fishing to suffer because of my stupidity.....

[Tommy]

I have found that I benefit from tipping a jig when the bite is slow mostly in warmer water. Always seem to work on Whites better for some reason as well. I have seen times when fish get extremely finicky, wouldn't touch a jig, and you would have to have a small cork on the line just to be able to tell that a fish was even bumping a minnow. But put the 2 together and they would nearly take the rod out of your hand. I have no detailed explanation for it but there are days that it will work when just about nothing else will.