Thread: To nibble or not ?????

Well this has been a debated topic before on here but I thought I would share some insight i found today in my crappie tank. I have long been a proponent of using nibbles in the past as many might know who have fished with me or vice versa. I am rethinking this strategy though after today however. I would like to try and post a video clip on my fish feeding to show some insight on how crappie feed but will need some help on that. Anyway, before feeding my black and white crappie so that there is no discrimination lol goldfish. I used a few nibbles to see how the fish would react to them. I dropped a few in the tank and with in a few seconds I could visibly see a white scent stream coming off the nibbles . I was shocked to say the least as of 10 minutes in the tank the fish never made any attempts to bite or feed at the pellets. This has me rethinking using them as to the effectiveness. We as fisherman some times do things out of habit and use what worked for us or friends in the past without any evidence of the effectiveness. I guess we develop habits based on experiences good or bad. Just my observation with my crappie but I am rethinking the hassle of using the nibble on my jigs due to what I have observed.

One other observation made was that even my crawfish didn't show interest in the nibble. When I put gold fish in the tank he gets pretty active too feeding on them. The nibbles smell fishy but are they really?

May you make your own choice!!

I always thought the nibble was to add some scent to your plastic. Not necessarily seem as a bait. Not sure I would expect a crappie to feed on just a nibble. I guess a good question would be, do you feed them other stuff with the same physical characteristics of a nibble (same shape)?

Correct but if the scent was that attractive I would have expected the crappie to show interest in the plain nibble. The fish will bite a plain jig in the tank without a nibble. I always thought the fish would hold onto a plastic better with the nibble on it due to the scent disbursed. However, after watching my fish show no interest in the nibble by it self I can't see how it would entice the fish to hold onto with a jig attached.

I've never used them myself, but I remember seeing this video of "Uncle Steve" from youtube experimenting with them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Lxq...e_gdata_player

I'd have to say I use nibbles only during the winter and I do believe they make a big difference at times just as do color and size of jigs , I've put this to the test will catching lots of fish off of a single brush pile using nibbles I decided to see if they would still bite just plane jig / no nibble , fished for 30 minutes without even a nip , then started using nibbles again and instantly started getting bites and catching fish , so I'm a believer , however I do not use them after water warms and fish become more aggressive in there feeding , nibbles do make a difference in my opinion, two cents!!


You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take country out of the boy

It just seemed like my catch ratio went up when I started using them. Even fished with a couple people that NEVER used them and after several trips with our ratios being different fishing outta the same boat, their tackle boxes are full of em now. I think I will stick with em

Originally Posted by arkansasbowhunter

Correct but if the scent was that attractive I would have expected the crappie to show interest in the plain nibble. The fish will bite a plain jig in the tank without a nibble. I always thought the fish would hold onto a plastic better with the nibble on it due to the scent disbursed. However, after watching my fish show no interest in the nibble by it self I can't see how it would entice the fish to hold onto with a jig attached.

Your research, along with this comment actually proves to me that I should continue to use them. I agree with hawgdog, lots of things in the water smell fishy, but Crappie dont eat all those things. The nibbles help to to add life to the baits that resemble the things they do eat. They may give you that extra second needed to set the hook on those days when they are finicky and would normally spit it. JMO.


C.J.

When i put a sent omn a jig it will be a minnow . Does not stain hands, boat ect . And i know fish like them .

I know what u guys mean because I have a stock pile of them too. Just wonder if it goes into a confidence thing too. I plan to do some experimenting too four poles with and four with out nibbles.

Originally Posted by arkansasbowhunter

I know what u guys mean because I have a stock pile of them too. Just wonder if it goes into a confidence thing too. I plan to do some experimenting too four poles with and four with out nibbles.

Now there will be your real test cause you'll be fishing the same fish, same jig, same everything except for the nibble. I'd be interested in the outcome of that test.