Minnows or Jigs???

[Bytizawn]

I suppose I'm one of the most minnow fishermen. I have taken the time to "learn" (i.e. use jigs) and have used jigs for trout and bass too, for 45 years,,... along with crappie. I've always taken some minnows along with me. I just like to use them myself, sometimes,,... for sometimes I just like to throw the old bobber/minnow rig out, and let the minnow do the jigging for me, but not all fishermen have health issues, and need a break from jigging/ casting/ reeling in,,... time, and time, and time again, and again. Sometimes all you get from "that" is the gears in the reel worn out faster.
Nice to set back and let that fat, real, live, bait, minnow, do the work for me. But then again,,...I ain't in a tournament like fishin frenzy all the time. I like to set back and watch the Eagles, and the mink, and the surroundings,,... I suppose always the catching the most is the key to some,,...but not always. I'm old-school and always have some minnows along to ground me to old roots from where I come from, and sip on a coffee and just,,... fish.
So with "that" said,,...Sometimes I catch more on jigs, and sometimes it's the other way around. But I suppose the answer to the question of "What's the best bait?",,... is in,,... the eye of the beholder.

[crappiewisdom]

Hey Bytizawn....Good post!

[Tracker123]

Ditto. Well said.

[willsjwills]

I call myself a jig fisherman. I've tried other methods, some requiring the use of a minner, but somehow I get more satisfaction out of fooling the devils with a jig single poling. I'm too lazy and stingy to go to the trouble to buy minners when I can tie up a hand full of jigs and have just as much fun. That's what it's all about for me. It's true that a lot of tourneys have been won using minners, but these folks are more serious about "getting" fishes than I am. I'm proud to come home with a dozen or so crappie and know that what I caught'em on came off my tying vice.

[CDavisLPN]

The largest crappie I ever caught was on a jug line with a shad.... It was huge.... I had caught a lot of cats that day and it was so big I just let it go.... Really wish I had weighed that fish....

[JBledsoe]

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We catch 100% of our crappies on jigs. We have no choice, minnows are not legal as bait in this state.

[JigginPoleJoe]

The largest crappie I ever caught was on a jug line with a shad.... It was huge.... I had caught a lot of cats that day and it was so big I just let it go.... Really wish I had weighed that fish....

I did the same on a trot line with a 10/0 hook and shad!

[NIMROD]

That debate is almost as old as which was first the chicken or the egg. I use 100% jigs and use only 2 kinds Southern Pro Umbrella tubes and MEATGETTERS hand tied. Minnows no doubt will catch fish but I can sometimes fish several days with 1 jig. I can buy enough jigs to fish all summer for what some spend on minnows for a weekend. Never worry about keeping them alive, getting wet hands , or rebaiting hooks. On a good bite I have caught more than my fishing partners using live bait by not wasting time baiting hooks.

[NIMROD]

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We catch 100% of our crappies on jigs. We have no choice, minnows are not legal as bait in this state.

Wish they were here but will never happen, too many bait farms and shops making money. They spiderrig live minnows here, some use 8 poles with two minnow baited hooks. I fished this way years ago till I got tired of buy'n minnows and killing lots of small fish.

[NIMROD]

Come on over to Mississippi where 10 inch fish are laughed at. I will only post a few picks from the last 6 months of fish caught on Minnows out of my boat so you won't get to jealous of my minnows

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But we don't have to run to another state to fish. I agree Mississippi has Arkansas beat on size. I'd like to see how many fish are killed yearly by being hooked deep swallowing minnows.
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