Thread: Jigs vs minnows

We use plastic's 95% of the time.All month's of the year.(arkie's 2 in salty tubes/ Arkie Sexy shad)(all colors will find and catch"crappie" fish).Handtie our own jig's.when we spook or fish stop biting.Have a Handtie rigged on another ready to fish.Can usually catch a few more fish on handties.We like to use a jighead with a blade trying to get a reaction bite when fish are not feeding.Use 1/8 oz 95% of the time and have started using 3/32 oz will trigger a few more bites.Have started last spring using 1/64 and 1/24 oz with blade during the spawn.

I mainly spider rig, no matter if I'm single hooking or double, I use minnows. When I use jigs I still tip them with a minnow.

Can't beat them minners------
Of course, those of you who know me, know I am plastic only. Usually, I am using tubes and have a box with just about any color you could ask for.But I also have a smaller box with Kalin's triple tails and just recently went bezerk over Mr.CRAPPIE JOKERS. I don't use rod holders and I am constantly moving around with the trolling motor and twitching and bouncing my rod tip.

Pretty well use jigs all the time, with Crappie nibbles. Sometimes I will try minnows but they are no better than jigs, to me.

I love throwing beetle spins and jigs when the fish aren't as deep.

Problem I have is when I tie on two 1/8oz jigs and trying to fish in 40' of water if there is any wind I feel like I can't maintain my depth because I'm blowing around. When I fish minnows I usually throw on a spitshot weight which I can go up as much as I want with a quick change and hang my aberdeen hook below that. Other then a trolling motor do you guys add weight to the line above or below your jigs on a windy day?

Thanks

I FISH JIGS YEAR ROUND,MAKE MY OWN WHICH IS A STINGER STYLE AND FOR THOSE THAT FISH JIGS WITH MINNOW BACKUP ,IT IS HARD TO MASTER A JIG THAT WAY.JIG FISHING IS A ART THAT MUST BE MASTERED TO GET THE BEST OUT OF IT,IF U ARE GOING TO FISH IT ,LEARN IT ,THE SPEED ,THE PAUSE,THE JERK FOR THE STYLE OF JIG U ARE USING,LINE SIZE,JIG WEIGHT,ROD SENSITIVE,AND MUCH CONSECRATION,I SEEN MANY FISH WITH ME THAT HAD BITES THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW THEY HAD,I WOULD TELL THEM ,R U GOING TO SET THE HOOK AND LAUGH.NOT TRYING TO ACT LIKE A KNOW IT ALL, JUST LETTING SOME KNOW ITS NOT JUST CAST AND WIND UP BAIT,I WOULD TELL THOSE WHO ARE LEARNING JIS TO GET WITH SOME OF THESE GUYS ON HERE THAT FISH JIGS ALL THE TIME TO HELP YOU BECOME BETTER

I use 2 - 1/4 ounce jig heads and don't let the wind get control of the boat. If you move a few feet, it takes just a second for your bait to return to depth.

I go best of both worlds. I tip a jig with a minnow. That way if they want the minnow they will hit. If they want the jig they will hit. Plus if the minnow comes off you're still fishing with some sort of bait besides a bare hook. BAM, now that's what I'm talking about.