I was fortunate enough to get on a hot bite that lasted the majority of ice fishing season. My only issue was consistently playing keep away from smaller fish. Just wondering what strategies/baits/lures do people use to land big fish more often? (I landed quite a bit of big fish, I’d just have a mix of smaller fish in between) Thanks!
I’d give minnows a shot.I read a article from In fisherman by Gord Pyzer.Bugs vs Minnows in there under the sub title in reading the leaves he says bigger fish would go to minnows more often.
For stratigies I’d double do it one rod dead stick the other jigging
Lures
I like The new kicker jig Dave gentz has with a little bigger plastics or mimic type minnows.
Good luck stay safe
A strategy I picked up somewhere is keeping your bait up a little higher than usual. I’ve read and witnessed bigger fish tend to come up farther. My 2 cents. I’m sure it varies.
No matter what they tell you size does matter. Try up sizing a little and that should keep some of the smaller ones away. Those ultra light rippin raps are great for those bigger crappies. Ive had a few enthusiastic 6 inchers grab them but thats pretty rare.
No matter what they tell you size does matter. Try up sizing a little and that should keep some of the smaller ones away. Those ultra light rippin raps are great for those bigger crappies. Ive had a few enthusiastic 6 inchers grab them but thats pretty rare.
I agreee 100%! Last year we used the Lindy Darter in the mix of rods down and the Darters caught bigger fish hands down compared to the minnow setups or waxy setups.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Carter Johnson wrote:</div>
No matter what they tell you size does matter. Try up sizing a little and that should keep some of the smaller ones away. Those ultra light rippin raps are great for those bigger crappies. Ive had a few enthusiastic 6 inchers grab them but thats pretty rare.I agreee 100%! Last year we used the Lindy Darter in the mix of rods down and the Darters caught bigger fish hands down compared to the minnow setups or waxy setups.
X3! Had the same experience with crappie by up-sizing my Slender Spoons. On a hot bite I was tossing their biggest ones down the hole…and slimming down when a bite cooled off.
A little higher in the water column also has merit. I’ve found bigger crappie sometimes a little more willing to come up…or had them come from somewhere off to the side and crush it while other fish below were hesitating.
-Rev
Upsizing is what I do.
Plastics have almost always caught bigger fish for me over live bait. When the bite is good up sizing my plastics or switching over to jigging spoon like a buckshot or rattling flier has helped ice the larger fish. I caught a lot of crappies this fall on #6 rippin raps and 1/4oz blades.
I think fishing faster goes along with up-sizing for those crappies too. I’ll be using more tungsten this year, and going that same direction, fishing more aggressively for the larger fish. I think the biggest mistake alot of guys take with those deeper suspended crappies from year to year is going too small, esp. mid-winter when the bite windows are short. I fished a metro lake last year that saw a 15 minute window of activity. You fished fast and caught plenty, or you waited what seemed like minutes for your bait to drop in the zone and caught fewer, just on account of drop-time.
I had some time last year with that new VMC Tungsten fly, and like the fact that it fished fast in larger sizes, but still had plenty of enticement via the soft hackle and coloration. For crappies specifically, I’m hoping to try that VMC Chandelier jig. I think loaded up with waxies or spikes it’s going to be a great speed bait. Never got a chance to drop it on deeper ‘pies last year, but I think if you can get bit with it, you know it’ll get down fast and really take advantage of those mid-late winter shortened bite windows.
Joel
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