Crappie tip

Though this is a crappie tip it’s a good one…(ba da dum).

I have had best results lately with tiny plastics without bait. I wrote an article about these about a month ago in Outdoor News (in case you have old issues lying around) anyway when they haven’t taken crappie minnows again they have responded well to tiny plastics! And they are better fish.

Keep catchin’
Turk

Now I’m going to have to go fishing again!

Is there any way to put the article up on the site here or a link to it?
Last winter I tryed the plastics a little for crappies also. Watching the crappies on a vexlar you could see a real difference in there reactions between the plastic and eurolarve.
What type of plastics did you try? Most of what I tryed where .75″ twister tails, beatles, Rubber minnows.

Here you go…

Outdoor News Seach Page

Change the search date to 1/1/04 and enter Turk.

Got it . Thanks Brian.
Turk. The comments about fishing with no bait where interisting. I would bet there are a very very small % of ice fisherman doing this. But like you said, You wouldnt think twice about throwing out a platsic lure for panfish in the open water season. Why not in the winter. A person will fish with spoons, sonars, crank baits, and plastics with no meat on them and they catch plenty of fish. Why wouldn’t a fish under the ice take a unbaited lure?
A few other unbaited ice fishing lures that I can think of being used today are a jigging rap. and a spearing decoy. Not much else comes to mind. Anyone else have any they use?

I have been spending a little time trying ringworms and superdoos threw the ice the last couple of winters. Haven’t had much luck on them yet but my time spent fishing with them has been very limited. I would think there is a time and place for fishing these plastics threw the ice also. Its just a matter of finding it.
One pattern I have seemed to find with jigging the bigger plastics is there abillity to attract fish into your fishing area. Panfish will seem to swim in to investigate but not bite. But once they are there drop down anouther offering to them and you have fish.
It is always fun to find new ways to catch fish. Not always productive but fun.

I’m glad the article worked for you, if I recall the article was edited to fit the paper, but with still enough info to be helpfull.

I’m using Ratso’s from Custom, they are effective. I bought them at the man’s mall (Fleet Farm!) But I suspect other small ones would also work.

For the walleye and sauger pattern that I’m lucky to be on, I am going to bring out a ringie on the next trip! I know they are biting so I’ll see what they really want. That is really the best time to try new baits…

Keep Catchin’
Turk

FUNNY I SHOULD READ THIS,LAST TWO YRS. I HAVE BEEN LEARNING THE PLASTIC THING FOREYES,SO I GOT TWO PACKS OF SMALL PLASTICS ,MORE LIKE TOOTHPICK OF PLASTIC.I WAS SITTING WATCHIN T.V AND PUTTING ONE ON DIFFERNT JIGS I USE. IT SURE LOOKS GOOD ,CAN NOT WAIT TO GIVEM A TRY .WHAT KIND OF PLASTIC DO YOU USE FOR A VERT. JIG. I GUESS I USE POUNDERS,AND COOPS MOSTLY. THE ONES I GOT HAVE NO TAIL OR HEAD TO SPEAK OF ,NOT AS LONG AS A TOOTH PICK,BUT SAME DIA.