Should there be this much blood?

I think that this year I have had my best luck with Shrimpko’s, ratso’s and forage minnows with a minnow head.

These are a few of my favorites.
As far as plastics go,the shrimpo and ratso bodies work well but the selection out there is becoming so large it boils down to personal preference….they all work at given times
The “gulp” grubs worked great this year,many times out fishing live bait by a long shot.Still carry the waxies and spikes though,just for those neutral days.
Looking forward to some of the best ice fishing of the season……ice out shallow water slabs and gills

I really have learned to love Frostee’s and Forage Minnows either tipped with a waxie or minnow head.

Off topic, but what are your guy’s ‘goto’ bait when you just cannot get those suspended crappies or stubborn sunnies to take anything?

Pete

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I really have learned to love Frostee’s and Forage Minnows either tipped with a waxie or minnow head.

Off topic, but what are your guy’s ‘goto’ bait when you just cannot get those suspended crappies or stubborn sunnies to take anything?

Pete

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Do you mean the ones you throw everything at and they still dont bite. Sometimes you just need to move and find more active fish. Seems to me the fish get used to seeing jigs after a while. If you start hole hopping you might be able to get a few to go right as the lure drops down the hole. Then its off to the next hole.

Yeah, that always seems to be the best bet.

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These are a few of my favorites.
As far as plastics go,the shrimpo and ratso bodies work well but the selection out there is becoming so large it boils down to personal preference….they all work at given times
The “gulp” grubs worked great this year,many times out fishing live bait by a long shot.Still carry the waxies and spikes though,just for those neutral days.
Looking forward to some of the best ice fishing of the season……ice out shallow water slabs and gills

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Mine are about the same as yours: purest, rembrant (old school style, not the new junk they came out with now), rocker, candy stripe and lil cecil. Of course you always buy new things but how many people have about 200 more ice fishing jigs than they really need? I know I do. You always stick with your “bread and butter” baits when the fishing gets tough. Don’t be afraid to not use bait, plastics are a great aresenal to have out on the ice.

I like moonglo’s tipped with blue or red larvae, if that don’t get em, then a green ant, with a waxie will !!!

big g

I like to find out what everybody else is catching fish on and then mooch from them.
Those will always be my favorite.

I take a small teardrop with black eyes and tie some thread at the top of the hook shank to make a little skirt. Then tip with waxies or euro larvae. When you jig, the threads flutter around and drive fish nuts. Thats my goto for finicky fish. Or diamond jigs. Shrimpos too. And slo-pokes. Man, now I have an urge to go buy more tackle.

So what works better? A Shrimpo or Ratso? One is vertical one is horizontal. Any one notice a preference by the fish. I would bet some days they want one. Other days they want the other.

Eisert. Good tip on tying on the thread. What color do you use? Would think red would work nice. Looking forward to trying that.

That’s exactly why I use the ants…. the legs actually slow down the drop and they fan up & down during a slow jig.

big g

My go to is the secret bait that HOF turned me on to a couple years ago…CJS’s Purple <censored>. They are THE all around gill, crappie and once in a while catfish catcher! With this little gem on light ice line, you need a VERY good feel or better yet a camera to set the hook on those very very light biting gills.

When the bite is good, I upsize the <censored> to the largest size. Just because it’s easier to handle.

Notice IDO has added Ratso to the censored words list to keep them forever a secret.

Now, if CJS would make a 2 oz <ratso> for flathead fishing…I would be in heaven.

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I take a small teardrop with black eyes and tie some thread at the top of the hook shank to make a little skirt. Then tip with waxies or euro larvae. When you jig, the threads flutter around and drive fish nuts. Thats my goto for finicky fish. Or diamond jigs. Shrimpos too. And slo-pokes. Man, now I have an urge to go buy more tackle.

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Thanks for the tip eisert……this looks killah

That’s what makes this site so dang cool,good stuff

BTW, Don’t look at this bait……it is [censored]

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My go to is the secret bait that HOF turned me on to a couple years ago…CJS’s Purple <censored>. They are THE all around gill, crappie and once in a while catfish catcher! With this little gem on light ice line, you need a VERY good feel or better yet a camera to set the hook on those very very light biting gills.

When the bite is good, I upsize the <censored> to the largest size. Just because it’s easier to handle.

Notice IDO has added Ratso to the censored words list to keep them forever a secret.

Now, if CJS would make a 2 oz <ratso> for flathead fishing…I would be in heaven.

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So do I need to change my user name to <censored>?

I have had luck with both shrimpos and ratso. Depends on the day and the way the fish are biting. For some reason I have had better luck with the ratsos when the fish are biting more horizontally and the shrimpos when I am having to pull the fish up off the bottom. It might simply be because of the larger cross sectional view at either angle due to the tale being bent or straight. All I know is that they are my go to plastics!! I have always just tipped them with a live grub if need be, what are you guys using for color combinations when using the gulps? Similar color to plastic skirt or larger contrast between the two? Just curious!!

Lately while fishing the shrimpos I make sure the tail is horizontal as to vertical. After a few bites the fish will pull the tail down and it needs to be moved up again.

Have only had luck on crappies with the shrimpos so far. Sunies seem to look the other way or just nip the tail.

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Lately while fishing the shrimpos I make sure the tail is horizontal as to vertical. After a few bites the fish will pull the tail down and it needs to be moved up again.

Have only had luck on crappies with the shrimpos so far. Sunies seem to look the other way or just nip the tail.

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Blugills prefer a horizontal presentation(Ratso).

Crappies feed up and the (Shrimpo) fits the bill.

Have you noticed the same thing Bruce? I guess I haven’t caught any gills yet on them, just crappies and actually a few pearch.

Clown Diamond jig for me.

FDR

By the way, I have caught perch, gills, crappie, sauger, walleye, and LG with this combination.
FDR

Hey Ratso!

I have an avatar for you!

huntinggen-ML-640684-ML-