Ice fishing baits

What is everyone gonna start out with for lures this year for big panfish?

My go to is a
Gapens purple teardrop red dot, glow white back.

Depends on the lake I usually do really well with the vmc tumbler spoon for pies but in trying to get more into running plastics this year

1/16th Slender spoon

Homemade 1/80 oz hair jig I use them year round.

I was a little late to the party last winter in starting to use the VMC ice flies but once I figured it out they were absolutely deadly for both late ice and Spring soft water pannies… I can’t wait to try them early ice this winter.

I picked up a dozen or so JR’s Jelly Beans last year and they have been amazing. Brought them to Devils once last year and they were the ticket for finicky perch schools. I also used them for gills a couple times and they worked great tipped with waxies or euros. I will hopefully be picking up more at the ice show this year.

Same here , I used the VMC ice flies all winter and they were deadly. Went through a bunch of them all the hair would be off by the end of the day if the bite was hot.

Next one to that will be the JR Jalapeno jigs . That and the ice fly pretty much stay on my ice rods for gills and crappies. Even for perch in ND and SD.

The last couple years I’ve been using Maynards tackle. Spoons for walleye but I really like their tungsten jigs for panfish. I can downsize and still get the jig down into deeper water fairly quick. Best thing too…handcrafted in Minnesota USA!

I’m sure it’s so 2014 and no longer cool, but it’ll be the Slender spoons and the rippin rap out of the gate. Early ice gills crush the 1/16th spender spoons for me.

Will Roseberg wrote:

I was a little late to the party last winter in starting to use the VMC ice flies but once I figured it out they were absolutely deadly for both late ice and Spring soft water pannies… I can’t wait to try them early ice this winter.

I used these all winter for trout and I found that early in the season they were not as effective as late in the season. I absolutely loved them though!!! Slayed the trout later in the season though!!!

Hoyt4 wrote:

Next one to that will be the JR Jalapeno jigs

SHHHHHHHHHH KURT!

Panfish Plastics Chigger Fry profile is the deadliest little plastic I’ve used for Sunnies and crappies. Check them out

http://www.panfishplastics.com/Best-Crappie-Bait-Chigger-Fry-p/ppcf.htm

The past couple winters pink horizontal tungsten jigs have been my go to followed by the perch tingler spoon 1/16 oz, so weird catching gills on a spoon to me. So most likely will be starting there, that said I am really anxious to try the VMC tungsten fly jig this winter as I didn’t pick up any until almost ice out last year.

I’m with Will,

I absolutely crushed big gills and crappies on the Mississippi River Backwaters last season with VMC’s Ice Flies !!