Lure and Bait Suggestions

I’m looking for recommendations for what lures, jigs, spinners, baits, etc. and size of the lures you’ve had your best luck with catching panfish (perch, bluegill, sunnys, crappies, etc.) during winter.

Thank you!

I don’t think you will get much of a reply because it’s too broad of a question. I have a different set of lures I start with when I go after perch on this lake and different set for that lake. Same thing goes for crappie and bluegill is another set. Then there are other factors that may change them all again. Then I get out on the lake and the fish tell me I guessed wrong and change some more.

Typically I like tungsten jigs tippped with plastics or waxworms for all panfish, and then smaller spoons such as a tingler spoon for larger crappies and perch. The smallest jigging raps and rippin raps are also good for larger panfish when they are aggressive.

Thanks for the suggestions, really appreciate it.

mahtofire14 wrote:

Typically I like tungsten jigs tippped with plastics or waxworms for all panfish, and then smaller spoons such as a tingler spoon for larger crappies and perch. The smallest jigging raps and rippin raps are also good for larger <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>panfish when they are aggressive.

This pretty much says it for me too.

Don’t underestimate a size 3 rippin rap. Big gills hit them too.

jigs anything from 1/8 oz to 1/128th oz. usually tipped with plastics

spoons anything from 1/4 oz to 1/32 oz spoons. bare hooks or tipped with a bit of cut minnow parts.

darters – Salmo chubby darter – always with my lure assortment – bare hooks size 3 will catch you big fish.

jiggin raps – Rapala size 2 or 3, maybe 4 – Jigging rap, shad rap, slab rap, rippin rap. snap rap. many of the copy cat varities too.

lipless crankbaits – Z-viber, Rippin Rap, – size are typically 1/8 oz or 1/16 oz.

Ballhead jigs and soft plastic lures catch every fish species. Here a a few examples:

Note #7 is the tail of a finesse worm which you rig on a 1/32, 1/24 or 1/16 oz jig. The action is better than that of curl tail grubs at the slowest retrieve.
The Crappie Magnet grub (lower lure) is another that scores fish after fish and a cheap lure if you shop the website that sells them.

The one above it I made fusing the parts of two lure using a candle. Hybrid soft plastic lures have been fish catchers for over 15 years since I first discovered them and much of the time are a big improvement over the originals.

The Beetle Spin is a classic bait going back 50 years and a favorite of many:

Your only limited by your imagination when it comes to soft plastics.