On a typical bite do you want the sucker minnow or shiner (4-5) inches moving less or more?
I typically put two split shots about 6 inches above the hook. I also have a barrel weight above the swivel that has about a 2-3 foot leader. I worry my minnow is too active but it could just be the bite.
My lake is pretty stained so any suggestions are appreciated.
no right or wrong answer. Sometimes they want the fish right on a jig, pinned so to speak. Sometimes plain hook with the splitshot like you’re doing is the ticket. Sometimes in between. It’s just the bite like you’re thinking.
Try clipping half of the minnows tails and see if that makes a difference.
Easier than it sounds. Just lay it down and run your pocket knife over the tail. If you’re ambitious, a scissors is even easier.
I do it pretty often with bigger suckers that are causing minnow trips.
Try clipping half of the minnows tails and see if that makes a difference.
Easier than it sounds. Just lay it down and run your pocket knife over the tail.
I do it pretty often with bigger suckers that are causing minnow trips.
I do this with almost all my bigger minnows
Okay thanks guys I don’t get false flags I just think that my minnow is being too active for a walleye to eat it. I will try the tail thing and see if it works. Am I cutting the length of the tail shorter on both fins or cut one fin off and leave the other.
Sorry for the confusion with the “half thing.”
To be more clear, cut the whole tail off on half of your minnows (to see if it makes a difference for you).
Make a mental note or a visual note (like a paper “clip” on your flag) of which tip ups have the clipped minnows 
It can make a difference in the mid-winter lull. Even with crappies and crappie minnows….. seriously.
You also said that you run your weights 6″ above the hook. For no scientific reason I usually run mine a foot or more up. Not so much to change the minnows action, but just to get the weight farther away from the fish’s attention.
I always experiment with different techniques also. I like moving the splitshot up and down on the line and sometimes even use a bullet weight above the treble on big baits for pike. Cutting the tails seems to help when the fish are lethargic.
I’ve always run my weights at about a foot up…and a swivel about 3-4′ up with a leader. I do believe that there are times where an overly active minnow could keep negative fish from giving it a look. There are also just as many times though where an active minnow will attract bites. If you’re using multiple tip-ups, try different set ups and see what gets the most action on a given day before fine tuning.
I bring my shot up to about a foot from hook, want no fish to bite the shot, could be crazy ,but its worked for over 50 years
I’ve been having great success with hooking the minnow on a plain 1/8 ounce jig.
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