While we are stuck with the hot weather and quite warm water, its time to think about those fish getting sluggish much like they do in the coldest part of the winter. In the cold, down-sizing gets the fish to hit agin and the same tactics can work now while its hot.
These little minnows measure a mere 1-3/8″. While they work great on small jigs….1/32 and 1/64….another super trick is to tie a plain, un-cast jig hook , on your line and add a split shot 6″ to a foot above the hook. Thread a small plastic on the hook until the head end of the plastic reaches the hook’s dog-leg, then put a dab of glue there to hook it. Either tight-line this rig or fish it under a float. The weight-less plastic and hook seem to almost have a neutrally bouyant character and after giving the rig a short hop/rest the slow drop gets the fish nerved up. On this particular bait that thread-fine tail section literally dances in the water on the drop.
When the heat is on and you know fish are where you are fishing but are sluggis, don’t give up. Just down size a bit and slow down the drop rate. The rig just described is a dandy for getting right into the thick of submerged wood to roust your dinner.
The red eyes on a couple of these make the baits appear madder than heck.
