best bait for crappies through the ice?

[whiteoakbuck]

whats the best bait to use for crappies through the ice i have little success with crappie minnows and am not sure if bait stores still carry leeches in the winter   

[HD]

My son and myself just got our limit on crappie last night with wax worms.

[whiteoakbuck]

My son and myself just got our limit on crappie last night with wax worms.

sweet i will have to try them more this season never caught to many crappie on them mostly sunfish but thanks for the tip i will be sure to try it

[DDSBYDAY]

     I would always have some crappie minnows with me.  Sometimes they won't touch the waxie and sometimes they won't touch the minnow.  Sometimes if they are really slow I will just use the minnow head.  Tear  the body off and let the entrails hang. You can mush your waxies too.  I also like a little bigger hook for crappies.  Sunfish during mid winter I go as small as I can usually.   If you find them you should be able to catch them on both wax worms and minnows.(Here again I start out with the small ones first.).

[thunderpout]

I like eurolarve/maggies and crappie minnows, like DDSBYDAY said... when crappies are in that slow...lockjaw mode, ya gotta make it easier for them..... go minnow head, or really small crappie minnow, and try trimming the tail fins so the minnow wiggles to beat heck trying to get away... but doesnt get far.... just alot of crappie calling wiggling action in a small easy to eat package! alot of guys use stuff that is too large and not stealthy enough, and that includes hooks, bait, line and floats(bobbers) I know for a fact that we all miss at least 50% of the fish(if not more) because of lite bites and other things and it only compounds the problem when we use tackle that doesnt quite match what we are going after.... the one thing that I see quite often is people using floats that would work on walleye rigs while fishing for crappies & sunnies.  I very rarely use floats for panfish, unless its on a 2nd rod/deadstick or a rattle wheel.....

[katfishkeith]

I think I'm with Thunderpout on this one, I seem to have more luck with the smaller eurolarvae, usually in red. I use two or three just barely hooked thru the skin.
If you or a buddy have a fish cam, you can learn alot about how fish actually react to a presentation. Alot of times jigging too fast while the fish is close to your bait will send them packing if they aren't in an agressive feeding mode.

[22lex]

2 lb test, small 1/32 jig with euro or 2 seems to work great for me during the slow times. Maybe even some type of spring bobber to show the really fine lipping going on. Really small plastics usually work early season so you don't have to buy bait, or even those mini-power baits I have been seeing.

At any rate, I have better luck with smaller presentation during ice for panfish.

[doomanmxz99]

Small is good. Waxies/Eurolarva work well or small crappie minows or just the heads. I also have had alot of luck with the red power bait honey worms waxxies and maggots. I have had some good luck with the powerbait 1inch minnows when the bite is slow.Whiteoak get a hold of me I know of some good spots up here by us for pretty regular crappie bite.

[pickelfarmer]

I've used the wax worms before with some success but my over all bait of choice is a Demon jig tipped with a crappie minnow hooked lightly through the back just under the skin.  Most of the time this will out produce any other thing I have tried.  But then again time of day as well as what size fish you are targeting along with depth and how agressive the fish are, are all big factors as well.

[HappyGilz]

I have been using both waxies and minnows so far this year...last Sunday they were switching off on what they were biting on...couple hours it was worms, couple hours it was minnows. I'd bring both out!

[sandmannd]

Euro Larva for live bait. To be honest, the first couple of times out this year I haven't even bought bait for panfish. Plastics are where it's at, if you haven't started fishing them, pick some up and start. They are easy to carry around, can catch multiple fish on one and they are hands down my go to for panfish right now.

[The General]

Which plastics are you using? Color?

[Baron Von Crappie]

little atom nuggies in glow, and red atomic glow, jumbo wedgees, same color

[Fawkinnae]

little atom nuggies in glow, and red atomic glow, jumbo wedgees, same color

Your Baronship. Talk some more about these baits? I was just at Gander Mt. I didn't see a jumbo wedgee (and not sure what color you are calling for). Also all the nuggies I saw were white. Is there a red nuggie. I had three guys waiting on me. It took them a while to find the ballpark.
Thanks!

[sandmannd]

There are red nuggies. Red is a hot ticket for me right now as well as glow. To be honest, there is a guy on a couple of sites that started making his own plastics. I have to say, they are the most impressive I've ever seen and are fish magnets. If you see me on the ice ever come and talk to me, I'll give you some.

Back to others, go to Thorne Bros or Fleet. Thorne is my choice. They have, by far, the best selection of everything. Go in and tell them what you are fishing for and how and they will hook you up. Nuggies are great but not the only thing out there.

Little Atom makes the Nuggies but they also make wedges. Both of these are now available in two tone as well.

Nuggies


Wedges


Don't forget the gulp alive products as well. Gulp Alive Fish Fry, Gulp Alive Minnow head & Gulp Alive 1 inch minnows are killer on the ice. The Minnow head is great for Walleye fishing as well.

There's a new line coming out that has quiver tails, paddle tails, quarter pounders and mousies that truly are deadly for panfish.

Favorite colors for me on all plastics are Blood Red, Glow White, Purple, Chartreuse, Black and Green.

[Fawkinnae]

Nice information Sandmannd. Thanks.

[slystuff]

 :USA:LOTS OF GOOD INFO ON THIS THREAD GUYS; THANKS ALOT NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT ONLY USING PLASTICS ON ICE AS I USE THEM FREQUENTLY ALL THE REST OF THE YEAR IT ONLY MAKES SENSE TO USE EM NOW i WAS SKUNKED LAST YEAR EVERY TIME OUT SO IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE.

[HappyGilz]

I'm going to have to try this too, thanks for the info...I've heard a lot about how plastics have really changed in the past few years, I was always nervous with the early stuff though. Thanks Guys!

[sandmannd]

I hope you all try them out and have great success. Like I said, if you see me on the ice, come and chat. I'll gladly show you the new plastics I carry and most likely share them with you.

Not sure how many of you know of Crappie Tom. This guy is a huge panfisherman and on the cutting edge of panfishing. Here's something he posted on a couple of other sites, I'm sure he has no problem of me posting this here.

Every year we see new products hit the shelves and add to the mix of what's available for the ice angler. The one trend I have seen unfolding this year is in the area of plastics, micro plastics specifically. Holy cow are they out there now.

For years we saw the need for small plastics go un-addressed and the best anyone could really do was to alter something already on the market and often that just didn't cut it. As I walked thru the many vendors at the CSI distributor show in October I got to preview some new toys in this department and recently some relative new-comers have also been showing products with some super serious potential.

Plastic is plastic is plastic is what I have heeard in the past, but statements like that are so far from the truth it makes me laugh. Experienced ice anglers know that plastics size and action can mean a lot and un-skilled anglers catch on pretty quick too if they are paying attention. Some larger plastics work at certain times. Middle of the road sized plastics seem to be a happy medium for many anglers, but the micro plastics seen of late are certainly going to be taking ice angling to a whole new level and for a good reason.

There are too many of these new products out there to really make a blanket statement so I will limit what I say to those plastics I have actually had in my hands. There are 3 specifically and every sngle one of them is a winner.

Bobb-o, of Lindy and Thorne Bros note, has come along with some very nifty plastics that have a square body segment along with a rat-tail. The tail on these plastics is just plain incredible. I have used these from the docks I fish, both in open water and under the ice and they  performed flawlessly. The body segment was easily trimmed to match whatever jig I chose to use them on which is a big plus. The tail section was very active with the absolute least amount of jigging needed to set it in a dance. I had very good luck with these baits and like the range of colors they come in.

Mike Boettcher of Luretech makes a line of very small bodied plastics with an extremely thin whip tail that makes a fool out of fish. The body on these little gems is merely a button with a tail attached. The plastic used is color fast and the plastic is almost impossible to break. They tail is so whippy that you cannot hold it still on a rod. These are available in limited colors right now but the colors being offered are standards in the industry and are fish producers. I have had these in the water, both open and under the ice while on the docks I like to fish and sunfish seem to have a nasty habit of hitting them. No bait is needed with these. These are the smallest of the new plastics I have handled.

J and S Custom Jigs has a line of micro plastics that I have in my hands right now and man are they something. I have 4 different profile/body shapes in 4 different colors which includes three glow colors and white. The glow colors light up enough to almost burn your hand in the dark. They have done an outstanding job on these babies. The body segments are hardly any larger than a smallish spike. The hair-like tails on some of these is impressive to say the least. I have not had these in the water or under the ice but I did rig one on a diamond jig and gave it a go in the fish tank. Man, what action these tails have. Unreal. I have to just say wow about the glow capabilities here again. Very impressive and I can't wait to slide these down with some tight lips because I will bet that they get a mouth open.

So whats about with the micro plastics? Now, for the relative first time ever, we are seeing plastics that do not overwhelm a small jig. Our tendency for smaller tackle in the last years has been stymied by having plastics that are basically not a good match to the jig size. The Gill Pills and Diamond jigs are examples. A number 10 in either of these jigs is simply smothered if even a micro-nuggie s hung from them. Spinning has become a problem if these combinations are used and jigged just a little. The balance is gone and jigging kicks these compactjigs round and round down there and at rest they make the fish dizzy while un-winding. These new plastics with smaller bodies and extremely lithe tails of hyper active plastic is just what ice anglers have need to see available to them. The three makers mentioned here have hit the tackle nail on the proverbial head with their offerings. Now can we get the micro plastics in a variety of profiles and colors and from more than just one provider. The only problem I expect to see from these new plastics is finding the room for them in tackle and rod bags that are already bulging. I guess its a darned good thing they are micro in nature and in size.

[Go Big Red!]

We have had good success with Red euro waxies.  Sometimes we'll hook a red and a white together as well.  Small plastics do work, but I don't use them much in all honesty.