Tried everything. There is an answer!!

[DDSBYDAY]

    I went out to field test the shad darts today.  I got a lesson from the fish.  Does you lure matter.  It most definately does.  The lesson is that color, shape and size does matter.  I had my auger serviced recently.  I brought it in without the blade guard on it.  BAD MOVE !!.  The throttle cable was fixed and it ran perfectly.  The sharp new blades that could cut a hole with no problem at half throttle were toast.  If those were the same blades they must have been run on cement.  I finally got 1 hole drilled by melting my way through it with friction. I was not where I wanted to be but I didn't have enough gas to melt another hole.  Ice was slick but thick.  If you are going out get your ice cleats on.  If we get the snow that is predicted traction will be a big problem with the slick ice underneath the snow.  I did not have anybody near me.  I had a couple of guys stop by to check on the depth I was at.   I was shallower than they were looking for.  Fortunately for me I got lucky and I was on fish.

Results of the field test.

1.  ATI-47 1/32 oz. no blade-  FAIL
2.  Shad Darts- Green Chartreuse,hot pink, yellow chartreuse-  Fail
3.  Eye drop (Red and white)-  A little better than fail.
4.  Eye drop (orange)-mediocre at best.
5.  Daphneaminnoe (plain)- Could not even get it down without a hit.
6.  Daphneaminnoe (pink)- ok

     Today I had fish under the hole.  I aggressively changed baits to find their preferences.  I mixed it up as much as I could.  There was no doubt that the plain daph was the ticket.  They are exactly the same weight and have the exact same hook size  as the shad dart.  The difference is profile.  Next comes color.  The fish did not like pink.  It would work but not as well.  I use a clip that you will see in the photos so I can change jigs easily.  There was no doubt on the winner today.  
 
    Summary-The bite changes every day.  Don't be afraid to change it up if the fish are not biting.  I only used wax worms to tip the jigs.  I tried to keep everything equal.  The fish will show you their preferences.  I would not have guessed these results.  This is not typical for this lake.

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[lentz]

1.  ATI-47 1/32 oz. no blade-  FAIL
that makes me feel good guess what i just bought??
j/k but i rly did buy em

[DDSBYDAY]

     I could not believe it myself.  I don't know if it is because of the storm coming or the just the overcast skies.  Today was the day for a flat no color horizontal jig.  I'll make sure you will have some back up for days like these. 

[lentz]

     I could not believe it myself.  I don't know if it is because of the storm coming or the just the overcast skies.  Today was the day for a flat no color horizontal jig.  I'll make sure you will have some back up for days like these. 

k ty

[katfishkeith]

I always ( well almost always ) have better luck with an incoming storm front. I learned this from

my Dad, its because the barometer is dropping, it really does have an affect on the fish bite.

The tricky part is matching it with the best times of day to fish. I think crappie are one of the

most picky fish to get to bite also. The wife and I were out on crappie once and using the exact

same jig, the difference maker was that her jig was more horizontal and she was hammering the

crappies, when I slid my knot over, bam they started hitting my jig also.