Thread: mminnow size help

Originally Posted by NIMROD

WHY NOT ALL YEAR ?

Late spring/early summer. Post spawn fish can be a little picky and there is a ton of small fry around from the completed spawns. I grew up fishing trees and pads that time of year with 1/32 or smaller jigs. Catch a mixed bag of bluegill and crappie most days.

Do you guys that fish with jigs only, use a jig that is as big as the minnow that you'd use (if you fished minnows)??? Hope that makes sense.

I never thought of this.........but I wonder why a 'big' minnow is preferred, but you use a 1/32 or 1/16 jig??? Clearly, the jig fishermen outfish me and my minnows (but I enjoy minnow fishing), but there does seem to be a disparity in size of each.

And........I generally get #6 minnows....but #8's are ok. I have caught a lot of bigger fish on #6's.........those are usually the two sizes that are available at most bait stores that carry two sizes.

Oh, and I always hook through both lips. I have no good reason for that......just how I do it. It works when it works, and it doesn't when it doesn't.

I have a fairly large "minnow vat" I got from Cabela's years ago, made by Weston. They are obsolete now. I had a big aerator on top, but it burnt out, and they are obsolete too. So I just use a regular aerator with tubes down into the vat. I keep minnows 99% alive any time of year except when it's above 93 degrees or so, for most of the day. Then nothing seems to work, short of ice every two hours, which I can't do. Even if it's hot, I can keep them mostly alive for a day or so. Put ONE aspirin in the minnows, and they'll be heartier. (Probably have fewer heart attacks too!!!

Originally Posted by Buckrub

Do you guys that fish with jigs only, use a jig that is as big as the minnow that you'd use (if you fished minnows)??? Hope that makes sense.

I never thought of this.........but I wonder why a 'big' minnow is preferred, but you use a 1/32 or 1/16 jig??? Clearly, the jig fishermen outfish me and my minnows (but I enjoy minnow fishing), but there does seem to be a disparity in size of each.

And........I generally get #6 minnows....but #8's are ok. I have caught a lot of bigger fish on #6's.........those are usually the two sizes that are available at most bait stores that carry two sizes.

Oh, and I always hook through both lips. I have no good reason for that......just how I do it. It works when it works, and it doesn't when it doesn't.

I have a fairly large "minnow vat" I got from Cabela's years ago, made by Weston. They are obsolete now. I had a big aerator on top, but it burnt out, and they are obsolete too. So I just use a regular aerator with tubes down into the vat. I keep minnows 99% alive any time of year except when it's above 93 degrees or so, for most of the day. Then nothing seems to work, short of ice every two hours, which I can't do. Even if it's hot, I can keep them mostly alive for a day or so. Put ONE aspirin in the minnows, and they'll be heartier. (Probably have fewer heart attacks too!!!

I seldom use anything smaller than 1/8 jighead. I use MEATGETTER's Spanky and Southern Pro Umbrella Tubes on a 1/8 jighead about 90% of the time . I use a 1/4 oz when needed over 25' deep in winter fishing. Here it is common to find Shad in Crappie's belly that are 3 to 4'' and longer . I can't see them refusing 2'' jigs because they are too big. Like that #2 hook for swinging the slabs in the boat.