Spider Rigging: Minnows vs Jigs

Would like to know everyone’s opinion on spider rigging, minnows or jigs? I have spider rigged with just a minnow on a hook or a minnow tipped on a jig head with no plastic squirt attached. But I have also spider rigged with just a jig head and a squirt sometimes tipping it with a crappie nibble. I have been successful both ways but I have also been skunked both ways. On the days that I have been skunked using just a jig I wish I had minnows and the days I have been skunked using minnows, I feel like I have wasted my money on the minnows. So does it really matter which one is used? Or do people have more success using one over the other?

I feel ya on those skunk days. Most people have a preference. Just have start out and try both ways. Have one with minnows only and one with jigs only and rest a mix see what they like that day. And there’s depth, speed, color, temp, open water/brush piles, etc… and Lvescope doesn’t always make it fool proof.


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If you watch your jigs and minnows with Livescope while spider rigging, it definitely tells you the mood of the fish and what you are presenting is going to work or not so that you can try something different a lot quicker. I personally haven’t used minnows in a long time, although there are days that I wished that I had some to try.


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Seems I catch more catfish and gar when using minnows.

I agree. It seems 0.3-0.6 is the best speed range. I like to stay around 0.3 when they seem inactive and speed up to 0.5-0.6 when they are really aggressive

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Originally Posted by jjue1979

If you watch your jigs and minnows with Livescope while spider rigging, it definitely tells you the mood of the fish and what you are presenting is going to work or not so that you can try something different a lot quicker. I personally haven’t used minnows in a long time, although there are days that I wished that I had some to try.


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I don’t have livescope yet just side and down imaging. Nothing is for certain with fishing but I have seen guys with livescope catching fish when I’m not so I’m definitely getting one.

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Originally Posted by canebreaker

Seems I catch more catfish and gar when using minnows.

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Yep I’ve noticed that, especially when I fish some of the delta oxbows. It seems the gar can smell a minnow a mile away and on the Rez those little catfish won’t stay off the line when using minnows.

Years past no tournament guy fished without minnows in the boat . May not use them but they were handy if needed . I have seen fish hit a minnow when they would not bite a jig . I personally never saw them hit a jig when they would not hit a minnow . Power trolling usually does not require a minnow but it never hurts to use them . jmo:juggle

There is only one right answer here and that is: It depends.


Wannabe…


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what he says