Ice Picks

My long lost Uncle is coming down for Thanksgiving for the first time in a while. Hes into the ice fishing thing.... a little crazy to me! Walking around on ice and drilling holes just seems crazy to this southern boy! Anyway i plan on giving him some stuff to take back with him. So far heres all ive come up with. This is just a tail from a Fry. The heads are 1/80 chubs with #8 sickles and the one on the right has a #12. I can put spinner blades on these also. But not sure if that would be good for the ice or not??? I will post one up later to show one with a spinner. Anyway i need some Yankee help as to what works!

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/v...1/icepicks.jpg

Yes sir those will definately work through the "ICE". I use some baits from Little Atom Plastics called Wedgees on a 1/80oz. head when the fish are looking for a smaller bait. They work really well in the evening hours for Crappie.

Rondon those will be killer, very nice work

Thanks Len! I've seen the fish you catch!!!Thumbs Up

Thanks Jeep... Guess you like the one with the pank head!

I like those skinny tails,they should catch some crappie,gills and perch through the ice or open water. Small is better here at this time of year.

Thanks JJJ! Was i right with the 1/80 on those?

I'll add that you maybe consider adding just a touch of softener to the plastic. Cold water, such as that found under the ice, can stiffen even really whippy plastics up in a hurry and those plastics marketed for winter use in the northern states generally have softer plastic.

The tails you are using are definitely a solid bait for ice fishing. They have enough mass at the thicker end to allow for shortening if fish short-hit or if the angler wants to balance a lighter winter jig a little better. Line twist gets to be a factor when fishing thru the ice and these tail segments don't have anything to make them spin, so yest these are a great bait.

Thanks Tom! Thats some really great information. You definitely sound like u know your stuff! Now I will have to watch and make sure Uncle doesn't go out to the shop and pinch all the tails off my baits!

A few years agoI got a hold of some winter plastics that were darned near sticky they were so soft. Super glue was a constant companion while fishing those things but it was that super soft plastic that gave the things an action that few other winter plastics have marveled.

I'm getting ready to try my hand at this plastics injection stuff and mostly will be doing crappie/panfish sized baits to start. A worn out carcass will keep me off the ice pretty much except on really nice days and I plan to fish some of what I cook up when I do make it out.

Another poster mentioned the Nuggies. Those are an incredible ice plastic and I use lots of them, even during the open water season. I have no idea how many of the whip tails I have pinched off the Nuggies to use on a small jig...hundreds over the last couple years I suppose.

Heres a pic of one with a spinner. Would the added flash be good or bad for ice fishing? Or is it like anything else... It would work better some days than others???

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/v...ickspinner.jpg

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Originally Posted by RonDon

Thanks Len! I've seen the fish you catch!!!Thumbs Up

Thanks Jeep... Guess you like the one with the pank head!

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pink/green.....lectric chicken...who needs any other colors :D......we use somthing real similar to those (store bought made by lindy) for gill fishing and they work very well....are those to small to put that scent into?....I like yours better though, colors are better....

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Originally Posted by RonDon

Heres a pic of one with a spinner. Would the added flash be good or bad for ice fishing? Or is it like anything else... It would work better some days than others???

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Personally I'd drop the spinner for ice. If the fish show that they'll hit a bulkier jig, I'd upsize but not add anything that can get in the way. By up-sizing I mean go from say a #12 hook jig weighing about 1/64 ounce to a #10 at 1/32 or an #8 at 1/16 even. Often times changing the type of jig from a horizontal jig like you show to a vertical jig, like a Demon Jigging Spoon sporting a treble hook with you plastic treaded on one hook at a 45 degree angle.

Ice fishing creates a lot of adjustment in one's thinking and presentation tactics. Even a slight shift in the barometer can slam a fish's jaws tight. Snow cover on the ice can affect the bite and so can sky conditions....cloudy vs bright sun. Even the sun's angle based on time of day can make a huge difference in how a guy approaches the fishing. As a rule for me, if the fish show that they are going to be more aggressive I tend to fish much higher in the water column, go from a horizontal jig to a vertical jigging spoon and use a brighter or white plastic. The one thing I avoid religiously is something like the spinner blade shown on the jig since many of my hits will be coming from underneath the bait and upward very quickly, but they will still not hammer a jig like they will in the warmer water of summer.

Ronny,the little chubs are 1/80 and the black nickle minnow head is a 1/64.

We used little tails like those on teardrop jigs when I was in Akron Ohio. Bluegill would just engulf them.

We see some vertical ice jigs in the north that have a small prop-type spinner at the top of the bait, just under the line hole. These seem to work well. The problem with an attractor blade below the hook is the you want the fish to focus on the hook end of the package, not below it. Let the plastic do the atrracting and you fare much better, especially on sunfish or bluegills.

Rondon....if I wanted some of those for gill fishing are you making them for sale?....I got heads that would be perfect, just looking for the body's

Jeep im not selling them. I will just send you some though. I usually end up throwing away baits to get them out of the way and make space for new ones. PM me so i dont forget! If you need them soon message Baitman...He makes some really nice small baits that would be gill killers if you want to buy some.

Those look good to me! Love the spoon on the jig. Try to put some#10s on those. bet they will kill the gills.

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Originally Posted by jigtwins

Those look good to me! Love the spoon on the jig. Try to put some#10s on those. bet they will kill the gills.

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they also look good to me I think they would be fantastic.

Rondon I thought you might be interested in this mold from Jacob baits.
Attachment 74352

I have that one on the way right now.

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Originally Posted by RonDon

Jeep im not selling them. I will just send you some though. I usually end up throwing away baits to get them out of the way and make space for new ones. PM me so i dont forget! If you need them soon message Baitman...He makes some really nice small baits that would be gill killers if you want to buy some.

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no hurry....would just like to try a few, appreicate that....we targeted gills for the 1st time yr before last and had a ball.......Attachment 74393......plan on doing it more this year....caught multiple close to this on that day, this was prob the biggest though...gills are a ball when you find the big ones

I had not seen that mold Snake. I am really liking one thing about that mold a lot..... The 5/8 sprue!

Jeep pics like that are priceless!

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Originally Posted by RonDon

I had not seen that mold Snake. I am really liking one thing about that mold a lot..... The 5/8 sprue!

Jeep pics like that are priceless!

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yes I will agree with you on the tail .

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Originally Posted by snake River

Rondon I thought you might be interested in this mold from Jacob baits.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...s-img_0827.jpg

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Snake, do you have these baits for sale?

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Originally Posted by snake River

I posted a picture here will these work.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/attac...7-500x332-.jpg

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For ice fishing the one inch size with the ice pic tail works the best.

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Originally Posted by Len

For ice fishing the one inch size with the ice pic tail works the best.

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I will let you know if I order those molds from Jacobs baits I agree with you the ice pic has definitely the right type of action in the tail because of its narrow profile tail.

My mold should arrive tomorrow and I plan to have plastic in it right away. As soon as I shoot it I'll post about it.

I was saying that i liked how Rick made the mold with a 5/8" SPRUE as opposed to his typical 1/4".

jeep those gills are the tastiest things you ever stuck in your mouth, mmm mmm good

I use those ice fishing, Snake. I wish I could find some in glow colors. I have not tried making rubber yet. I do make ice jigs. If you know anybody that makes those in glow, please let me know. Thank you.

Ronnie,

I was a Yankee for 45 of my 67 years. Pinmins are the absolute best bait to use through the ice, Many people also believe they catch a ton of fish in freshwater also.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/jig-t...-included.html

Attachment 113472

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Originally Posted by trkyhunter

I use those ice fishing, Snake. I wish I could find some in glow colors. I have not tried making rubber yet. I do make ice jigs. If you know anybody that makes those in glow, please let me know. Thank you.

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glow colos we have now.

Seems it would work on aggressisive fish, Especially perch early and late day. Late ice for crappie as they are starting to stage for spawn and feeding more aggressivly. But good rule of thumb smaller is better. Coming from an irishman,lol.

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Heres a pic of one with a spinner. Would the added flash be good or bad for ice fishing? Or is it like anything else... It would work better some days than others???

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