Ice Jiggs

[fishintechnician]

hey guys first time back on here this year.  With the air starting to cool my frame of mind has started switching to dreams of hard water.  As such I have gotten some of the gear out, going to be helping my buddy doing some customization to the shanty and started doing checks and seeing what needs replaced.  Which brings me to my question. i primarily fish with tear drops and half moons and do really well on bluegill but I want to targert crappie and eyes more. Which jigs/baits should I get for this? I want to target in on indian as it seems to have the longest season and has always been kind of a nemises to me, but I plan to fish alum and delaware too and may make some other trips if the opportunity arises. So what are some good baits to get what sizes and colors. I have a vex and use of a shanty which all were aquired late last season so i am really getting seriose this year want to put some quality fish on the ice this year. thanks guys

[TURKEY09]

I don't fish for saugeye much. But I do like to target crappie. I like to use #2 or #3 swedish pimple tipped with spikes. I also use the #2 or #3 jigging rapala tipped with live bait. Small jigs with plastics also work well at times. Thats just what works for me. I'm sure there is alot more guys out there with other go to baits. Good luck on the crappie this year!!!

[MDBuckeye]

The saugeye bite on Alum last year was mainly on Vib-E's or other blade style baits.  Jiggin' raps did alright as well.  The saugeye bite was very short lived mostly though as the majority of the bites came right at dusk or just after on Alum.  I know Dave catches quite a few crappie on the smaller size rapala's at Alum.

I've been checking out lots of ice gear this season particularly.  I haven't spent much money on anything yet but I'm eyeballing some of the glow jigs at Jammin' Jigs.

Looking forward to getting out on the hard water in less than two months hopefully!

[fishintechnician]

I have been checking out some of the jammin jigs stuff also.... I have alot of there tear drops (regular and glow) and they work great it just seems that I usually only get gills on htem but they definetly produce. i have tried some of the smaller jiggin raps with little success but I have a feeling that was just me.

What color of the swedish pimples are you useing turkey? I have heard they are really productive for crappie and eyes but have never used them.

[TURKEY09]

I use swedish pimples in red and chrome also the blue and chrome. The white glow color also works well. My biggest crappie last year was a 14 1/2". Biggest gill was 10&1/4" both came on the perch colored jigging raps.

[davidhoheisel]

All the baits listed already work well at Alum. I also catch them on the small jigs that you are using. I put a waxie or plastic on them. 

I also like the sweedish pimple with a minnow head. This will catch the saugeye and crappie. You should also have the small size vib'e work well on both species. The small rapala's work well on crappies and CRV caught that big Saugeye on the small one last year..

Are you using A vex? This seems to be the key. You need one to mark the crappies. They will suspend in the water column and if you can't see this then you will be fishing your bait below them.

The Saugeye's are usually on the bottom and need to be worked on the bottom.

Finally, what size line are you using? I use 3 and 4 pound McCoy Ice line for the crappies and 8lb for the Saugeye's

Great questions. Keep them coming. Hope this helps.

[fishintechnician]

I do have a vex but got it the later part of the season last year...looking forward to putting time behind it this year. And i have 4 lb ice line on 4 of my rods and 6 or 8 on the other two and the small ones i always use tipped with live bait...

I have some vibees and just got some of the northland live forage series jiggs spoons and blade baits also got some of the swedish pimples and chubby darters, jigging shad raps, jigging raps, spoons and a bunch of stuff from jammin jiggs

[davidhoheisel]

You sound like you have all it takes.

Once you use the vex more you will be a old pro.

Now is the time to get on the docks at Alum with vex.

Have you jig and waxie ready. Walk the docks with your tranducer in the water.

When you see a suspended red mark, just drop it down and crush the crappies. If the mark is right below the dock than it usually a bluegill but sometimes it is crappies.

We can fish the docks but have to park in the dog park and walk in.

I will be making a post about that now.