lighter jigs/smaller lures can make a difference in cold water

[SPOONMINNOW]

There are different types of suckers. That one is a white sucket. A smooth drag and medium action rod did the trick.

I don't know where John caught the cat.

 

[duffy]

Reminds of this 10# white sucker I caught on a Crappie Magnet tail/ grub body hybrid.
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Man do I miss John. We had some great discussions via email and he loved catching fish on my innovations.
Shot of a catfish he caught:

Ugh, I hate suckers! When my friend and I go down to the river for steelhead it seems like one of us always catches one and they always swallow the hook. It’s like pulling up an old tire. My friend once pitched one up on the shore about 40 ft away with the others that people had tossed there. An hour later Miss game warden showed up and asked if it was ours. Nope, was here when we got here. She lamented that it was a waste to do that to a gamefish. I just shook my head. Two and a half hrs later that damn thing was still moving and I think if we would’ve tossed it back in it probably would’ve survived. Crazy tough fish.

 

[Husker2185]

Try using Ice Jigs been using them. as long as I can remember year round for panfish. especially the old school lead soldered blade types. it will have more of a flutter action while descending. I use a couple different sizes basicly as the water warms I increase size. I use an ultra light pole and cast them with a slow retrieve to keep at the depth I wanted

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

I've never seen them before. Bet the pannies would have clobbered them today in shallow water.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Downsizing lure size works in warm water too. After 2 weeks of day temps consistently in the 90s to low 100s really glad to have become accustomed to fishing in the dark before sunrise. Big lake 2-3/4 - 3" tails got bit but but most fail to stick in current small water habitat. Switching to tried & true Bobby Garland blue ice 2" Baby Shad significantly improved hookups especially for mostly smaller white bass with a few stray walleye in meathead devastation spots.

I don't get to see em much at night but their daytime presence is evidenced by discarded worm & liver containers + beverage bottles. One stand had 4 Dos Equis bottles sitting, assuming the other 2 went swimming.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Extreme example of small jigs being bit by big fish this AM. Setting the hook didn't feel like much as the fish swam towards my stand without any struggle. As it came close to the rocks it veered and headed down current exhibiting unmistakable heft of a heavy fish, either a carp or catfish. Didn't fight like a carp or channel cat so figgered it might be a flathead that swallowed a smaller fish that stuck on the !/10 oz head pinned with a Bobby Garland 2" blue ice Baby Shad. Major battle ensued with fish totally in control for at least a half hour till it tired enuf to bring in close enuf to net. Well, even the head didn;t look like it would fit in the net so lucky a young strong guy was available to hoist the fish out by a gill plate for a look see before release. Guessing at least 40# surprisingly with the tiny jig stuck in its lip. Good thing the line was 10# Sufix 832 and the hook was a #2 heavy wire Victory sickle. The runs were unstoppable so lucky the flattie didn't head downstream in the current and keep going.

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Congrats catching that behemouth!
Granted, catching fish is the first challenge - netting BIG fish on small lures and light line is another.
The reason I cast light jigs/small plastics is to perfect my finesse fishing skills. When the bite is dead like in the last few outings, there's got to be alternative lures to using live bait. Yesterday only 10 fish caught even though large schools were seen on sonar located in the deepest part of the lake. No bites in those areas. The only fish caught were scattered in 7' in the same areas where a bud and I caught only 7 fish last Friday after the front changed everything. A thin tail was key on all three days - either stinger or thin/ straight/ flat (pictured). Curl tails not so much. Key was a very slow retrieve with pauses.

A theory I came up recently is general aggression level or g.a.l. We all have experienced big number days when you could close your eyes and catch a bunch. Days like yesterday had me scratching my head. Why the difference? Here are examples that support the theory:
1. Schoolies may get turned on by one fish attacking a lure and than the others follow suit with one after the other attacking like no tomorrow. The school (as well as many other fish in the lake) had a high strike potential because the g.a.l. was higher in general for that lake on that day. The same thing occurs when one of 3 or 4 fish attack and the others follow in that spot where no other fish are present.

2. When the g.a.l. is lower for most fish in a water on a day (i.e. post storm/cold front), only a few may strike, and if they do, without the gusto exhibited when the high g.a.l. is higher. Many lures that usually do will not work.
The fish shown struck lightly; some swam closer before striking - but no second hits if missed; and some took the lure just off the bottom when the boat moved once the anchor was pulled.

A higher g.a.l. = fish more sensitive to lures and a higher variety of lure shapes/actions and rates of retrive that can be cast to provoke fish into striking.
A lower g.a.l. = only a few lures shapes/actions retrieved very slowly in order to provoke strikes of fewer fish.

Knowing what to do - if anything - when the g.a.l. is low is a challenge and hopefullly not one that shortens the outing due to angler boredom - like me yesterday.

Anyway, just a thought.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Haha, GALs can certainly be moody and particular. Being a KISS guy only use a few options from hyper wiggle paddle tails to downsize straight tails and either can be a best choice at different times. One situation when shorter baits are advantageous is when fish are short striking grabbing only the bait's tail, & lately I've been biting off a section of the bait nose on the job.

Some days tho plastics don't get bit and local doll fly experts seriously outfish me with their unlikely looking 1/4 oz or heavier walleye jig heads tied with long skinny marabou.

This AM was one of those dead bite days so tried a first time new combo 1/4 1/0 HevHed pinned with an undersize 2" Bobby Garland blue ice Baby Shad and stuck the only bite of the session far out and deep in reservoir inlet current. Felt like a good one but unfortunately the one that got away.

Since local experts are using 3" or longer plastics or ties maybe a shorter option to show the fish something different is worth pursuing?

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

1/4 oz is one heavy jig. 1/8 is the heaviest I'll go.
Today after heavy downpours last night, the aggression level was dead in deeper water but higher in water under 5' and closer to shore. Mostly little buggers hit little lures on light jigs but with gusto!

1/24 and 1/32 oz jigs did well because they could be worked slowly in shallow water. More shapes caught fish than the 3 shown - each with different actions. Yesterday as I was getting my boat ready to load on the trailer, I left my rod on the ground with lure in the water. As soon as I raised the rod, a 3.5" bass hooked itself. Two more just like it did the same close to shore. I cast out a bit and caught a 7" bass. I'd have to say the G.A.L. was high for those 4 fish and the fish that smacked my lures in shallow water.

I figured 15 fish caught after a few hours was enough after the sound of thunder and rain drove me off the lake. (I own three raincoats and didn't bring one because the forecast called for no rain. Good thing it was warm out or my wet shirt would have been very uncomfortable.)

 

[Hawnjigs]

I agree lightest possible enables slower retrieves without hanging bottom. For my current apps tho 1/4 oz seems minimum for sinking/stability in current and for maximum casting distance to outer holds. Short still working today 4 wipers in fast water on an original 3" pearl Lead Head Shiner with nose and tail paddle trimmed off down to a 2-1/4" stub then later in slower water in this reservoir inlet pool another wiper & 3 smallies on the same weight different style 1/4 oz head pinned with a Bobby Garland 2" blue ice Baby Shad. that bit in the outer reaches of long casts.

The wipers only bit in the dark, the smallies in dawn's early light. This heavy pressure spot has very few fish (I think) present and catching multiples is a reliable indicator of proper lure selection and presentation tekneek. Stand choices are also instrumental but luck might be a contributing factor in that success.

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Would like to see a picture of the 1/4 oz jig plus the 3" plastic you used.
When I fish rivers for smallies, I never need to go heavier than 1/8 oz.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Don't have a pic taker device but here is a stock photo of a 1/4 oz HeVhed with a propeller rabbit fur tie. The #4 VMC heavy wire hook version pictured was modified with a 1/0 Gamakatsu 604 heavy wire hook.


The smallie plastic mounted on the HeVhed was the previously pic posted 2" Bobby Garland Baby Shad blue ice color

The 3" Lead Head Shiner pearl color looks like this before it was cut down 1/2" off the front end & 1/4" off the tail adapting for short striking smaller wipers.

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Thx for the photos.
The lures I showed would not do well with that much weight - especially a ball head. 1/8 oz would be the heaviest.

 

[hookup]

When I fish rivers for smallies, I never need to go heavier than 1/8 oz.

I do. Especially in either deep holes or when the rivers are up. I've gone as heavy as 1/2 oz after flooding.

This year has found the eastern rivers in almost drought conditions so I've stayed light. 1/8oz and less.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Downsizing can be useful, so can be upsizing. Yesterday in a reservoir inlet pool there was an extreme fast water flow incoming from a canal, and 1/4 oz. casts landed in mid current good enuf for 5 wipers. Today upsized to heaviest ever used in NE 5/16 oz head with biggest ever hook 3/0 Gamakatsu 604 and the extra 10 ft distance casting + maybe more productive sink got me to the outer edge of the current flow for better than yesterday 8 wipers.

Nonetheless, 5/16 oz 3/0 was lightest and smallest possible relative to needful conditions. Pinned plastic was 3" Power Bait opening night color Twitchtail SHORTENED by 1/2" trimmed off the front end.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Back to downsizing, most guys here prefer 4 -5" plastics for targeting wipers, but observing that the jumping prey fish escaping surface feeds were 2" or even smaller currently decided to downsize my usual 3" or slightly shortened versions of stick baits and boot tails to my smallest 2" plastic which as posted has been successful triggering bites including the previously posted big flathead.

This AM a 2" Bobby Garland pearl Baby Shad enticed an unusually large for the reservoir inlet spot 10#+ wiper to smack the jig. As usual this fully capable of spooling my 8# braid beast eventually stopped and turned beginning a long battle before allowing herself to be netted and admired before being released to fight another day.

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Wish you had a picture! Nice!