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| Great site, lots of good information. Place to be if you want to learn! This will be a favorite for me now. Hey, I see lots of people here, just not many talking. Let's get to know each other, and answer questions for me ( a new walleye fisherman) and others here.
My first question:
Is there a size of minnow I should look for when fishing a jig and minnow? I see what is called walleye mix at the shop. SOme of the minnows are up to 4 inches, others two. What is best? I am fishing for walleyes that average about 16 to18 inches. Thanks!
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Member
Posts: 540
Location: Milw, WI | I really love the walleye mixes.
Have them scoop near the bottom, to see if you can get some small suckers.
The can be the ticket some days.
Sizes are subject to the fishes choice.
But I think that bigger is better 3-4 inchers.
Chubs, mud minnows, and suckers will be the hot ticket some days when nothing else is getting bit. |
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After the spawn - small minnows. As the summer wears on and into the fall - will grow the size until am using 6-8 inchers.
And this is only my habit and am sure Sunshine will have something to say about that!
Edited by Rick Larson 11/5/2003 3:09 PM
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Member
Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Rick,
That's not necessarily true. There's a time between the spawn and when the bait fish spawn/grow that the best baits are bigger. The only remaining bait fish from the previous year are good size at this time so if you want to match the hatch, you go big. |
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Member
Posts: 226
Location: Oshkosh,WI | I find it all depends on the body of water and the size of the fish you are targeting. On the wolf, the smaller 13-15" males have a hard time getting all of the big shiners in their mouthes. Therefore i use a little smaller minnow and instead of only one minnow i may put 2 minnows on. There have been many instances where i have been bit but not been able to set the hook on the fish. If that second minnow remains on the hook, there is a really good chance that fish will hit again. If the smaller fish seem to want more bait, then I go with a larger shiner and only use the head. Stingers do work when the fish are going strong but i have had days where the fish will not take anything with a stinger on as well.
Now, fishing DePere and the Detroit River is a different story. The bigger the better. I have used large suckers for eyes over in Michigan. But the fish are also 25"+ This makes a huge difference.
Another thing to look at like previuosly mentioned is to follow the natural forage of the body of water. If the fish are feeding on a 4" shad, fish a minnow that is about 4". If the fish are stuffing their faces with 2-3" trout perch, then use a minnow that would closely resemble them.
I am sure everyone has their own opinion on this subject and I have had times where bigger is better no matter what and smaller is the only thing that catches fish. Use what ever works best for you. Try a bunch of different sizes until you develop a pattern.
Good Luck and THINK ICE!!!!!
Troy |
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| Thanks guys, I will try your suggestions. I see some of you like suckers. Are they a hot live bait for nearly everyone? |
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Location: Rhinelander | I really like suckers for the walleyes here in Oneida County, late fall and first ice. See www.icefishingfirst.com for more ice answers. Seems to me about a 2 to 1 preference for suckers over the other 'mix' stuff tipped on a jig or on a tip-up. With pike, it doesn't seem to matter as much. |
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Member
Posts: 378
Location: Omro,Wi. | Personally, i go with a 2 to 3 inch minnow,with a 1/8 0r 1/4 oz. jig,in the current,and a bigger minnow on the lake.The one key thing,that makes a diference is the color.The dark ones seem to be better than the lighter colored shiner.Keep them in a black bucket,and they stay dark.Sometimes grounders work better than shiners also,so get both..hafe |
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