# What's your "Program"



## flyphisherman (Jul 7, 2009)

So you show up and drill a couple holes.......What are you dropping in first?

For me......I'm opportunistic......I just want to catch whatever is biting, so I typically have a jigging spoon (Hali or Pimple) on one rod, and the triple fly rig on the second rod. 
Minnow head on the spoon and maggots/waxies on the anchor jig (on the fly rig).


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Similar. I start with a Hall spoon with a fly rigged a foot above it.

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## FISHAHOLIC85 (Apr 22, 2011)

2 holes; bobber with a minnow in the first, and second would be a jiggin rap, slender spoon, or pimple with a waxie or maggots usually to start


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## bumpus (Jan 17, 2015)

I run a minnow under a slip float on one rod and a tungsten jig with a impulse plastic minnow on the other


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## buckzye11 (Jul 16, 2009)

I’ll usually give them 2 contrasting offers as far as color of jig goes... see which one is producing more and try and narrow it down. 
All the usuals, but minnow heads seem to be a favorite for the local perch.


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## whiskerchaser (Mar 13, 2013)

Usually either pimple or jiggin rap with minnow head and bobber with minnow on bottom jig and fly and waxies about 8 to 12 Inches above... This year my aresenal is expanding so I will be trying new things


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Rip-jigging/stop/jiggle the smallest Sebile Vibrato will tell you real quick if there are any active/"bucketable" pan fish(all species!) under you! If not, in 15 minutes, Move! Fishing dry holes or catching "junior" fish is not in my program.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

whiskerchaser said:


> Usually either pimple or jiggin rap with minnow head and bobber with minnow on bottom jig and fly and waxies about 8 to 12 Inches above... This year my aresenal is expanding so I will be trying new things


You jig with a bobber?(Interesting!) How big?


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## dlancy (Feb 14, 2008)

Before I had a vex, I jigged with a slip bobber to know where my presentation was in the water column. Found the bottom and wherever the stopper was at told me how far my bait was off of it. 

My strategy is to plan ahead where I am going. I mark some spots that I think might be fishy on navionics and then start to drill there at different depths, maybe 4-5 holes. I’ll try those with a few different offerings, including a tungsten jig, spoon or jigging rap tipped with the bait of the day. If nothing showing up on my screen, I’m packing up and heading to my next spot on the map. Repeat until fish are bitting, then setup the shack. I’ve had plenty of days where I never even took the time to setup the shanty because I never found fish that wanted to cooperate, but I’m learning. Trial and error gives me better knowledge for next time. This year I’ll be towing a new clam Yukon flip, so I’ll be able to get out of the wind much easier. Can’t wait for ice! 


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## whiskerchaser (Mar 13, 2013)

Guess I should of clarify most times it's a swedish pimple on bottom with live crappie minnow and fly above it... Use a small thill slip bobber that barely floats with the weight of pimple fly and swivel... Drop all way to bottom pull up 6 inches and set my stopper.. every 15 mins I will slide the stopper down a foot and repeat untill I'm at top and start over.. not having a flasher this is best way I feel I can possibly locate fish.. this year hopefully I can afford flasher to take some of guessing game out but this method has produced a few perch and crappie for me while I'm jiggin my other pool...


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## TDD11 (Aug 5, 2015)

I'm looking to add some new hardware to my ice tackle. Do you guys mind sharing what colors these jigs are?


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## whiskerchaser (Mar 13, 2013)

I'm a big fan of silver gold firetiger perch and always try to have something pink...


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## Workingman (Jan 21, 2016)

You guys are making me feel kinda lazy.i guess I need to branch out. I usually just do jigs, 1 wax worm, 1 minnow. I dead stick 1 and jig the other..... I wonder how many fish Ive failed to excite? Haha.


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## Garyoutlaw77 (Feb 3, 2005)

If Panfish are my target it'll be tungsten tipped with a plastic or live spike - everything else will start with a rattle bait then a spoon 
Colors: I love Fire tiger, Gold, Silver/Blue


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## randymcfishnsfun2 (Dec 24, 2014)

Tungsten tipped with spikes, pink or gold color. Then the jigging spoon/rap, tipped with a minnow, head, spike or wax worm.









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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

randymcfishnsfun2 said:


> Tungsten tipped with spikes, pink or gold color. Then the jigging spoon/rap, tipped with a minnow, head, spike or wax worm.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


for eyes
you put minow head on vibe and they will not touch that,
you put whole minow and they will hit that or oposit way,you have to find what they like.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

I learned how to panfish in Northern Michigan on some heavily pressured lakes. We start with the chart in the inland lake book. Look for contours, structure and depth changes. We usually drilled 30-40 holes. (no joke) we start in shallow and go to the deepest point that we want to target. Someone with a vex follows along and looks for depth and fish. Once we locate any sign of life we follow that depth contour and keep punching holes in a grid. Next we set tip-ups around the perimeter to kinda mark our territory. From there it is a hole hopping game. My new favorite scout lure are the smallest rapala rippin' raps. We don't usually catch fish on them but they definitely let you know if anyone is near by. My go to jigs are the fiska's glow epoxy tungsten 3mm in clown or #61. Maki plastics or live bait is what we use. Usually dead stick the jigs and use the raps to stir up action. If that doesn't work we drink heavily and make up lies.


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

HookSet Harvey said:


> First thing i do is drill a sh!t ton of holes....sh!t ton is equal to 4 crap loads...
> Fire up the lowrance and walk n drop the ducer down each hole starting with the first one i drilled until I see something worth fishing.
> Then its either a small tungsten with waxy or spikes, or a jigging rap tipped with whatever I have with me.


Same program really. Drill and look for any structure, especially weeds early, rocks, wood, drop offs, drastic contours, and marks of course. Weeds can be good mid-late also, although brown and dead, if the are still standing they will hold fish. They can be hard to find that late. Nimmi is a good lake for late weed beds. Then a small rattle spoon to see if I can get at least some lookers off any structure I find, repeat. I can drill a lot holes with the nils trekker, makes it so much easier to scout.


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

I like a dead stick one hole spring bbr or tiny float mags waxys n plstk jig for panfish for walleye a jigging rap swd pimple with minnows


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

What ever works!


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

Ill be using a vibe with short hops to locate aggressive fish, when the bite slows down...drop shotting small plastics and dead sticking a minnow in drop shot fashion about 6'' off bottom. Panfish cant seem to resist a black atom bomb tipped with a spike. Really looking forward to iceing some eyes and crome soon, wont be long my friends.


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## flyphisherman (Jul 7, 2009)

brad crappie said:


> What ever works!


So.........What works for you? What's your go to method? What's the first thing you try?


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

Indian lake, anything with orange on it, also pink jig head with minnow threaded on like a crawler. Green and gold pimple with minnow head got the biggest crappie I have seen in a while. It really depends on water clarity, wonderbread vibe got my biggest saugeyes last year.


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## Lou K (Aug 30, 2007)

Orange road runner jig tipped with wax/maggot/power minnow for steelhead...jig constantly and make em hit it.


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## linebacker43 (Aug 3, 2009)

Depends on the lake I'm fishing and what I am going for. Eyes I have pimples, blade baits, raps, and sometimes a deadstick with a minnie and bobber. Crappie I use the smaller pimples, jigs, and smaller raps. Switch between minnow heads and waxies depending on what they want that day. I still only have a hand auger but will work up a sweat if need be to find active fish as I like to hole hop as well with the electronics and follow the active/school of fish. Colors depend on water color and what they are in the mood for. Drop a color and work a few holes, if nothing, change out and see what they want.


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

Treat it like boxing: stick and move, stick and move. I have been fishing a lot of the same lakes for a really long time and it's really crazy how things change over time, but the best general rules I follow are to always be willing to move, always be willing to try a different bait, lure or presentation, and always try to think about what makes the most sense to try next. I had never had much luck with swedish pimples before a few years ago, now it's one of my favorite lures, especially for perch and crappie. I haven't seen one comment on this thread I disagree with, the real trick is to be willing to adapt. I can't tell you how many times I have torn them up one day then gone back the next to the exact same holes and not been able to mark a fish. If it was easy and predictable I probably wouldn't be so obsessed.


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## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Drill... then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...then Fish. Drill...the Fish. Drill... then Fish.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

We try to punch as many holes early as possible. The auger tends to scare things away. Numerous times we have been on fish when someone else shows up and starts punching holes. The screens go blank and it takes a while for the fish to come back. Many holes that are blanks when we drill end up producing good numbers later in the day. We've even given up some holes to keep others from drilling once we're set up. Lord knows with 30 or more holes that there are plenty to go round


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

when I hit the ice I carry water with me and before I drill I will either scrape the soft ice off the top and saturate with water then put my transducer on the wet spot and shoot thru to see whats down there, works good saves a lot of drilling .. then I drill a string of holes and go back to the first, and ducer the holes to see how the fish acted


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## TDD11 (Aug 5, 2015)

Putting together FishUSA and Cabelas orders.. 
What size Sebrato Vibratos and Hali spoons do you guys like for Erie walleye?


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

it depend on the curent,3/8 oz to 1 oz,you have to be able touch the botom lift 1' to 3' and touch the botom,if you can not touch the botom and you have to release more line you have to put havier lure on.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

90% time i catch moust fish siting in one spot,i never catched more fish mooving.


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