# tipping jigs with preserved minnows.



## pppatrick (Apr 21, 2012)

i'm lookin for a possible way around carrying around a bait bucket of minnows for tippin jigs for sauger. its a pretty hefty and draining task gettin up and down the steep river banks towing 2 rods, tackle and a bait bucket to boot. so has anyone tried tipping with preserved minnows?


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

ive tried them on the mad river and the lmr...didnt work as well as id hoped...i just got a smaller bait bucket with a longer strap and carry it over my shoulder now..plu..finding your own bait is cheaper(free)


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Have tried them many times for walleye/crappie with very limited success. Gulp or Gulp Alive works much better. The 2" or smaller chartreuse twister tails fished at a snails pace work well in cold water. Especially in spillways or current.


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## FLIPNPITCH (Apr 15, 2009)

Went thru two bags last time I hit Hannibal. 1/4 oz head, white curly tipped with great lakes emerald shiner! First time I ever used them. Old feller there the day before told me about them and I was there the next day and whacked em!


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## pppatrick (Apr 21, 2012)

FLIPNPITCH said:


> Went thru two bags last time I hit Hannibal. 1/4 oz head, white curly tipped with great lakes emerald shiner! First time I ever used them. Old feller there the day before told me about them and I was there the next day and whacked em!


thats good to hear, cause thats the set up i would be using to the T. except i typically get more bites with chartreuse or fire tiger/christmas lights, the creek mouthes i fish down this way are typically on the murky side.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I have tried the pre-packaged preserved as shown in you post but found Gulp works better, and as you know, fresh minnows work best. Have you tried freezing small packages of minnows and then carrying them in a small soft sided cooler packed with ice in baggies. There is a lot of information covering the curing and freezing minnows in past posts. The commercial cure/preserve materials also work well.
http://amishoutfitters.com/catalog.htm


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## t.stuller (Feb 25, 2010)

I usely catch creek chubs, bag and freeze them by the half dozen. I use a very small piece of each as cut bait to tip my jig. In my experience this has always worked great for sauger, saugeye and walleye.


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## pppatrick (Apr 21, 2012)

I have with skipjack and shad for cats but never with the smaller creek minnows. I've read a good deal about preserving/curing your own today. A lot of recipes out there haha. 


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## James F (Jul 2, 2005)

I like the Gulp Alive,the past three years that's all I have been using. Far better than lugging around a minnow bucket,only bucket I use now is for the fish and ice on the way home.


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## pppatrick (Apr 21, 2012)

One thing i like to do when fishing a highly variable species like sauger/saugeye/walleye/crappie/trout, is fishing a 2 way rig with 2 different colors or 2 different baits. For instance i'll sometimes use 2 color plastics at once or try a tipped jig and a non tipped jig and see if i get different results. 

I've never used gulp alive. Its expensive and my time trapping my own bait is worth the money spent. I'm a super frugal fisherman. I'm using the same 2 spinning rods i was using 12 years ago. If i don't have to i won't. And that goes for lures or bait i don't "need" to catch fish. 

I know one thing, this time next year i'm going to have enough frozen/preserved minnies to get me through the season. 


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## Gills63 (Mar 29, 2012)

Just curious on your technique for preserving them. I've salted some this year and they've held up good. Just curious what you do.

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