hooking minnows

[babaganoush]

when ice fishing how do you fisherman/fisherwoman like to hook your minnows to keep them going crazy and swimming.

i like to just hook them through the lip but is there any other way to hook these minnows to keep them swimming??

[Leecher]

Just pass the hook behind the dorsal fin..... That way it can free swim and will last a long time.

That is the way I rig my tip-ups on hard water

Leechman

Edited December 4, 2008 by Leechman

[OhioFisherman]

I don`t ice fish but have use minnows for bait a lot. Depending on what you are fishing for, eg. panfish a light wire aberdeen hook is fine. I usually hooked my minnows under the dorsal fin also when still fishing, thru the lips for casting or trolling, some times just run it thru the mouth and out the gill plate.

 

A lot of different qualities by brand in hooks, some have no strength compared to others of the same style and size, they bend too easily if you happen to catch a species you weren`t fishing for. Thicker wire does more damage to the bait, they don`t last as long or swim as naturally.

[Ramble]

For my tip ups i've been hooking them just above the anal opening. The weight on the bottom of the minnow keeps them up right...more or less and still allows them to swim around. I stay away from hooking them in teh head or near the spine. Jigging is another matter entirley.

 

-R-

[jwl]

generally speaking when I ice fish I use dace and creek chubs for bait,,I find if I just hook them lightly through the upper lip they will stay alive for a long time..even hours if you don't get a bite not that you don't want that to happen, but often I will set a line and keep it in one spot trying for a nice pike or to find the active feeding time for walleye at my trailer while moving another line around a bunch of different holes in the area....some times I can have a line out for quite a while then all of a sudden the "magic" time rolls around then we get a few walleye that roamed into the area..bite will be good for an hour or so, then gone again.

[richyb]

for tip ups on the bottom on simcoe hook them behind the anal opening in that clear part. keeps them flopping around for hours

[Rich]

Depends what kind of action I want on that given day. (Based on split shot rigging which is what I use through the ice)

 

For most mobility of the minnow, just behind the dorsal fin is best. This allows the minnow to swim in a full circle around the shot, depending how far your lead is from your shot it can be up to 2 - 3 feet. I usually go about 6 - 8 inches though. Good for active pike and the evening crappie bite.

 

For a move, stop, move action, I hook just in front of the tail of the minnow. He'll swim for a bit then drop dead.. great for pike and crappie.

 

For a stationary wiggle, I hook the minnow through the eyes. I find this best for perch however you have to make sure there's a good delay before you set the hook. Through the eyes the minnow can last over an hour.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Rich