I've actually heard someone utter the phrase "I don't throw meat" in the middle of a fishing conversation. If ever I go fishing and have left over minnows it is customary to give them to other fishermen I may meet at the boat ramp. Well this one gentleman I encountered was mightily offended by my offer. As if HE would stoop to using minnows to catch crappie. How dare I insinuate such a thing? I apologized to the eminent and mighty fisherman and as he suggested I gave the minnows to some kids who didn't really know how to fish anyway.

Ever have a slow day fishing and you know the fish are down there but you just can't seem to make them take your jig? I had one of those days yesterday fishing with Chinquapin. The color that seemed to get their attention was blue and white. I had to work at it and didn't catch very many and my fishing buddy hadn't caught any. Chinquapin being the sharper of the two knives in the drawer decided he was going to get some minnows. I dropped him off at the ramp and stayed with the boat while he drove to the minnow store.

Upon his return he proceeded to make amends for his prior lack of catching. He started showing off and began using two poles and caught a fish on each one at the same time and did so on several occasions. While fish were flopping on the deck at the front of the boat I was left at the back of the boat wondering why we didn't go and get some minnows sooner. It was another great fishing trip with a longtime friend.

I finally figured out a jig presentation that worked. Darker colors weren't working and since they were biting minnows I switched to trying anything with white in it. Dead sticking was not working so I tried a slow version of slabbing for sandbass. I dropped the jig to the bottom, raised it about three or four feet and let it fall. Because it was a 1/16 oz jig and not a 1 oz slab the slow fall rate was driving the fish crazy and while I managed a respectable showing Chinquapin was flat out catching fish. I bet he caught five fish to each one of mine.


If they aren't biting for you, be sure to change up your presentation and try different colors. I would also say with some degree of certainty that sometimes they just want minnows. Jigs or minnows, as always, I hope you get to spend some time on the water soon and catch a few.

its just elitism creepin in when felers snub their noses and down it at ya. sure, sometimes the baithous aint open when ya want to go or they are out. sure, sometimes they are a p.i.t.a. to keep alive. sure, they get too expensive. but if ya go before the baithouse closes, if you have a good bait tank, there is no reason why i wont have em with me. a jig for me is an extra tool in case the stars dont align or if i just want to stop somewhere to wet a hook.
if ya think minnows for crappie are shunned, just go talking catching black bass or trout with live bait in thoe sections, lol.

Nice Fish

I toss whatever ....
but I must admit from the look a your plastic body box ....
it wasn't minnerz they wanted ...it was a GOOD PLASTIC BAIT ....
I think you gave awl them and the heads back 2 me last trip ...
that's ok I will ketch with the jigz ....
and yawl ketch em however ya need ta I spose ...
ROFLMBO >>>>>>
and on a side note ....them gold rush gulp nibbles work well also ....hehehe

nice pix btw ....LOL
and where iz awl them dinx they wuz sayin lived n there ?
hahahaha LOL

I just don't understand that. Why couldn't he just be gracious and say 'no thank you'.....? As far as minnows go, heck yea I'll use them! While I do LOVE the thump you get on a jig, I'm also all for catching them anyway I can. Live bait, jigs, doesn't matter.

So, thank you for offering them to the, um, gentleman, when you were done. Very nice thing you did.

Congrats on the nice day out on the water!

Sure there's times that bait works better and other times a good jig man can do better. It's all in your personal preferences.

I personally prefer jigs because it's not as much trouble and I can do OK with jigs most days. I will suffer those few days that minnows work better because I'm lazy and throw most of the fish back anyway.

I know that "ain't having no minnerz in my boat" comment...heard it one too many times...but personally, I like have minnows on the boat, even if I don't use them. If I am vertical jigging, setting a pole out with a minnow, while I jig...is required fishing technique...Thanks for the post...say, did y'all ease off to Weatherford yesterday?

Still got to go back to E Tex, maybe leave in the am...don't have time to do any stories....sigh.

Nice fish with a super report. Thanks for sharing.

my minner bucket iz alwaze in my boat btw ...
I love me a minner or pc a ...from time to time ....
I was just givin it to my budz ...LOL

We fish two different lakes mostly. One has minnows handy at a good price and we almost always take some with us on that lake. On the other lake, minnows are less convenient and a good bit more money. We rarely take minnows on the second lake.

We don't always do good without minnows but we are getting better and we don't miss the minnows even if the bite is off. So we are not slaves to minnows but we will use them if we need to and be proud we did.

I too love to jig and do it 95% of the time, but I'll use a minnow in a heart beat.

Good write up and some nice pics.

Minnows are for those who cant catch them with jigs.Ha No minnows will ever be in my boat again .Next thing you will be trollin .Ha One rod one jig in your hand .Darrell

Now wait a minute DW...there are those that say you don't even get in your boat anymore!!! I don't know one way or the other...but I'm pretty sure some of us that take minnows along can catch'em with jigs as good as you can...maybe better! Just saying, be careful what you say...we may slip over there and show you a thing or two....