More Ice Jigs

The bitter cold has sure set in and is making a nice base layer of ice.  Made it out on the early ice for a quick trip on Tuesday and will be getting out again this weekend.  This work thing sure gets in the way of my fishing.  Got an invite to hit up a private highway borrow pit this weekend though!  Monster bluegill and black nose crappie.  Have also been told there are perch and hope to see one of those on the end of my line as well.

My panfish ice box was a mess so went through and cleaned it out.  Have been making up some new stuff to replace old and lost baits.  The bead flies are all tungsten.  Added a couple new dropper spoons and left the drop longer than what i normally do.  These are about 4".  I used tungsten flies for the drop hook to hopefully help keep them from fouling.  The little jigs with dubbed body and hackle collar are probably my top producer for bluegill.

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Those should definitely help you fill your freezer! By the looks of the weather radar and on the news, you guys have been getting pounded. Are those blades a light weight spinner type or a regular casting type blade?

Yeah, it has been down right bone chilling cold and don't see any rise in the 7-day forecast either. Highest temp up to 17° and lowest down to -4°. On Sunday when i am hoping to get out, high of 10°. Going to be a shanty day with the heater on. The 10 day forecast says we will break above the 20° mark..... NEXT Sunday. The Erie guys are chomping at the bit. Even heard a report from a friend of 2 guys walking out already. They are crazier than me.

The spoons are a mix. Some are willow spinners with an extra hole punched and some are actual ice spoons from Hagens. Those are light weight and have solder added to the back side for extra weight to drop fast and put a curve in the spring bobber. The spoon on the right is an actual casting spoon, no additional solder needed there. Think i got those from Netcrafters. A couple of Kastmasters are in the group shot also. I have 2 bigger local reservoirs in particular i want to give the dropper spoons a test in and should get enough ice this year. They have deep water (30'+) and both have a decent population of yellow perch. Hoping the flutter of the spoon will call them in from a distance and the dropper will seal the deal. The perch don't school up in these reservoirs like they do in big natural lakes like Erie. The smaller/shorter dropper spoons work great on the bluegill.

i like the kastmaster spoons and like you add an eye to them. rich mc

Those are some good lookin baits AF... And if you were gonna get me out in that kinda weather it would be in a shanty fer sure... And I would prolly have sompin handy just in case of snakes, you never know!

Those are awesome-looking baits. Get the filet knife ready.