Fat Ika

I have never done this technique, but plan on focusing on this after ice-out. I will mostly be shore fishing generally clear water ponds and lakes in northern Illinois with various bream/perch and northern minnow species as the primary forage. 1. Can you use traditional rubber bobber stops just as efficiently as string stops? 2. Are marabou hair jigs as effective as hair jigs that are marketed specifically for the float n fly? 3. Based on your experience, what jig colors for this type of forage in natural clear water lakes in various light intensity conditions? 4. Any custom jig recommendations are welcome 5. Any tips for northern largemouth vs smallmouth I've researched a lot of the internet resources including this site of course, so personalized responses are appreciated.......... and only a link if it's something you feel is a useful rare find. Thank You

The ALX toadface is one to consider. I don't frog anymore due to some physical issues, but I loved it that rod for frogging and spinnerbaiting/swimjigging in a pinch. For me, it was the perfect balance of enough backbone for most heavy cover, lightweight/balanced for comfortable frog working, nice tip for casting and hookups. I would call ALX Rods/Alex and he'll talk shop with you.

Sounds like you're in my neck of the woods! After ice-out in ponds up here: jerkbaits, subtle/small cranks worked extremely slow, working very slow and deadsticking dropshot.............finesse/football jig, ned, and blade bait if you can find hard bottom. If your from Chicagoland, you've probably experienced this already.............if you want faster paced fishing before the ice is off most lakes, first week of March opener, go to Braidwood cooling lake and fish for some dumb 50 degree plus fish that haven't seen an obnoxious reaction bait in 6 months.

Sounds like a juicy winter spot if they'll bite. I'll meet ya and we'll try different techniques and see what happens. What part of the Fox river? ?

Like others said, the Ima is smaller. I've thrown both and the both get bit, but it hasn't worked for me in any other situations than traditional lipless fishing. From my experience, the fishing conditions have to be pretty easy, 50 plus water temp, crank and stop seems to be the best from my experience. Trying to get sneaky and get more complicated with retrieve and cadence variables, doesn't seem to produce better results. Just simple cranks and brief pauses, and they usually smash it pretty hard on the pause. There's tons of hardbaits that will be just as or more effective in those conditions. For me personally, it hasn't worked in minus 50 / colder water, which is what would make it a useful new tool. The Ima is a little more subtle and does seem to work in a little colder water than the quake 80. Again, for me, I'll be excited if they ever evolve the tech to make smaller/thinner/tighter wobbling suspending liplesses. Years ago, I grabbed a MB Fermata. The action of that was pretty killer......nice tighter wobble. I lost it before I had much time on the water.

Good job to your Mom! Good job coach!

This is true. You’re hooked for life! Your pic does not to justice to how impressive your catch is! This is true! Enjoy the best addiction in life! Congrats!

Ah hahaha! I'm sure if we had them up here, there'd be some pickling going on somewhere. No experience with stripers, but that sounds like a bruiser of a fight! @Way north bass guy That's fantastic! Thanks for breaking down all the conditions you've experienced. Canadian approved, thread concluded!

Thanks for the live pic of the herring. I've fished Up North my whole life, so I had no idea. Do eastern europeans pickle those down there? Gramps in my profile pic loved those pickled herring!

LMFAO. Sounds like my experience with attempting to damiki rig for suspended largies from a pontoon with an anchor and no electronics. Nice. Thanks for the info @Bluebasser86 What kind of body of water, primary forage and conditions work for you with these baits? @Krux5506 Thanks for your experience. Based on your experience and other similar experience, I'll wait until mid/late prespawn to attempt smallie spinnerbaiting and try to see how my waters fair with running shallow flats from late prespawn through the recovered post-spawn period.

@FinessegenicsThank you so much for all the info that relates specifically to my questions. From what it seems like, I’ll treat colors similar to largie spinnerbaiting, sunny double nickel or nickel & gold, certain levels of cloudy nickel/gold or gold/gold…….and maybe I’ll keep a painted blade setup on hand in all conditions just for curiosity and maybe committ to painted blades or gold in super dark gnarly overcast. @Reel Much appreciated! Gives me more confidence to experiment with painted blades in my clear waters. Thanks for the skirt experience as well!

@OldManLureThanks for advice and experience that is relative to my specific inquiry. Much appreciated. I’ll definitely keep in mind your experience with color and blade size based on the situation.

No need. Just start Texas rigging through the nose and rig just like you would t-rig any soft plastic with an offset hook. Due to the wide bend, angle of the bend, and great bait keeper……they’re very easy to rig and come out nice and straight. For 3.5 - 4 “ tubes, 3/0 is what I use the most, but I sometimes need 2/0 for 3 “ or 4/0 for 4” depending on the particular tube model and your personal preference.

I have no experience with spinnerbaiting for smallies. I bought some MB SV-3s and some screamin eagles to venture into this next year. I have access to a deep glacial lake with primarily rock, gravel, sand, sparse grass. Perch, white bass, ciscos, shiners, minnows are primary forage. I understand this will be a time on the water deal to learn the ideal conditions to spinnerbait for smallies. Still looking to curve the learning. What conditions have you had the best experience with? And are there nuances that would not traditionally work for largies, but will work for smallies……. Like, can you through painted blades in gin clear water on a rock/sand flat with no wind?

Popper and jerkbait are a tie for me. Hopefully burning a spinnerbait will be up there If I can gain the confidence to understand smallie spinnerbait fishing. I’m going to start a thread on smallie spinnerbaiting now.

They partnered with Daiwa to use Daiwa’s patented AGS guides. I’m not aware of any other components Croix uses from Daiwa. Pretty sure it’s just licensing/permission to use AGS for the Extremes only.

All I have to say is the best tube flipping hook I’ve personally ever tried is the Trokar tournament tube hook. If I’m not stupid tubing, and I’m going weedless tube, this thing has been perfect.

Oooo! I found a guy that probably uses that same mold and makes some pretty neat drop shot plastics that are slightly buoyant. They almost hover horizontally vs a that aggressive tail up float of elaztech. The custom Ned’s and shot plastics he makes have a nice licorice scent.

Late November. The day before I had this fish spit a drop shot and got off at shore. Went back the next day with a 3.3 on a 1/0 gold willow flashy swimmer. Made a couple casts in the exact spot where I lost this fish the day prior. Place doesn’t have many big fish. Had to be the same fish as I did get a good look when I lost her the day before. Luckily there was a European guy there throwing carp rigs so I bothered him for a pic. He didn’t look too happy……or maybe it was a normal stoic gesture. This fish made the season for me as I missed out on most of the year due to injury.

That’s a beauty. Sound like a fun and gratifying time! What kind of bait did you make for your buddy?

This year, I was not able to fish from June - September due to injury. Nonetheless, leftover new baits from 2020 Black Friday and this Black Friday......and just whatever plastics I could fit on the 2nd board. Gotta overcompensate for missing out on the summer.

If you're going from shore, I'd probably overthink it and throw a drop shot/power shot on a baitcaster with braided main line, smaller offset hook, small buoyant plastic like a zman streakz. I'd probably also have a slender profile plastic t-rigged with a non-pegged bullet weight. As light as could get away with in cold water. T-rigged tube, 3-4" stick bait or similar that minimizes hangups. In the cold, from shore, if the water temp is at least in the high 40s, I personally love slowly hopping a weedless 3.3 - 3.8 paddle tail on 1/0 Owner flashy swimmer. Wish it was from a boat in warm water. Just flip a jig, swim a jig, punch a t-rig, or frog ?

Ooooh! Those look juicy.

I'm down with what a lot of peeps said. @goosejetski's drop shot idea if you're working plastics super slow in soft bottom/grass pond. Something buoyant.........even though your line's at a certain angle, a buoyant drop shot plastic will not get hidden in soft bottom/grass @HaydenS's jerkbait would be right along side the casting drop shot. @the reel ess's idea if drop shotting and jerk baiting falls through.

Dec 3rd brought nice conditions for one last open water try.