Favorite Ice fishing bait

[Scottieboy]

Just wondering what everybody uses for bait for hard water fishing? Mine is a teardrop tipped with a waxworm

[supervdl]

I use a couple of waxworms on my spoons and lures. Used to buy spikes but they never lasted long enough. Waxworms are much easier to keep.

[IceholeHEN]

can't go wrong with a swedish pimple all silver with a red fin and 2-4 spikes. however, the diamond head tungstens also rank right up at the top with a minnow.

[Iceslick621]

Always have good luck with crappies with a gold spoon and waxy or gold spoon with a fathead

[MumbleSEED]

I like the action of the Hali with the chain and float on it, but that diamond head tungsten has gotten me a lot of fish and a nice variety of species too.

[stripernut]

If pan fishing or trout; Maggies for me with 3 different colors on one hook.

[1MOFISH]

I like the action of the Hali with the chain and float on it, but that diamond head tungsten has gotten me a lot of fish and a nice variety of species too.

we also like halis with meat on the hook,and minnies on the tipups.this year im gonna try some hot dogs on tipups, Hebrew national brand of course
GOD BLESS
mo

[IceholeHEN]

can't go wrong with a swedish pimple all silver with a red fin and 2-4 spikes. however, the diamond head tungstens also rank right up at the top with a minnow.

it used to be the moon beams. something about them at night with a minnow was always the best crappie catcher.

[JPascavage52]

I've been using jigs and scented soft plastics a lot the past few years, especially Little Atom Nuggies and Micro Nuggies, CJ&S Ratsos, 13, Clam, and powerbait/ gulp. Also have a bunch of Trigger Xs, but have caught little to nothing on them. Its been my experience that live bait catches numbers, but plastics seem to catch the bigger fish, along with more fish per bait.

With that being said, I believe it's necessary to carry both live bait and artificials. Spikes or waxies are great for tipping Buckshot and Swedish Pimple spoons, and there are times that fish will be so finicky they wont touch plastics.

[Stickhick86]

I don't have a favorite, I just keep changing until I find what is working the time being. Keep a little bit of everything and you should be fine.

[Icemom2]

I love spikes!! They are hard to find in my area though. Never really tried artificial baits but my son is a big believer.

[clayboy]

Gulp minnow 1"

[fishon814]

I love spikes!! They are hard to find in my area though. Never really tried artificial baits but my son is a big believer.

[wiggins422]

Firetiger pk spoon tipped with a waxworm and shiners on the tipups

[Van_Cleaver]

Spikes, wax worm,  plastics. To whoever said spike are harder to keep than wax worms; I have found the opposite to be true. Spikes like it super cold; just above freezing according to my distributor. Wax worms seem to do beswt 50-55 in the dark. I ordered 500 spikes three weeks ago (our ice all vanished) and haven't lost one yet. They are in the back of my meat and cheese drawer.

[1MOFISH]

I love spikes!! They are hard to find in my area though. Never really tried artificial baits but my son is a big believer.

you can get spikes from JADA bait real cheap mailed to your door step
GOD BLESS
mo

[1MOFISH]

Gulp minnow 1"

i also use gulp minnies in chartreuse to tip treble hooks on tipups
GOD BLESS
mo

[Icemom2]

you can get spikes from JADA bait real cheap mailed to your door step
GOD BLESS
mo

Thanks!!

[clayboy]

That clam plastics in a minnow. Fathead color pounds fish also 1"

[Bigfillet]

Keep your spikes in ziploc bags with as much air as you can removed they should last a long time.  I buy mine in December and they last until the end of March or longer.

[theTUGistheDRUG]

I really like the RPM minnow.  Not quite as aggressive as the old trusty jigging raps.  Just discovered them last year when fighting finicky wallers on Oneida.  Gonna try with a dropper chain this year.   

[capt.crappie]

Spikes, wax worm,  plastics. To whoever said spike are harder to keep than wax worms; I have found the opposite to be true. Spikes like it super cold; just above freezing according to my distributor. Wax worms seem to do beswt 50-55 in the dark. I ordered 500 spikes three weeks ago (our ice all vanished) and haven't lost one yet. They are in the back of my meat and cheese drawer.                          Well Fred at least they are eating good. What kind of meat you feeding them ?

[capt.crappie]

I like rosey reds on a my dead stick Just on a hook. Catch lots of nice slabs. That way. My favorite is what ever I catch fish on. It varies by lake for me !

[Doeslayer]

Puppet minnow tipped with a minnow or 3

[Cjgsp1042]

A fire tiger jigging rap

[potatoe]

good info and ideas on this thread

we like using a gold tungsten jig. oddly enough as the gold starts to flake away we seem to catch more

we always use wax worms, but I am thinking spikes next year after reading this thread on storage and life. I have always killed off the spikes I have bought keeping them in the basement.

[fisher 74]

11 inch trout is my favorite

[waltman]

wax worms and emerald minnows

[Drill plate 18]

I like a tear drop tipped with a waxy. Also shiner on a tip up

[Fishhog1]

I've only been out twice this season, and tried these Z-vibers everyone's been talking about. They've been impressive thus far. Surprised how aggressive the takes have been.