Slab grabbers

[djgray23]

What are your favorite size and colors of Slab Grabbers for perch. Would like to give them a try!!

[Chute82]

...red, chartreuse, green bead work the best....

I have several sizes in both silver and brass

They work really well in Canada and Lake Erie.

[32footsteps]

I have a bunch in all shapes and sizes. It’s my go to search bait for everything. Bluegills, crappies, perch...you name it these things will draw them in. I usually have a smaller willow with a chartreuse bead that comes out first. About a foot and a half above the spoon I have a small jig tied in and I’ll tip that with whatever I have. Spike, waxworm, gulp, etc. Today it was that small jig that was highly productive. I tried a rod with the same jig but no spoon underneath and nothing would come near it. Went back to the spoon set up and the perch came back.

It doesn’t matter where you are, this type of spoon works. They’ve been around forever and it’s simply amazing that they haven’t caught on outside of a small region.

[jr50]

Do you always fish these with something else above it or is it just as productive used solo?  I have never heard of them before this thread.

[Chute82]

Do you always fish these with something else above it or is it just as productive used solo?  I have never heard of them before this thread.

You can but if the fishing is hot no need...my buddy fishes with a jig above the slabgrabber and I just fish the slabgrabber...I out fish him every time...  just need to hold your tongue on the left side of the mouth. 

[Nevsky]

I just bought a collection of Slab grabbers because of a previous thread on this site.  I have not tried them yet.  I was wondering about any ideas on how to fish them.  The youtube video I saw suggested very little jigging and keeping the lure still.  Is that how  to fish them?

[Unclegillhunter]

Just me. Put a jig up 6 to 8” above kind of like a drop shot setup. Drop down to the bottom jig fairly aggressively, wait for a hit, little lite wiggling. Repeat. No hits move. Good luck!
Keep it safe! JDL

[32footsteps]

Do you always fish these with something else above it or is it just as productive used solo?  I have never heard of them before this thread.

Not always but it's the first set up that I'll use.  It puts two presentations down at the same time. This way I can quickly determine what they prefer.  If it's the drop set up I leave it on. If they go after the spoon then I use just a spoon. 

My experience with perch on these things by watching them on camera and catch rates is that if there are smaller fish in the area they will be attracted by the flashy spoon and nip at it.  The bigger fish will lurk in the distance and scavenge anything away from the crowd...which means they will go for the smaller jig a little ways above the larger spoon.  If only large fish are in the area it doesn't matter.  It's those pesky little dinks that can drive you nuts.  The drop set up pretty much eliminates that.  If you have a mark up higher that's the one you focus on. 

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

I bought some of these when I read an In Fisherman article about Joe Balog using them at Lake St. Clair.  They don't catch a ton of fish for me.  But as mentioned, they sure do attract the fish, given that they do a nice wobbling, shimmy type of fall on the way off to the side of the hole on the descent.

For me, they're great for the "bait and switch" type of fishing.  Attract with the flashy spoon, then get the bite on a small jig or a dead stick minnow.

I would definitely fish them more if our primary species through ice around here was crappies or perch.  Bluegills definitely rule around here, though.

[hays47]

I like making my own grabbers. Use willow leafs , put bend in, solder hook. Make some real tiny ones using caddis bead sizes. On them I use pin min blades. I can't find the fantail shaped blades. Anyway they all work. Mostly use red beads, few chartreuse and even tried pearl white. Reds seem to work the best. So I don't experiment with color much.

Like to use a drop shot hook above the grabber. Waxworm, maggies and plastics on the drop shot hook.