cisco or lake herring lures

[plankton_vision]

I am interested in learning now to catch lake herring, also called cisco or tullibee, on Lake Superior. Can you recommended any lures, jigs, spoons, or baits to use. Thanks.

[7gjed73q]

I second the question.

[Drifter_016]

When I used to fish Lake Simcoe and Nipi$$ing in Ontario we would use a sensitive balance tipup with a single splitshot #12 or #14 Eagle Claw style 42 hook and small shiner minnow. This works for herring, ciscoes and smelt.
Here is the type of tipup we would use.

[7gjed73q]

What about on soft water?

[Superior cisco]

I am interested in learning now to catch lake herring, also called cisco or tullibee, on Lake Superior. Can you recommended any lures, jigs, spoons, or baits to use. Thanks.

Try an itty bitty piece of pickled squid

[Master Angler]

I just use really small jigs and spoons like perch fishing (teardrops, forage minnows, etc), most tipped with a small piece of minnow or gulp maggots, or even small tube jigs without bait.  I am actually going this weekend for some............need them for big pike and lake trout for the next couple months of last ice.  8)

[plankton_vision]

How small of a tube jig do you use? Thanks for the info.

[Drifter_016]

How small of a tube jig do you use? Thanks for the info.

Try a 1" to 1 1/4" tube.

[Superior cisco]

I just use really small jigs and spoons like perch fishing (teardrops, forage minnows, etc), most tipped with a small piece of minnow or gulp maggots, or even small tube jigs without bait.  I am actually going this weekend for some............need them for big pike and lake trout for the next couple months of last ice.  8)

Holy Cr*p 2 more months of ice up there???  well you can have it....I am thinking SPRING

[Whitefish Whisperer]

i caught a few last year on # 5 and # 6 swedish pimples (all white)

[Adam Bomb]

A couple more months of ice...That would be nice....Ours is getting decimated with this rain and warm temps. Probably have to break the waders out now to get on the ice. The shore ice was shot today when i towed my buddies machine in...Will be walk out only now for me unless we get some serious cold in a hurry. Survived two major thaws, just dont see it happening again...not in march.

[johnnyb]

When I used to fish Lake Simcoe and Nipi$$ing in Ontario we would use a sensitive balance tipup with a single splitshot #12 or #14 Eagle Claw style 42 hook and small shiner minnow. This works for herring, ciscoes and smelt.
Here is the type of tipup we would use.

(Image removed from quote.)

Okay Drifter...I get the tipup part...but...how the heck do you drag the washer out there?  Or...is this what you are referring to when you talk about your "machine" ? 

[Woodsman]

Start with a 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" sliver or gold spoon. Remove treble and attach a 6"-8" dropper line than attach a small treble with a white pearl on it.
When you jig the spoon the fish are attracted but will hit the smaller morsel below it.

Rick

[slipperybob]

I have no idea of what I was doing, then finally caught the bait kissing fish.  It was a cisco.  They were hitting the good ol forage minnow jig with crappie minnow on it.  I did use the forage minnow spoon with crappie minnow and iced a few as well.

Took a while to figure out to simply just give a hard hook set at the moment they hit the lure.  Once they're hooked...they're hooked good.

[bigmike7272]

any color swedish pimple with spawn on it

[slipperybob]

I tied on some Fireline and suspect the fish to be line shy since I could not get much more than the lightes nibble on it compared to the last time fishing with mono lines...

[Drifter_016]

I tied on some Fireline and suspect the fish to be line shy since I could not get much more than the lightes nibble on it compared to the last time fishing with mono lines...

Run 5 to 10 feet of flouro for a leader. You still get the sensitivity of the braid but with the invisibility of the flouro.

[slipperybob]

Went back to using mono lines and my bites went back up...only problem now was that it seemed the fish were pressured and they've become a bit wiser or more sneaky bait stealing.  I still managed to iced a few, but size was down.  Averaged only about 16-18 inches.  Still wondering where are those big ones of 22 plus inches.  Also I switched to using a forage minnnow spoon with the treble hooks and it's gotten some decent hook ups too.

[Wiener]

Here's what works for me on Green Bay.....

I use a light/ medium rod spooled with fireline crystal.
Slide a small treble hook (#16) on the line then tie on a nice barrel swivel.

When you have the barrel swivel tied on take the barrel swivel and use it to tie an overhand knot in the fireline.  Do not cinch it up until you have the small treble at the very top of the swivel.   What you are trying to do is keep the small treble hook right above the swivel.

When you have this done, tie on 1 to 2 feet of mono or florocarbon to a Swedish pimple.  Hammered copper or Hammered Gold work very well around here.  Tip the treble and the pimple with waxies.  You want to just nip the waxie through one end.

Now when you bounce the pimple on the bottom, the waxies (and treble) will be 1 to 2 feet above the spoon.  This will increase your hook ups considerably.   You will catch whitefish on both the treble and the Swedish pimple   Keep your drag loose and have fun!

I limited out the other day, here's a pic of some that I managed to get on the ice:






I was fishing in 60+ feet of water, wrestling these fish up from that far down...fun fun fun.

Hope this helps,

Wiener

[bigmike7272]

never thought of a setup like that thanks for sharing your genius idea

[burbslayer7]

#5 white swedish pimple has never failed me

[Krimpen]

I use dropper rigs for Cisco. Tie a beaded hook on 4" of flouro leader, suspended under a jigging spoon. The flash of the spoon draws in the Cisco, but they hit the beaded hook instead of the spoon. A few split shots on the dropper line avoids tangles. This also works for Whitefish.

[fisheyefool]

i really got into the ciscos last winter by mistake. i was fishing in 100ft+ water. i strongly reccomend fishing with a vexilar. you never know where the fish are going to be in the water column. they are the most aggressive fish i have ever fished for. i use bigger spoons or jigging rapalas and when i mark a school of ciscos i play a keep away game and actually reel my bait away from the fish. keep bringing it up faster and faster pausing it at various spots. watch your spring bobber cause they usually bite super light. i had phenominal success fishing this way. not only for ciscos but lakers as well. good luck

[Pklures]

One of our guys had a great day on Green Bay in Wisconsin and sent in two pics.  We're having a lot of luck on 1/4 oz PK Spoons and Flutterfish up to 3/8th, generally on nickel plated and firetiger patterns.  Working on a hammered gold pattern for next winter, which is going to be vicious on whitefish!  If you have ice, enjoy it!