IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Bass => Topic started by: Bigassbassman on Nov 13, 2013, 04:55 PM
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Hey all,
Getting excited to chase some LMB on the ice this season -- nothing quite as exciting as fighting a slob on the jig rod! I thought it would be fun to see what people are thinking to use this year.
I'm stocking up on three of my go-to favorites:
1)Lindy Rattl'N Flyer
2)Nuclear Ant
3)Chubby Darter
What else are you planning to use? And feel free to share photos of LMB you caught through the ice, like this one I snagged with an ant:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6LZXZhHQSaQ/UOOw33HlNkI/AAAAAAAABTc/NWyeD-p6_Ic/w480-h640-no/photo+%252811%2529.JPG)
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chubby darter,buchshot spoon,swedish pimple
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I have caught more quality bass ( small mouth and large mouth) since I started using the Chubby Darter than all the many years before (on a jigging rod).
(http://i1033.photobucket.com/albums/a417/stripernut1/IMG_1643.jpg) (http://s1033.photobucket.com/user/stripernut1/media/IMG_1643.jpg.html)
(http://i1033.photobucket.com/albums/a417/stripernut1/IMG_1642.jpg) (http://s1033.photobucket.com/user/stripernut1/media/IMG_1642.jpg.html)
(http://i1033.photobucket.com/albums/a417/stripernut1/IMG_1640.jpg) (http://s1033.photobucket.com/user/stripernut1/media/IMG_1640.jpg.html)
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Nice fish, Alan! Chubby darters are some of my favorites too.
I believe it was you who introduced me to the Northland fireye grub, back at the Barton's Cove gathering a few years back. I love that jig too, its great for panfish -- even caught some bass on it too! ;)
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Northland fireye grub, great lure, but I no longer fish it... Lead, when I find a tungsten version, I will load up with some more!
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Yup - that was before the lead ban in MA...no ban here in Colorado, so I can use them again! :)
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When using the chubby darter for bass how would you recommend working it? I've tried snapping it up about a foot, letting fall, shaking it a little, pause....repeat. I've also tried just shaking it. I've gotten pickerel on it but no bass yet, I've only tried it a few times for bass though. I'm not tipping it with anything when trying for bass, as it's artificials only in NY for bass in winter. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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This is how I most often fish them;
The cadence is 2 big arm sweeps (2-4ft), short pause (3-4 sec.), 5-6 "jerks" of about 4-6 inches, pause, then a short "vibration", then repeat. If in 2 or 3 cycles I don't mark fish or hook up, I move to the next hole. This is about what I start out with each trip out.
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This is how I most often fish them;
The cadence is 2 big arm sweeps (2-4ft), short pause (3-4 sec.), 5-6 "jerks" of about 4-6 inches, pause, then a short "vibration", then repeat. If in 2 or 3 cycles I don't mark fish or hook up, I move to the next hole. This is about what I start out with each trip out.
Some good advice!
WS
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Thanks stripernut, I'll give that method a try next time.
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I like these, bass seem to prefer the silver:
http://www.landbigfish.com/Hildebrandt/Hildebrandt-Flicker-Spinner.cfm
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They look good, I bet there is good flash.
WS
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I've yet to find something that bass won't hit. The big thing I've noticed though is that some will inhale the jig, others will just pop it with the very tip of their nose and it's very hard to get a good hooks set in that area. Use good, sharp hooks. The first thing I do is swap them out.
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[quote author=missoulafish link=topic=262521.msg2958947#msg2958947 date=139214121 others will just pop it with the very tip of their nose and it's very hard to get a good hooks set in that area.[/quote]
that sounds exactly like what's been happening to me lately, have lost some really nice bass after playin them for a couple seconds, then-poof! :%$#!:
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[quote author=missoulafish link=topic=262521.msg2958947#msg2958947 date=139214121 others will just pop it with the very tip of their nose and it's very hard to get a good hooks set in that area.
that sounds exactly like what's been happening to me lately, have lost some really nice bass after playin them for a couple seconds, then-poof! :%$#!:
Mind if I ask what lure/jig you're using when they come unbuttoned? A lot can depend on the size/type of hooks you're using. For example, the stock hooks that come with small chubby darters are too small IMO, so I've changed them out to larger trebles and now I get much better hookups.
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the stock hooks that come with small chubby darters are too small IMO, so I've changed them out to larger trebles and now I get much better hookups
X2
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Mind if I ask what lure/jig you're using when they come unbuttoned?
have lost 'em off just about everything i've been usin:
jiggin raps
pimples
kastmasters
buckshots
teardrops
flicker spinner
did hook one real good on the rap. tho, she musta inhaled it cuz it was deep down her throat. ;D
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First thing I do is upgrade the hook on all my jigs. I know exactly what they are doing. They literally come up to it, stare at it then pop it with the tip of their nose. I set the hook, lift them about 5' and they pop off. Some of them also sell out and inhale the jig too.
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Clown or Perch Rattl'n Flyer.
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what are you guys favorite sizes and colors on those chubby darters. Looking to catch some nice bass through the ice.
I have pimples and buckshots and don't really get alot of bass on them but haven't really fished for them. But i know there in the lakes I fish.
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I have hooked many on the smallest perch size, but the hooks are to light for many of the 5+lb fish... I also have had great luck with the largest "Roach" Chubby Darter (but not the Giant Chubby Darter), even getting some 14" Crappies on them...
Here is a photo of the the larger Chubby Darter with the Giant Chubby Darter;
(http://i1033.photobucket.com/albums/a417/stripernut1/IMG_2299.jpg) (http://s1033.photobucket.com/user/stripernut1/media/IMG_2299.jpg.html)
I have one gotten to try the "Giant" once this season (no luck yet) but will keep trying, the thought of hooking a fish with it!!!!
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I never really target bass but I have done well for them this year using small horizontal jigs with custom jigs and spins wedgie plastics and a small piece of meal worm. I started taking off the plastics since the panfish are getting more finicky and have been using a 3mm wolfram fiska jig tipped with a small piece of meal worm. I caught my biggest bass of the season (16 and 3/4'') with this small presentation.
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I like a spinner with mooneye jig tipped with a minnow
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Swedish pimple is a good place to start
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Has anyone tried the new Ultra Rapala Rippin' Rap? There 1 1/2 inches long. I tried one Tuesday everytime i saw a pickerel or bass on the camera. I got one bass to hit out of the four I saw but missed it. Just couldn't find the right jigging sequence as it got the attention of all pickerl but I just couldn't get them to hit. I wasn't tipping it with anything as bass are artificial only in NY until mid-June.
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I've been using a 1/16ozSlender spoon for panfish and catching largemouth regularly. This was the best of six in a row yesterday.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v485/sunup/Ice%20fishing/100_0748_zpsgt3verbl.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/sunup/media/Ice%20fishing/100_0748_zpsgt3verbl.jpg.html)
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buckshot,chubby darter,rocker minnow
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My favorite lure through the ice is a VMC rattle spoon in the uv colors or perch. They have caught every species for me through the ice. I've also had some good sized bass take a Rapala ultralight rippin rap
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Lindy darter and jigging raps. Always catch a lot on my demon jigging spoons while targeting crappie also. My avatar picture was on a demon jigging spoon.
My biggest tip is to have a gaff ready and hit them in the lips with it, the big ones like to get stuck sideways at the bottom of the hole.
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Here's a thought: "slab" spoons work so well into the late fall in cold water, why abandon that thought? For example: (http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee417/esox_xtm/Lures%20and%20Tackle/hopkins-spoon_zpsrdpo9o8j.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/esox_xtm/media/Lures%20and%20Tackle/hopkins-spoon_zpsrdpo9o8j.jpg.html)
I don't usually target bass ice fishing......
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee417/esox_xtm/Funny%20Stuff/Hopkins%20IS_zpsjn0eglz7.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/esox_xtm/media/Funny%20Stuff/Hopkins%20IS_zpsjn0eglz7.jpg.html)
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I think I'm going to have a jump on the chubby darter wagon. Last week I was on a really tough bite, many lookers but no takers. I couldn't get anything to commit on any of my rattle spoon color or sizes, or the slender or tingler spoons. Went down to my jigs, smaller and smaller. Then at the end, I reached for the "mini crank baits" box and tied on the number 3 chubby darter. Immediately I started catching everything that showed on the graph. From smallish through medium perch and pumpkin seeds to large golden shiners!
(http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/seamonkey84/6D1F43C7-62FE-47B9-AA86-74CD65EA7BFE.jpg) (http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/seamonkey84/media/6D1F43C7-62FE-47B9-AA86-74CD65EA7BFE.jpg.html)
Really surprised they took a lure of that size (I did add some wax worms to the hook like I always do). I also proceeds to catch some nice sized bass as well.
(http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/seamonkey84/21BF731A-685A-4915-B476-005A13CF42C3.jpg) (http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/seamonkey84/media/21BF731A-685A-4915-B476-005A13CF42C3.jpg.html)
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I almost exclusively fish the Rapala jigging SHAD rap.Plain out catches bass.
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so i see that this has not been active for a while. kind of intrigued by the results people got with the chubby darters and other lipless crank baits. in process of procuring some to try. what size trebles are you changing the stock ones to? any more insights? one of my goals this year is to target bass more. I have a general idea where they are and what depths to try. I catch them often on minnows on tip ups on the lake i fish. interested in hooking up on the jigging rod more.
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Funny to see this thread popping up from the depths! The Chubby Darter is still one of my go-to lures. Focused on Walleye last season and the Chubby Darter was the first lure down the hole. Sorry, I don't have any hook models when upgrading the hooks on the small Darters, but when I don't swap them out, I pay with lost fish.
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Thanks for the reply, ordered a small assortment of sizes and colors. i will report back in, hoping for some action. now i just need some safe ice.
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so i see that this has not been active for a while. kind of intrigued by the results people got with the chubby darters and other lipless crank baits. in process of procuring some to try. what size trebles are you changing the stock ones to? any more insights? one of my goals this year is to target bass more. I have a general idea where they are and what depths to try. I catch them often on minnows on tip ups on the lake i fish. interested in hooking up on the jigging rod more.
If you can find them schooled up it's about the most fun you can have. I like to hole hop and jig pretty agressive, a few good long pulls to get the rattles going then a pause, rinse and repeat a few time and move on. Rattling spoons seem to work pretty well too.
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How you fish the Chubby Darter is important; here is how I most often do, but it is not the only way.
I have posted this before;
Here is how I have been fishing them;
The cadence is 2 big arm sweeps (2-4ft), short pause (3-4 sec.), 5-6 "jerks" of about 4-6 inches, pause, then a short "vibration", then repeat. If in 2 or 3 cycles I don't mark fish or hook up, I move to the next hole. This is about what I start out with each trip out. One of the things that makes this lure work so well is when fished right it swims in a large circle, when you pause it turns and "swims" back to the "center".
I often keep a second rod rigged with a smaller jig and the few times that I could get it down to the fish that the Darter has "Called" in and could not get to hit, the fish I hooked were small.
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Lots of good nuggets of info on this thread, Always been a tip up guy and I am trying to expand my techniques. Thanks for the help.
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Chubby Darter's usually one of my first lures down the hole when prospecting fish. Haven't hooked up with many bass on it but it sure calls them in. Gonna try stripernuts cadence tomorrow. Thanks for the tip.
What's everyone's go-to darter color? I like the yellow perch at the lakes I fish.
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Perch is a safe bet.