clipping shiners tail (size does not matter)

[trying to catch a biggie]

I got icefishing for anything that will bite. I usally buy come small shanner. I noticed if you snip off half the tail you get alot more flaggs. I dont get why people use big bait. Little shinners are hit 1 and the fish is hooked. I cought a 5 lb bass last weekend cought on a pinhead shinner. And with my new technique of snipping the tail. So i recommend 2 all people 2 snip the tails or at least give it a try and 2 buy some smaller shiners.(jusy my opinion)

[adkRoy]

Never heard of that but it must give the bait a more wounded bait look. I use bigger bait to catch big fish. I really don't care to catch the dinks.

[trying to catch a biggie]

i dont really catch small fish thr only thing i catch really is huge bass and pickeral in the 17 inch range usually and maybe if i am lucky HUGE perch

[adkRoy]

i dont really catch small fish thr only thing i catch really is huge bass and pickeral in the 17 inch range usually and maybe if i am lucky HUGE perch

A 17 inch pickerel is pretty small on my lake, Usually if you catch a 24 + inch pickerel that is large. I might try your idea for lakers next time I go out. 

[lotwfisher]

I usually use half minnows in the winter for perch, crappies and walleyes. For walleyes I tip a pimple or something like that with just the half minnow.

[trying to catch a biggie]

Ya give it ago just cut half the tail off and it really does work (for me) and the 17 inch pickeral do get ALOT bigger in that lake i go on just have not cought one . I am taking a guess my biggest pickeral must be in the high 20s

[pikemaster789]

I have read the same tip in some of my catfish books, and could see it very easily working for pike. I guess by clipping the fins or tail, you 1. debilitates the fish creating the "struggle for survival" look, and 2. the cuts release scent into the water which draws other fish in.

[trying to catch a biggie]

are you kidding? it releases scent that is awsome!!!

[fishmaster2004z]

i heard of some guys doing this last week and they made out better than i did
they said they did it so the bait would not set off the tip ups

[trying to catch a biggie]

yes that right it helps release scent looks wounded and does not set off false flags.

[pikemaster789]

are you kidding? it releases scent that is awsome!!!

When people grind up baitfish for chum in the ocean it releases a lot of scent into the water to draw in fish. The same applies to clipping fins but on a much minor scale. however it might be just enough to get that stubborn fish to hit your bait

[trying to catch a biggie]

Yes very true i cought this bass last weekend my biggest ever ranging about 4 lbs i released it of coarse. I wonder if the cut tail help it along to hit the bait because the shiner was small and people say big fish don't like small bait but i think thats wrong

[METIPPIN]

I always clip the tails and sem to do well. I usually will use medium shiners.

[IceReaver]

On medium shiners and larger, not only do I clip the lower section of the tail...I also "fillet" the bottom, back tail section of the minnow with an inch [or shorter, depending on minnow size] incision on one side only.  Using only the tip of the knife, I cut just above the centerline of the minnow in the meaty portion only.  The minnow will swim all day with the cuts and truly is a wounded prey fish.

[deadsmelthead]

Can't belive this thread has been here for so long and I haven't noticed it.

I like jigin for 3-6" Perch to use for bait on Pike, 3 seasons ago I started sniping a pectoral fin, give em a little wound and I will swear by it. Couple of guys I fish wit though it was silly when I first tried it, I kinda did too and then both of them tried it now we all do, I think it makes a big difference. For all of the previously mentioned reasons also.

[Countyiceman]

Can't belive this thread has been here for so long and I haven't noticed it.

I like jigin for 3-6" Perch to use for bait on Pike, 3 seasons ago I started sniping a pectoral fin, give em a little wound and I will swear by it. Couple of guys I fish wit though it was silly when I first tried it, I kinda did too and then both of them tried it now we all do, I think it makes a big difference. For all of the previously mentioned reasons also.

pincing off a fin or part of the tail has always been a favorite "trick" and one that is not to noticible when fishing in group of others...try it and see if you catch more fish...or at least get more flags

[jacksmelt71]

i do the same for big jacksmelts i use for muskie. i started doing it so they wouldnt tangle my leader or give false flags. then i noticed i got more flags on the ones i clipped as opposed to the ones i didnt. now it do it for everything. it definitly makes a diff. esp. when the fish are not bitting well.

[Danderson]

i've only caught large bass and pickerel on large shiners. never get anything large on small bait though so i rarely use it now. i think i may have to try this!

[Uncle Grump]

I've done this for years....

By clipping the tail or other fin on a minnow, you make it un-balanced, so the minnow
has to work harder (struggle) to keep its "balance" in the water. The struggling
creates vibrations, which the fish sense thru their lateral line.

A few years back, my son and I were fishing stream trout in a pond in Dec (early ice).
We dropped clipped minnows under small bobbers. The bobbers twitched non-stop, and
when a trout was in the area, the minnows went nuts - which showed up in the form
of increased twitching of the bobbers - and when that happened, you
knew you were going to get a hit - didn't even need to watch the Vex.

UG

[Doubles Shooter]

I think tail clipping helps when the fish are neutral or inactive. They struggle but do not move very fast making them an easy target.

[esox13]

I have been doing this for years myself. The majority (better than 60%) of the minnows/shiners etc.. I use get their tails snipped. For perch and sometimes Walleye I will snip the tails on 2 minnows and put them both on a treble facing the opposite direction. They create quite a commotion in the water. I have even tried this with 2 med Golden shiners on a quick strike rig - worked fine.

[icefishinman88]

I tried it the other day.The tipup that had the cut tail shiner went of 3 times before any of the other tipups.Seemed to work.Ill try it again make sure it wasnt a fluke.

[pirkaus]

Clipping the tail works
Pirk

[camocrazy82]

Clipping the tail fin works! So does scaling half the fish. Heres the trick though, If you clip the TOP part of the fin the baitfish will swim UP, If you clip the BOTTOM of the fin the baitfish will swim DOWN.

[SDFlagChaser]

have never tried clipping the tail, but i do agree with the smaller bait comment.  I can not access very big bait where I am at, just I just use fatheads and dead smelt on my pike tip ups. I always used a treble hook with two tail hooked fatheads and usually that flag gets the most action.  love fatheads for pike, can also get the occasional walleye on the same rig. 

[BASSandICE65]

I've been clipping shiners fins for years it makes them swim funny and the fish pick up the distress signals in their lateral line. The bass especially are attracted to the distress signals I have caught some nice ones. But for pike big dead goldens are the way to go my buddy does very well using them.

[PerpetuallySkunked]

Pirkaus that is a beauty!!!! Vibrant color

[wally-eye]

Instead of clipping I've been tail hooking for decades and decades.......lots more action......works on perch minnows or big pike minnows equally.....

[BIGCREW]

if Im useing really big bait that is to lively I step on them a bit,just enough to wound them and slow them down,I also have been clipping tails for years,I cut the tail horizontily a bunch of times,this way the bait trys to swim but it is slowed down greatly because the water just passes through the tail and cant create any thrust

[gulp]

Always something new to try out. Thanks to all for the info.