looking at plastics.help a guy out.

[MBrown4]

after being a strict live bait guy id like to get into some plastic baits this year to try out but instead of going out and buying every color under the sun id like to get some advise from some experienced plastic fishermen.my question is what are some of your most popular colors?there are so many to choose from it gets overwhelming.i stand there and look at them all and just blank out asking myself "what colors do i get first?" and then i end up walking away and putting it off till later so any opinions are appreciated greatly.thanks. MB

[wallydiven]

Can't help ya to much here bro as artifical bait just does not work through the ice here, but i'm sure most anything natural colored might do the trick. keep us posted on what you find out and how you do.

[GOOSE_EGG]

what kinda species u after bud?

[jasond37]

 The color can change from day to day like any other artificial lure you may use.  I use them for panfish and am quite successful at it.  I would say 80% of the time I will use plastics.  I have had good luck with florescent orange, pink, and white (Gulp! Alive minnow fry and maggots).  I had decent luck one day with the 1" minnow and a small horizontal jig catching sunnies.  You will need to experiment and fine tune to see what the fish want, it's not always the same.

[MBrown4]

what kinda species u after bud?

i normally go out after panfish or perch

   I have had good luck with florescent orange, pink, and white (Gulp! Alive minnow fry and maggots). 

i looked at those fry but heard alot of bad reviews about durability.
i planned of just getting a handful of different bro bugs to try and get some nuggies aswell

[james]

[quote i looked at those fry but heard alot of bad reviews about durability.
i planned of just getting a handful of different bro bugs to try and get some nuggies aswell
[/quote]

I bought a few jars of the 1" berkley minnows, and some of the maggots to try through the ice this season, and was quite surprised at how well they worked when we tried them last week.

The minnows produced lots of bluegills and there was no problem with durability.
we caught 8 - 10 gills on every minnow.

The white maggots produced quite a few small rainbows, but we had to rebait after every trout we caught.

[JigginRod]

The whole line of LA stuff is good especially the nuggies. I like the Atomic glow colors and regular glow but the purple and orange have also good to me. Another good brand that I use is ISG, my 2 favorite are their skimpys and leachettes, and favorite colors being purple, black, and motoroil.

[Layne]

I've had really good luck with the small northland plastics for perch, Ive used the bro bug collection and a few others as well. They have super fine tails and I literally just tap the top of my rod with my finger to cause vibrations which seem to entice the fish to strike. I actually caught a few decent walleye on the bro bugs as well. Ive had best success with the blood worm. Good luck!

[jasond37]

i normally go out after panfish or perch

i looked at those fry but heard alot of bad reviews about durability.
i planned of just getting a handful of different bro bugs to try and get some nuggies aswell

Honestly, I have no issues with durability.  I fished pretty heavy last winter, and out a few times this summer.  I would get about a dozen fish or more per piece.  I am still using the same bait jar that I bought in December.  There are about 20 or so left, a jar lasted me about a year.  That's not bad for $4.99-5.99.  I have about 5 or 6 jars of different Gulp! Alive baits, and use them all.

[icerod]

The gulp baits are fantastic for winter, spring and summer. The one inch minnow fry are awsome, the maggots also work great . My favorite artifical colors for plastic is white, black, and brown.   I use plastics almost 90% of my fishing. I have had good luck on the durability of the fry 6-10 fish that is cappie and sunfish. I won a ice fishing tourny last year using a little white fry. Good luck, I know they will work for you.

[icejunky]

I fish pannies pretty heavily all winter and only use plastics (well almost only). My top 5 are..

1) Berkley Gulp Maggots/Waxies
2) Maki Plastics (maxi's)
3) Berkley Gulp Minnow Heads
4) CJ&S Ratso
5) Bro Blood Worm 

[captain54]

RATSO"S,fished clean(no bait) Chart.,Glow brite are my to go to colors but ALL colors will work at the right time. I bought several little balls that kids play with that look will a porcupine and have a light in them,and cut all the little 1 inch spike off them,they stretch to 4 or 5 inch and don't brake very durable,but I've have not used them yet,but I know they will work.

[Mr. Shanny]

I've talked to a guy that I know and he told me about a plastic that he will NOT leave home with out.  He gets them from  http://www.jigginjoes.com/plastics.php
and loves them.  Anyone ever heard of jigginjoes??  I have thought about buying some of them for pannies.

[pikeking]

Custom Jigs and Spins,,, They have nice looking jigs and plastics to go with them. I made an order last week. Prices are good too...