BRICKER BUGS

[abishop]

JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE USES WEIGHT WHEN FISHING THEM IN 3 TO 4 FOW. I KNOW THE FREE FALL IS THE KEY. ALSO, BAIT OR NO BAIT IS BEST. THEY ARE SO SMALL IF USING A BEESMOTH IT IS TWICE THE SIZE. JUST STARTED TO USE THEM AND I HAVENT FIGURED IT OUT QUITE YET. HARD TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CATCH CRAPPIE WITH SO SMALL OF A HOOK. ONLY THING SMALLER IS THE MARMOOSKAS.

[bean counter]

i don't use weight on them - the fall is the key in my opinion

[missoulafish]

at that depth not sure it would be needed but a bit of weight would definitely get it to where you need it faster. Have used with and without bait.

[Pan fisherman]

i use bricker bugs the biggest one dont use weight wish i could find more pink lemonade love them

[abishop]

HAS ANYONE CAUGHT CRAPPIE WITH THEM. NOT SURE WHAT SIZE I HAVE, THINK 14. CAN'T SEE HOW YOU COULD HOOK THE PAPERMOUTHS BEING SOOO SMALL JUST MY OPINION. HAVE HEARD THAT GUYS GET CRAPPIE WITH THEM???

[Pan fisherman]

couple week ends ago me and my sons got 3 limits a missy using briker bugs tipped with b moththey do good job

[drine_11]

couple week ends ago me and my sons got 3 limits a missy using briker bugs tipped with b moththey do good job

They are a good jig, but not a miracle bait.  Few weeks ago the bite was on fire...bet I caught 200 fish in the few hours I was there and wasn't using those bugs.  Fact is, you don't need those bugs to catch more fish...it's all about your presentation.  If you are using any similar jig, and the same jigging pattern and cadence, you will catch the same amount of fish.  They are just another type of midge, that has been been used for decades.  Not knocking them..they are nicely made, just saying paying double or triple for that jig won't make you catch more fish than everyone else

[walleye wil]

amen!!! bricker bugs are not your savior for ice fishing, still catch plenty with the baits my grandma and grandpa
turned me onto when i was 8-10 years old. just depends what the fish are looking for on an individual day!!!!!11

[missoulafish]

amen!!! bricker bugs are not your savior for ice fishing

can be said about any jig or any bait...

[walleye wil]

yea thats true, will bite on any jig when hungry, i have a few of the brickers and havent impressed me that much, just more money
that wont guarentee to catch them.

[northrn-duck-assassin]

All jigs have a certain cadence to them, match it wih the right style rod and practice in the top of the hole. U will begin to learn differences in them, which ones are similiar and which arent.

Yes, i would like to try some brickers, but most with ice experience will know, on a tough bite, a "fly" is killer. They all work. Just need to LEARN them.

One thing i like on the brickers, is the wide variation in colors...

[OMIGHTY]

Abishop, I bought into the hype of these years ago... and I have never had any luck with them. Maybe its me? But, with the hype put on them, I thought it be a good investment to add to the artillery of gear. First time I used them with no bait... nothing. Second time I used them with no bait... nothing. And guess what?.... The 3rd time I used them with no bait... 3x's A FISHY!!! Nothing!  If they really catch fish including crappie... then i need to fish where those fish are caught. Stick to what works... I think you know what works by now! 

[wax_worm]

They catch gills and crappie like many other ice flies that size do.  I wouldn't put a bee moth on them as that will kill the action of the lure and probably prevent the horizontal presentation which is key for all flies.  They work without bait if worked properly and if you need to add bait for confidence just skin hook a single spike or half a spike at most.  As others have said they are not a miracle lure.  The key is being able to find the fish.  If you can do that, many lures will usually trigger bites, some better than others depending on the mood of the fish and what they may be feeding on.

[bburman90]

I’ve got some and they are okay. I used them on a tough bite with no bait and worked okay. I fished the gravel pit I talked about in a post and started with that no bait. I caught a few then switched a gaffite “Brady bug” it’s just a moon jig with black dots green body and orange strips and a whole different rod and that was the trick even got a 16inch bass with the big. I think right combo rod,line, jig and presentation is the key. Just my 2 cents

[jigginstick]

Hard to beat the ol slurple jig !!

[abishop]

Hard to beat the ol slurple jig !!

AHH JIMMY, WE MI9SS YOU...

[Jigmup]

Hard to beat the ol slurple jig !!

Was wondering when that would come up.LOL

[Michianaguy2]

HAS ANYONE CAUGHT CRAPPIE WITH THEM. NOT SURE WHAT SIZE I HAVE, THINK 14. CAN'T SEE HOW YOU COULD HOOK THE PAPERMOUTHS BEING SOOO SMALL JUST MY OPINION. HAVE HEARD THAT GUYS GET CRAPPIE WITH THEM???

I use tiny Fiskas and catch crappie on them.  Yes, I do lose some at the hole but I still like them.  I’m sure your bricker bug will catch crappie just fine.

[rivereddy]

Ah yez.....good ol' slurple.  I've still got a few

fish on,

rivereddy

[Fishslayer81]

Which version of Bricker bugs are you referring to? There are several different designs Adam makes ranging from the original wire wrap larva in size #12 or #14, big ants, pupas, puffers, flea flickers, tungsten larva, bead butts, stick bugs...etc. I have caught more limits of crappies this year on a #12 wire then in the last few years. It's been a good season...ready to chase perch!

[Cool Cat]

I've got a few in my arsenal and they haven't impressed me either.  Not what I would call a " go to" jig for sure.  And as for the hype, a lot of hooie for sure.  When I first seen them, I was like, what's so great about these?  Not that great of a bait in my book. 

[wax_worm]

I've got a few in my arsenal and they haven't impressed me either.  Not what I would call a " go to" jig for sure.  And as for the hype, a lot of hooie for sure.  When I first seen them, I was like, what's so great about these?  Not that great of a bait in my book.

Too many here think they are a 'cure' all for not catching fish.  No lure can be that.  Most that aren't catching much, aren't around much.  Adam and the guys that consistently catch lots of fish on them are good at this important thing....they move and move until they find schools of fish....Then they open the area up with augers and follow them to stay over them.  They put them in position to be successful and the BB on the end of the line is just the very last piece the puzzle.  Many times there are probably 10 or more lures that will catch them when you constantly put the work into finding fish. 

[missoulafish]

Did I miss something somewhere that said these baits are guaranteed to catch fish?

[theangling1]

After choking a bit on the price, I tried one yesterday. Don’t know the name it was all black with a red bead at the bottom of the hook.... After a few minutes of nothing but lookers, including those pesky 2” er’s, which is the same thing that had been happening for a couple hours with many different baits of types sizes and colors....  I was all ready to jump on the “these aren’t any better than any other bait” bandwagon yesterday when out of the blue.... bam.... 8” gill swallowed the entire bug.... no tap, tap... he nailed it.... no other biters til the dusk bite, but there were considerably more fish looking with that bug on.

[abishop]

Tried today on 2 poles for a hour different colors with bait and without. Never caught a bite, while my buddy next to me caught 5.