baited jigs or no bait?

[Ravo Himself]

What do you guys do. My buddy has been taking me to a marina while waiting for the ice catching crappies and other panfish. I used my marmish and he used a rod. We both were using jigs tipped with pieces of worm and did good.  I feel like that is cheating though. If I wanted to use bait why not just throw a small hook down with a sinker above it?  Do you guys throw bait on your jigs or just play your lures as is?

[Hard_H2O]

Why would you think bait is cheating?

Waxies, Gulp, minnows (whole and just heads), plastics...

Whatever gets them to bite.

[bassbull]

The color of the jig is the attractor and the scent of the bait closes the deal. Makes for much faster response times in the number of bites you will get in a day. All so it makes a difference in how the fish takes the bait in .

[AugustWest]

What do you guys do. My buddy has been taking me to a marina while waiting for the ice catching crappies and other panfish. I used my marmish and he used a rod. We both were using jigs tipped with pieces of worm and did good.  I feel like that is cheating though. If I wanted to use bait why not just throw a small hook down with a sinker above it?  Do you guys throw bait on your jigs or just play your lures as is?

Apparently, you don't like to eat fish...because you will catch a lot more fish with bait
AW

[nonamer]

don't use bait so there will be more fish for us.

[TeeBugg]

I do everything. Bare jig, bait, plastics...the fish dictate what i use. Find myself using alot more plastics then bait though

[esox_magnum]

Why would you think bait is cheating?

Waxies, Gulp, minnows (whole and just heads), plastics...

Whatever gets them to bite.

 Ditto....

[gooner]

It depends on what I am fishing for and what part of winter. Whites and ling near the end of the season, I don't, I just pound it off the bottom. Perch I always do. Pike most of the time I depends on what is working

[nocod]

I dont bait my jigs,when the fish nibble and dont bite I downsize the bait and they bite,saves the hands from a cold minnow bucket.

[Jig4M]

The color of the jig is the attractor and the scent of the bait closes the deal. Makes for much faster response times in the number of bites you will get in a day. All so it makes a difference in how the fish takes the bait in .

I agree 100%!!

[kasilofchrisn]

Jigs and bait always go together.
Like others have said use whatever works and is legal in your area.
I often times use bait until I start catching a few fish. once the bite is on I may quit using the bait until the fishing slows again.
Often times the combination of bait and jig is what the fish want. There are times where a baited jig will outfish a baited hook.
Definetly not cheating.

[Hard_H2O]

I noticed this summer when using jigs with some sort of plastic body that sometimes you start with bait on the hook, The bait gets stolen, you leave it out and they still bite. You end up only rebaiting every so often to keep them interested.

A bit of meat for smell and taste and they will associate your jig with food.

[monoped]

Using a hook could be considered cheating too! It is more challenging to produce consistently with out bait (i would include scented synthetics with bait) but if that's the challenge you seek who cares how the person next to you is doing it so long as its legal. Enjoy your ice time.

[slipperybob]

Start with no bait and if the fish don't bite then put bait on.

[pascoag icefisher]

I almost always use bait on my jigs.i usally use mealworm.

[Whopper Stopper]

I was taught to always use bait. I figure I wouldn't hang around long if for our evening meal we sat down and stared at a pretty plate.

                  WS

[coboy]

I was taught to always use bait. I figure I wouldn't hang around long if for our evening meal we sat down and stared at a pretty plate.

                  WS

Heh,heh! That's the best laugh I had all day, thanks!