Soft Plastics for Ice Fishing?

[DrownedDesertRat]

I'm curious if anybody has used any of their open water soft plastics (senko's, etc) while ice fishing. If you have, any luck? If not, why not? I'm thinking about actually giving it a try this year. Could be just what that pike is looking for!
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[mateo]

I have some "storm" wild eyes, or something like that, plus some Yozuri minnow looking things that I plan to try this year. I'll let you know, if I ever get a chance to get out on the ice.
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[tubeN2]

Check out the Utah board. There is a member there (HFT) that has a tackle shop that sells "Boogers". It appears that they are a hot item over there and are selling like crazy.

They use some of them on small jigs.
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[maniac]

There is a guy here in Utah, that is catching trout on 3" stick worms in predator color, that I make. Most of the plastics we use are whatta crickets, boogers, small curl tail grubs, foxy jigs and tube jigs just to name a few but those are some of the most popular. if you wan't some boogers or whatta crickets send " HFt " a P.M on the utah board and I'm sure he would be glad to sell you some. If you wan't some stick worms ,I can make about any color or salt content that you wan't check out my web site! And good luck!
james
maniaclures@juno.com
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[DrownedDesertRat]

Thanks! How are these 3 inch plastics being rigged? I would think that through the ice wacky rigging would probably be best with either a lift and drop method or your usual ice jigging action.
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[maniac]

Actually they were rigging them wacky style, with a drop shot sinker if you go to the Utah general forum there is a post maniacs through the ice or something like that. they tell how to rig them.
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[Coldfooter]

[size 2]Hi guys and gals.
As some well know (by my nick name) I live for Ice fishing and have for over 40 years and I've use soft plastics in most forms (large and small) for years now. The simple fact is, fish dont care and/or probably arent aware that the water is ice capped or otherwise. If something draws their attention and holds it long enough they will strike.
I cant think of a single species I've caught here in Utah through the ice, (including Northerns), that I havent picked up on soft plastics in one form or another. Whats more, as many well know I like hunting Mac & Eye on the ice. Tubes, Twister tails, and Thumper tails are a few of my goto go-getters. A few days ago a friend of mine and I ice fished a well know but little used res. and we had 12-14" splake litterally chacing our 4" tube up inside the ice hole to grab it. So dont put your plastics away merely because the water is ice capped, the fish dont know it..

Good luck all![/size]
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[DrownedDesertRat]

Don, great advice. I'll have to try it. How do you rig your tubes and other plastics for fishing in the 8 inch lake?
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[Coldfooter]

"in the 8 inch lake?". Ya lost me.
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[Coldfooter]

Oh, ok, lol,, gotcha DDR!
Here we can punch a 12" hole on any lake or res. but we have 3 lakes/res. we can poke 18" holes for the Mac's.
I dont really rig soft plastic any differently while fishing through the ice than while fishing open water. However Pat/TD and I have been tinkering with a few idea's of getting a little more horizonal movement from the baits when dropped down an ice hole. But these new setups are yet untested on my part..
I'm aching to try them out at Flaming Gorge and see what the Mack think of them. Problem is, where most the Biggin's hang out the ice aint to this point and it dont look good as far as getting hard topped in those areas this ice season.
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[DrownedDesertRat]

Wow, 18 inch holes. Thems are some nice size augers you've got there! []

Think wacky rigging would work good? Or should I try drop shotting? Or just the usual end of the line stuff?
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[Coldfooter]

LOL!!! Yep their pretty good sized augers we have to use,, regular ice pounders, or more commonly known as a "90lb. Jack Hammer"!! Of course the moble compressor tends to pester others on the ice nearby from time to time and I find it leaves me without a lot of company. But hey, we all cant handle eggs in our beer either,[laugh]

Actually I tend to use my 8" and punch 3 holes in a triangle to get a hole big enough (18" or so) to pull out the (little) shishies I run into while icin', LOL!! But I only need my 10" while chasin' Perchskies[]

Telling ya DDR, you just never know what might create a good reaction strike.. Often by now something as simple as something the fish havent seen constantly is all it takes. So my suggestion would be to try anything and everything to give them a little something different to look at..
I've been working on a new jig type mold for what I'm calling "Strike Backs". Their a lead head I designed to be used with soft plastics, minnow, etc. for horizonal movement under the ice. I havent field tested yet but the tub test proved VERY interesting and I should be field testing them this weekend.
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