08-24-2008, 11:29 AM
[cool][#0000ff]Hey Curt, the bitty size 10 hooks are fine, but the fish tend to swallow them more. I mostly use the little bait bugs I make...in size 6. Those same ones you use for ice fishing...the red head and chartreuse body...are great in Mantua. And, just a half of mealworm helps seal the deal.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In truth, once you find the fish in that pond it is hard to find something THEY WON'T HIT. But, there are always days when they show a preference. That is why it is good to go with an assortment of small jigs in different colors...and to have crawlers, meal worms and perch meat all available. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have found that if I want to catch the larger fish, and more perch, I do better with a piece of perch meat on a light colored jigs...white or chartreuse. For big bluegill and for bass, I go darker...black, olive, brown or purple...and use crawler.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When the fish are active, they will hit just about anything. I have pictures in my archives of 9" bluegill caught on 4" plastics with a 1/0 hook. I had a "honey hole" in the weeds when all I had to do is drop that straight down...and it never did reach bottom. I would have a bass, perch or bluegill when it stopped falling.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But, when the fish have been hammered or there is a lot of boating activity that has them more cautious, it is hard to beat mealworms. That natural insect aroma gets them to open their mouths when they just swim away from anything else.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In truth, once you find the fish in that pond it is hard to find something THEY WON'T HIT. But, there are always days when they show a preference. That is why it is good to go with an assortment of small jigs in different colors...and to have crawlers, meal worms and perch meat all available. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have found that if I want to catch the larger fish, and more perch, I do better with a piece of perch meat on a light colored jigs...white or chartreuse. For big bluegill and for bass, I go darker...black, olive, brown or purple...and use crawler.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When the fish are active, they will hit just about anything. I have pictures in my archives of 9" bluegill caught on 4" plastics with a 1/0 hook. I had a "honey hole" in the weeds when all I had to do is drop that straight down...and it never did reach bottom. I would have a bass, perch or bluegill when it stopped falling.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, when the fish have been hammered or there is a lot of boating activity that has them more cautious, it is hard to beat mealworms. That natural insect aroma gets them to open their mouths when they just swim away from anything else.[/#0000ff]
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