FISHING WITH MINNOWS

[TubeDude]

[#0000ff][cool] I am attaching a copy of the "writeup" I am doing on MINNOWS. I know we have a lot of minnow fans on the BFT boards. I would appreciate any input or comments on things that should be included, or corrections on anything I have written. Kent has already offered some good suggestions.[/#0000ff]
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[Extex]

Dats some super info TD -I have just been freezing mine and then trying to keep them semi frozen until I run the hook thru them.

Do you have any suggestions on how to tie up the cut herring rig you described or the anchovie rig that is on Waynes World/Lake Powell site if you have seen that. I tried to use that last year I kept ending up with a spinning ball of fish goo. [unsure]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey Scott, I couldn't find the rig you were talking about on Wayneswords. But, I suspect it is a sliding front hook rig like they use on the Pacific coast for rigging whole anchovies and herring for salmon mooching and trolling. The key is to get the snell tie on the sliding front hook tight enough to lock it in place, but to allow adjustment for different length baits and different bends in the bait, for spin.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Frozen anchovies are tough to work with. Once frozen, they turn to mush real easy. If that has been the problem, you might want to consider getting some of those plastic head covers sold by the Krippled company. These things come in colors and can help hold your soggy chovy together while trolling. Here is a link that also shows some rigging and fishing tips: [url "http://www.krippled.ca/recreation/anchovy1.htm"]KRIPPLED[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Whenever I troll whole anchovies, I prefer to hook the front hook up through the lips and then rig a treble "trap hook" near the tail...or even just trailing behind. If a fish takes the bait from the rear, they get the trailing hook. Also, try using a red treble.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you want more flutter, flash and action, try threading a spinner blade on the line and then a couple of beads, before tieing on the hook. A small dodger blade can work too...with about six feet of leader between the dodger and the chovy.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In short, trying to plug cut an anchovy that has been frozen is inviting frustration. Even a modest trolling speed will quickly reduce the thawed chovy to the consistency of warm peanut butter. But, if you can keep the head on and the skin intact, you got a shot at being able to drag it around for awhile before you need to change it. Of course, you hope a fish mashes it up real good, and gets the hook in the process.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I do not know if west coast herring are available frozen anywhere in Utah, but I am betting that if you could get some they would be dynamite on Powell stripers. They are larger than anchovies (like gizzard shad), they put off a good scent trail and they are a lot tougher on the hook. Those are the preferred baits for a lot of salmon fishermen, because you can "plug cut" them at an angle, behind the head, and rig them to spin at the desired rate without them turning to mush.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here is a pic from a halibut fishing site, showing a favorite rig for fishing smelt and anchovies for those fish.[/#0000ff]
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[Kent]

Here is the animated version of the John Paul Rig (aka JP Rig) courtesy of BearLakeMack:

[url "http://www.powellstripers.com/default.cfm"]Click here for animated version[/url]
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[Extex]

Thanks guys - thats what I needed - to see it animated like that really helps a bunch. I wasted a lot of time one morning last year just trying to get a chovie or a perch to roll instead of spinning and mushing up in 10 seconds. I plan to hit Powell for the first time this year and give it a go and also try this at Fishlake when they are hugging the bottom. I think I can stop and go this rig on their noggins when I mark them and maybe get a bite from a bigger fish.
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[road]

Wow my dad taught me that way back when. I had forgotten it until I saw those pics. I was about 12 when he took me for my first striper on that Sacramento. The backlashes I did to that old Penn 209 of his, why its a wonder he ever took me again. We also used sardines as I recall. Heres a little something that always helped with the mushy bait problem. We would take a pair of my mothers panthose and cut them up in fish size pieces. wrap them aound the bait and tie em off. Kept mushy bait on the hook really well.
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[d-mack]

Anyone tried this set up for the wipers out at Willard? Could it be pretty effective early in the year?
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I'm betting it would work, with anchovies. Just don't use any shad. That's a no no.[/#0000ff]
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