Whole minnow or chunk?

[outdoorsman4]

Which produces better hook-ups in the river 1)rapala with whole minnow and stinger hook, or 2)rapala with chunk of minnow on treble and no stinger? Anyone have any opinions? Also, what size swedish pimple would it take to stay vertical in the river with a chunk of minnow? Thanks.

[woodie slayer]

i like a half minnow with a short stinger.
doesn't tangle while jigging and no short bites. caught a couple thousand that way with a rapala

[flyrod4steelhead]

With a jiggin rap, I just pinch the head off and use that, no stinger. The only time that I use a whole minnow is when I am using a jig head. Not sure about the size of a swedish pimple for the river though. I think the ones that I use and wrok pretty good, are about 2 1/2" or so long, I think. They do work though, as I have caught quit a few walleye on these while fishing the river.

[WHITE BEAR]

I've had more luck with just the head but some days it seems like they want the whole minnow,also if I'm catching fish using just the head and the fish stop biting I'll switch to the whole minnow/stinger combo and sometimes that does the trick. Works the other way around too. Some days I'll switch back and forth all day to find out what the fish want.

[olddog413]

I like to use one or two small perch minnows just lipped from the treble hook on a #5 rapala. But rapalas are not my first choice ever. Spoons rule, Swedish pimples, half ounce is fine for current, tip with just a head, when they are slow, add those two little perch minnows along with the head, can be deadly at times. Stay in contact with the bottom, bounce it right off it, pausing there, lots of times when you go to lift it up, they are on, what a rush, you think you got snagged till that snag starts fighing back !And finally, slow that jigging down, once you draw them in, slow ,slow slow, just quiver the tip, slowing raising it. If you were to watch the guys that non stop wildly jigging two poles with # 9 rapalas, you would be surprized at how many of thier fish are hooked under the chin or in the belly, Great sport !

[pilatusbahn]

I'll agree with the other posts. It depends on what you are using. If its a jig head-then a whole minnow and stinger. If its any type of spoon or jiggin rapala, then its only the head or half the body. Havent heard of using a stinger on a jiggin rap but if it works for ya-then use it!
Caught 2 on Saturday and then bite shut off. Had 6-7 throwbacks. Still a good day even though it wasnt a limit.

[limige]

thanks for the tip old dog, i'm just getting into walleye fishing on the ice. jigged the river in the boat for the first time this year so jigging is pretty new to me, wasn't sure how fast or far off the botttom. much less this minnow q. one more question, if your using a rapala which hook do you hook the minnows on? front middle or rear?

[flyrod4steelhead]

That will be up to you limige. I myself, put the peice of minnow on the bottom hook (treble). I have seen guys put it on the front and back hooks as well.

[walleyeman2006]

basically i go with the smallest jig or spoon i can get away with ..and the least amount of bait i can get away with...i like gumball or fireball jigs or cleos..if i use twister tail on the jigs some times i wont use any minows at all ...but the small minows on a spoon do seem to work the best all around.....small jigging raps i dont own any 7s or 9s with two perch minis or a large head ...

[pilatusbahn]

My grandpa saved a picture out of a Canadian magazine and guys up there will even put a stinger hook off of the treble on a jigging rapapa and then use a whole minnow. Usually if I find a perch minnow in the batch I will put the whole one of those one. Normally, same as any other spoon for me, just the head or half body. And size of lure ALWAYS depends on the current. If you can get away with 1/4 oz because of the current, use it. Typically the Saginaw River is a 3/8 oz lure, sometimes even 1/2oz. All depends on the flow and getting that presentation right.