Minibaits for Panfish (cont.) MINI MINNOWS Panfish are frequent feeders on small fish -- minnows, shad, and the young of many species, including their own. Despite small mouths, bluegills, pumpkinseeds, and other sunfish can catch and swallow surprisingly large fish. Minute soft minnowbaits work great fished vertically under a float, whether through an ice hole for perch or larger crappies, or among clumps of shallow grass in spring. The best style for float-fishing has a single pointed tail or a double tail, as these move enticingly with the slightest shake of the line or a soft breeze. Click for larger version. The Berkley Micro Power Minnow is a 2" forked-tail bait, a miniature version of a Jerkshad or Zoom Fluke. Its slender body and delicate tail make it ideal for slow vertical presentations. For ice fishing, try Lindy's Micro-Mino in their new Muchie Tiny Tails series, measuring less that 3/4-inch and about the diameter of a toothpick. Rig on the smallest Lindy Fat Boy then just quiver the rod tip to activate the bait and attract any nearby fish. Lunker City's 2-inch Fin-S-Fish has a slender profile crappies can't resist. Rig it on a 1/16-ounce jighead and cast shallow flats for crappies and perch, or fish it under a float. Bass Assassin's Tiny Shad, a 1 1⁄2-inch morsel, has a tapered single tail that quivers with the slightest rod motion. Choose from 27 hi-vis and natural colors to match any prey. All the baits in this category excel when drop-shot rigged. Many mini minnows feature more active tails that must be retrieved to create much movement. Stanley's Wedge Tail design has been one of the most innovative changes in soft plastic tails to come along in a while. It's hard to understand its effectiveness by merely looking at the lure; you have to fish it. Its moon-shaped tail is broadened to catch water, while the body just in front of the tail (caudal peduncle) is extremely thin. This arrangement allows excellent tail movement. Try the 1 1⁄2-inch Wedge Tail for perch, crappies, or big 'gills. While Lunker City's Fin-S-Fish shines in northern waters, the 1 3⁄4-inch Fin-S-Shad is favored where shad are found. Rig it on the specially designed LunkerGrip Fin-S-Shad Head. Lindy-Little Joe has just added the Thumpin' Shad, a broad little boot-tail available in 1- and 2-inch lengths. Rig it on their new Mino Jig, available in 1/48-, 1/32-, and 1/16-ounce weights. Charlie Brewer's Slider Company has added delicate Crappie Sliders to their line. These ribbed grubs feature a broad boot-tail that beats wildly with minimal pull. The 1- and 1 1⁄2-inch models match heads from 1/64- to 1/16-ounce. The Slider Shad Minnow (1 1⁄2 and 2 inches) represents the shad-body line that's deadly on reservoir crappies wherever they feast on threadfin shad. A slow retrieve is required to make these tails wiggle, so casting them on a jighead often works best, though intermittent pulls with a casting bubble also create sufficient movement when fish are staging in shallow water. Other Critters: DeLong also offers the Tadpole in 3 sizes (1 1⁄2-, 2-, and 3-inch), a larval frog with beefy head and tapered tail, prerigged on a hook. Ice Eyes are imitation fish eyes that are deadly rigged alone on a hook, or set above a small jigging spoon or other search lure. Perch won't leave them alone. Lindy-Little Joe offers the Fishin' Critter, a realistic prerigged cricket available in black and brown. Just add a bream pond. Custom Jigs & Spins' Red Nuclear Ant, measuring less than 1/2 inch, is a go-to ice bait. The red glow is hot. COMPANY CONTACTS Bass Assassin, 386-294-1049; Berkley, purefishing.com; Case Plastics, 434-374-0335; Charlie Brewer's Slider Company, 800-762-4701; Custom Jigs & Spins, 319-645-2247; DeLong, 877-335-6642; Gitzit, 800-727-5873; Innovative Sport Group (ISG), 800-513-5901; Lindy-Little Joe, 218-829-1714; Lunker City, 203-237-3474; Matzuo, 720-941-9400; Mizmo, 870-932-2490; Spike-It, 912-842-2653; Stanley Jigs, 936-876-5713; Turner Jones Micro Jigs, 417-883-6723; Venom Lures, 800-446-7510.

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