LW Minnows

[Guest]

Okay here is a debatable topic, Which type of minnow is the best minnow on Lake of The Woods for walleye fishing in the winter.

[shmick__shmacky]

Shiners all the way! It isnt even a contest!

[jlm]

I am a shiner fan as well but the lst time up, there were no shiners to be found anywhere. We used chubs and did very well at 16 mile reef. Not sure that the shiners could have done any better because I caught almost all the one's I saw on the vex! I think if they are hungry they will eat anything. If have lock jaw though, I would opt for small shiners. One thing I do like about the chubs though is that they are alive forever! Shiners are pretty wimpy and die really easy. I guess the jury is still out!

[Northlander]

I dont know? I jig a lot of spoons and it dont seem to matter on them. At least thats been my experience.

[Fishing Realtor]

Shiners are a tourist's bait.<BR>I realize that Emeralds are a main forage base, blah, blah, blah. They are too expensive to die so easily. LOW is one lake that a fisherman can overthink certain things. But do whatever gets your confidence up and keeps you focused!

[widetrack]

I guess I'm a tourist.<P>Shiners.<P>I don't care much if they live or not, they get pinched in 1/2 anyway.

[Guest]

I would agree that in times of slower fishing shinners can do better. But I still love Chubs they are like little work horses it seems like they never stop moving, where shinners seem to die so fast, but if the walleyes are hungry I think all you need is a little color and a minnow and they will bite.........

[Piker]

I'd rather fish with a dead, frozen, chewed up shiner than anything else. Last time out I had fatheads, and it was slow. I had some frozen shiners left in the bucket from before and I tried a half of one and I started catching fish. There's no contest. Everytime I go up with people who are more experienced (older) they like their fatheads, but the fact remains shiners catch more fish. I usually rip them in half anyway so it doesn't matter how long they live, but it is true that fatheads are a lot tougher and live forever. Shiners, my two pennies.

[Guest]

We have done the test. Same house, same jig, same depth and they caught equal amounts of fish. Accually the bigger fish came on the Fatheads. I agree with the Fishing Realtor shinners are a tourist bait. Shinners are twice the money for half the bait and last half as long.

[widetrack]

Yeah but,<P>Did you do the cut bait test?<P>Shiner tails will catch just as many as the heads, somedays more. Double the bait... + fresh torn shiners will outproduce anything else. + your rods & reels get this real cool sparkly look going...<P>Don't forget to pinch the air bladder.

[jlm]

Here is a great way to solve the minnow debate! Last time up, I put two minnows on the hook and caught bigger fish than when using just one. How about one shiner and one chub. Color and constant movement! I think we have a winner here!

[Guest]

The times we have used both the emerald shiners and fatheads I would have to say the shiners were more productive overall. This is not to say that fatheads would not be better in certain cases. When they are biting it probably does not matter. I generally bring both to be prepared and I experiment on the ice on that particular day.<BR>However if I was told I could only bring one or the other, it would be the emerald shiner. my 2 cents

[hanson]

Last time I was up at Lake of the Woods, I discovered that the sparkly handled rods of mine caught more fish than the non-sparkly.<P>Yes, Half of a Shiner was outfishing everything that day, including a lively whole shiner. Those little 12 inchers just wouldn't go after the whole shiner. The big fish we caught that day went after the half a shiner also.

[upnorth]

All the people that I have talked to that are from the LOW swear that if you fish anything but shiners you are wasting precious fishing time. Last time out I tried fatheads and shiners, not a fish off the fatheads and about a dozen off of the shiners.<P>Shiners would seem to be the bait.

[Guest]

If you break a Shinner in half what is more effective the tail or the head, and how is it more effective to catch more fish....<P>GundyWalleye

[Piker]

I almost always rip them in half, rarely whole. I prefer the head portion. If I run out I use the tails and they work. I think there is a scent when they are ripped in half that is to a fishermen's advantage. The first time I ever tried half a dead shiners was when my whole bucket died on the way to the lake. I had my best day ever and I haven't switched back unless I'm experimenting with something different.

[Flash]

When you talk shiners, which ones. Are they the ones you buy at the bait stores at LOW? I'm from southern MN and the shiners we have here are a lot different. I have used shiners from up at LOW, they are a lot smaller. <BR>Flash

[fiskyknut]

Flash- the usual shiner up here used is an Emerald Shiner, though there are other species present.<P>Call me a tourist too then, I'll take an Emerald shiner over anything in the winter. Openwater there are times I like different baitfish.<P>fiskyknut

[swamptiger]

Guess I fall into the tourist category, too, because I always opt for shiners.

[hawksguy]

I am a tourist also,, mark me down for shiners. We are coming up Friday morning: where are the bait shops that carry them? Last time I got them at Adrians when I paid the road toll, seems like a good bet to start there.

[Jiggin Machine]

When in doubt do what the "locals" do. 99% shiners.

[iffwalleyes]

I have done well with both. I usually use Fatheads because that is what most resorts will provide you with I have done very well with the fatheads. As far as shinners go if you can get the shinners that they sell up the they are more durable than the shinners that are found in the entire state of MN. I am not sure though I have done well on both and I guess since fatheads are cheaper that is what I typically go with them. I always use tails for chumming so it is cheaper to use them.

[JAYSUPNORTH]

lately ive been using rosie reds with red glow angel eye spoons been doing better on the rosies than the shiners.