Dead Stick minnow hook up

[eyeguy 54]

I have always put my hook in front of dorsal fin. Pros and cons? What do you prefer ?

[papadarv]

Good choice, meatiest part, center of balance, better swimming action. I also hook in front to the dorsal. On occasion when I lay the minnow on the bottom I hook 1/2 way between dorsal and tail. Swims more like an injured minnow.

[Tom Sawyer]

Never hooked a minnow in front of the dorsal, usually just under and slightly behind it. Might have to try that one. Tail hooked, and even nose hooked are also great options. They all have there time and place, but hook placement is always based on fish mood, along with what delivery system I'm using. 

Thanks eyeguy54, for getting me dreaming of Lindy rigging on a nice warm June afternoon, or better yet a crisp September morning....... 

 

[jgrimmz]

I usually hook between the dorsal and tail. If that doesn't work I go through the nose area or below the dorsal. If those don't work I try anywhere and everywhere on multiple presentations. If that doesn't work, I consider tossing all my tackle down the hole and giving up for good! 

[kfk]

There's no right or wrong way to do it.  I experiment until I find what the fish want. Through the mouth, the tail, in front of dorsal, behind the dorsal, single minnow, multiple minnows.....I use them all.

[eyeguy 54]

havnt tried 2 minnows.   

[BobT]

For me it depends on what I'm fishing for. If it's northern pike I like the hook between the dorsal and tail. The way I have understood it, a northern typically will strike from the side to stun its prey, release, and then turn and take it head on. When tail hooked the minnow is drawn into its mouth before it detects the line. Yes, it may detect the line on the initial strike but things at that point are happening so fast I suspect it maybe doesn't notice it so much.

I understand walleyes will tend to suck in a minnow from behind and so I like to lip hook my minnows for them so they have the whole minnow before they detect the line.

[Tom Sawyer]

1 hour ago, kfk said:

There's no right or wrong way to do it.  

Couldn't agree more!

[IceHawk]

Eyeguy last year on the Rainy river spring fishing  I doubled my fateheads on my jig.and I was outproducing the two othere guys in my boat 4 to 1... I have done this in the past in the spring and  in the fall also. Really like how the minnows struggle with each other, and in the fall they are chomping so the bulk helps big time.

[eyeguy 54]

makes sense.  i like a fathead next to my smelt on the treble hook while tip up fishing northerns in ND. wiggle wiggle  

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I have had very good success using two crappie minnows on one hook for both crappie and walleyes!

Cliff

[Kdog10]

I hook mine through the "vent" and out the side.  Really gets the minnow wiggling to stay afloat.  Works really good on crappies.

[Stick in Mud]

All good options.  I've grown to like the nose-hooked version. Seems like sometimes they strongly prefer it. Sometimes not.  When we have the rattle reels down in the house, it's nice because I can try multiple options to see what they seem to like. 

[plainjane]

On ‎2‎/‎3‎/‎2016 at 8:42 PM, eyeguy 54 said:

I have always put my hook in front of dorsal fin. Pros and cons? What do you prefer ?

I like between dorsal and tail.

[Huntin&Fishin]

One thing I do that I've seen my hooking percentage go WAY up is use a very small treble hook vs. single. I still see most guys using single. Buddy's have seen this tactic and now most are doing the same

[Rick]

When I use them (prefer plastics -> 

 

I hook minnows on the bottom just behind the vent. It comes them struggling trying to turn rightside up. Very attractive to those underice predators.

[Neighbor_guy]

For me it's parallel to the dorsal fin just under the skin with the point of the hook toward the head. Most of the time with a circle hook with the barbs pinched. 

[monstermoose78]

Hook em so they are up side down