Bait selection

[loadster33]

My buddies and I are heading up to red Thrus threw Tues. was wondering if anyone has been using any fresh water shrimp. Back home here when we fish crappies we use fresh water shrimp waxies spikes and minnows. The pan fish we have been pulling threw the ice right now are just full of them just wondering if the lake has any fresh water shrimp in it and has anyone tired them.

[Bobb-o]

never got much on red on waxies, eueolarvae or anything like that, get most of my fish on a lively crappie minnow or fathead.

[loadster33]

thanks for the info is there any fresh water shrimp in the lake

[gopherfisher_22]

I have heard rumors that you should use the minnows from a local bait shop on red not bring your own. I am all about supporting the local bait shops but i am wondering if it makes a differnce if i bring crappie minnows from an outside bait shop versus a local bait shop.

[hanson]

I haven't noticed a difference with the minnows.

When I'm leaving the cities late Friday on my way up to Red, I have to pick up minnows early in the trip otherwise most of the bait places are closed by the time I get there at midnight. I've brought minnows from the cities, mille lacs, crosby area, remer, grand rapids, blackduck and can't say for certain whether any have worked better than the others. I've also bought minnows "locally" from Roger's Campground, Westwinds, Dr. Tackle, and the infamous Waskish Minnow Station.

A few years back, the rosy red minnows were definitely the hot ticket but I'm not sure if thats the case anymore. Its strange too... Why would the crappies destroy the red minnows but not anymore. I've also noticed that glow red isn't as hot a color as it used to be either. Glow red & Glow blue are no longer my "go-to" colors. I've found myself using more chartreuse lately as well.

So... I don't think minnows matter.

However, I have had decent enough luck on waxies and eurolarvae to have to bring them with every time. They don't always want them but it is good to have them when they do.

[bieganekbaitco]

This is just my 2 cents but there seems to be a lot of food in the lake this year. I dropped a camera down last week and there was literly thousands of minnows swimming by. What kind of minnows they where I havent a clue but there was a pile of them!!!!

[loadster33]

Hanson do you know anything about fresh water shrimp up there? Or have you ever tried them

[hanson]

Sorry. Never tried them. Haven't heard much talk about using shrimp either.

[Borch]

I've had very good luck there in the past on Ratsos and Shrimpos by Custom Jigs and Spins. A few trips they outfished a lively minnow by quite a bit. So the real deal might work. I just don't have any experience using them up there.

[Quackaddict9]

I always pick up my crappie minnows in Blackduck on the way and maybe a few jigs and etc. I do pretty good with those Blackduck minnows.. I dont think there is a difference

[RonZ]

I've watched them on a camera inhale waxies. The bobber didnt move a bit with the waxie in its mouth. Yet I could set the hook and catch it. They were`more aggressive with the minnows. We did use spring bobbers but it was easier with a foat when using the camera. We'll be up on the 19th of Jan. This is how we search. Fishkid drives and I sit on the back of the snowmobile trailer. Every 30yds or so he stops and I drill a hole. After about a 1/2 mile or so we turn around and fish the holes on the way back leap frogging. If there is alot of snow it doesnt work as well so we do it with the snowmobile. I wish we could rig up a drill built onto the back of the trailer so I could just push down to drill and it would pop up after each hole

[tylerflom89]

RonZych, I saw something exactly like that in the last In-Fisherman magazine.

[matthothand]

Anybody try rosy reds this year? Indeed they were the ticket about three years ago i think along with the glow red and i know the glow red is not producing as well as other colors now but still catching a few fish. Just wondering about those rosies and if anyone has used them with success this season. I'm sure I'll bring them later this month when i go though. I also have done great with waxies and euros. I don't believe there are any freshwater shrimp in the lake. Not sure though just haven't ever heard any talk of it and I would think somebody would have spoke up if there were any in there.

[Xplorer]

Father in law caught all his fish last weekend on a backhooked small minnow on a pink/glow shrimpo. My best was a glow red tick jig/backhooked minnow. the smallest minnows we had seemed to work better with little/no action.