Mo tandem rigs

[SpoonMinnow]

In line with Conley's post about double fluke rigs, I discovered a tandem rig that's been used by others, but I thought I'd post it anyway because it has proven itself for school fish.

I tie my own 1/8 oz hair jigs but instead of using a dropshot wt., I used the jig to weight the line.

Last month I anchored and started fishing a wind swept rocky point after the sonar showed a monster school of mixed species and fish sizes. I started out nose hooking a curl tail grub 14" above the hair jig and let it sink to 12'. The grub got bit immediately with a nudge of 1' (turned out to be a 11" crappie). So I decided to shorten the leader to 9" and work the lure off bottom closer to the surface. Immediatley 2 crappies hit - one then the other. Cool!

I went to the calmer side of the point and caught a bass on the hair jig and another crappie on the grub at the same time.
I didn't catch tandem bass, but usually a bass and a panfish or two panfish. 15 tandem bites in all.

My user name is the name of the soft plastic lure I invented last month using a tablespoon as the mold and melted soft plastic. In place of the grub, I used the spoon minnow (1.5") and it got clobbered on the first to the eigth consecutive cast with less hits on the hair. I tied on a ballhead jig and rigged it with a spoon minnow. Doubles again!

I fished the point for over an hour, indulging in the easy bite I don't often see. The tandem rig has worked ever since that day though usually one or the other bait gets hit depending on the depth of each fish.

Thanks for reading.
I'll post a pic of the spoon minnow.

FrankM

[brendanc]

Thanks for sharin Frank... best of luck with you lure inventions too!

[SpoonMinnow]

Thanks.
I ice fish only when cabin fever is unbearable, but lure design fills in the gaps in winter.

[brendanc]

You have any pictures of that spoon you made? If so you should post them so everyone can check them out.

[SpoonMinnow]

Brendan, I have a video link of the lures in tandem in a glass vase with water. These were the first prototypes being tested and the current pours are even better as far as the flutter tail action. I'll send it this evening.

Aquarium testing saves time and new lures are easier to video but the water starts to cloud in less than a week, thus the vase.

One thing I noticed about lure color: a very limited selection is needed to catch fish on this design:

light pearl with black, green and gold hologram flakes
light smoke with black and gold hologram
green pumpkin with black and green flakes
clear with fine white and silver hologram flakes

That's it for any water tint or color!

My largest fish taken (miraculously) on the minnow was a 25" pickerel. Largest bass was a little under 2 lbs.; largest yellow perch was 11 1/2"; largest crappie was 12"; smallest bass and perch(over 100 little fingerlings) were around 2 3/4". And of course blue gill and pumpkins.

I mention the small fish because my grandkids love fishing in my pond and this design is a no brainer (like live bait); kids 4-10 that catch fish aren't bored.

[brendanc]

Very cool... I will keep an eye out for the video so we can post it for people to watch!

[Fire Ball]

Originally Posted By: SpoonMinnowBrendan, I have a video link of the lures in tandem in a glass vase with water. These were the first prototypes being tested and the current pours are even better as far as the flutter tail action. I'll send it this evening.

Aquarium testing saves time and new lures are easier to video but the water starts to cloud in less than a week, thus the vase.

One thing I noticed about lure color: a very limited selection is needed to catch fish on this design:

light pearl with black, green and gold hologram flakes
light smoke with black and gold hologram
green pumpkin with black and green flakes
clear with fine white and silver hologram flakes

That's it for any water tint or color!

My largest fish taken (miraculously) on the minnow was a 25" pickerel. Largest bass was a little under 2 lbs.; largest yellow perch was 11 1/2"; largest crappie was 12"; smallest bass and perch(over 100 little fingerlings) were around 2 3/4". And of course blue gill and pumpkins.

I mention the small fish because my grandkids love fishing in my pond and this design is a no brainer (like live bait); kids 4-10 that catch fish aren't bored.

It sounds like it is a really small finesse bait. The colors should be great and all of them should work in clear water. Can't wait to see what the lure actually looks like!

[SpoonMinnow]

[SpoonMinnow]

Eyes aren't particularly important but sometimes a dot or stripe gets their attention same as a laminate color.
The minnoow on the far right won't cut it because the tail lacks the thinness.

[SpoonMinnow]

I will try to take a better video and post it.