Has anyone tried drop shotting for ice fishing? I was thinking it could be a pretty killer dead stick option. I wonder if the line coming from the hook to the weight would be too visible for the fish even if it’s super light weight.
I have tried it for perch. But that day my other rod produce way more strikes and I have not tried it since. I have had great success with a bull rig. That’s kind of like drop shot but the weight on the bottom is replaced with a jig. If you want to do this just remember that a bull rig counts as 2 lines.
I tried it last year with some live shiners or waxworms/Euros. One of the best aspects was that I was easily able to feel the bottom content/firmness with a 1/16oz Tungsten weight.
I caught a few walleyes on the shiners. That worked pretty well, and I’ll likely do it again this year. I liked that I could keep the bait pinned under my transducer cone, so I could see the walleyes approaching.
With the waxworms/Euros and a small hook, I was having poor hook-up ratios and getting robbed for a lot of bait by sunfish. I wouldn’t recommend that. I was just using a splitshot weight instead of the 1/16oz tungsten.
I have tried it for perch. But that day my other rod produce way more strikes and I have not tried it since. I have had great success with a bull rig. That’s kind of like drop shot but the weight on the bottom is replaced with a jig. If you want to do this just remember that a bull rig counts as 2 lines.
The bull rig sounds interesting. It sounds similar to the Dubuque rig for river fishing. What do you put on the jig on the bottom? Another minnow?
My interpretation is that the bull rig described above is illegal by MN regs?
My interpretation is that the bull rig described above is illegal by MN regs?
How so? I thought in the winter you were allowed to use 2 different hooking setups, usually two different lines. Wouldn’t this be the same as having both setups on the same line?
I get the two line deal, but wondering about the regs that apply to the rigs you drop down on any one line. They’re pretty specific.
Don’t want to hijack the thread or be a contrarian, just want to make sure I’m legal if I use the rig.
At times it can be good. 3 flies on a dropper is fun open water too
I get the two line deal, but wondering about the regs that apply to the rigs you drop down on any one line. They’re pretty specific.
Don’t want to hijack the thread or be a contrarian, just want to make sure I’m legal if I use the rig.
It’s a good point. I need to read up on it.
The bull rig sounds interesting. It sounds similar to the Dubuque rig for river fishing. What do you put on the jig on the bottom? Another minnow?
I used a stand up jig on the bottom with a minnow.
The regulations keep changing and I will have to double check if one can still use a bull rig in MN. I have checked with the DNR in the past and they said I can use it but it counts as both of my lines.
I like to set up a dead stick with a small drop shot plastic and jig a spoon/ larger bait a few feet away from it. Finicky fish eat the plastic, agressive fish eat the spoon.
In an old post in 2010 Fishthumper also contacted the DNR
“Joel after contacting the Minnesota DNR yesterday I found out you can rig 2 lures ( A dropper ) on one line while ice fishing. Since you are allowed 2 lines they say 2 lures on 1 line is OK. The catch is that if you fish 2 lures tied to one line you can only fish one hole / rod. I would think that a ice fly as a dropper off of something like a Genz worm would work great. The active fish would hit the Genz worm while the inactive fish may take the fly. The weight of the Genz worm would help get the rig back down faster to fish in deeper water as well. I may have to pick up a few flies and give it a try.”
Does anyone know if the law has changed?
Someone give updates if they find out about the regulations. I’d Love to know, the bull rig sounds very very interesting
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dan Baker wrote:</div>
The bull rig sounds interesting. It sounds similar to the Dubuque rig for river fishing. What do you put on the jig on the bottom? Another minnow?I used a stand up jig on the bottom with a minnow.
I got the same answer from a CO when I asked his about a dropper rig setup – He said in Winter since you are allowed 2 lines that you could fish 2 hooks on the same line as long as your only fishing 1 rod at the time. I’ve often tied a Genz worm direct to my main line and then loop a dropper line off the front of the Genz worm and ties a another tungsten jig or Teardrop to the end of the dropper line. This setup is deadly on Panfish. Fish a Plastic or minnow on one hook and a Wax worm or the other and find out real quick what setup the fish prefer.
The regulations keep changing and I will have to double check if one can still use a bull rig in MN. I have checked with the DNR in the past and they said I can use it but it counts as both of my lines.
From the bottom of page 30 of the 2018 fishing MN fishing regs.
How many artificial flies may I use?
You may have up to three artificial flies on one fishing line when you are fishing for trout, crappie, sunfish and rock bass.
How many artificial flies may I use?
You may have up to three artificial flies on one fishing line when you are fishing for trout, crappie, sunfish and rock bass.
The regulations use to say open water in that section.
From the bottom of page 30 of the 2018 fishing MN fishing regs.
How many artificial flies may I use?
You may have up to three artificial flies on one fishing line when you are fishing for trout, crappie, sunfish and rock bass.
This is still a Grey area. It depends on the what is considered Flies. Right next to that line in the Reg. book it defines artificial Lures and a Jig Head type of lure is shown as a Artificial. For artificial lures it reads that only a Single Hook or multipronged hook can be attached to the lure and must be within 3″ of the lure itself. My guess is that a Jig that is attached to another jig would not meet the Single hook rule, the 3 Fly rule or the Artificial lure to single hook rule. Once again I was told by my local CO that since 2 lines are allowed in winter that he was fine with the setup I asked about as long as I was only fishing 1 hole at a time.
My guess is that a Jig that is attached to another jig would not meet the Single hook rule,
That is what the CO explained to me. A fly has everything tied onto it. If it is a lead head poured onto a hook it is now a jig and that makes it an artificial lure. So a second hook has to be within 3” of the jig.
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