Hello –
I am looking for advice on what kind of plastics to purchase for panfish. I will mainly be fishing crappies and sunfish. I am trying to switch away from waxies and use plastics – now I probably won’t switch totally but it would be good to have some go to plastics. Any advice?
Thanks,
Chad
My all time favorite plastic for bluegill and crappie is the Ratso from custom jigs and spins. #10 for bluegill and crappie, #8 for bigger crappie. Second on that list is the Shrimpo from custom jigs and spins. It is similar to the ratso but mimics a bug instead of a minnow. One of these two plastics always works for me. Also, you can buy just the bodies and use any other jig, or make your own jig heads for them.
From CJ&S, I use the Ratso and Shrimpos a lot. I also like to stock up on simple wedges to use on Gill pills and Diamond jigs.
There’s an IDO Ice Head that swears by a 1″ gulp minnow 
CJ&S Website – soft baits
My absolute favorite plastic for panfish is a purple wedge tail with gold or other flakes. for some reason i seem to catch way more fish with flakes than just solid color plastic. i usually rig them on a #12 or 14 ant jig. I have also done very well with shrimpos and ratsos both very good baits everybody should have in their box. 
In addition to Ratso’s and Shrimpo’s…Little Atom Nuggies can work great.
I will also fish with micro Nuggies made by Little Atom.
I second ratsos for crappies. I also really like the J&S paddle bugs as well as Northland’s Impulse minnows. Pink and white is my go to combination for panfish.
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I will also fish with micro Nuggies made by Little Atom.
I love the CJS finesse plastic and the nuggie by atoms…big plastic, big fish.
Check out Crappie Tom Tackle. Tom is a member here who sells plastics for ice fishing.
Black Shrimpo was the go to jig for sunfish for me on Wed. Several 8″ gills fell victim to it.
Honestly anything with a horizontal, “wiggly” tail will work. Ratso, nuggie or wedgie on a diamond jig, and bro slug bug are a few I’ve had good success with. I’m almost always fishing with a ratso for pannies but recently have started using diamond jigs more often, I like them because they are so versatile. A nuggie or wedgie goes perfectly with them and if needed it’s a great jig to take the plastic off and add a few spikes to. It can be fished vertical or horizontal depending on how you work the knot.
My “go to” is a #6 ratso for crappies and recently I’ve had great success with nuggies on a #8 diamond jig for gills.
I like the Northland Bro Bug Head jigs. Then I have a variety of 1″ Gulp fry and leeches as well as Impulse minnows and tapeworms. My main jig colors are black, white, or chartreuse but I also try pink and red. I wish they had silver glitter because the tungsten marmooska in that color is awesome.
For plastic I like black, green, yellow, red. Shad color for minnows.
Jigging action will call the fish in but once they locate the lure, the color can make the difference between biting and turning away. Contrasting colors seem to help versus all one color.
John S.
Can’t go wrong with the ratso but don’t be afraid to try the bro bloodworm. Not as many fish but the size of the fish go way up.
Consider the new norhland impulse plastics, variety of shapes sizes and colors plus they are scented which is always a bonus. I too really like the CJ&S ratso plastics my old reliable favorites, but the new Northland plastics are narrowing the gap.
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