Finesse Crappie Early Ice

Early ice fishing in northern Minnesota, December 2020. Big crappie and bluegill with light line/ finesse tactics using the new Clam Pro Tackle Silkie. Jason Mitchell fishes with Minnesota guide Scott Seibert.
Classic early ice patterns and locations to find panfish on small natural lakes in northern Minnesota. Share details and tips on how to catch panfish along with top locations for finding both crappie and bluegill. Fast paced action for big panfish!
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Gear:
• Lure: jasonmitchello...
• Rod: jasonmitchello...
• Ice Spooler: jasonmitchello...
• Line: jasonmitchello...
• Jig Kit: jasonmitchello...
• Shack: jasonmitchello...
• Ice Defense: jasonmitchello...
• Flasher: jasonmitchello...
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[@kydop6128]

the line on my spinning real will last way more than 2 days before I have to replace, more like weeks!

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

If you are aggressively pounding one or two pound test and catching a lot of fish, it will be pretty twisted up after a few days. If your line is twisting up on the rod tip or your jig is helicopter spinning when it hangs, you will catch more fish if you change to new line, even just replacing fifty feet or so. You will catch a lot more fish.

[@kydop6128]

@@JasonMitchellOutdoors Thanks for the info! Very helpful video!

[@michaeljasensky5438]

Thanks Jason! Great video as always, looking forward to using all the new baits from Clam as soon as we get ice!

[@ssdpqd2531]

You have the best laugh in ice fishing! For sure! And have some of the best ice fishing vids! Keep them coming. Really enjoy them.

[@patrickmcphee770]

Micro swivel with a 2b leader. Line twist solved. The jig spins a little no matter what reel you use. Nice crappies thanks for the snell knot idea

[@grantjamrock3812]

"Change the line out every couple of days!" 😬 I've been using the same line for 3 years now 😳

[@FishAddictionsTV]

Great video guys!

[@StormLaker]

I got into some big bluegills over the weekend.....the mother lode. I turned back the 9-10" ones I caught and kept a few of the smaller ones for the table. They are like eating potato chips, but if you catch a dozen of those you can make a nice meal and have leftovers (for two) for the next day. I've started doing them old school- scale them, cut off the head, remove the fins, guts, etc.

[@junenagel4899]

awesome job guys, you make some of the best ice videos, quality stuff

[@ssdpqd2531]

I can’t believe how many holes you drilled. I wish our guides drilled that many. LOL. You guys are definitely thorough.

[@ssdpqd2531]

Happy holidays.

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

👍

[@ndbcarlson701]

Love the vids!

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

We love that you watch!

[@user-lo1hy9pc7y]

Крутая рыбалка!!! Лайк

[@ballistic350]

Damn nice slabs ..mn be producing loving your videos you actually show where you fish and use..also..awesome

[@thomasbecker7005]

Super videos Jason. No bull ,excellent information. Thank you for sharing! I would love to to see the FLEXI FLY back in production. That is one hell of fish catching jig, especially the Grapples. Anyway Marry Christmas.

[@djbzyczek]

For BIG crappies and bluegills, I mean 15 inches crappie and 10 inch bluegill everyone should go below 40 degrees latitude. MN and Dakotas is a perch heaven! Great video!

[@cody_graves]

Can’t find the silkies anywhere now!! Hopefully clam keeps making them!!

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

A lot of items are selling out or sold out but there will be more.

[@sonaccobee5736]

Have you been to that same lake lately? You can catch them in shallow with this later ice, usually. They are fun to catch.

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

Yes finding fish in less than five feet right now.

[@sonaccobee5736]

@@JasonMitchellOutdoors That sounds about right. My folks live on the north side of the lake so I fish it quite often.

[@sonaccobee5736]

Did you run into any of them 14" crappies out there?

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

@@sonaccobee5736 yes we caught a few. Most were right around 12 inches

[@gordonkaushagen227]

@@JasonMitchellOutdoors what lake is this lake?

[@JstnW]

Over your career, given so many choices for lures is there one lure or lure type you always go back too for crappie and perch?

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

Love horizontal jigs with a minnow type profile plastic for crappie and a small flutter spoon for perch but my favorite lure can change from week to week.

[@JstnW]

@@JasonMitchellOutdoors thank you!

[@morrisdomke8920]

Great Fish ..... I'm in The Tip Of the Mitten and Can Not Find the Silkies still help please

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

www.scheels.com/p/clam-silkie-jig-trailer/19921-15622.html

[@morrisdomke8920]

@@JasonMitchellOutdoors All I can tell you,,, Your Going have to Bring your Extra Packs to this Part Of Michigan [the Tip of The Mitten] and Swap Fishing time with me ,,For me to have them Silkies... I ve trie Shields and email to Clam.. Not Enough Tackle stores around this area to Stock.... [e-mail]. St Mary River area is maken Ice now ,Black Mullet, and Burt Lakes are Still Making Waves... But it's still early in the winter here

[@johnkelley2615]

Liked, shared with fishin buddy

[@sleddingman1447]

What size crappie/blue gill should be released vs kept.

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

That can vary by lake and person. I like to release the top 25 percent of the size structure present. Bluegills over nine inches and crappie over 13 inches as a rule of thumb.

[@darrenrhodes7916]

Great Video ! Where would a guy get some of the Silkies you guys are using?

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

Most of the major retailers should have them if they didn’t sell out. I know Scheels had a good supply last week.

[@darrenrhodes7916]

@@JasonMitchellOutdoors thank you,,,,,they look great in the water

[@WheresTheSauce]

Is it normal for crappie fishing to only catch like 1/10 fish marked on the sonar? Kinda new to crappie fishing and almost no one fishes for them around here.

[@beerbuzz62]

Always enjoy your videos Jason,you are a true professional .

[@danielives379]

That looks like a butt puckering 2-3" of ice...

[@JasonMitchellOutdoors]

We were on 6-7 inches of good ice. I won’t go out on two inches of ice.