The rising cost of big shiners for tipups has me thinking of cheaper ways to catch a northern through the ice.

Thinking of suspending a jointed sinking rapala from a windlass on a warm, windy day.

Anyone try this or a similar version?

I have caught a crapload of Pike on frozen smelt.

Sorry, I'm no help.

Can't beat live bait ice fishing

Will have many come up to it ,possible hits . Soft bait imitations would probably be better, but cost is a factor again .
Live bait is KING .

Watch your tip ups !

Yea, have used live bait and smelt for over 50 years. Would like to find an artificial that would look good being jigged by the windlass.

Maybe there's somebody out there that's pursued this route. The cost of live bait is killing me.

Something like this,
Only having the line attach to the center .

Rapala makes a jigging lure like that, hook on each end and tie on in the middle.

Visiting relatives in MN today. Think we'll stop at Fleet Farm in Winona on the way home and check their inventory out. I'd like to see something in soft plastics, center eyelet, and multiple hooks for quick hook up.

Thanks for the ideas.

Swimming jigging rap if it can get enough wind to move it .

Hmmm . . .

Had a friend that used nothing but hot dogs.

Okay, I'm interested. On a tipup? Suspended? Rigged how?

Moose would only use Johnsonville Cheddar Brauts !

They'd never make it into the hole...ice hole that is.

Muskrat-I would think one of those jigging Rapalas would work, but I think I would tip the rear hook with a little Crappie minnow to add some movement and bling.

Moosetrot

He used them with bobbers and tip ups on a smelt hook.

I'm gonna have to try that one out!

MEANWHILE . . . . just got home from Fleet Farm in Winona. Lo and behold, there Susan and I was, carefully going down one aisle and up the other, checking out all the lures, when all of a sudden . . . I got so excited when I spotted this jigging lure I got a Giant Chubby!!



And just a little while later I got another Giant Chubby!!!



Will be awhile before it gets warm enough to test 'em out on the windlass, but these just might work.

http://www.salmo.com.pl/en/giant-chubby/

A trapper complaining about the cost of bait? At least something is worth trapping.. it's sad when I can make as much in 2 minnow traps as I can with 100 rats. Yup bait is expensive and I like it that way.. it's extra nice when fur is high also

Mike,

"Bar S" brand hot dogs. They're about the least expensive and work well. I can barely afford them on retired military pay, and retired teacher pay is way better so you'll be fine. If things are slow, you can build a small fire on shore and eat them too (don't forget a few brewskys!) Suspend them below a beaver dam on a quick strike rig and enjoy the day on the ice! :-)

VHS has changed the game down here. Better hope and pray it doesn't make its way up to your area.