To Tip or NOT to Tip... That is the question

[ALFREDO]

I think its a mater of what you feel confadant with out there i always have a minnow on one live and one gulp minnow jig with 2 rods straight down and do good with both buddy dosent use any and does just as good casting and jigging i agree think its about protecting the eggs..

[BossHogg]

Can probably catch them without bait, but for $5.00 I am taking bait and tipping em. A little flavor never hurt.

[Always looking]

I've been jigging for just a couple of years now and I've been very successful with jigs tipped with gulp shiners. Saturday used one minnow to catch a limit.

[wakina]

Can probably catch them without bait, but for $5.00 I am taking bait and tipping em. A little flavor never hurt.

Better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them.

Like BossHog says for 5 bucks worth of shiners that is a drop in the bucket compared to a jigging rod and reel, boat, gas money for the boat and money spent on gas getting to the launch as well as jigs, leader material, and other tackle. I throw away more money than that on other foolish fishing things but never considered cost for minnows or nitecrawlers as a wasteful expenditure. But that is only me.

[Madd Matt]

I understand that I is not a cost issue... And I have no issues with "touching" worms or shiners... But if I don't need to worry about it and it makes no difference then I won't mess with them.

I don't need to worry about getting the aerator and fresh batteries, an extra trip to the bait store, the slight mess on the boat, or any of that if it has no bearing on the catch.

I am more just asking for informational purposes... I guess this week I'll just try both and post my results.

-Matt

[Lakeerieguy]

Of charter buddies both on Friday and Sat and all caught limits both days without a minnow.All boats had the Captn plus 6. Just personal choice this time of year. Out east got out Sat for a test ride and 4 of us pulled 13 on Blade Baits close to the harbor.

Dale

[Bggeary]

Of charter buddies both on Friday and Sat and all caught limits both days without a minnow.All boats had the Captn plus 6. Just personal choice this time of year. Out east got out Sat for a test ride and 4 of us pulled 13 on Blade Baits close to the harbor.

Dale

Lakeerieguy, which harbor are you refering to? East?

[wakina]

I understand that I is not a cost issue... And I have no issues with "touching" worms or shiners... But if I don't need to worry about it and it makes no difference then I won't mess with them.

I don't need to worry about getting the aerator and fresh batteries, an extra trip to the bait store, the slight mess on the boat, or any of that if it has no bearing on the catch.

I am more just asking for informational purposes... I guess this week I'll just try both and post my results.

-Matt

I guess that what I was trying to say is that you will have some cash invested in your trip and it would be a shame not to at least have some shiners along even if you did not have to use them, just in case the eyes are not as aggressive when you are out there, it could or may save your trip. But that has to be a personal decision that would best be answered by your own personal experience after you have a few trips under your belt. Sounds like the spawn is happening rather fast this year with the number of spawned out females that are showing up. The closer to being over it is the less aggressive the males will become. The reason I say that is that walleye tend to be finicky fish and not all that predictable in what they would strike or bite. They may just want shiners when you don't have any along. That was my thought when I posted my first reply.

By the way walleyes are broadcast spawners and do not build a nest and they do not have the protective nature that a small mouth would. Highly unlikely they are guarding eggs as the eggs that are fertilized are free fallen eggs and are not concentrated like they would be if layed in a prepared nest and the male would not know where the eggs were located as they would be spread out all over.

[Madd Matt]

...
By the way walleyes are broadcast spawners and do not build a nest and they do not have the protective nature that a small mouth would. Highly unlikely they are guarding eggs as the eggs that are fertilized are free fallen eggs and are not concentrated like they would be if layed in a prepared nest and the male would not know where the eggs were located as they would be spread out all over.

Interesting... Now I will probably hijack my own thread, but I have to ask. If what you say is true (which I have no reason to contradict you) then why are the males so aggressive? I have just believed what people have said (that they are guarding eggs against gobies and such) and went along with it because it made sense. Now I am going to have to research it. But I'm curious as to what others think or know about why the male are so aggressive in certain areas, if not protecting eggs.

[B can man]

Interesting... Now I will probably hijack my own thread, but I have to ask. If what you say is true (which I have no reason to contradict you) then why are the males so aggressive? I have just believed what people have said (that they are guarding eggs against gobies and such) and went along with it because it made sense. Now I am going to have to research it. But I'm curious as to what others think or know about why the male are so aggressive in certain areas, if not protecting eggs.

Uhmmm... testosterone maybe? Maybe because they feed pretty aggressively any other time of the year and that instinct doesn't shut off during the spawn? Don't know, just theories there.