To stop fishing with crawlers?

I've caught eyes under the ice with crawlers on a swedish pimple. Usually dont use them after eyes start hitting minnows in the fall but I;ve seen guys use them & do OK right till freeze up.

I agree with eyewarrior. you can usually catch them up until them but they are biting minnows real well by that point so most people switch over to a minnow.

Typically, spinners, that low 50 degree mark in my book. For the fall bite when jigging or even snelling on rigs, just prior to turnover and after, so mid 50's.

Last couple of years I have used them until the watr temp was in the mid to low 40's. Bottom bouncer and spinner in deeper water flats.

I use crawlers on Mille Lacs this time of the year with spinners and do well.

when they start to hit minnows harder than crawlers

Thanks for the info! I typically switch to minnows as well, but they have been in short supply this year.

all the ponds near here are overpopulating with minnows

I know lots of guys that use them on ice! The problem is that like leeches they are not as lively in cold water. That being said, they do still work! I suspect they leave a scent trail that fish zero in on even if they don't wriggle and turn on your hook like they do in summer. That does not mean to say they do not move, mind, just not as much!

So,try them and see how you do with them by all means! Then come back and tell the rest of us how you did?


Tight Lines!

Uncle Kes

This is a question on the same subj isnt the water the same temp under the thermocline the same year round

What do you mean overpopulating? I think thats a good thing.