Clipped Minnow Fin Fishing Trick

Periods of inactive feeding patterns usually mean fish have retreated to cover and protection, making it even more difficult to locate their holding areas.

Try this trick the next time you encounter closed mouth fish. First, locate potential fish concentration areas. Usually fish are holding near or in weed beds or cover adjacent to sloping drop offs and related structure. Use of an updated lake contour map will provide excellent clues to these areas...and along with a GPS receiver and a reliable fish finder you can increase your chances further in locating possible game fish holding territories.

Next, set up a slip bobber rig on one rod and make adjustments to suspend your live bait (minnow) just above suspected submerged structure and fish concentrations. Then grab a medium to large size minnow and a fingernail clipper and clip off a portion of its upper or lower tail fin. (I prefer to cut the lower fin myself.) Either way your minnow will frantically struggle due to its unbalanced equilibrium, caused by the weight of the hook and its missing portion of fin.

Cast adjusted slip rig and minnow in suspected fish holding area. Notice the enhanced movement of your line balance and/or bobber. With another rod, attach a preferred lure, such as a Rapala countdown model or double jointed shad or perch representation, and make continued casts within the area of your clipped fin minnow. More often than not, the frantic minnow signals a distress vibration caused by the clipped fin and triggers curious game fish to investigate. Meanwhile your Rapala portrays itself as potentially targeting in on your super-active minnow and making itself a likely candidate for unsuspecting large-body game fish.

Be careful though, you could very possibly display a miniature feeding area and end up with having a battle on both rods at the same time. When the excitement erupts, be sure not to get your double hitter tangled up with one another. This method also works great while fishing for crappies pan fish and trout, using small minnows and smaller size artificial lures. 

Good Luck!