Live bait is always effective, no matter what species of fish you target, be it through the ice or in open water. We have all used live bait at one time or another, and most of us used it when we first started fishing as kids. So, when I’m heading out fishing this month, I’ll be bringing along some live bait. You should, too!

This winter, I caught more fish (of all species) on Custom Jigs & Spins old, reliable Demon Jig and the new Puki jig—a tungsten version of the Demon. My most productive colors on the Demons and Pukis are the Wonderglow colors. Whether I give them a little jolt with a UV flash or just lower them down the hole, they are hot!

One reason that these jigs are ultra-productive with live bait is because of their thin-wire hooks. Whether you are piercing spikes or wax worms with the size 10 or adding a minnow to the size 6 or 4, your live bait will still remain lively…which is the whole point of fishing with live bait.

When it comes to open-water fishing in early spring, I’m after walleyes, sauger and crappies. When I’m fishing the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers, I like to use two rods in the boat. On the Wisconsin, I’ll anchor up with the Spot-Lock when I see walleyes or sauger on the Sidescan, and then cast up-current with a BFishN Tackle H2O Jig tipped with AuthentX Plastic like a Pulse-R or Moxi. The jig needs to be just heavy enough so that the jig-n-plastic slips slowly, ticking bottom occasionally.

I’ll hang an extra rod or two in the holders with a 1/2- to 3/4-ounce Lindy weight with a swivel and 2-foot leader to a Wonderglow Demon 4 and a fathead. If there are short strikers, I’ll slip on a stinger hook. You could use a hook with a Lindy weight, but if you watch the action of that Demon in the current, you will never use a plain hook again! It shimmies and shakes and really attracts.

When I’m on the Mississippi, I’m a Dubuque rig kind of guy. I’ll tie on a three-way swivel, put a 1/2- to 5/8-ounce H2O jig six inches below with a Pulse-R or Moxi, and then two feet back off the open swivel goes the size 4 Demon with a minnow. Sometimes, I’ll put on a few beads ahead of the Demon, even adding a little propeller on the line or a small Indiana blade on a clevis; there are lots of options!

Early-spring, open-water crappie action occurs around piers, channels, brush piles and weed edges. This is float and Demon time! Walking a shoreline around a marina, or casting to piers in a boat, is a great way to fill a stringer, catch dinner or even a trophy. I like to use a small Rocket Bobber with a size 4 Demon or Puki and a top-fin-hooked minnow. This is a different presentation than most anglers use, and it is very deadly. It has color, flash, action and a little extra bling that crappies love!

Well, there you have it. Early spring is a great time to fish; you just need to figure out where you want to go and what species to fish for.

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