When it comes to winter fishing, panfish are no doubt the kings in my world. I especially love catching crappies but will not turn down a chance to hook some good bluegills. On many outings, my catch is a mixture of both.

Because of my love for panfish during the frozen-water period, I am always on the lookout for new lures that will catch the eyes of hungry fish. In the past couple of years, I found the Pinhead Minnow and Tikka Flash to be new additions to my fishing arsenal.

Both lures have great appeal to panfish, especially crappies. They can usually be successfully fished without bait. However, I often find that one maggot will add enough scent to slightly increase my success. If the fish are really snapping, adding bait is a waste of time.

This brings me to the age-old issue of consistently triggering fish through the ice. No matter what lure or color an angler prefers, there are times when the fish want something other than what is being offered. That is just how fishing is. One lure or color does not do it all.

When I am going through my selection of favorite winter panfish baits, it is hard not to switch back to a longtime favorite, which is the 3/64-ounce Drop Kick jig. This is not a new lure on the market, but rather an older lure I have tremendous faith in.

Numerous times, I have found that lethargic panfish have a hard time turning down this jig. Because of the long shank, the Drop Kick has a little extra dance when jigged. This extra flutter is important.

I often attach plastic to this jig and will add a maggot or two for added scent appeal. The plastic seems to give the dance a little more action. Three or four maggots by themselves also works wonders.

As the winter wears on and the fish become less aggressive, smaller lures with less flash can be more effective. There have been days when the smallest jigs I have, tipped with a couple of maggots, fished on very light line will outproduce everything else.

Like most other anglers, I am very interested to see how new, innovative lures are received by fish populations. Some have worked, while others have not.

However, I do not forget about standard, older lures that still catch an impressive number of fish. Because of this, I find that mixing old lures in with the new is not only productive, but also a smart way to fish.

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