Minnows - Lips or Dorsal Rigging

[Skidsteer]

I fish many mornings before work and also managed to take my Dad out Saturday afternoon.

He had a ball and we caught many perch with a couple at 11-1/2" and some in the 10-11" range.

The perch bite is not as good in the morning (0530 - 0700) but I did hook a 21" pickerel this morning while dragging a minnow from the shoreline out looking for perch.

Anyway - I miss allot of perch that take the minnow but not the hook so I was wondering if you thought I'd get better hook-ups by rigging the minnow through the dorsal area?

[Cowpokey]

if you're casting and retrieving, I would think through the nose is the way to go. Hooking through the dorsal and retrieving would have the minnow dragging sideways through the water, most likely.

What kind of rig are you using, just a hook or a jig? If you think they are striking short, you might try a trailer hook.

[Skidsteer]

I had been fishing with a float, but today started casting and retrieving without the float. I have been using a small jig head in both instances and hooking the minnow on the jig hook.

Does the trailer hook just get pulled along or is it embedded in the tail of the minnow?

Also, your suggestion has me thinking about pulling a small clouser fly behind the minnow - ever try that?

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Cowpokey]

I haven't tried a clouser behind another bait, it shouldn't hurt. Putting a minnow under a float, I'd probably hook it in the dorsal so it can swim around more naturally...I would just use a bare hook, maybe a splitshot a few inches above the minnow if you need weight to get/keep the minnow down at a certain depth. When I've used a trailer hook it was just along side the minnow, not in it.

[Cowpokey]

Also, I've only used a trailer hook with a jig, and the minnow hooked in the nose. Retrieving the jig should have the trailer hook even with the minnow's tail, or as close as you can get it.

[Skidsteer]

Thanks again - I'll have to give the trailer hook a try - sounds promising.