rigging minnows

Rigging minows depends on the size of the minnow and how you plan to
fish them. Small fathead minnows are almost always best if hooked
lightly through the lips. If you are suspending them under a
float/bobber, I like to skip the splitshot and hook the minnow through
the lips onto a tiny jighead, about 1/64 or 1/32 oz. Use the finest
wire hook you can to keep the bait as lively for as long as possible.
Fathead minnows are great for Crappie and Perch, and OK for small bass.
For bigger fish, I use what the local bait shops call "Medium
Shinners". I'm not sure what species they are, but they usually run 2
to 4 inches long. I like to hook them in the lips with just a fine
wire hook, about a size 2, with no other tackel, and cast the shinner
near likely fish holding structure. This rig lets the shinner swim as
freely as possible. You can also hook them through the back behind the
dorsal fin and above the spine and fish them under a float/bobber. I
don't use any weight when fishing them like this, again I want the bait
to swim as freely as possible. Bith of this size will catch Big
crappies and perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleyes, pickerel,
and occassionally pike or muskies.

Zimmy