Jiggin' Johnsons' Fry 1" Finesse Soft Plastic Bait

When/Where: Over weeds, around docks, steep edges, or suspended fish when you need to keep a tiny bait in one lane.

How: Nose-hook for maximum micro action, or lightly thread if you want it to last longer. Use fingertip shakes—barely moving the bait.

Why: The smallest “hovering minnow” look you can hold in place, which is exactly what cautious fish want.

Tuning: If fish are pecking, reduce movement and extend the pause. Let them commit.

When/Where: Shallow edges and mid-column fish when you want the bait to glide instead of sink straight down.

How: Make short casts, let it pendulum on semi-slack line, then “lift and coast” back toward you.

Why: Fry don’t bulldoze bottom—they flutter and drift. This rig keeps the story believable.

Tuning: If it’s dropping too fast, use lighter hardware and slow your lifts.

When/Where: The go-to for panfish and crappie around cover, edges, and pockets.

How: Swim-and-pause, or hop-and-deadstick. Keep hops tiny—think “tap” not “jump.”

Why: Simple rigging lets the micro profile do the work, especially when fish want a small easy target.

Tuning: If it’s snagging or digging, raise your rod angle and slow down so it glides more than it plows.

When/Where: Hard bottom and pressured areas where fish inspect baits, especially when you want a “sit still” bite.

How: Drag in inches and pause. The goal is to keep it near bottom and let it look alive without traveling.

Why: A micro forage profile on a stand-up style approach can get bites when bigger finesse shapes get ignored.

Tuning: If the bite is ultra-light, slow down even more and lengthen the pauses before changing anything else.