Jiggin' Johnsons' Paddle Tail Minnah 1.75" Soft Plastic Bait

When/Where: When fish are roaming or suspended and you need a compact swimmer that “shows up” without looking big—weedline outsides, basin edges, bridge corners, and rock/weed transitions.

How: Thread it dead-straight so the paddle tail tracks true. Start with a slow, steady retrieve; add tiny speed-ups or short pauses to trigger followers.

Why: The blade helps fish find it; the paddle tail keeps it swimming even at crawl speeds. Great when you want movement without a big profile.

Tuning: If it rolls, re-rig centered and slow down—rolling is almost always a “not perfectly straight” problem at this size.

When/Where: Tough bites, cold fronts, or anytime fish are inspecting but not committing—especially when you’re marking them and they won’t chase.

How: Nose-hook for maximum freedom, or lightly thread if you want a bit more control. Use gentle shakes and long pauses so the tail quivers without big displacement.

Why: You can keep a “swim look” in place. The tail does work on small inputs, and the bait stays in the strike window longer.

Tuning: If bites are short, shorten the leader and calm the shake—let the tail move, not the whole rig.

When/Where: Suspended fish or pressured fish where you want controlled lift-and-drift along breaks, over sparse cover, or above bait.

How: Short casts, small pops, then follow it down on semi-slack. The goal is “hover” not “hop.”

Why: The paddle tail gives a subtle swim on the fall, and it still looks like a baitfish when you stop it.

Tuning: Keep pops short; if it’s dropping too fast, lighten the head before you change your cadence.

When/Where: The everyday panfish and walleye setup—docks, weed pockets, rocks, current seams, or under a float.

How: Thread straight. Swim it just fast enough to keep the tail working, or use lift-drop with controlled falls when fish are holding tight.

Why: Simple + effective. You get a clean little swimmer that still has “bite appeal” when you slow it way down.

Tuning: If fish follow, pause and let it pendulum—often the bite comes on the stop.

When/Where: Around grass, brush edges, and cover where you want a cleaner, snag-resistant swim—especially when you’re “threading lanes” through vegetation.

How: Rig perfectly centered. Swim it steadily and use gentle rod-tip turns to make it glide/track without blowing out.

Why: Keeps the bait swimming through cover while protecting the point, and the tail keeps working even at slower speeds.

Tuning: If you’re missing bites, downsize the hook gap and slow your retrieve so fish get it deeper.