LIVETARGET Minnow: The Perfect Bite-Size Meal

It’s simple biology. When a fish’s metabolism declines with lower water temperature, so does the appetite. Less movement requires less energy, so bass turn to smaller meals that look a lot like LIVETARGET’s 2 1/2- and 3-inch baitfish imitators.

Dressed in ultra-realistic forage colors, the LIVETARGET Minnow is performance built with a high-impact polycarbonate lip that’s installed separately from the body. This design feature creates an erratic twitching action that mimics a distressed minnow.

Made for extreme durability, the LIVETARGET Minnow’s lip deflects well, so anglers targeting fish around rock or wood can fish with confidence. Other key features include the built-in weight transfer, which creates a dense knocking sound and the fall rate of a foot every three seconds.

Strategy Points

In addition to the seasonal temperature-related feeding declines, bass also tend to shy away from larger, more aggressive presentations during times of extreme fishing pressure. Tournament season brings a lot of boats to the nation’s fisheries and after seeing too many loud, flashy baits, bass tend to favor subtle, less intrusive options.

This is where the LIVETARGET Minnow can work wonders. Fish this bait in the same areas where others are throwing the aggressive baits and you’ll often find the more modest presentation yields greater results.

Keep in mind that, while big fish will eat small baits — especially in the winter months, their fighting spirit also diminishes with water temperature. You can catch impressively large bass on the lighter tackle necessary for throwing smaller baits, so just take your time and patiently play the fish to the boat.

Other Applications

Match the Hatch: In any season where bass target smaller baitfish, the LIVETARGET Minnow does a great job mimicking the tiny figures. This often occurs in tidal fisheries where baitfish tend to be smaller, as well as the fall season when young-of-the-year baits are meager in size.

Crappie Catcher: Casting the 2 1/2-inch size LIVETARGET Minnow on medium spinning tackle can be a deadly tactic for hefty crappie. Covering water to find the aggressive fish is key, so target docks, grass edges, big laydowns and anywhere crappie hunt for baitfish.

Saltwater Savvy: Anywhere small baitfish school amid sea grass, over sandy potholes, or along channel edges, the LIVETARGET Minnow presents the look of lonely vulnerability that’ll tempt speckled trout, snook, jack crevalle and ladyfish. Moderate tidal movement is best for upcurrent casts and downcurrent retrieves. (Fish will bite the Minnow on slack tides, but a smoking current will make it tough to maintain effective presentations.)

A lesser-known jerkbait application involves juvenile mangrove snapper on docks, seawalls, and nearshore rock reefs. While natural baits fished on Mustad Big Gun hooks typically excel for snapper, these fish love munching small glass minnows and sardines. Twitch the LIVETARGET Minnow near their home and you’ll be amazed at the aggressive strikes.

Saltwater environments and potentially larger fish may necessitate a little more strength, so throw your LIVETARGET Minnow on braided main line with a fluorocarbon leader of 8- to 10-pound strength.