The Minnow Mind’R literally ‘minds’ the minnow to keep it in position to run true.
Louisiana crappie guide and pro angler Steve Danna likes the versatility of the new
Bobby Garland offering. (Photo: Terry Madewell)
Lure of the Month: The Minnow Mind’R
by Terry Madewell
Catching crappie consistently requires angler versatility and the addition of a live minnow to a jig often enhances presentation and production. Blending a live minnow attraction with the right bait profile can produce an offering crappie can’t resist.
And the jig-minnow combination is a proven-producer, until a missed bite creates a problem.
An issue is the bite of a crappie can pull the minnow out of position, without the fish getting hooked. This often causes the lure to not run true.
Gary Dollahon, Bobby Garland Lure Brand Manager, said the Bobby Garland Minnow Mind’R grub was developed to solve this pesky problem.
That’s why Minnow Mind’R is the February 2024 CrappieNow Lure of the Month.
“The idea originated when Dan Dannenmueller, Publisher of CrappieNow magazine, and I were discussing the specific problem problems with adding live bait to a jig,” Dollahon said. “Dan described the methods he’d improvised as temporary solutions to combat the problem, but said a permanent solution was needed because when you need to use a minnow trailer, it needs to perform correctly and be reliable.”
Dollahon said he and lure designers developed on a way to peg the minnow to the hook and grub in a more permanent manner and the solution was the Minnow Mind’R grub.
The Minnow Mind’R is similar in design to the Bobby Garland brand’s popular Slab Slay’R series, but it’s an in-between size AND offers a split tail, an important refinement in the overall profile of this lure.
Dollahon said the lure is 2.25 inches long with a solid round body and a split tail. The built-in split protects and helps hold the minnow in place.
See exactly how to rig it in this video:
“The intent is to “mind” the minnow for crappie anglers when they tip their jig with a live minnow,” Dollahon said. “The Bobby Garland Crappie Pro jighead hook shank fits the body length so the hook’s point emerging from a lip-hooked minnow can then penetrate the “hood” part of the tail to lock the minnow in place.”
Should a crappie hit and miss the bait, the minnow remains in position, versus riding up the hook or line. The rig “minds” the minnow.
In addition, Dollahon said the versatility of the lure doesn’t end with a live minnow.
“Sometimes crappie fishermen need a larger bait profile that doesn’t include a live minnow,” he said. “In this case you may want to shorten the body a bit and substitute a minnow with a Baby Shad body, for example. The jighead hook still allows the point to come through the ‘hood’ area. This provides a larger profile lure with attractive action and provides optional color versatility.”
Dollahon said the beauty of this rig is that even without additional live or artificial trailers, the split-tail grub is a highly effective bait.
“The Minnow Mind’R as a stand-alone lure is truly one of my favorite crappie baits and is often the first lure I’ll fish,” Dollahon said. “If I need to enhance its profile, I have live minnow and artificial trailer options.”
The Minnow Mind’R has proven to be a highly effective crappie lure. The ability to enhance that profile with a live minnow, or a much larger artificial lure trailer, makes this lure a valuable resource. Longline trolling is an effective technique to use a live minnow trailer and it’s time for that action to begin in as we approach early spring.
Any lure that can be quickly and easily enhanced to perform in multiple crappie fishing scenarios is a tool has a home in my tackle box.
Terry Madewell of Ridgeway, S.C. has been an outdoor communicator for more than 45 years. He holds a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management and has a long career as a professional wildlife biologist/natural resources manager. He’s passionate about sharing outdoor adventures with others.
