Ice fishing has taught me several lessons about trout and crappies. One is that these two fish don't need a lot of weight to make them happy to hit. I make a simple jigging spoon using silver and gold finish willow blades in a couple sizes....#1 and #2 are my favorites. Those shown here are #1 blades. My preference is towards smooth blades.
I get the blades and then find a drill bit the same size as the factory hole in the blade, mount it in a drill press that has a wood backer board, and then the holes in the opposite end of each blade is punched thru. I hang the split rings before I apply any paint or tape. The painted blade here in the picture was done with a brush and transparent lure finish before the hook was hung. That dot is glow pigment. The color and dot combination are a dynamite crappie combination where I live. Trout up here thru the ice like gold with a bright orange tape stripe covering 1/2 of the blade on the outside surface from hole to hole.
Thru the ice or fished vertically for suspended fish these are a super little home-cooked bait that is light in weight. They work well using a controlled lift/drop in standing submerged timber too. Fished with a simple 6" lift and allowed to drop fairly quick on a tight line, they have a subtle action that can drive crappies and trout to distraction. They won't fare well in current unless they are hung under a small float. I fish mine tipped with a 1# length of a thin plastic tail or with a waxie/minnow head if things get real tight lipped.
