Twitchin' Puppet How-To & Tips: When fishing the Northland Fishing Tackle Twitchin’ Puppet, start by dropping it to your target depth and working it with aggressive snaps to create a wide, darting glide that mimics a wounded baitfish. Let it fall on semi-slack line to complete the glide, as most bites happen on the drop. Focus on fishing it over basins, deep flats, and breaklines, especially where crappies, perch, and walleyes are suspended or roaming in search of bait. It excels when fish are active and willing to chase, making it a great option during early ice, late ice, or any strong feeding window. Use it as a search bait to call fish in from a distance, then dial back your cadence with smaller twitches and pauses to seal the deal once fish are engaged.
How to Fish: Fish the Twitchin’ Puppet with an aggressive, snap-and-glide cadence to trigger reaction bites. Drop it to your target depth, then use sharp upward snaps of the rod to make the bait dart and glide out to the side before circling back under the hole. The key is letting it fall on semi-slack line so it can complete that natural glide, which mimics a wounded baitfish. Mix in aggressive rips to call fish in, then slow down with shorter twitches and pauses once they’re engaged—most strikes happen on the fall or right after the glide.
Where to Fish: The Twitchin’ Puppet excels around basin fish and suspended schools, especially over soft-bottom basins, deep flats, and open water where crappies and perch roam. It’s also highly effective along breaklines, edges of structure, and transition zones where fish are chasing bait. Because it glides out away from the hole, it’s ideal for covering water and pulling fish in from a distance, making it a strong choice when fish are scattered
When to Fish: This bait shines when fish are active and willing to chase, making it a go-to during early ice, late ice, and feeding windows throughout the day. It’s especially effective when targeting aggressive crappies, perch, and even walleyes that are keyed in on baitfish. Use it to locate fish and trigger reaction strikes, then adjust your cadence if they become less aggressive. It’s also a great search bait anytime you need to call fish in from a distance and get them fired up.