Wednesday's OMGIFT mini-Funpage!

OMGIFT = oh my ghosh, it's finals time

1. About recent thefts
2. VADA End of Year/ Art Show Afterparty!
3. Art with Heart Volunteer Registration Google Form
4. Baker Institute Student Forum Journal - CASH PRIZES YE-AH
5. Participate in 1-hour Job Interview Training and get $20
6. Tryout for the Rice Debate Team (if you're into this kind of thing)
7. IT email news: login to send Rice email, reduce spam
8. Finals are lame

~

A) An article on how to avoid procrastination (which I found while procrastinating)
http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/01/how-to-avoid-procrastination-think.php
B) LOVE STORY meets VIVA LA VIDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3d6SFcDys

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1. About recent thefts

RUPD has noticed an increase in thefts from the academic buildings around campus. Laptops, wallets and money are among the most common items stolen. Please remember to secure your valuables at all times. Lock cabinets, drawers, and doors to offices and labs when not in use. It only takes seconds for a thief to "grab and go." Please report any suspicious people to the RUPD at 713-348-6000 immediately.

Captain Phil Hassell
Operations Commander
Rice University Police Department
713-348-4595

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2. VADA End of Year/ Art Show Afterparty!

You are INVITED to:

What: VADA Senior and Undergraduate Student Art Show After Party
When: Wednesday- April 22, 2009 9:30 pm - 12 am
Where: Sewell Hall- Sculpture Courtyard

Come for music, dancing, art, Amy's Ice Cream, pizza, and drinks!

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3. Art with Heart Volunteer Registration Google Form

Volunteer Opportunity this Saturday! Wonder how non-profits can continue doing their great work? They need $ to.

Art With Heart hosted by San Jose Clinic
Saturday, April 25, 2009
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Three Allen Center, 333 Clay @ Smith Street, Houston, TX 77002
Complimentary valet parking available at 333 Clay Street

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=cHAxRzFZcEQxaWgxZGlxZm0zVTBaVnc6MA

Help with Art with Heart hosted by San Jose Clinic. I will be working at San Jose Clinic after graduation as a full time volunteer/intern. Imagine me but x10 in kindness, dedication and passion.

2-3 hours will be appreciated! (I am not sure if you can use light rail...we can car pool).

Best of luck with exams/papers/projects/final designs! This could be a study break...come enjoy art and wine/appetizers. Entrance tickets is $50, for volunteers it is FREE!

Connie

P.S. San Jose Clinic team, my exam was moved so I will be able to assist the entire day on Saturday until 6:30 pm. I have not been to the clinic for the past three weeks because I have been sick. I quarantined myself from San Jose Clinic. Miss everyone very much!

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4. Baker Institute Student Forum Journal - CASH PRIZES YE-AH

The Baker Institute Student Forum is currently seeking submissions for the 2009 edition of The Rice Cultivator, BISF's own journal of undergraduate public policy research.

We encourage all students who have conducted or are conducting any original research that is relevant to public policy to submit a short abstract describing their work to Chris Gabler *by THIS FRIDAY APRIL 24th, 2009.

Submissions are welcome from students in all academic disciplines. Graduate students who conducted policy-relevant research while an undergraduate at Rice are also encouraged to submit. If you have already prepared a manuscript (or even just a rough draft) reporting your research, please feel free to submit the manuscript/draft in lieu of an abstract.

CASH PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED to the authors of the research articles deemed most outstanding by the BISF Research Committee.

If you are a graduate student or an undergraduate not conducting research, you can still be published in our journal! We are also accepting abstracts and submissions for our 'News & Views' and 'Book Reviews' sections. You can learn more about our research journal and how you can contribute, and view the inaugural 2008 issue here:

http://www.bisf.rice.edu/research/

Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Chris Gabler
BISF Research Committee Chair

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5. 1-hour Job Interview Training Study (compensation: $20)

English-fluent?
High school graduate?
Comfortable using computer mouse and keyboard?
At least one year of working experience?

Participate in a research study (08-123X) to determine whether training delivered by computer can result in similar levels of knowledge and skill acquisition as training delivered by a human trainer. In this study, you would complete a brief training on how to conduct a job interview and participate in a mock job interview with another trainee.

Participation in the study will take 1 hour, and is conducted on the Rice University campus in Sewall Hall. You will be compensated $20 for the 1 hour study.

We are currently scheduling sessions for MONDAY THRU FRIDAY between 9 AM and 4 PM. To schedule, please email Laura (lgb1@rice.edu) with your availability and include a phone number where you can be reached.

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6. Tryout for the Rice Debate Team

The Rice University Debate Team is looking for up to 16 debaters for next year. Formally known as the George R. Brown Forensics Society, we represent Rice at various competitions throughout the year. This year, we traveled to competitions in California, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington State.

If you are interested in joining the team, please contact one the Director of Forensics Dr. David Worth (dworth@rice.edu) or the Assistant Director of Forensics Glenn Prince (gwp2@rice.edu). Tryouts will not be held until the Fall semester. The Website can be found at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~forensic/index.html

Here are some helpful facts about the team.
* The time spent in preparation varies based on how much a debater wishes to succeed. That said, on average team members can spend between two to four hours a week researching current events.
* Prior experience is helpful but by no means required. Team members can join with no previous competition.
* All competition fees, transportation, food, hotel accommodations are paid for by the team. Team members bear no financial responsibility for the competitions. Students are free to retain their frequent flier miles.
* Selection on the team lasts for one academic year. Every continuing team member must attend the tryout.
* The team never competes during Final Examinations. In addition, as a University-sponsored club, team members are entitled the right to make-up missed work.

Feel free to email me as well if you have any specific questions about debating for Rice.

Sincerely,
Kern Vijayvargiya
Jones College
Kern.Vijay@rice.edu
321.506.0911

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7. IT email news: login to send Rice email, reduce spam

For the past year, IT has been researching methods to reduce internal spam and prevent forged sender addresses. One of the ways we can accomplish these goals is by changing the way Rice email is sent.

The change requires authentication (NetID login) for all email sent from computers on the Rice network. We anticipate implementing this change in October.

Printers, FAX machines, and equipment connected to your computers may not be able to complete the required login, so we will create an exception for these types of devices. We are currently creating a list of all the Rice devices that cannot complete NetID login.

If you know you have a device that cannot provide a NetID login, please contact your IT support staff or the IT Help Desk (helpdesk@rice.edu) to ensure the device is placed on the exemption list.

Next week's IT update will include instructions on how to test your personal and department Rice email messages to determine if they are being authenticated.

Additional details about the login requirements can be found in the IT web site:
http://www.rice.edu/it/Announcement3.html

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8. Finals are lame

As you may or may not know, we are now in the midst of some really lame finals. Our only option is to bombard them with learning and awesome. Best of luck to you all, brave Hanszenites.

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<3,>

The OMGILTA Backpage

The “OMGILTA” Backpage
Oh my God, I love these acronyms!

Hanszenite(s) of the Week:
Dirrrty Little Secrets Edition

Megan Johnson- fined Hanszen on beer bike
Karen Gerken-bought Hannah Montana episodes on iTunes
Erik Peterson- wishes he was as big as Matt Jones
Valerie Peicher- has a new-person fetish
Mukund Premkumar- Kal Penn thought he was gay



Irene’s Quote of the Week
“Sometimes I feel like my brain has a mind of its own”

The Backpage looks back at the semester by the numbers

Transfer students claiming to know Kal Penn- 1
Indian girls in Chris Fan’s harem- 6
Hat tricks Felix has perfected- 2
Hat tricks that Felix has entertained us with- 0
Seniors joining the Marines next year- 1
Snuggies owned by Karen Gerken- 1
VP’s we’re glad we elected- 1
Fun people living in 80’s next year- 2?
Times Harrison has hugged/ inappropriately touched people- 2,532
Illegal parties thrown in the Weenie Loft- 2 ½
Ex-Hanszenites that still use our laundry room-1
Statuses that Aditya Kaddu has commented on/ posted - 1,537





-Sincerely,
Chethlyn
(Have an ungodly summer and good luck with finals!)

Thursday's WSABTAOTBWIANW Funpage!

WSABTAOTBWIANW = we should all be taking advantage of this beautiful weather in a non-sexual way

1. VISEN Distinguished Lecture - Professor Yale Patt
2. Recreation Center Baskets
3. RDT Show-30 years of RDT
4. Greene Prize for Environmental Papers
5. $1 Dog Night $3 Beer Rice Baseball
6. RSVP Choc(olate) Walk
7. Free Tickets to Sustainability Lecture by Lester Brown at the Wortham Center on 4/28
8. Looking to work with a happy toddler? Then you're in luck!
9. Rice Cheerleading tryouts!
10. RUPD Fundraiser for Special Olympics
11. VISEN Distinguished Lecture presents Andrew Yao
12. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Laureate
14. 3rd Annual EQ Benefit Fashion Show
15. Important: reminder about library books
16. Rice ACLU 4/20 Meet & Greet
17. EQ/HACER Book drive
18. VADA all campus party
19. Don't waste your summer! Tutor for pay instead.
20. You

~

A) look out a window
B) Adopted lolcat
http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/funny-pictures-cat-and-human-argue.jpg
C) go outside
D) In case you haven't yet seen it: The amazing lady on Britain's got Talent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBTVdnWj1hM&feature=bz302

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1. VISEN Distinguished Lecture - Professor Yale Patt

VISEN Center, The Dean of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology

VISEN Distinguished Lecture Series

Yale Patt

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Texas at Austin

Date: April 17th
Location: DH 1070
Time: 2:00 pm ? 3:30 pm


The Challenges of Multicore: Information and Misinformation

Abstract:
Now that we have broken the threshold of one billion transistors on a chip and multicore has become a reality, a lot of buzz has resulted -- from how/why we got here, to what is important, to how we should determine how to effectively use multicore. In this talk, I will examine a number of these new "conventional wisdom" nuggets of information, to try to see whether they add value or get in the way. For example: What can we expect multicore to do about saving power consumption? Is ILP dead? Should sample benchmarks drive future designs? Is hardware sequential? Should multicore structures be simple? Is abstraction a fundamental good? Hopefully, our examinations will help shed some light on where we go from here.

Biography of Yale Patt:
Yale Patt is a teacher at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds the Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Centennial Chair in Engineering and is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research in computer architecture, done jointly with his PhD students, has resulted in among other things the HPS microarchitecture (1985), the Block-structured ISA (1989), the Two-level Branch Predictor (1991), SSMT aka helper threads (1999), Runahead Execution for out-of-order machines (2003), and ACMP (2008). He has earned appropriate degrees from reputable universities and more than enough awards for his research and teaching. More detail is available on his web site http://www.ece.utexas.edu/~patt

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2. Recreation Center Baskets

To All Recreation Center Patrons,
If you currently have a basket registered in your name at the Recreation Center, please kindly remove your personal items and lock if you are NOT going to be on campus beyond MAY 8, 2009. The Recreation Center will be CLOSED Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10 for graduation and will not be accessible, so please plan ahead.

However, if you are planning to stick out another HOT summer here in Houston, you will have until JULY 31, 2009 to remove all personal items and locks. There is no place for us to store any personal items left behind prior to annual maintenance. All locks left behind will be cut and items discarded. Upon returning to campus in the fall, you will be able to reclaim the same basket. To assure your personals remain YOUR personals, your lock remains yours, please allow ample tine to empty your basket.

Thanks,
The Recreation Center Staff

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3. retrospect: 30 years of RDT

RDT presents:
retrospect
30th anniversary celebration performances

april 17 and 18, 2009
hamman hall

tickets:
general: $8
students/alum: $5

more info: 713-348-5773
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4. Greene Prize for Environmental Papers


The Rice Environmental Club announces the?

GREENE PRIZE
for Student Environmental Papers
1^st Place-$500
2^nd Place-$300
3^rd Place-$200

Endowed by the family of alumnus David Greene, the Greene Prize was created to encourage
original environmental work by undergraduate students at Rice.

Enter any type of environmental paper, whether it is a research, policy, or creative
writing piece! Submissions may have been developed independently, for a class, or as a
term paper.

Papers are due *Friday, April 24 at noon*. Submit electronically to dmch11@rice.edu.
Remember to include your name, college, and contact information on your submission.

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5. $1 Dog Night $3 Beer Rice Baseball

$1 DOG NIGHT & $3 BEERS
THIS FRIDAY – RECKLING PARK
RICE vs MARSHALL 6:30PM (Gates open at 5:00)

*All Rice Faculty, Staff & Students get in FREE with a valid Rice I.D.*
With budgets tight we are proud to offer concession stand specials at Rice Baseball.
Come celebrate the last day of class at Reckling Park and cheer on your Owls.
Students… remember TETRA is accepted at the concession stands
$3 Beers are available in The Roost only. Fans must be 21+ years old with a valid I.D. to purchase any alcohol.



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6. RSVP Choc(olate)-Walk

Rice Student Volunteer Program will be having a Choc(olate)-Walk (inspired by the cakewalk) for the President and Dean's Study Break this Sunday from 9-11pm in front of the Grand Hall. Only $1 to participate and donations go towards 1000 Wells (an organization that builds wells for clean drinking water in Africa). There will be great Chocolate Bar prizes, so be sure to stop by!

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7. Free Tickets to Sustainability Lecture by Lester Brown at the Wortham Center on 4/28

Lester Brown: Sustainability Lecture

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Time: 7:30 pm - 9:00pm
Location: Wortham Center, Cullen Theater

Lester Brown helped pioneer the concept of sustainability by creating the first research institute devoted to analyzing environmental issues on a global basis, Worldwatch Institute. More recently, he founded Earth Policy Institute to show what sustainable economies look like and how to get there. The Telegraph of Calcutta called him "the guru of the environmental movement." He's been honored with a MacArthur "genius" Fellowship, he's published 50 books translated into over 40 languages, and his latest is Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization.

Free tickets are available at the SC Information desk on a first-come, first-serve basis. Only 2 tickets per Rice ID will be available.

For more information on this event and the Progressive Forum go to http://www.progressiveforumhouston.org/

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8. Looking to work with a happy toddler? Then you're in luck!

Rice family looking to hire a couple of students to work with our happy toddler.

Experience with children preferred and references required. Must have own transportation to our home (4 miles from Rice). Pay is $12/hour, with each student working approximately 3-6 hours a week during afternoons, early evenings, and possibly some weekends. Position begins as soon as possible.

If interested, please contact Rebecca Lindsay at rebecca.lindsay@yahoo.com or call 713-432-7650.

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9. Rice Cheerleading Tryouts!

RICE CHEERLEADING TRYOUTS 2009-2010!
Hey Owls! It's that time of year again for Rice University Cheerleading Tryouts! Males and females, flyers and bases are all welcome to tryout for the 12-member team. The instructive clinics will be held on Friday, April 17 from 6:30-8:00p and Saturday, April 18 from 1:00-3:30p. The tryout will be held on Sunday, April 19 from 6:00-8:00p. Both the instructive clinic and tryout will be held in Fox Gym next to the Tudor Fieldhouse. If you have any questions, feel free to email Nina Xue (nina.xue@rice.edu) or Darren Arquero (dea1@rice.edu).

Thank you!
Nina

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10. RUPD Fundraiser for Special Olympics

As the Rice University Police Department has done for the past ten years, we are participating in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. As part of this effort the police department is participating in various fundraising efforts around campus and in the community. 13th Street and Sammy?s have again supported our fundraising efforts through the sale of torches with the Flame of Hope. Finally, we have the traditional annual Torch Run T-Shirts for sale. Shirts will be available at Rice Fest, but you can also get your t-shirt by coming to the police department or calling your favorite officer for a personal delivery. Shirts small through extra-large are $10 and double X and larger are $12.

Please help your police department support Special Olympics!

Thanks!
Bill Taylor

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11. VISEN Distinguished Lecture presents Andrew Yao

VISEN Distinguished Lecture Series Presents

Andrew C. Yao
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

DATE: Tuesday, April 28, 2009
TIME: 1:30 pm ? 2:30 pm
PLACE: Duncan Hall 1070

Title -- Vistas in Quantum Computing

Abstract -- With current advances in technology, it appears that computing and communication devices based on quantum principles may one day become a reality. Accompanying this anticipation is the emergence of an energetic new interdisciplinary field known as Quantum Information Processing, which involves physics, mathematics and computer science. Why is there such enthusiasm over this new field?
What makes quantum algorithms potentially much more efficient than conventional ones? In this talk, we will give an exposition of both the fundamentals and some recent progress in this area, focusing especially on algorithmic and complexity issues. Examples will be taken from the topics of quantum communication complexity and quantum cryptography, among others. The talk is for a general audience with any scientific background; no specialized knowledge of quantum theory is assumed.

Bio -- Professor Yao received a BS in Physics from National Taiwan University, a PhD in Physics from Harvard University, and a PhD in Computer Science from University of Illinois. >From 1975 onward, Professor Yao served on the faculty at MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and during 1986 ? 2004, as William and Edna Macaleer Professor of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University. In 2004, he left Princeton to become a Professor of Computer Science at Tsinghua Univeristy in Beijing. He is also a Distinguished Professor-at-Large at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Professor Yao was recipient of the prestigious A.M. Turing Award in year 2000 for his contributions to the theory of computation, including communication complexity, pseudorandom number generation, and quantum communication. He has received numerous other honors and awards, including the George Polya Prize, the Donald E. Knuth Prize, and several honorary degrees. He is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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12. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Laureate

Africa is often portrayed in the simple terms of poverty and dependence.
Wangari Maathai presents a different vision, formed by her three decades
as an environmental activist and campaigner for democracy. She sees a
complex and rapidly changing continent with enormous potential.
Maathai analyzes the bottlenecks to development at the national and
international level, identifying what Africans can and must do for
themselves to succeed.

Wangari Muta Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement. Through
networks of rural women, it has planted over 30 million trees across
Kenya. After having been elected to Kenya?s parliament in 2002 -- its first
free elections in a generation -- she was appointed Assistant Minister for
Environment, Natural Resources, and Wildlife. Nobel Peace laureate of
2004, Maathai has written Unbowed: A Memoir.

Maathai has received degrees from Mount St. Scholastica College,
University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi. She
is the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree
and currently lives in Nairobi.

The documentary Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai will air
on PBS April 14th. Visit takingrootfilm.com to learn more.
The Challenge for Africa, Wangari Maathai's new book, will be for sale
courtesy of Brazos Bookstore.

Friday, April 17
Westin Galleria
Plaza Ballroom
5060 West Alabama
Free and open to the public
Registration: 6:00 p.m.
Program: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Reservations Requested.
Email: rsvp@wachouston.org
Phone: (713) 522-7811
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14. 3rd Annual EQ Benefit Fashion Show

Love fashion?
Love sexy people?
Love giving back to good causes?
Then this is the event for you!! This is the 3rd Annual Benefit Fashion Show hosted by Egyptian Queens. AIDS Foundation Houston is our chosen charity. There will be food, AIDS awareness info, music, and of course some hot Houston fashion. Don't forget some of Rice's sexiest students as models! So come out April 18th at 6:15 for dinner show starts promptly after dinner!
Date: Saturday April 18, 2009
Time: 6:15pm- Dinner
7:30pm- Fashion Show
Where: Grand Hall RMC
Tickets: $5 (students/undergrads)* $7 (adults)
*if you buy your tickets during pre-sale you will receive reserved seating... contact your college rep or email >>> cec4@rice.edu, enh1@rice.edu, art1@rice.edu <<<

This year, we are donating the funds raised from our 3rd Annual EQ Benefit Fashion Show to the AIDS Foundation Houston. AFH is a non-profit corporation founded in 1982 as Texas' first organization dedicated to HIV prevention education and services. Their mission is to create positive social impact through the innovative management of HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases.

AIDS/HIV Awareness & Prevention Expo to Kick-off the EQ Benefit Fashion Show
** in Sammy's at 5pm - 6:00pm
Featuring representatives of AIDS Foundation Houston, Montrose Clinic, and Houston Buyers Club. The expo will kick off the Benefit Fashion Show by providing information on available HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and volunteer services.
Contact Info: cec4@rice.edu, enh1@rice.edu, art1@rice.edu

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15. Important: reminder about library books

Please remember to return your library materials before leaving campus for the summer.

Graduating students, return all books by Wednesday, April 29, to clear your accounts for graduation. The Cashier & Registrar will be notified about accounts with outstanding charges (books and fines). Diplomas will be withheld until accounts are cleared.

Undergraduates, return all books by Wednesday, April 29.
If you need to borrow library materials during the summer, renewals will
resume for the 4-week loan periods on Friday, April 24.
All books are subject to recall by other patrons, so be prepared to
return any books which are recalled over the summer.

Reminder: we add nine extra hours to the library schedule during the
next two weekends for final exams. The library will close at midnight on
Friday and Saturday nights and will open Saturday & Sunday mornings at
8 am.

Thanks,
Ginny Martin
Circulation Manager
Fondren Library
713-348-2573

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16. Rice ACLU 4/20 Meet & Greet

What will you be doing on 4/20?

Join the Rice ACLU for some lawful fun if you're interested in:

-civil liberties and civil rights
-directing and/or acting in a film
-managing money for a nonprofit
-planning BIG for the 2009-2010 year!

April 20th. Kelly Lounge. 8 PM.
Questions? email psr1@rice.edu.

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17. EQ/HACER book drive

The EQ/HACER Book Drive will be ending TOMORROW (April 17).

Please turn in any books (including textbooks) that you are willing to donate to the
HACER office, located in the RMC Basement. All books collected will be given to the
underprivileged youth of the local Weekley Family YMCA branch. Thank you so much for your support!

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18. VADA all campus party

After you see the senior and undergrad student
Art Show- make your way to the
Sculpture Courtyard of Sewell Hall at 9:30
for the after-party with music, dancing, art,
Amy's ice cream, pizza, and drinks hosted by the VADA Student Advisory Board.
Come show your Visual and Dramatic Arts Department some love!
Wednesday April 22, 9:30pm to 12 am!

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19. Don't waste your summer! Tutor for pay instead.

DON'T WASTE YOUR SUMMER!

Varsity Tutors is seeking all highly qualified students with cars. $22/hr is the starting pay for tutors. Our service provides academic tutoring to Houston high school students in a wide variety of subjects (math, science, foreign languages, psychology, English, etc.) as well as test preparation (ACT, SAT, AP). Interested students should e-mail their resume, a list of subjects they believe they are qualified to tutor, and their standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, AP scores) to houston@varsitytutors.com. Questions can also be answered by calling (832)748-1733.

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20. You

You rock. Everyone was thinking it. We just happened to be the ones to say it.

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<3,
Chethlyn


P.S.: We're still deliberating on how we feel about a certain two very mischievous men. We'll keep you posted.

April 15th Minutes

The Recession - Last Cabinet of the Year
April 15th Cabinet Minutes

• Alcohol policy/server training changes
o Training has to occur yearly and $10 fee to be trained
• Parking Spaces for next year
o 21 spaces available to Hanszenites
o Tuesday 2:30 PM parking draw in lower commons
• HuMED
o Ghana trip raffle drawing see Rebecca Divers for more info
o Also making care packages for hygiene drive
• RPC
o President’s Study Break Sunday night 9-11 RMC
• SA
o Designs and images for South College Reconstruction online at sa.rice.edu
o Comments? – post online at sa.rice.edu
• Money Requests
o HBTH- $120 for Hannah Montana/ I Love You, Man movie study break
o Sports $175- playoff/ study break/ sports party
o SPAF- rest of budget- GoodWill bins
o Musical- $100 Crawfish boil
o All approved!
• Space Requests
o Hanszen-Wiess Terrace for EMS April 18th, 6-10 PM
o Glass Classroom- Progressive Christians – April 20th, 6:30-8:30 PM
o All approved!

JIGS, MINNOWS, or BOTH???

It's the crappie fisherman's eternal question. Which is better; artificial lures or live bait? 

There are many advantages for using jigs.  You can usually fish faster and cover more water with jigs. And by using artificial lures like Creme Mini-tail jigs or whatever, you don't have to stop and buy minnows before you go fishing. Nor do you have to worry about keeping minnows alive. 

But I'm not as stubborn about the matter as some folks I know. When the crappie are hitting minnows faster than jigs, I'll buy a bucket of minnows and get right down there with the rest of the live-bait believers. Because minnows are a crappie's natural food. By the time the crappie has reached slab proportions, it has devoured hundreds, maybe thousands of minnows to fuel its growth. So, the point is why limit yourself to only live bait or only jigs. 

There are times when each works better than the other. And there are times when both work well together, which brings us to the subject at hand... using minnows and jigs, in tandem, to take more crappie. And more often than not, we usually catch bigger crappies by using the jig-minnow combination. In past experiences, there are days when one of us is using a plain minnow on a hook will pull fish after fish while the other using a jig sitting right beside him catches only a couple dinky fish at the same period of time. But....when crappie are turned on to jigs, they can be caught much faster than minnows. There were days when one of us will toss 3-4 fish in the live well before the other could get a hook baited and cast made. 

In recent years, we've found that using the minnows with jigs can be the best of both worlds. We like it for fishing in thick brush, and the minnow helps from getting hung up (we hook them through the lips when fishing them with jigs) to keep the hook point from engaging too many snags. Another advantage of using jig-minnow combination is that jigs are highly visible in a variety of water colors. Experiment with the jig colors until you find out what they want. (Just recently, my partner was using a Creme Mini-tail Chartreuse/Black combo and pulling in crappies as fast as he could drop a jig, while I was using a Creme Mini-tail Silver/White combo that I was tearing them up with a few days earlier, wasn't even touched.) 

To start, go to colors that is most visible at that depth and the clarity of the water. And by tipping a minnow on a jig will not only make it look more lively, but crappie can home in on the scent. Combining the brightness of a jig and the flash and scent of a minnow also makes it easier for crappies to find the offering. 

The action of the jig-minnow combination also plays a huge part of appealing crappie. Minnows make a jig more buoyant, slowing its fall and making its motion more subtle.   Keeping the minnows alive is helpful, but not overly important, because the jigs provide the main action. The most important thing is to hook the minnow through the lower lip and out the top of the head, which keeps them on the hook and so that it sits upright in a natural manner. This also helps keep them stay alive longer. 

Jigs? Minnows? Which is best? You can find out which one they want, but why worry about it. Use them both and put more and bigger crappie on your stringer.