SuperDave

Happened to me today. Fishing bass on the Upper Niagara with a popper when a juvenile swept down and grabbed it with its beak. I fought it back down to water level and as it squawked I cut the hooks off. I'm afraid the poor thing has a couple of hooks stuck in its face though, I felt pretty bad about it. Stupid bird.

Definitely a tough season. The muskies have just started to show up for me, and the bass fishing has been lousy. Still caught some, but not like previous years. Someone mentioned sheephead ... I am the king of those things this year! I've never seen so many and have caught a couple of big ugly ones.

Really didn't start chasing muskies till later in life but go back there once in a while.

My name is Dave I was born and raised in Belleville and have fished all my life. Even did some hunting. Now I live in Stoney Creek, fish muskie everywhere and smallies on Erie.

Love the sense of humor! Welcome to the board!

The Poes Jackpot has been dynamite for me. All my largest fish have come on it. The problem with them is they are not all created equal. Finding one that works the way I want it to isn't easy. Calm seas are required or light chop. Hits have been ferocious! The Doc has also been a great surface lure for me. Had the biggest smallie I've ever seen hit the 9" version on the Moon river. And my last 2 muskie excursions have produced 6 fish all on the Topraider. Have also used a creeper as a throwback bait after a muskie missed my Poes and she ate it! As far as the Zara Spook goes I have a couple of supersize ones but don't really use them so not to sure about them. As far as durability, Poes suck. They hardware is cheap the eyes are just screwed in so after a while they get soft and the eyes could pull out. The doc seems to have solid hardware and the plastic body is much tougher than the wooden Poes. Topraiders are great lures that are easy to toss all day but get messed up pretty quick after a few fish. I recently had to replace the shrink tubing on the back hook and found that there is no room for error. Too thick of tubing will result in the tail not spinning. So I ripped the tubing off with pliers threw it out there and caught a fish on it! My name is Dave, and I am a topwater junkie!!

3-4 hrs. max.

That was great! :clapping: :clapping:

I started fishing topwater more often about 7 years ago. It started with walk the dog type lures and at first it seemed like the muskies missed it all the time. They would cartwheel over it or completely miscalculate their target. I was frustrated but stuck with it. I now have caught approx. 25 fish on topwater, only losing a very small percentage. Prop baits like Topraiders I rarely used up until last week. Seems to me an easier target for the fish and they seem to hook themselves when they smash it. Of course, they were hitting very aggressively. I did however lose a very big fish many years back that still haunts me The Poes Jackpot has been my #1 lure of choice. I also have caught 1 fish on a creeper which was very cool. The fish came up 6 ft. from the boat and sucked it off the surface, barely a sound. I think the key to my success is that I throw them a lot. I seek out calmer areas of the water on windy days and use them in all water temps and any time of the day. I have caught fish on top in 49 degree water temps and also on bright sunny days. No 2 hits are the same, and the sight of that wake behind your bait certainly gets the blood flowing.

I have a cat I call Big Jack.

Hey all, Haven't had much to report this year so thought i'd tell you a little about 2 days this past week that were sheer fun!! My brother and I met up for some Muskie fishing last wed and thurs. The weather was cool, cloudy, rainy and windy. We stuck to calm areas on all the bodies of water we hit and managed 8 muskies! 6 of them came on topwater lures, which in my opinion is the most exciting way to catch a muskie. No real trophies ... 35,38,38,41,43,46 and a couple of dinks.Water temps went from 70 to 67 and that's when it all shut down. Caught the 43 on my first cast which never happens... also, we caught the 38' back to back which was cool! This weather is great for releasing fish as well as the water temps. 6 fish came on prop baits ... mostly topraiders. Didn't matter about the colour. The plopping noise was obviously the key. This was just what the doctor ordered for us as our previous muskie experiences have been not so good.

Experienced the best topwater muskie action in all my 18 years of muskie fishing this past mid week. Surface temps were 70 degrees. Dropped to 67 and it was over. Coldest water temps in years ... better for releasing the fish that's for sure.

Congrats on a great trip. That is the kind of Muskie trip we all dream of having. And those fish are all beautifully marked!! And Chunky!!

I rarely fish weekends anymore my job allows me to fish weekdays instead which I prefer. So I am going to sit back and have a few cold ones and live vicariously through all of you ... especially the muskie nuts. Traffic should be suicidal with the Skyway being closed around here.

oh man .... this will cause kaos!! Glad I fish mostly the Niagara way

LOL the ugliest toaster oven I've ever seen. My last Ford, a Taurus ... blew up in every way imaginable. I would never drive a ford again but that's just me. Congrats on your new ride. I'm sure it's a huge upgrade from your old truck.

Nice going Matt. With any luck I will be there June 29. Glad to see the NB guys getting fish!

LMAO!!

Nice clean fish. Congrats on the PB. Those suicks are deadly in the right hands.

LOL been there done that too. And the straps as well. And the plug too! I've done it all it's the fun? part of boating.

and don't forget the plug!

A buddy of mine had the same problem. Is the pin too thin on your trailer hitch? if theres a small gap that will do it.Pretty sure that's all his problem was.

I hear ya Lew. It's a once a year thing with a few of the boys from MCI. Just a great way to spend opener with good fishing buddies and a few brewskies. I spent enough time there in the early years and have moved up to the "trophy waters".

Can't wait for Saturday will be fishing Pigeon Lake for muskie opener. Then possibly a day trip to LSC next week... followed by a week long trip to Ottawa for my first crack at the mighty Ottawa river. Bring on Muskie season!

oh man so sorry for your loss. My first dog is a yellow lab he's now 2 and I can't imagine life without him. A sad day indeed.