Poes Giant Jackpots

[Weeds]

Hey all. I know musky season is still a few days off (alright, like 5 months) but its never too soon to start stocking the tackle box for next season. My question is this: Has anybody used the Poes Giant Jackpots? I've only ever seen them on "Simply Fishing" on WFN and like everything else you see on TV they seem pretty nice. I just picked up a Magnum Zara Spook but can't get out to test it; is it basically the same thing with the same type of action? Are the Jackpots even available in stores in Canada or is it a mail order type of item? Thanks, Rossco

[nofrills]

They are awesome baits for muskies, and giant largies. I picked mine up off of eBay.

Spooks are indeed the same thing, just a different brand, much like the Weagle.

[lew]

I've never used the Jackpot but have a couple other similar large baits that I use alot.

 

Walk-the-Dog baits are excellent for attracting muskies & you'll get some fish with it, but you'll also miss alot with them too as the fish is moving so much water in front of him that he'll often knock the bait outta the way before he gets hold of it.

 

It's a fun way to fish though, and top water strikes are an excellent way to get the ole heart pumping when things are slow

 

 

Funny story from this past summer.......I was casting a Doc (similar to a Jackpot) and my daughter was using a Topraider (surface prop bait) and I was explaining to her how the musky will hit topwaters alot but often miss them.

 

I no sooner told her this when the water exploded and a nice musky flies outta the water, knocks my bait about 3 feet in the air and disappears underwater again...... I said to Sheri, "see, that's exactly what I'm talkin about" while she continued to crank her Topraider.

 

Not 2 seconds later, the water explodes again but this time its on HER bait. She waits till she feels the weight of the fish, sets the hook hard and lands MY fish

 

The worst part was, she then looked at me, smiled, and said "what's hard about that, Dad ??"

 

Doncha just hate it when the kids show off

[danbo]

Good stuff Lew! Check out this link with the Awaker too!!

 

http://www.jacksonlures.com/Commerce2/poes.htm

[Raf]

Like has been said, the jackpot sure shows the fish but the hooking % is horrible. I think a part of it is how light the jackpot is. Clones like the weagle are a much heavier bait and MAY offer an improvement in terms of hooking %.

 

I prefer to use the prop-style straight running topwaters because I find the hooking % is much better. I use them a lot and catch lots of fish on the 'em.

 

Also, don't forget that big ole 10" jntd beleiver, on the shallow eye, cranked reel slow on the surface. Makes a ton of racket on the surface and snakes through the water a bit like a walk-the-dog. If a fish so much as looks at one, they're hooked.

Edited December 19, 2007 by Raf

[lew]

Also, don't forget that big ole 10" jntd beleiver, on the shallow eye, cranked reel slow on the surface. Makes a ton of racket on the surface and snakes through the water a bit like a walk-the-dog. If a fish so much as looks at one, they're hooked.

 

Absolutely Raf, and even the odd little bass that THINKS he's a musky will hit those 10" Believers cranked on top of the water.

 

As you say, their also one of the best topwater baits around that alot of folks don't take advantage of.

 

[Raf]

Lew's not kidding

 

[Weeds]

You guys are a fountain of information as always. Thanks. Never caught a Musky on any kind of topwater before but it sure looks like fun!

[Raf]

wear a diaper.

[bpsbassman]

Not 2 seconds later, the water explodes again but this time its on HER bait. She waits till she feels the weight of the fish, sets the hook hard and lands MY fish

 

The worst part was, she then looked at me, smiled, and said "what's hard about that, Dad ??"

Great story Lew!!

 

wear a diaper

Almost spewed my coffee Raf!!

[Musky or Specks]

I prefer Doc's to jackpots although Ive caught fish on both. The funnest way to see musky but the hook up percentage is still pretty low.

[DANIMAL]

Jackpots and other walk the dog baits are a great tool to have. Like others said they are bad hookers. But on some days when muskies get really picky they will rarely hit a steady moving, good hooking bait, but will a least hit a walk the dog or eratic moving bait. So they can turn a one bite one catch day into a 5 bite 2or 3 catch day. And they are really fun baits to use.

[tbayboy]

Top water muskie is definitely fun but your all right about the hookups - had one this year on the bog using this

 

 

That launched at it beside the boat out of nowhere - I put a hook set on him that damn near impaled myself. Like Lew said - sure gets the old ticker thumping.

[bucktail]

I lost my largest muskie ever on a Jackpot.

As everyone else says the hooking percentage is poor. Not only do the fish miss the bait at times but the Poe's baits are made of cedar and large fish can actually sink there teeth into the wood. This causes the plug not to slide through the mouth on the hookset.

This is exactly what happened to my Geo Bay monster. He hit with 8 feet of line out from behind, power dove under the boat, peeling 15 feet of 80 pound power pro then simply let go of the bait.

I was left shaking wondering what I did wrong until I looked at the bait and saw the deep teeth marks in it.

The fish was in the 50 POUND class as I have never seen anything close to that size and my best is 32.

A hard plastic model wood be better if you asked me. It would allow hooksets.

[fishinggeek]

Thanks for the Believer on the top tips! I never heard of that, and will surely try it next season. Bucktail, that must've been a crazy few seconds. I go nuts over bass hitting my topwaters, let alone a muskie of that size. I believe the giant Zara's are plastics, and I saw Rapala has new saltwater topwaters that are relatively big and plastic too.

[Raf]

You'll be amazed at the sound, wake, commotion on the water they make. A beleiver has to be the most versatile muskie bait out there and yet, most people just troll them.

 

I've tried using the 13" giant jointed ones on the surface to keep those pesky bass away - it's worked, but I've yet to have a ski hit one.

Edited December 19, 2007 by Raf

[misfish]

Hell it looks like I need to start using those bigger baits, to catch bigger bass.LOL

 

Great story Lew.

[Crazyhook]

I gave my Jackpot away one day in the boat to a buddy after I had my 20th hit on it with no hook ups!

 

I have had lucky with the Musky Mania Doc and I love the Hughes River top prey. Its expensive but it sure works well...