adding to my musky gear

[cram]

Rounding out my musky gear this winter (may pick up some stuff at the fishing show), and wondering if anyone has suggestions...

 

Topwater -- i have never used topwaters for musky, and feel like giving it a try. Does anyone catch muskies on topwaters. I have had some surface strikes on suicks and bobbie baits and it is exhilarating.....but strikes are pretty rare. If so, any preference btwn prop-baits, walk-the-dogs, or creepers? My thinking right now is to get a topraider or super topraider. My lake is pretty oligatrophic (deep, rocky, not a ton of weeds)...much of my fishing is along the rock piles, points, islands, and the few weedy areas on the lake.

 

Double-bladed in-line spinner --- most of my spinners are clothespin style spinnerbaits (mmbaits...awesome lures if anyone is looking for some), and i rarely use inlines with exception of a mepps marabou that i throw early in the season. Are the big double blades really better or is it a fad? And, are the double-cow girls the very best of this family, or were they just first?

 

Nets - trading my cradle in for a net. Are there any cheaper versions of the foldables? I don't mind paying for quality, but the stowmasters seem AWFULLY expensive for a net.

[Pigeontroller]

Get a Topraider, throw it alot this summer, there is nothing more exhilarating than a Muskie topwater hit! Be patient it'll happen, likely when you least expect it!

 

Double 10s attract(and catch) fish! Double Cowgirls are a safe bet, but the price has gone up on them I noticed at the Fishin Show today...

 

A quality Muskie net is a must! If you can afford the lures, you can afford the NET!

[cram]

Get a Topraider, throw it alot this summer, there is nothing more exhilarating than a Muskie topwater hit! Be patient it'll happen, likely when you least expect it!

 

Double 10s attract(and catch) fish! Double Cowgirls are a safe bet, but the price has gone up on them I noticed at the Fishin Show today...

 

A quality Muskie net is a must! If you can afford the lures, you can afford the NET!

 

Pigeon -- btwn a topraider and a weagle....which do i want to throw?

[Joey]

I have never tried topwater for Musky so can't help you there, but I make and use the bucktail double bladed in-lines. I like them and they are proven fish catchers. I find the double cowgirl okay but tangle up alot. I tried making a few of those aswell but it was a pain in the you know what to untangle the tinsel all the time.

 

Joey

[cram]

I have never tried topwater for Musky so can't help you there, but I make and use the bucktail double bladed in-lines. I like them and they are proven fish catchers. I find the double cowgirl okay but tangle up alot. I tried making a few of those aswell but it was a pain in the you know what to untangle the tinsel all the time.

Joey

 

Prefer marabou or silicon instead?

 

Other than the DCGs....which ones do you guys recommend?

[irishfield]

You'll never regret the $200/$240 that you spend on the Stowmaster Cram. If you're gonna fish Muskie it's the best money you can spend IMHO. It's also so compact and handy that it will never leave the boat.. and so quick to deploy that it's always a choice when fishing for small stuff.. and something huge unexpectantly smacks your bait !! Make sure you get the "tennis racket" bag for it as well.

[MuskyGreenHorn]

Hey there.

 

First of all. What are rods/reels are you using. That makes a big difference on what you can throw for blade baits. Big blades and double are definatrely not a fad and if you have the gear to throw em' get some, or tie your own. The DCG are the ones who made it popular, not the first and not the best. They are very good baits though, i recommend them. The market is flooded and its hard to make choices here. I think its wise to vary your choices here. Get some with tinsel, some with bucktail, some with feathers. Different sized and style of blaes as well. Single blades also work well. I am not a fan of silcone, it doesn't seem to breathe the way the other three materials do, not as lively. So yeah get some DCG's. I also like spanky baits, they have heavier wire and blades, so they put out a different viabration. Shumway makes some nice baits. Buchers as well. A new up and comer who i think is makes quality originial style boats is johnny dadson from Georgian Bay, check his stuff out. A thing to watch for on spinners is if the bucktail, feathers what have you is tied to the bait or the hook. I don't buy ones that have stuff tied to the hook for two reasons. 1, if you have to cut the hooks because a fish is badley hooked your bait is ruined. 2, the added bulk around the hook decreases your chance of a good hookset.

 

Topwater. A weagle is a walk the dog, side to side, and the top raider is a prop bait. Very different styles of topwaters. I recommend both. The weagle is a good bait, I would also reccommend the jackpot. Both of these baits are wooden. I prefer wood for walk the dog baits as the density cannot be matched by the plastic and composite type baits. That being said, Doc's, Salmo Mass Marauders, and Super Spooks are all pretty popular baits.

 

As for prop baits, the top raider is easiely the most regonizable/known one out there. It is a solid bait. Get one, you can use it from super shallow weeds to super deep. when you see a musky wake up behind one of these you will have a hard time fishing with anything else. By "Wake" up i i mean they litterally throw up a wake as teh chase the bait down. its intense. There are a ton of others, but I recommend the hog head, made my "get your hog on" baits. I am biased here as i know the maker, but he makes guality baits, check out his site. He makes a really nice ecreeper as well. Tell him I sent you.

 

For a net. get a frabil power catch, second biggest size, they run about $120 but you should be able to pick one up for 100 or just under if you shop around and haggle a little. The biggest size, teh big kahuna, is just way too big.

 

I was at the show today. Only one place had a big selection of muskie baits. JB's i think they are called. buy 4 muskie baits get the 5 one free. Some prices were on par and soem were nuts, the bull dawgs for example. Also checkout pro tackle musky shop. I found tha a while ago. They have a big amount of stuff online and they are here in ontario. Also check out rollie and helens from teh states, huge selection, helps you see what all is available.

 

PM anytime you wanna talk muskies!!!

[cram]

Hey there.

 

First of all. What are rods/reels are you using. That makes a big difference on what you can throw for blade baits. Big blades and double are definatrely not a fad and if you have the gear to throw em' get some, or tie your own. The DCG are the ones who made it popular, not the first and not the best. They are very good baits though, i recommend them. The market is flooded and its hard to make choices here. I think its wise to vary your choices here. Get some with tinsel, some with bucktail, some with feathers. Different sized and style of blaes as well. Single blades also work well. I am not a fan of silcone, it doesn't seem to breathe the way the other three materials do, not as lively. So yeah get some DCG's. I also like spanky baits, they have heavier wire and blades, so they put out a different viabration. Shumway makes some nice baits. Buchers as well. A new up and comer who i think is makes quality originial style boats is johnny dadson from Georgian Bay, check his stuff out. A thing to watch for on spinners is if the bucktail, feathers what have you is tied to the bait or the hook. I don't buy ones that have stuff tied to the hook for two reasons. 1, if you have to cut the hooks because a fish is badley hooked your bait is ruined. 2, the added bulk around the hook decreases your chance of a good hookset.

 

Topwater. A weagle is a walk the dog, side to side, and the top raider is a prop bait. Very different styles of topwaters. I recommend both. The weagle is a good bait, I would also reccommend the jackpot. Both of these baits are wooden. I prefer wood for walk the dog baits as the density cannot be matched by the plastic and composite type baits. That being said, Doc's, Salmo Mass Marauders, and Super Spooks are all pretty popular baits.

 

As for prop baits, the top raider is easiely the most regonizable/known one out there. It is a solid bait. Get one, you can use it from super shallow weeds to super deep. when you see a musky wake up behind one of these you will have a hard time fishing with anything else. By "Wake" up i i mean they litterally throw up a wake as teh chase the bait down. its intense. There are a ton of others, but I recommend the hog head, made my "get your hog on" baits. I am biased here as i know the maker, but he makes guality baits, check out his site. He makes a really nice ecreeper as well. Tell him I sent you.

 

For a net. get a frabil power catch, second biggest size, they run about $120 but you should be able to pick one up for 100 or just under if you shop around and haggle a little. The biggest size, teh big kahuna, is just way too big.

 

I was at the show today. Only one place had a big selection of muskie baits. JB's i think they are called. buy 4 muskie baits get the 5 one free. Some prices were on par and soem were nuts, the bull dawgs for example. Also checkout pro tackle musky shop. I found tha a while ago. They have a big amount of stuff online and they are here in ontario. Also check out rollie and helens from teh states, huge selection, helps you see what all is available.

 

PM anytime you wanna talk muskies!!!

 

Frabill power catcher -- is it a foldable? What i've been doing is net when i'm on my own (but it needs replacing) and cradle when i'm with a buddy (net takes up too much space). Worried that one day with the cradle one of us is going to take a hook in the face/arms.

 

Prop vs. WTG vs Creeper....are there situations where each is better than teh other? If not, which is your fave? Zara Spook is my favourite bass bait (by far). Get a lot of misses on them though.

 

Will check out your buddy's baits online. For topraider....regular or super?

 

As for rod/reels....not sure i feel like pulling in double 10s (even with a great reel, i hear its a lot of pull).....was thinking of double 8's, or indianas instead of colorados. If that makes sense.

[Musky or Specks]

We catch a lot of fish on Pete Mania's Docs which is like a big zara spook not just small fish either this west arm pig fell to a doc

 

 

If anything we've gotten to be more and more of topwater fisherman

[cram]

We catch a lot of fish on Pete Mania's Docs which is like a big zara spook not just small fish either this west arm pig fell to a doc

 

 

If anything we've gotten to be more and more of topwater fisherman

 

Is it because topwater hits are more fun, or because you're getting more of them? (or, better fish?)

[Musky or Specks]

Combination of all of that and dont be afraid to cast a topwater over deep water lost a fish well over 50" this year on a doc over 65 ft of water casting to the canadian side. It sounded after hitting and couldnt move it just would feel the head shaking and then hooks pulled out. That was with 80 pound test. Biggest fish ever had on and she had no qualms about hitting a topwater.

[cram]

when would you throw a surface bait vs. an unweighted suick or bobbie bait?

[outllaw]

dont forget cranks. if you want your lures to be at a depth. cranks will hold you at depths fish are holding at.

[cram]

dont forget cranks. if you want your lures to be at a depth. cranks will hold you at depths fish are holding at.

 

Have (and use) loads of crankbaits. I just haven't fished with topwaters (unless you call floating jerk baits topwaters) or inline doubles.

[Weeds]

I've had good luck with bucktails and although I've got a tacklebox full of Jerk and Crankbaits I'd have to say my number one choice for hardbaits would be a 9 inch weighted Suick. Truly a wicked lure. May not look like much but for me it's been magic, in the same way that Senkos are for Bass.

[MuskyGreenHorn]

I agree with weeds. Baist that you impart the action are magic.

 

I use topwaters generally once the water gets near 70 degrees. Not to say I haven't heard fo fish being caught topwater in cooler waters, but generally warmer water means fish are more active and more likely to take a topwater. This usally coincides with the development of good weed cover, topwater is great over top of weeds. Like others mentioned though, you can use them anywhere included over super deep water. Which style to use, prop, WTD or creeper is a matter of prefence. i have a few guidlines that I follow though. Creepers and propbaits are better in low light conditions as they are louder. A creeper or a WTD is better when fish seem lathargic as the baits move slower. I don't really see an advantage to a super topraider over a regular one. The rule of thumb being save bigger baits till later in the summer, ie august/september. The reason to use propbaits is when you want to cover water. They are fast baits, so if you have 2 people in the boat, one guy can cast a double bladed spinner while the other tosses a propbait. Its the fastest way to cover water and gives fish 2 options. When the water is warm, this is what my fishing partner and I go to. When you have 2 people casting, they should match their retrieve speed. IF its a little cooler one guy may throw a suick/bobbie and the other guy a WTD. Also with WTD they work better in calmer conditions, since the aren't as noisy. Crop baits can be run in a pretty heavy chop and still get attention. Its all about expeimenting really to decide when to choose which type of bait. The water temp, the depth, the type of cover, time of day, seaon, water clarity, all factor in on lure choice. That reminds me, when water is really stained or muddy or there in a algea bloom i will reach for a topwater over a jerkbait. Easier for the fish to find. Now for the bad news... As exciting as topwaters are, they have the poorest hook-up ratio of any style of bait. They are heartbreakers. So many huge fish blow up on them and fish miss them or get poorly hooked and get off. Most people set the hooks as soon as the water explodes, I know I do, and then you miss the fish. Pay close attention, I have seen fish strike and miss and come back for another 2 or 3 attemps. Generally I wait 3 seconds and make sure the the fish has got it and reel down and then hammer on them. Its even more impotant than bass because bass inhale their lures and also turn much quicker than a muskie. Inline spinners on the other hand have by far the best hook up precentage. These baist work wonders for boatside hookups in a figure 8 or figure O. Remember to make big wide turns, and never let the blades stop spinning. This is the biggest mistake that I see poeple make. Big wide turns help faciliate this. You can troll these over weedbeads as well. They troll as well as they cast. If you have a nice big reel I would recommend you try doble 10's. Its definitely a work out, but the vibration they put out is second 2 none. We burn them pretty fast, often so they make the water surface bulge, so a quality, big reel with a power hangle is a must. Like I said, if you don't have the strength or stamina to cast these suckers, try trolling them over a big weed bed. There are smaller versions and they work as well and french or indian or fluted blade models also work nicely. Lastly I also recommend a failry long stiff rod for tossing big in-line spinners.

[Musky or Specks]

For sure I only really use topwater till post turnover then its suicks and bucktails

[brickNblock]

cram,

Stacey Ash,

Friend, well known Musky Tourney Angler and Guide is the Owner/Operator of: protackle musky shop that muskygreenhorn spoke of.

He lives and operates just south of Stocco Lake until he opens his new showroom/Biz in Belleville and can be reached at:

 

www.protacklesupremeseries.com

1-888-442-7456

 

I've been making my own monster In-Line spinners (3/4-4oz),(5/0-10/0 hooks), for years now and have found I cant come close to his. His prices are all negotiable too which is rare...the more spent the less per item in most cases.

 

PLEASE FOLKS-Im not spamming,.. anyone who knows me...well, they know better than that. This is just the god honest facts.

 

He also carries a very good selection of American Musky Reels/Rods & Nets.....as well the standard available here in Onatrio.

 

As for your q's about topwaters, what has been said is pretty close.....I love the Jackpot series (Copy made by Stacey)for most con's.....when lowlight or rough water I'll switch over to the topraiders with not much diff between the super and regular but more Colour I think as a diff.

 

His website is worth the look...it turns heads.....Hell of a guy to boot.

 

For any bass anglers...his bass lures are all the rage out this way ...the B.O.Q..