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favorites casting lures for Musky


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names your favorites whether they are used as crankbaits, twitch baits or pull baits. Here a few that have brought me some success over the years.

Double and Treble D's from Esox Research Corp.

Depth Raiders from Bucker

4 Play Lip Lure from Savage

Saltwater Rapala

Edited by NPike
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I do troll on occasion but the trill of getting them on the cast is hard to beat. Guess it's a matter of preference. BTW speaking about Musky baits Rollie and Hellen's  is running a X-mass speacil.

Edited by NPike
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Homemade lures- it's a whole new thrill catching on something you made in your basement!

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a few years ago I tied an inline double 8 from the first buck my youngest son got. Later that year he caught his first musky on it. That was pretty cool. My other homemade baits have been busts. I keep trying,it beats watching Hallmark channel with the wife.

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1000 casts, no thanks. I would troll, drift, or use bait.

Casting can often be more productive than trolling but it requires learning, practice and skill development. But that is also true for trolling. The more time you put in and the more you become familiar with the water you are fishing, the more success you will have.

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a little off topic, anyone have any luck with jigging?... Or, casting jigs?

Jigging can be very productive. They can be jigged or dragged in river current 12' to 25'. You must be prepared to loose a few to snags and have a heavy baitcaster with min. 50 lb braid. They can also be cast and jerked around cover or shallow flats. There are various ways to rig them for each task. You can use your imagination. Keep in mind that you will loose more fish while jigging than casting or trolling but the potential to hook more fish is there. Red October Tubes, Storm Swim Shads and Bondy Baits are all good choices. There are variations on all these in rigging techniques and presentation, depending on applications, that will help increase catch rates. You will need to do your homework on that.

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Jigging can be very productive. They can be jigged or dragged in river current 12' to 25'. You must be prepared to loose a few to snags and have a heavy baitcaster with min. 50 lb braid. They can also be cast and jerked around cover or shallow flats. There are various ways to rig them for each task. You can use your imagination. Keep in mind that you will loose more fish while jigging than casting or trolling but the potential to hook more fish is there. Red October Tubes, Storm Swim Shads and Bondy Baits are all good choices. There are variations on all these in rigging techniques and presentation, depending on applications, that will help increase catch rates. You will need to do your homework on that.

We've got a few jigging for walleye on Chautauqua in 40 to 60 FOW so they are down there.

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Jigging can be very productive. They can be jigged or dragged in river current 12' to 25'. You must be prepared to loose a few to snags and have a heavy baitcaster with min. 50 lb braid. They can also be cast and jerked around cover or shallow flats. There are various ways to rig them for each task. You can use your imagination. Keep in mind that you will loose more fish while jigging than casting or trolling but the potential to hook more fish is there. Red October Tubes, Storm Swim Shads and Bondy Baits are all good choices. There are variations on all these in rigging techniques and presentation, depending on applications, that will help increase catch rates. You will need to do your homework on that.

A lot of jigging advice here. Is this first hand knowledge or just things you've heard from others? I'd disagree with a lot of this information.
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A lot of jigging advice here. Is this first hand knowledge or just things you've heard from others? I'd disagree with a lot of this information.

This is just some very basic stuff. I don't understand what you disagree with. There are some NMA members who are very successful using jigs. I have had some success with them. Also, about 5 years ago I netted a 50"r caught on a tube and took the picture of another 50"r a couple weeks later that was caught on a Swim Shad.  If you look at the NMA catch and release logs for the last 8 to 10 years, ROB tubes have been one of the top baits, and for at least 2 or 3 of those years, the top bait.

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This is just some very basic stuff. I don't understand what you disagree with. There are some NMA members who are very successful using jigs. I have had some success with them. Also, about 5 years ago I netted a 50"r caught on a tube and took the picture of another 50"r a couple weeks later that was caught on a Swim Shad. If you look at the NMA catch and release logs for the last 8 to 10 years, ROB tubes have been one of the top baits, and for at least 2 or 3 of those years, the top bait.

with all due respect. some of those years my boat has been responsible for 25% or more of those total release reports and probably even more of the percentage of jigging fish from the river. Not to mention the fish we catch jigging from both the detroit and the larry. Your advice is a bit off. You might want to stick with what you know. Just seems like that advice came from someone who doesn't actually jig much. Edited by iiwhistlerii
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All the baits I mentioned earlier were or can be used as Jerkbaits, I.E: DD's, DDD's, DepthRaider (a new suspending DepthRaider has been out), Saltwater Rapala, Suicks, Swim and Jerk, etc..  I use 75% Jerkbaits and 25% spinners - jigs. Does anyone else rely heavily on Jerkbaits? I find them to be very versatile allowing you to work different techniques and different areas of the water column from (2 to 12) FOW? Next year I'm going to try the Ripper, anyone ever use the Ripper by H2O? 

We do get the occasional boat side hits on Jerkbaits, but often they hit 70 to 20 feet from the boat which allows for a better struggle. What's been your experience with Jerkbaits? They fall into the category of casting lures.

Thanks,

Edited by NPike
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I don't target muskie, but do target pike occasionally. I mainly bass fish but a change in species hunting is nice. My point is pike can be caught on just about any lure out there. Including Texas rigged worms, shaky heads etc. I know they will eat anything they can. Take any hungry essox and put something in front of them and they are liable to eat it. They are vicious creatures with appetites. I seen some new baby duck top waters recently, I think tackle warehouse has them. I may pick one up and try it out. I don't doubt success on any lure for essox, as long as the lure and technique comply with season and water clarity.

Oh yeah, I haven't seen any small mouth lures for muskie. Do they exist ? I know muskie like eating them.

Edited by moonfish
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Pike as well as Musky's can also be some of the most tight lipped fish out there when they want to be.Bass can usually be enticed to bite. Take Conesus as an example many more bass are caught then are pike, at least by x3. It all depends on the mood, weather, solar lunar pattern, time of year etc.. BTW a large pike will take a swag at a smallmouth, seen it happen more than once.

Edited by NPike
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All the baits I mentioned earlier were or can be used as Jerkbaits, I.E: DD's, DDD's, DepthRaider (a new suspending DepthRaider has been out), Saltwater Rapala, Suicks, Swim and Jerk, etc.. I use 75% Jerkbaits and 25% spinners - jigs. Does anyone else rely heavily on Jerkbaits? I find them to be very versatile allowing you to work different techniques and different areas of the water column from (2 to 12) FOW? Next year I'm going to try the Ripper, anyone ever use the Ripper by H2O?

We do get the occasional boat side hits on Jerkbaits, but often they hit 70 to 20 feet from the boat which allows for a better struggle. What's been your experience with Jerkbaits? They fall into the category of casting lures.

Thanks,

I did some work for Roger at h20 and he sent me his whole line up of baits. I tries that jerkbait and lost 3 fish on it first day at cassadaga and put it down. I don't know much but I believe the fat body kept me from hooking up. Good luck and hope she treats u better

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  • 3 weeks later...

GRANDMA lures weighted to just barely float, I also make some sink.  fish slow erratic.  Add rubber twisters and small tubes, pieces of night crawlers one the hooks also, make them totally different from regular lures If one shows but does not hit, I switch to bass assassins rigged with two smallish trebles and I get occasionally a nice walleye on these two lures......jk

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