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Posts: 69
Location: Royalton, MN | I'm glad I asked the question! There are a lot of very interesting and contrasting opinions and experiences here.
The reason I ask is because in the two months I've been musky fishing, I have caught six fish and had one sickening miss from a tank that inhaled the bait, and all came on the cast. All the while I've been doing big, wide figure-8s with long rods after every cast. Only once have I had a follower appear to even notice the 8 and take a swipe at it, and that was from a dink.
This last trip I only did occasional 8s and had three follows on a lake I've never seen a fish before in a few prior trips, Lake Shamineau. I probably casted one and half times as much as when I was doing 8s after every cast. It made me think.
I would really like to know more about the guide on Vermilion who jumps people's spots if the are doing 8s after every cast or just "tourist turns". What's his rationale and how does he chose when to do figure-8s vs when not to? |
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Posts: 98
| Making fewer casts, and placing them in the right spot is more important then getting as many casts in as you can. Learning how to cast accurately, and get the lure where you want it every time, is just as important as the figure 8 in my opinion. I remember many years ago my friend was hunting an active fish on LOTW and had a less experienced partner in the boat. He let the less experienced angler take the lead, but he couldn't get the cast to the right spot. After multiple missed casts my buddy put a cast in the right spot, got the fish to follow and eat on the 8.
Bottom line, Learn to do all of these things to put more fish in the bag:
Boat control to get your bait in the right spot
Learn to make accurate casts to get the bait in front of the fish
Do an 8 every time, watching closely at the direction change, as that is when the fish will probably show itself.
In clear water I will sometimes only do one turn of the 8, but I will carefully watch the lure on the rise to the boat before the 8. In murky water, a full 8 is needed.
If I can see a following fish before it sees the boat, I like my chances of putting it in the bag.
If you do not do a boat side direction change after every cast, you are missing an opportunity to catch fish. |
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Posts: 1971
| Big difference between direction change and a figure 8 after every cast I couldn’t make the next cast with out doing a L ...muscle memory- ha! |
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Posts: 98
| IAJustin - 10/17/2019 12:59 PM
Big difference between direction change and a figure 8 after every cast I couldn’t make the next cast with out doing a L ...muscle memory- ha!
In my mind they are the same thing. I have muscle memory to do the figure 8, some use L turn into a loop or circle. They are both effective, and one of them should be performed after every cast. |
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Posts: 596
Location: Duluth | BassThumb - 10/14/2019 8:35 AM
I would really like to know more about the guide on Vermilion who jumps people's spots if the are doing 8s after every cast or just "tourist turns". What's his rationale and how does he chose when to do figure-8s vs when not to?
His rationale is always, always, always 8. If you aren't doing them out there you're not going to get many shots-Fish that follow someone who doesn't 8 or does garbage 8's never got hooks in em but are still likely hungry and can be had by a better fisherman.
Nice wide turns, some speed change on the straight. The tourists turns thing comes from the fact that a turn on the 8 has to be large enough for the fish to adjust (this is mainly for blades). Especially on Vermilion those big piggies dont like a sharp turn in the 8. |
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Posts: 759
Location: Ames, Iowa | Suick is my number 1 follow bait. Number 1 follow bait for big fish. I always figure 8 with a Suick. BTW, I have read others say they don't figure 8 topwaters. I always figure 8 topwaters. The reason to throw a topwater is to get hit on top. I believe a fish is always behind my topwater near the surface, so why not do the 8. |
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Posts: 1971
| Because if you pay attention there are conditions it’s a complete waste of time...that would be why! |
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Posts: 759
Location: Ames, Iowa | I'm on Leech, and sometimes the water isn't very clear with algae. Another thing is wind and the break up it causes on the water- hard to see through the water even with glasses. Also, when I find great cabbage, I again assume a fish in on that piece of cabbage. Is it a full 8 all of the time? No- sometimes just a J when I get disenchanted and lazy. |
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Posts: 1971
| Are there conditions you should do more than one full 8 when you didn’t see a follow? ..absolutely yes!!... new topic?  |
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