Eagle Lake - best top water bait??
Jdoyle
Posted 3/26/2016 10:05 AM (#811303)
Subject: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??




Posts: 48


Heading up to Eagle for the opener. First timer. Any suggestions to the best top water bait you guys have seen work on Eagle in the early summer?? Color would be nice too.

What about walk the dog type baits?

Thanks
WiscoMusky
Posted 3/28/2016 8:21 PM (#811591 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??




Posts: 397


Location: Wisconsin
I like lee lures fish stick a lot. The other would be lee lures water chopper. Both have produced really well for me up there. What lodge are you fishing out of? That can make a difference in terms of the water clarity you're dealing with at each particular end of the lake
Slamr
Posted 3/29/2016 11:23 AM (#811641 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??





Posts: 7036


Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs
You could bring a blackbird topraider and a black weagle and be set.
BNelson
Posted 3/29/2016 12:52 PM (#811648 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??





Location: Contrarian Island
early in the season up there I'd go with a side to side vs prop bait...not that they won't hit a prop bait they will but water temps under say 70 early in the year side to sides tend to get more action..I'd go with a baby weagle and Lee Lures fish stick
Musky Brian
Posted 3/29/2016 7:25 PM (#811715 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??





Posts: 1767


Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin
Anything is possible....but big water like Eagle that far north generally takes longer to get going for Muskies. I wouldn't be coming out of the box with topwater that early in the year

Edited by Musky Brian 3/29/2016 7:26 PM
BNelson
Posted 3/30/2016 10:44 AM (#811818 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??





Location: Contrarian Island
don't let water temps or that it is early in the year think topwaters don't work...I know plenty of guys that back when the weagle came out were using them with great success in Northern WI right on the opener working them slow and methodical... zig zags work great early in the year esp slow with some pauses...
Jdoyle
Posted 3/30/2016 7:48 PM (#811933 - in reply to #811591)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??




Posts: 48


I am fishing out of Cedar Point Lodge. I appreciate the insights !

Edited by Jdoyle 3/30/2016 7:51 PM
muskiewhored
Posted 3/31/2016 10:22 PM (#812109 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??





Location: Oswego, IL
This year maybe a bit warmer than the past at opener.........
WiscoMusky
Posted 4/1/2016 12:14 AM (#812123 - in reply to #812109)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??




Posts: 397


Location: Wisconsin
On the north and mid sections of eagle, I'd definitely throw an all black walk the dog. Water is clearer up there, so a bait that stands out against the background of the sky will be important

Edited by WiscoMusky 4/1/2016 12:15 AM
swanezy
Posted 4/4/2016 8:33 AM (#812450 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: Re: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??




Posts: 78


Topwater works fine on opener in NW ontario, unless you have massive cold fronts. I dont normally fish eagle, but I caught 7 on topwater alone last opener on weagles, big mamas, and homewreckers
Andy Myers Lodge
Posted 4/4/2016 10:43 AM (#812463 - in reply to #811303)
Subject: RE: Eagle Lake - best top water bait??





Location: Eagle Lake Vermilion Bay, Ontario
except in the most extreme late ice out yrs. surface water temps are in at least the low 60's by 3rd week of june (opener) so really your topwater choices are governed more by the "which tool" rule meaning cover,how big a spot,weather,how much wind,time of the day etc. . but remember late spring/early summer water temps can be decieving,surface temps tell only that, 2-4' below can be a diff. story) but ,that being said, the most consistent early season (as well as off stable weather or water temp conditions) topwaters on eagle are zig zags. weagles,one eyes ( my fav in the real clear water) ,fish sticks,jackpots will all catch fish but docs out perform on all sections of eagle with white superman the fav of the guides on staff. doz's of 50"+ document it. not sure if its the big rattle knock the doc has but probably has something to do with the initial interest and draw. black is typically my first choice for most topwaters,why white ?? cause of thousands of hrs of expereince and the fish tell us they like it and eat it. to be honest though,if a fish is up and hunting,which is the fish you have a high % of a positive strike reaction it will know its there for quite a dist. and make a move regardless of color,resulting silhouette,etc.
in a diff catagory subtle baits like spashtails and hog wobblers/H2O's type baits are good early season choices also and tend to produce better than the faster louder baits . personally my choices till water temps are above mid-high 60's for big fish and previous early season catches 50-56" have been on #7-8 blades,reg-mag dawgs,and minnow bait/jerkbaits.
steve herbeck
AML prop. emeritus,guest fishing instruction coordinator,master guide
facebook.com/AndyMyersLodge andymyerslodge.com