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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Had two fish that should have hit the net this weekend that didn't. First fish came in fairly unimpressive. Not sluggish but not hot either. Sped the bait up, took it deep, made a left turn, fish dropped down with the bait and seemed more interested. Started to turn into the 8 and hung the bait up for the fish to eat and she came up and swung at it and seemed to miss. Kept the bait moving but that was all she wrote. If this was the only one I'd chalk it up to whiff and move on.
Second fish saw it and knew this one was going to eat. Went through the same process and hung the bait up there again for the fish to eat and she smoked it. Came back across the eyes for the hook set and nothing.
Frustrating. I don't think I did a whole lot wrong, but with a trip to LOTW coming up I want to be on my game. Luckily these weren't giants, but I want to be ready for the giant.
Thoughts? |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | It could have just been the way the fish hit, the second one anyway and the hook just didn't grab. I have seen fish do the first scenario a few times too. Funny thing, the hatchery people say muskies do the same with pellets, try to eat and miss. They say pike do not have that problem. Even when things seem perfect, you won't get them sometimes. There are times when you think, that one won't eat and it does.
I can remember fishing with reelwise in indiana one time quite awhile ago and i had a follow, it stayed close and aggressive, forever. Never once tried to eat, never once backed off the bait. It lasted over 10 minutes, we were laughing so hard, he was calling out funny moves for me to try and the fish just kept on the bait no matter what i did.
Edited by ToddM 8/5/2017 7:29 PM
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Posts: 864
Location: NE Ohio | sh.... happens! join the club, we all have them stories at one time or another. you'll be on a streak soon of every fish eating on the 8 and you'll think you've finally mastered it................NOT! then you'll get back to the ones that have poor aim all of the time and you'll drive yourself crazy. LOL. crazy fish....................thats why we love m! |
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Posts: 57
| If your hanging the bait on the turn I'd say your not doing anything wrong. I've had four hit in the eight this year and they were all on the turn.. reading the fish is a huge factor too. Sometime they want the bait to slow down and will hit on the turn, but other times they will smoke it when I'm burning it through the middle of the eight. Best of luck at LOTW though!! |
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Posts: 770
| Sounds like your doing everything right. I also have been on a hot streak with figure 8 fish this year. Had a 43 and a 44.5 both hit in the figure 8 about 3 hours apart a few weeks ago |
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Posts: 51
| Greetings,
The original post reminded me of a situation that happened to me and my partner, about eight years or so ago. We were on a hot musky bite in NW Ontario. We were burning small bucktails over cabbage weed during the middle of the afternoon. The bucktail simply needed to have black hair, with an orange blade and moving at the speed of light.
The fish were there to eat, with no lackadaisical followers to be found. There were some "swings and misses" as you might expect, but the second scenario in the original post is what triggered my reply. I had a mid to upper 40 inch fish come in on the figure 8 and crush my bait. I set the hook as best I could. The fish stripped out about 25 feet of line on her initial run and then she was, gone!
I believe she clamped down on the lure on the strike and during her initial run. I doubt that I ever got a good hook into her jaw/mouth.
The lures that we burned that week were made with pretty small treble hooks, probably 2/0 or 3/0. This caused me to wonder if the small hook contributed to the missed fish. There might not have been enough gap available to allow the hook's points to dig into something. The hook might have just slid across the roof of her mouth until it caught onto a tooth.
I now make nearly all of my bucktails with much larger hooks - 5/0 to 7/0. I can't say this change has improved my results, but my brain is at least happier.
Good fishing and tight lines!!
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Posts: 291
Location: Madison, WI | I had an upper 40s inhale a super model to where you could barely see the blades, set back into her, one head shake, opened mouth and bait came out like it didn't even have hooks. Just stood there and was like, um, so that happened. Hooks were sharp, hooks werent tangled in the flashabou. Just literally nothing you can do right sometimes. Good thing about LOTW, you will have plenty of chances to work on your figure 8 game.
Edited by PredLuR 8/6/2017 8:27 AM
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | PredLuR - 8/6/2017 8:26 AM
I had an upper 40s inhale a super model to where you could barely see the blades, set back into her, one head shake, opened mouth and bait came out like it didn't even have hooks. Just stood there and was like, um, so that happened. Hooks were sharp, hooks werent tangled in the flashabou. Just literally nothing you can do right sometimes. Good thing about LOTW, you will have plenty of chances to work on your figure 8 game.
That's pretty much what I did on the second fish. Just stood there thinking (saying) WTF?! |
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Location: oswego, il | Pointerpride102 - 8/6/2017 8:34 AM
PredLuR - 8/6/2017 8:26 AM
I had an upper 40s inhale a super model to where you could barely see the blades, set back into her, one head shake, opened mouth and bait came out like it didn't even have hooks. Just stood there and was like, um, so that happened. Hooks were sharp, hooks werent tangled in the flashabou. Just literally nothing you can do right sometimes. Good thing about LOTW, you will have plenty of chances to work on your figure 8 game.
That's pretty much what I did on the second fish. Just stood there thinking (saying ) WTF?!
In that situation the bait probably didn't move enough to get the hooks in. |
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Location: Chisholm, MN | ToddM - 8/6/2017 9:23 AM
Pointerpride102 - 8/6/2017 8:34 AM
PredLuR - 8/6/2017 8:26 AM
I had an upper 40s inhale a super model to where you could barely see the blades, set back into her, one head shake, opened mouth and bait came out like it didn't even have hooks. Just stood there and was like, um, so that happened. Hooks were sharp, hooks werent tangled in the flashabou. Just literally nothing you can do right sometimes. Good thing about LOTW, you will have plenty of chances to work on your figure 8 game.
That's pretty much what I did on the second fish. Just stood there thinking (saying ) WTF?!
In that situation the bait probably didn't move enough to get the hooks in.
It just happens on occasion. Probably the most frustrating thing actually. You tricked her into eating then set the hook right but it somehow just squeeks through! I think it's best not to set the hook a lot of times and basically just put a little extra pressure on it. As soon as it knows it's hooked, it will thrash and bury it deep.
Edited by Kirby Budrow 8/6/2017 10:09 AM
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Kirby Budrow - 8/6/2017 10:07 AM
ToddM - 8/6/2017 9:23 AM
Pointerpride102 - 8/6/2017 8:34 AM
PredLuR - 8/6/2017 8:26 AM
I had an upper 40s inhale a super model to where you could barely see the blades, set back into her, one head shake, opened mouth and bait came out like it didn't even have hooks. Just stood there and was like, um, so that happened. Hooks were sharp, hooks werent tangled in the flashabou. Just literally nothing you can do right sometimes. Good thing about LOTW, you will have plenty of chances to work on your figure 8 game.
That's pretty much what I did on the second fish. Just stood there thinking (saying ) WTF?!
In that situation the bait probably didn't move enough to get the hooks in.
It just happens on occasion. Probably the most frustrating thing actually. You tricked her into eating then set the hook right but it somehow just squeeks through! I think it's best not to set the hook a lot of times and basically just put a little extra pressure on it. As soon as it knows it's hooked, it will thrash and bury it deep.
This was about the only thing I think I could have done differently. |
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Posts: 8782
| I lost about a 52 up on Eagle like that. She went around twice and smacked the bait right on the outside. Clear water, saw it coming, saw her open her mouth, set the hook hard, down and away from the fish. She made a few good runs, kept pressure on her and finally got her to the boat, on the surface, facing away from me. Just far enough away where we couldn't reach her with the net. I'm reeling really slow trying to turn her towards the boat/net. Come on, I only need about 2 feet. Nets ready, just gotta turn her. Got her parallel to the boat when she decided enough was enough. One more run and she was off.
I could have tried to horse her I suppose, but who knows if she would have stayed on...
The ones that kill me are the ones that hit out on a cast, you set the hook, feel the weight and a few head shakes, and then.... nothing. Never see them, no idea how big they might have been or why they cane unhooked. |
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Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | 'set the hook hard, down and away from the fish'.
WHY IS THIS WRONG?
Have fun!
Al |
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Posts: 51
| Greetings,
The post by Esoxaddict reminded me of a scenario that took place two seasons ago on a lake in NW Ontario. A few years earlier, I found a spot that seemed to have everything: rocks, cabbage weed, wood, quick access to deep water and wind that generally blows into this place. I fished it many times without seeing a fish on it.
Two seasons ago, I stopped one evening to cast this same spot, as the conditions were perfect. I had a low 50 inch fish come in hot on my bucktail. I got half-way through the first figure eight and hung the bait on beginning of the outside turn. I saw the fish open its mouth and take my bait inside its mouth. I immediately set the hook back into her ...... nothing!! I completely swung and missed. I watched the fish thrash her head side to side as she was pointed away from me, and then she was ..... gone. I haven't seen her since.
I was immediately reminded of the old lesson - wait until you feel the weight of the fish. This matter bothered me for a long time. I was chatting with Steve Heiting (Musky Hunter) about this situation. He told me that he had something similar happen while he was on a video shoot. He said they played the video in slow motion and noticed his fish inhaled the bait and immediately blew it back out in the same "breath".
Maybe this is what happened in the second scenario of the original post?
Good fishing and tight lines!! |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I watched 2 50s engulf a bucktail in the 8 last week and the hookset was perfect..both got off... chalk it up to "some get off".. I like to put big hooks on the back and bend them out a touch.... set hard, don't free spool in the 8 imo...keep at it!
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | Mike. You know what you are doing. Don't let your confidence waver due to a few missed opportunities. Listen to Bradly. It happens. Drive to Canada with confidence in your boatside skills and good things will happen for you. Drive up there biting your nails with insecurity... and your trip will be a disaster. Good Luck! |
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Posts: 983
| IT happens my Man I had one Either Miss or short strike this weekend at beginning of Long Cast Kept it Coming....Got it to Boat Started the Figure 8 Never saw the Fish short struck Tail again were I could just barely see head kept Going in the Eight it Short Struck again this Time I couldnt see anything i was lil deeper felt Pressure Pulled up hard there for split Second then Gone again....Just happens
Edited by 25homes 8/8/2017 8:29 AM
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Location: Madison, WI | BNelson - 8/7/2017 10:14 AM
I watched 2 50s engulf a bucktail in the 8 last week and the hookset was perfect..both got off... chalk it up to "some get off".. I like to put big hooks on the back and bend them out a touch.... set hard, don't free spool in the 8 imo...keep at it!
This x100. Ive also just gotten used to the fact that it happens. I now try and say that I at least got to see the fish, do everything correct and that luck is exactly just that, luck. The only difference is I didnt get her in the net, touch her, and get a picture of her. The experience is still the same whether it ends up in a net or not.
Its also just another piece to the puzzle, you didnt get her but you either found a new spot, new pattern or had a theory or an idea for a spot pay off because if there is one fish there there could and probably will be more.
(this is what i tell myself after swearing profusely for an hour and playing my internal "quiet game" until i get over it) |
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Location: Minnetonka | esoxaddict - 8/6/2017 12:54 PM
The ones that kill me are the ones that hit out on a cast, you set the hook, feel the weight and a few head shakes, and then.... nothing. Never see them, no idea how big they might have been or why they cane unhooked.
Pike...always pike. I sleep better "knowing" that. |
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Location: The desert | Happy to report I redeemed myself with a 50 in the first turn of the 8 last week. The sun and moon must have aligned.... |
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Posts: 441
| Happens all the time, on Vermilion! |
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| Good work. |
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Location: Minnesota. | bucknuts - 8/26/2017 12:18 PM
Happens all the time, on Vermilion!
This....times 10!!
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Location: Illinois | Glad to hear and see the figure 8 confidence back up! Congrats! |
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Location: NE Ohio | Pointerpride102 - 8/26/2017 12:37 PM
Happy to report I redeemed myself with a 50 in the first turn of the 8 last week. The sun and moon must have aligned....
this sport is just full of PEAKS and VALLEYS..............enjoy the ride!  |
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Figure 8 woes