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| I want to get some feed back on a missed fish this past weekend. My buddy Pete and I hit the water at 5:45am within 10 min had nearvous suckers in 8 feet weed edge. pete grabbed the pole and said we had one on.....That's when the musky took off to deeper water like a king salmon, we estimated it stripped out at least 50 yds of line with the clicker on. We were both freakin because this was the same area I caught a 38lb cpr early summer. As soon as the fished stop running Pete hammer set the hooks. I saw the rod bend in half and boom the fish was off....When we retrived the line the rig was gone and all that was left was the Mania liter and a snapped in half clip....Two questions....The way the fish took off like a bat out of hell anyway to indicate if that was a 30+ fish? Secondly looking at the Mania clip where the rubber band fastens we realized how cheap and flimsy it was. I hope I didn't kill the female I released earlier in the year due to a company using cheapier material to make more profit!!!
Sorry to drag out the story so long..taking after the wife=] |
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Posts: 32957
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | First question: IMHO: If the line ripped off against the drag and took out 50 yards, it was a good fish. If you were on free spool, and just the clicker was on, it could have been almost any size. Second question: What was the quick strike rig you were using? How did you have it set up? Anyone else out there have any insight? |
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| No drag just the clicker resistance. I have never had a fish take a 14" sucker and run like that before, that's why i'm questioning the weight of the fish...We'll never know but based on how long the run was we both think she was a big girl...
It was a Mania quick set. It was set up with a rubber band and must have broke when the hooks engaged the musky's mouth..It failed based on either the weight of fish + Pete's hammer set surpassed the 75lb capacity of clip or it's cheap garbage that I spent 8.00 + 4.00 sucker and possable killed a big fish.
I think Pete Mania needs to build these rigs without any question of durability before he gets another 8 bucks out of me..
Don't get me wrong Mania makes great lures for reasonable prices but I would augment the rig with heavier clips if I were you.
We will be looking for a floating musky=( |
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Posts: 32957
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Sounds like a call to the company might be in order. I am certain they would want to know the rig failed. I talked to another anger tonight who had similar experience with the rig. He said it failed some, not EASILY, but failed too regularly for his liking. Anyone else? I can't say much, I don't fish suckers at all. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Why didn't you set the hooks when the fish was running?
Mike Hulbert
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | In my experience with suckers, usually the hard runners turn out to be smaller fish. I get real excited when I get the lazy ones that only take a couple short rips and start eating.
As far as the rig goes, give the Howie Rig (see the 7islands Quickstrike post) a try. Very little terminal tackle, the sucker is extremely natural looking on the rig, and all your hookset power transfers to the fish. |
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | You're not gonna believe this but here it goes.....
I went out on Little Green Lake in Green lake County for a few hours on Saturday morning. We got off the landing and got set-up, got out about 1/4 mile and I hear the CLIIIIIICK CLIIIICK........I see my Thill float moving away from the boat and I hit it right away....BOOM....I felt a tug then nothing......Im like SH!!!!!!!!!!!T, I lost a fish.....I drag the rig back to the boat and the only thing left was the leader....the trebels and snap swivel were all gone...So now there's another fish swimming around with a Mania lift off rig in it's face.. THANKS MUSKY MANIA!
I thought a chimp could crimp a D@MN sleeve! If anybody else out there reads this and has a Mania lift off, check EVERYTHING before going out! |
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | Like SWorrall, I don't fish meat either but every article I've ever read says to set the hook as soon as the fish is clearly swimming away from the angler. I will admit I'm suprised about the durability of the components. I hope Ben and Pete give you some satisfaction. They seem to really care about their products but have had problems in the past. Let us know what you found out. Sorry about your fish. Very disappointing I'm sure. |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | * By now you probably realize to set the hook when the fish is going away from the boat.
* GregM had one of the Mania snaps break on him a few years ago as well. I only use split rings on the quickstrikes I make. I'm sure Mania rigs would be just fine if you change the snap for a bucher split ring. Only thing is it would make rigging the rubber band a bit more difficult.
* Last year I had a fish screaming away with a sucker, I set the hook hard. Barely loaded the St. Croix glass rod and the line broke. It was my buds rig with 50# cortlan spectra line. We stopped at Rollie's that night and put 80# on it. You need heavy microbraid line for hanging meat. |
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Posts: 32957
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Pete is in Canada right now, so best bet if you have a problem with the Maina Quickset rig is to call the Corporate office and let them know. No company wants to sell something that has a problem, especially to Muskie anglers. My bet s they will move quickly to take care of the problems. |
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Posts: 1189
Location: Bagley,MN 56621 | Jo is right I did have a snap break, but it was on a Herbie rig, not a Mania lift-off (probably the same snap component though).
Apparently there was a "bad batch" of snaps that got circulated and I was the recipient of one. The same scenario as yours, clicker going crazy, I reeled down and popped her good..."plink" ......the snap broke and everything was gone.
Thanks to Jo for showing me how to make my own leaders, I DO NOT use snaps anymore, any kind....every bait has a split ring on it. makes it a pain using the rubber band system and putting it on a split ring.....thats why what 7 Islands was describing sounds appealing.
The same thing happened to Joe Bucher many years ago(not necessarily on a sucker rig, but a snap broke on him)...he has been snappless too for many years..
A Hayward area guide has a report on his site about a snap opening up and him losing bait/fish......I HATE SNAPS!!! |
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | I just emailed them about my problems...this is the second straight year I've had a failure. As of right now, I will not direct another customer to purchase a Mania Lift-Off. The last thing I need is to recommend a product that I'm not sure of....and Mania has lost my confidence.
I've noticed quality issues since they left Wausau...hope they can fix it, because they're baits have produced well for me. |
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| I had a Smitty rig break at the crimp this year,it was the last of the store bought stuff for me! Reef-Hawg has shown me how to make my own and am using the 7I rig also! Just a heads up! |
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | I emailed MM Tackle this morning and about 2 hours later, recieved a call from them wanting to know the problem. After discussing it, they told me that the crimping process would be looked at and so would quality....Guess who I got the call from?
I'm very impressed with the way this company has responded, reacted and was serious about handling a customer complaint...THANKS MM Tackle! I wish all companies would dedicate themselves to anglers not just the $$$! |
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| The bottom line is the rig failed despite waiting for the fish to stop or popping her while in motion. I don't get out as much as I would like due to kids wife so when I have fish on I want to be confident that nothing fails... Thats why we fish with 400.00 reel rod set ups, 35.00 line.. |
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | No doubt, with quick strike rigs you have to be confident that when you go to set, the rig will do it's job. Will I stop using the Mania Lift-Off? No, probally not (matter of fact, I put another one on as soon as I blew up the first one), but I'll be sure to inspect the rig's crimps and connections alot better now.
I still think that Mania's rig is the best on the market for CPR and fish survivability. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | I had a Herbie rig break at the crimp last week. That was a nice fish as well. I am now making the "Howie" version of the fluoro rig. I haven't boated a fish on it yet, but the log I hooked made me believe in the rig. |
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| The Howie rig was actually developed by Cal Johnson...I have a cabin in PI and have heard from the locals how well it's working in deep clear lakes. 8 for 8 I guess. My only concern is the lip tearing..
When i'm not in PI I'm fishing weedy lakes and tend to get caught up in weeds...I guess I will beef up the Mania rig and try the Cal rig this week on the weedy lakes.
Tad Dahl
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Posts: 246
Location: Jamestown, Pa. | I've never used sucker rigs. What was letting loose the crimps or the snaps? |
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | Crimps let loose on mine. The sleeve is still on it. |
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Posts: 124
Location: Rice Lake,WI | 50 yds out and you hookset? Why the wait? That's an awful lot of line out in the first place to try and get a solid hookset. Some one said earlier
that it was probably a smaller fish and he's right ,usually smaller fish do the snatch and blast as your heavyweights slide up grab when they feel like it,and roll away all cool and casual but yet with purpose...usually.
Try tying direct to b.b.swivel and use stronger crosslocks. Goodluck. |
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Quick set blues