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Posts: 358
| I thought this might be an interesting topic folks. What new baits did you try out this year that you really liked or disliked.
I picked up two baits (both at the Chicago Muskie Show) that I really liked, and I stuck fish on one of them. The first is the 9" Big Game bait. Subtle, but with lots of fish atracting flash. Boated one (35-1/2") and rasied some really nice fish on it. The second bait is a top water bait (dont know the name) made by WidowMaker. Had a bunch of fish up on it, a couple of blow-ups over it. Maybe next year they will actually hit it!
I can honestly say that I didnt throw any new baits that I was unhappy with. Maybe I just got lucky this year.
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | Mepps Marabou----They ROCK!!
Awesome bait that will continue to put a bunch of fish in my boat.
Triple D----Good looking bait, still haven't thrown it enough to give you a complete rating though. |
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Posts: 346
| The triple D. This bait is so versatile even a muskie moron like myself can catch something on it. I have no problems throwing this lure into 1-2' of water just littered with rocks to thick cabbage, timber, and every other structure known to man.
MJB |
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Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | Salmo Slider
Got a 45" Muskie and my largest Largemouth ever, 7+ lbs on the sinking carbon killer color? I think that's the color name. |
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Posts: 827
Location: Minneapolis,Minnesota | Hands down my favorite new bait this year has been the Tuff Shad glider I traded from MuskieE. Works like a charm, plus the best hooking glider I've ever used.
This bait will takes props over all other gliders in my box.
I also really like the ERC Rip N Glide, moved tons of fish on it hopefully will have somemore hitters next year. The death wobble on the rise of this bait is awesome!! |
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Posts: 177
Location: Germantown & Land O Lakes WI | Great Question
Likes
1) Mepps Marabou
2) Suick Side Thriller
3) Rapala Super Shads ( I got to use all colors this year and just about all produced a follow or a fish)
Dislikes
1) Bucher's Super Top Raider (I know it came out last year, but this is the first year I've used it regularly) The original Top Raider is alot more dependable.
2) Musky Mainia's purple and green Squirly Berts..I was a sucker for the pretty colors...the pretty colors failed me.
Edited by 52isntbigenough 10/30/2003 2:14 PM
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Location: Hayward WI | I love the 7" Slammer Deep divers, was grinding bottom trolling in 22' flatlining last weekend, just need more time fishing them!
Don't really care for the Zalt yet, doesn't seem to do much, though it may be operator error. |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Likes:
Slammer- Drop Belly Glider
Hawg Seekers - Slow Tease
Custom Bait from Lee Tauchen
Triple D - so far so good but not allot of use.
Less than Favorites: (not saying their bad, just not for me, more than likely operator error..:))
Super Topraider - couldn't even get a Canada fish to eat one.
10" Manta - great action, I just can't get a fish to eat'em.
Tried and True baits that produced again this year:
Undertakers
Boo-Tails
Topraiders
Mouldy's stuff
Tinsel Tails
Doc |
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Posts: 391
| Baits that I think were new this year that I really liked were,
Slammer drop belly
Slammer 6" deep diver
little jerko
Big game crankbaits
Baits that have been around awhile that I just discovered
shallow invader
low rider
Deiter Globe
Not so good for me that I recently tried,
not sure have not used too many baits this year, that is something new for me!!
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| Likes,
Black/Orange Super Top Raider (22 muskies alone on this lure)
10 Inch Black Manta (Best Jigging, Twitching, Pumping Glide Bait, Shallow Milfoil, Open Water; It Doesn't Matter)
Walleye Prism Phantom
Rad Dog Spinnerbaits.
Hawg Wobblers
Lindy Tiger Tubes
Bumble Bee Suicks
Depth Raiders
Jakes
Dis-likes.
Shallow Invader (It peeled like a bannana; PCV color ala Sharpie)
Triple D (Trolling, Casting, It Doesn't Seem To Matter) |
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Posts: 358
| I forgot to add a bait to my LIKES column after reading some of the posts here. The hang 10 Manta's rock! I painted up one for myself in a pattern that I thought would work, and it did. Second time out on the lake, 7 fish up, and one in the boat!
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | Dave, our best bait this year was the orange/black topraider, and I am going to order the supertopraider for next season. I assume you use both sizes, but you do better with the larger size?22is impressive.Do you feel you catch bigger fish with the supertopraider, or just more fish because of the additional size? Amazing to me is some don,t do well with either, and the supertopraider was listed as the worse bait in two responses.I only fish stained water, and I have confidence in the bait, which might be factors.I know when the new lures come out, I try them, but I seem to go back to the standards, which probally is a confidence factor.I probably don,t give the new lures an honest effort. |
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Posts: 626
Location: ashtabula ohio | cant raise a fish on a manta,lotsa hours too. was new to bulldawgs this year and luv em... |
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | Dave, I forgot to ask you, when we get within 6 foot of the boat, we bring the topraider underwater, and go into a L paralel to the boat, which is where we get hits, if we have follows.We don,t seem to get 8 hits.Either, they are coming like a bat out of hell or nothing.Feedback?Thanks for your help. |
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| Jay,
Dick Pearson provided me a tip last year, along with Pat Smith from Thorne Brothers.
Pearson said him and his clients would bend the rear blade back so it would gurgle the water on slow retrieves.
Smith says it's just a big fish lure.
On Tonka, give me the twilight time or big wind and waves.
The hits are punishing hits: drop a 10 pound chunk of cement from 10 feet and thats what the surface explodes like.
I have two modes to fish that lure: extremely slow in the slop and then fast in big waves.
Topwaters, in general, move a big amount of big muskies each year on certain waters and I catch huge bass, pike and big muskies on Tonka each year, tossing that Black/Orange Super TopRaider.
I certainly know about this one lure longevity. Jason Schillinger lost his prize Top Raider from wear out and mine is still ticking strong at 64 muskies todate.
I focus on fishing for big muskies at my 25 musky year career and I am sold in fishing that lure exclusively at certain times from June through September when them muskies are chasing topwaters.
Pat Smith from Thorne Brothers told me it's just a big fish lure and when Pat speaks, I listen. Pat has outfitted me in my lures and gear since the mid 90's and he is a musky fishing professional that is second to none in my book.
I don't fish the TopRaider as I have that much confidence in the Super TopRaider...
I was out on Tonka last night and I ended the trip in darkness and had my only hit on it, with water temperatures at 49.5.
I wouldn't leave home without it... The picture of me in this post is my September Tonka prize, at sunset, in 30 mile per winds, in 3 foot waves and the water just exploded... I had to live well the fish and motor to calmer areas to get the pictures.
Except, maybe, for fishing the Hang 10 Manta. That lure, by itself, would catch muskies when the STR wasn't producing. It was my one/two punch this year.
With the Manta, I have learned to jig the jerkbait rod immediately after splashdown to keep the lure just subsurface at the end of a long cast.
I had so many muskies come up top and eat the lure within 3 seconds of splashdown, and I was missing these hits because I was pumping the lure down with 9 - 6 pumps, that I learned to jig the lure from 10 - 12 o'clock to keep it swinging up and not down and then, oh boy, did I see them subsurface strikes and have a ball catching them.
During mid-September, I was 5 for 6 on 6 different spots having similar characteristics and I was so tuned for that first cast in and the first subsurface swings, and then it comes eating.
I left the water that day becoming a huge fan of the Hang 10 Manta.
Oh, yea, once you get the lure half way back, switch to 9 - 6 pumping..
The jigging is very good fishing very shallow milfoil and that brings everything out: big bass, big muskies...
The Suick is my other really good shallow milfoil lure...
Edited by ddfenner 10/31/2003 8:42 AM
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Posts: 66
Location: Wales Wi. | The Creepinstein is by far the most awsome top water I have ever thrown. I have been getting railed every where I go on this monster..Its a cross between a huge creeper and a globe made by Laura Morrison and has been my ace in the hole and cant wait to get a whole season on it next year..My waste of money lure this year has been about a ten way tie with the squirly bert out at the head of the pack. |
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | Howie, who carries this lure. Not familiar with it.Largest fish we ever had on, was on a creeper, so I am always interested in a similar lure.Thanks. |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | I know I am going to forget something but here goes:
SS shad
7" lip ripper
h2os2t gliders and topwater
Musky Treats Glider
Zam!
Muskie 911 lures
Musky Dart glider
Slammer deep divers
Slammer 6" drop belly glider
Widowmaker jerkbait
rubberhairy glider
rubberhairy bucktail
small sized zalt
slammer drop belly deep diver(show special)
I will post more as my pea brain remembers them
Edited by ToddM 11/2/2003 11:01 AM
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Posts: 66
Location: Wales Wi. | Jay, the Creepinstein is made in limited numbers and you would have to ask Laura from Muskies 101 to make you one,if she still is I would say its worth 55 bucks because I know I would not sell mine for 3 times that..the action of this lure is something you have never seen or heard..the front half is a creeper with slightly larger wings and the back half snakes around with a prop..this is a 3 piece lure,finely tuned killin machine. |
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Posts: 184
Location: Rockford Il 61108 | Its sucks that the season is coming to end but this is a good topic.
Likes- Dislikes-
Bull Dawg Not much luck with my buck tails
Jake 10'
Boo Tail
Reef Hawg
Suick
Squirly Burt
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Posts: 827
Location: Minneapolis,Minnesota | Oh,all this Topraider talk reminded me that I should put the "Old" Field Mouse Topraider that I found in a tackle shop this year and paid an arm and a leg for in my Favorite baits of the year. The owner said it was sitting there for many years and no one want's it, with the price tag he had on it I can see why, it was almost twice as much as you would pay anywhere else. I heard the older Topraiders make a better noise so I dropped the coin and don't regret it at all. I've had more Topraider action this year then ever before, turned a presentation I barely ever use to my "go to" when the conditions are right.
Sqweek...plop...sqweek..plop...sqweek...plop...BAM!! |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | Mepps has done good for me, I like the new Maribous and can't wait to get a fish on one; no one has mentioned the Wabul, awesome bait. If I can't raise a fish on one, maybe I can at least bonk him on the head with it! I still love my Tuff Shad glider and Bubba the MuskyTreats! m |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Lures I bought that produced for me: Manta Small Suick (my favorite this year) Poe's Awaker Undertakers, all 3 new ones worked well Walleye Pattern Jerko (In Canada this year this was my go to glider) Zams (pike eat these things with absolute abandon) Violent Strike Magnum Buzzer Baits I acquired: ToddM tails, GREAT lures Rubberhairy, nice lure! H20 X Glide in Pike, Walter, and Purple Haze ( Secret Weapon....) Wabull ----THIS is a nice bait. EASY to work, too Tinsel Tails (Sue's favorite spinner) Doc Beaver Tail, topwater and bucktails (great lures from a great guy, despite the fact he is old and dilapidated) Baits that gave me trouble: Pacemaker (fish love this thing. I had tons of action, had LOTS of fish hit it, and never boated a good one. Bad luck, me thinks. I have it all shined up and ready for next year) POS baits: None Ridiculous to the point of sublime: Chuck E Duck (great conversation piece, wouldn't give it up for anything. Any lure that has to have 'this is not a toy' printed on the packaging should run up a red flag out of the chute) Baits I wanted, but didn't pop for: Huges River Shaker Anything from Cobbs Smitty Topwater Top Raider (I know, Norm, I know, sorry!) |
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Posts: 132
Location: Kawarthas, Ontario | I always make a point of trying one or two new lures every season. This year, I opted to give the Shallow Invader a run. The bait has a truly awesome action, but it's longevity is poor:
The paint and outer clear-coat were peeling after less than 1 1/2 hours of trolling time. The hooks tangle frequently. The hooks chew-up the body and the tail more than most other baits. Those soft plastic tails get shredded badly when a muskie hits. Despite several cigarette lighter fusing jobs, a tail is good for 2-4 fish and it is junk.
I caught fish on them, and some good ones too periodically. But keeping them running is an expensive and time consuming project. If you're on a limited budget, this is not a bait you want to invest money in.
Steve Wickens
STRIKE ZONE Muskie charters |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | I am a fortunate one and get to try H2O Tackle's prototypes out. Roger is set to produce a new glider called the Nitro (as in nitroglycerine). I got my hands on a couple and WOW do they ever have the action. As with all of Roger's creations, they are built indestructable and the paint jobs are a work of art.
IMHO this is a must have bait!
http://www.h2otackle.com |
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Posts: 87
Location: Wauwatosa, WI | best baits for me this year:
1. manta (most action for the whole year and in all conditions)
2. mepps muskie marabou
3. fuzzy duzzit(largest fish of the year, in 40' of water, off the bottom)46"and fat.
baits I didn't have any luck on
1.super top raider
2.invaders
3.sideways suick (don't know why, maybe not using them correctly)
Bob Ryan |
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Posts: 148
Location: DES MOINES, IOWA | Steve, I see a lot of baits that Rollie and Helens don,t supply. I have bought 90% of my stuff from them for years, but they sure don,t carry a lot of the stuff listed here. For instance the H20 line.Being I live in Des Moines, I have to catalog order all of my Musky equipment, like probably a lot of people.Where is there a listing of the companys, who carry Musky equipment, and ship. Thanks, |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | OutdoorsFIRST is about ready to launch a place just like you described. Give us a few days, and more news will be forthcoming. We intend to offer the specialty baits from our friends here onsite, plus a few other items of interest. |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | The hot bait for me this year has been a chart/purple Slippery Sam Jr. on smaller dark water lakes. I really like the firetiger dropbelly glider Divani made for me, haven't boated a fish with it yet but have had some lookers, this bait has awesome action. There really isn't a new bait that I bought this year that has disappointed me. |
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Posts: 196
| New baits for me this year that I really became confident in:
1. Lilly tails-these lures go through anything and work great in pads and the slop.
2. Undertaker
3. DDD- only two fish but my only 2 deep crankbait fish
4. Rubberhairy glider (white)- put 3 in my boat and many other hits when nothing else was working for me. You can really make this bait dance and when you get it to come up on the pause the fish seem to come out of nowhere to eat it. Can't wait to throw it next spring.
Not so good:
1. Side ways suick
2. Squirko-only used it some and am 0 for 2 already. |
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Posts: 41
| This year I revisited a pile of Bulldawgs that have been with me for a few years. For some reason this year they were unstoppable. Tried the pacemaker and was satisfied with the results. Also, hate to do a shameless plug but the prototype Big Ten Lip Ripper I used this year put some big fish in the boat. Glad we still have a couple of weeks of soft water. |
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Posts: 105
Location: Kawartha Lakes, Ontario | Depthmaster 10" jerkbait was this season's big surprise. I caught almost half of my fish on this thing this year, and most came on the troll. It will troll at any speed (down 6 - 8 feet) with a tight wiggle. Hand made from cedar, it's a good looking lure that just plain catches fish. |
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Posts: 162
Location: Madison, WI | These are the ones I really liked out of several new purchases:
1. Thin shakers Divani made for me - great action and easy to work
2. Slammer Drop Belly Gliders
3. Hughes River Panfish Igniters - not as a jerkbait but as a lipless crankbait
4. Loz Harrop Darters
Dislike:
1. New Bull Dawgs - They roll too easy and the new tail doesn't give off as much vibration as the old ones.
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Posts: 477
Location: Iowa | DDD, and Slammer Drop Belly are awesome!! Others I tried and like but haven't connected yet are Manta, Grim Reaper spinner bait, Cobbs jerkbait, Creepinstien, Pacemaker(just a matter of time with this one, I just can't get the hooks 'em). These are some of the favorites I tried this year. Only one that I was really disappointed in, squirrely burt. I'll keep trying though. |
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| Hey Jay,
45.7 F, sunset, 30 mile per hour winds.
Super TopRaider..
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 Tonka28.jpg (27KB - 142 downloads)
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Posts: 2089
| Phat Boy
LOW Rider
Mepps Musky Marabou
Pearl Manta(Custom from the Fishing Connection) |
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Posts: 2089
| Never met a Muskie bait I didn't like!!! Steve |
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Posts: 354
| Best baits this year were Joel Wick's creepers and globes. Last year
it was his flaptails. The husky size hog wobbler was hot early this
spring too. Eagle tails were hot on LOTW.
Biggest flop was the new bulldawgs. I agree with the earlier post in
that they don't perform as well as the old models. The bodies bend up easy and they don't run as true. |
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Posts: 103
Location: Illinoise | My favorite bait this year has been the Slammer DBG. It moved fish when nothing else would. I also tried the bulldawg and liked that a lot as well.
The bait I didn't like had to be the tiger tube. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | I finally picked up a DDD, and loove that thing. It was in the water about 75% of the time I was on the water this weekend. Great looking bait. I didn't smack a fish on it yet, accept for 2 bass and a pike, but it will get a soaking in Okauchee through the end of the season. I think the Manta's would have to go on my list as well. I don't have any, but have seen them in the water with people I have fished with. Great look!
I have also been throwing more Bulldawgs this year and gaining confidence in them.
Good Lungen,
Joel |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Likes:
Mepps Musky Marabou: Absolutely awesome! Got it way too late in the year, but boy did it move fish.
Slammer Drop Belly Glider: For a guy that hates jerkbaits (me) this thing is great.
Triple D: Love it, love it, love it! Half the fish in my boat this year were on it, including my biggest (48" tiger).
Bulldawgs & Shallowdawgs(Revisited): Gave them a good workout this year, and I'm glad I did! I agree about the older ones, but the new ones are still catching fish.
TR Titchers & Topwaters: Twitchers are awesome, and the globe Terry makes is now my favorite topwater. Really moved some big fish on it early in the year. Saw some of his other topwaters in Canada, and I may now have to get them.
Dislikes:
New Bulldawg: Don't like the idea of the painted bulldawgs, and the stiff wire instead of the sevenstrand. They bend up too easy. don't like the inconsistancy with the weighting in the shallowdawg.
Livebait/quickstrikes: Why do I even waste my time on these?
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Location: Illinois-Indiana | Likes:
DDD
Slammer Drop Belly Glider, this bait has put fish in my boat when nothing else would.
New Bucktails by Snowcrest lures, especially the marabou ones these things really attract fish.
Undertaker, just started using it this year and really love it.
Manta, another lure I just started using, really looks good in the water and will have it's time and place.
Phantoms
Edited by Musky Fever 11/6/2003 8:03 AM
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Posts: 2378
| Likes...
Manta - just introduced to it this year. so easy to use, and i love the action.
Undertaker - ditto
Mepps Musky Marabou - Love this bucktail. awesome action, and you can throw it all day and barely know it.
DDD - not real good at working it yet, but i know it will produce.
Dislike...
shallow dawg - i like the idea, but one of mine actually goes deeper than my normal mag dawg. might as well stick to the normal ones.
shallow invader - not that impressed with this bait yet. will continue to give it a workout though |
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Posts: 2061
Location: Belgium | so far the new bulldawgs. They are way too stiff and although they may be more solid you tend to bend the wire about every fifth cast and after it bends the first time you just can't seem to get it to track true anymore. I also do not like the spray painted colors and the new modified tail sucks big time. I wonder what made them change the shape of the bulldawg. Please go back to the old shape!!! |
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