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| Hi everyone, if anyone has some experience with these two gliders please chime in. I am definetely going to end up with one or the other or both but if anyone has any advice please let me know. I have a feeling that the undertaker is a more versatile bait but this is just a hunch. Thanks in advance y'all!
Doug |
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Posts: 317
Location: Grafton, WI | Doug,
I would say get both.
The Undertaker is an excellent walk-the-dog glide bait... depending on retrieve, can be worked fast, slow, in-between - a great bait to work just under the surface and have it pop up every now and again.
The Reef Hawg (at least the ones I have thrown) have a different action. They can be worked as a walk-the-dog style, but mine seem to be very erratic... not only side to side, but up, down, all around. The Reef Hawg is an even better lure once it is saturated with water.... gives it a lot more hang.
just my two cents.
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| Thanks alot, it sounds as though both baits are must haves to me. I was under the impression that the undertaker could be worked a little deeper then the reef hawg though, please correct me if I'm wrong. If you could choose between the two, which would it be?
Thanks again,
Doug |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | The reef hawgs can be worked pretty deep once they are soaked with some water or weighted. The undertakers can be counted down if you want. You should have some of each. They are 2 very different baits. The reefhawg won't glide as far as an undertaker, and is better fished real erratic as said above. The undertaker is more of a walk the dog bait that is more rhythmic in action, although you can make it dive straight down, or up if a fish is following, which is killer to get a reaction.
Get one of each and learn how they both work. |
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| Thanks tuffy, I think I will get one of each. Do you guys have any advice on when to throw each of these baits?
Doug |
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Posts: 5874
| I love throwing Undertakers, from the opener on. I usually reserve my Reef Hawgs for fall fatties, when fishing with suckers. Not all Reef Hawgs are created equal. I won't buy one unless I can put it in water. If it doesn't hang tail down, I try them until I get one that will. But that's just me. Some like to add weight to them. See JoMusky's website for weight kits. They're the best. |
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| seaman-
that's an easy choice to make... PHANTOM! 
steve |
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| Hey Steve, I've used a Phantom last season and was hoping to add to my glide bait selection. You're right though, the Phantom is an awesome bait, I've just heard such great things about the undertaker and the reef hawg that I've decided to get one and try it out.
I know all lakes are different but for guys fishing in slightly stained water, what are your favorite or most productive colors used? I'm pretty convinced on getting the black in either hawg or undertaker but I'd like to hear from some more experienced anglers on color preferences.
Doug |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | The white belly perch Undertaker has been very good to me when fishing clear water situations. The hot colors in Fire Tiger or Hot Tiger work well when the water is darker, cloudy or stained.
I like both the Reef Hawg and Undertaker.
If I had to choose between one or the other I would lean toward the Undertaker. All wood baits are different, check to see what bait will work the best for your needs.
Some Undertakers are fast sinkers and some are almost neutral. I like to drop them in the sucker tank and see the drop rate on them, this will let me know if they are a low rider or high working bait.
Like Shep said before, test them in a tank to see how they float or sink.
Reef Hawgs for early in the year (very shallow water) or on top of high weeds and Undertakers for everything else. I like to run Undertakers from the start of the season to when the muskies start working the deeper weeds. You can use a Undertaker for weed line fishing, just count it down and work it slow down the weed edges. Deadly when the panfish start working their way out to suspend off the weed beds.
Either way I think you should pick up a couple of each. Pick them up at a shop like Smokey's Muskie Shop where you can test them before purchasing them.
I would recomend getting a shallow runner and a deep runner in the Undertaker and a good "tail down" Reef Hawg. |
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| Thanks alot Mikes extreme, I will be ordering these on the internet as I live in ontario so I won't get a chance to test them before I purchase them. I suppose I'll just have to take my chances but I would love an undertaker that sinks, just have to cross my fingers and hope I guess. Thanks again for the input.
Doug |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Doug,
Click on my link below and go to "Sponsors"
Then look for "Blue River Ent."
This is Jim's Company, he can help you get the ones you need by ordering them from him direct.
His e-mail address is a clickable link from my web site. Drop him a e-mail and explain what type you are looking for.
Jim can test them out in his shop to see the sink rate on the baits before he sends them to you.
Good luck, if any questions please feel free to e-mail me and ask. I would be glad to help you out.
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| Doug, I'm a Minnesota musky man and I live for the Reef hawg, I use the 8 inch first thing in spring on opener until freeze up. The other comments on here raise some good points, ecspecially the statement made about not all reef hawgs are created equal. This is so true. When you find a reef hawg that works and looks good in the water and is the right color, it can be dynamite. Hawgs are very versitile, you can weight them to run deeper or you can work em just below the surface. I have best luck working them with snaps of the rod in between slack line, that's the key, have slack in between the jerks and you can really make the lure dance and swing side to side, almost so it looks like a jackpot worked under water. Fish will almost always hit them on the pause so be ready when that big girl yanks back. Plus, don't get mad right away if ones not working, you gotta let em soak up a little water and get trade mark crack down the top of the lures back, it's normal. Every reef hawg I got has got a big crack in the wood down the middle. Also, if you are interested, I have found that on the 8 inch ones it works better to take the middle treble off and put split rings on in between the hook and the codder key's. Also throw a split ring on the eye of the lure. This adds a little extra slack for the lure to really work. The point of split ringing the hooks is for 2 reasons. 1, is that it allows less leverage for a hooked fish to throw the bait and you hooks won't get caught in the wood of the lure causing it to lose action. So, my choice is reef hawg. Pick a hawg, use it, learn it, know what depth it goes depending on how you are working it. And I bet it will work. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | <p>I'd take the hawgs if choosing one or the other, but don't you have tackle space enough for both?? The hawgs are a bit more versital and can be worked a bit deeper, at a faster pace from what I've seen. You can walk the dog perfectly with a hawg(6" or 8" weighted correctly) and also give it a quick pull and make it dart down and to the side as well. i am a bit biased as I have traded all of my ut's as I could not get them to work right. I have since used a friends and have seen what they can do and probably will pick up another. </p><p /><p>Try a Jerko too. It is almost like splitting the difference btween an undertaker and an 8" Reef Hawg. They have been hot for me this year. </p> |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Basically what we're saying Doug, is that you need to set aside $200 and pick up a few 6" and 8" Reefhawgs, some undertakers, a few Jerkos, and maybe a Phantom or two. Welcome to the uncontrolable world of buying musky baits. LOL |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Gander will be having thier annual 25% off Musky baits soon enough. Then it's really time to stock up on Phantoms and RH's |
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Posts: 149
| how soon? |
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| Well thanks guys, I really appreciate the help. I ordered a couple reef hawgs and an undertaker last week. Unfortunately I ordered them from rollie and helens before I learned I could order them from a place that could test them for me.
This musky lure stuff is so ridiculous, but it is so fun to get new lures and try them out. My problem is that I only muskie fish 2 weeks a year, so having stock piles of lures is not worth it just yet. I think I'm going to give the reef hawg alot of pt this year. I'll try using the split rings and check the difference, with my rapala husky jerks I usually take the split rings off so it is amazing how a little change really does make a difference.
Well thanks again everyone and good luck on the water.
Doug |
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reef hawg vs undertaker