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Posts: 141
| I would like some opinions please, generally speaking do you think big lures = big fish?
by big I mean 10" plus
Edited by DaveG 4/13/2005 3:18 PM
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | I know a lot of guys do subscribe to that theory, but for me big lures have always equalled no more than sore arms. The big kicker to the equation for me is that I fish a system that has no northern pike and only tiger muskies (no trues). The forage consists mainly of perch and crappies. Lures much bigger than a Super Shad Rap have thusfar been largely ineffective. Now, take the guys fishing the Ottawa River system and Georgian Bay...they have lures bigger than some of the boats I see out here. Richard Collin (Trophymuskie) absolutey kicks butt w/ big baits. Fifty inchers (and bigger) regularly make trips to his boat (I know, he kicked my butt in matchfishing last year and he could only fish for about four hours...). In general, I would say that if the system you fish has big forage, big baits would give you an edge when targeting bigger fish. Muskies are the last ones to read the rulebook though.
K. |
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Posts: 2082
| Short answer - Yes
Lures are a tool..there is a time and place for all of them....but summer and fall go big
Mag dogs
13" Killer eels
10" Jakes
10" Believers + many others
All proven trophy takers
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Depends on when you use them....in a month I wont use anything larger than a 3/4oz Picasso Bass jig and 7-10" ribbon tails. |
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Posts: 32954
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | My largest fish came on a giant bucktail, and my second largest on a Violent Strike standard size spinnerbait. My largest WI fish came on a 6" topwater, and second largest on a 4" creature and a jig. Big fish eat small and large prey all the time, so whatever she eats with hooks will score. |
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| I caught 9 pike this past weekend. The biggest went about 31 inches. Nothing smaller than 22 inches.
All of them were caught using an 8 inch crankbait. The water temp was between 53-57 degrees. I heard to downsize in
the spring but now I am really starting to wonder. Also I caught them trolling 4+ mph at least 100 yards off the shoreline.
I have never caught a big musky but I am starting to think
they would eat a huge lure in the spring. I dont see why a big fish would swim a long way when they are still recuperating
from the spawn to eat a tiny bait when a 22 inch pike will nail an 8 inch crankbait?
It is hard to get through my head to go small anymore. Im starting to think 8 inch baits are small??
Were the pike spawned out and already in a post spawn feeding frenzy? I caught 5 pike within a 300 yard stretch in about 30 minutes on Saturday. The water was slightly stained. |
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Posts: 52
Location: N.W. Ontario | My two biggest fish last year, both mid to high 40 pounders came on LARGE Wishmaster sized baits, so a firm yes from me. However, time of year must be taken into account, I wouldn't likely be using them beginning of season. |
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Posts: 71
Location: Lake St. Clair | Big baits should eliminate small fish. So if you only use big baits the odds are that you should only get larger fish. Look at some of the biggest fish caught, O'Brien's 65# came on a 4" Rapala.
There is a time and place for these big baits and knowing when and where to use them is the key to success.
We just landed a 30# plus this weekend while jigging for walleyes (1/2 oz jig and 4" FINS minnnow). We have done this with consistency and know what we are doing is not a fluke.
You also must have confidence in the bait being used.
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Posts: 180
Location: Kinkaid Lake, IL | I just got a 42 1/4 on a the new GAINT Jake. That to me is a small fish considering the size of those things (14"). When fishing a big bait I always feel as though I have a better chance of contacting miss piggy. That is not always the case! If that big bait is presented correctly to the right fish any time of day she is going to hit. Big baits do not equal big fish. But they sure do get some weird looks from other boats when you cast those things out.... |
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Posts: 66
Location: Padova - Italy | I look at your profile and realize that you are from this side.
Speaking about pike, I try to find a pattern for every water I fish.
I’ve find waters were bass size lures are good for big fish and other, the most in my opinion, were very big baits work best.
Action of lures is a big factor in most cases. A 10’’ rubber bait maybe one thing and a 10’’ big body crankbait may be another.
In most of my waters (Italy), crankbait fishing with huge baits is usually a wast of time, but 4’’ to 8’’ lures are super. In the same waters, 10 to 14’’ hand pour plastics are dynamite!
Find the same things in a lot of Ireland waters were I guide. |
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Posts: 141
| Hi Luca, do you fish for pike in Lake Garda? I went there for a holiday last summer and found that some large Pike inhabit this lake. |
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Posts: 1046
| I think this comes to knowing your water, some places will produce at times with large baits and some areas seem to make me go smaller when you would think large. Which I beleive pressure causes this more then available prey types! This is really a very important question that details alot more then bait size if you really look into it! |
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Posts: 66
Location: Padova - Italy | DaveG - 4/14/2005 8:21 AM
Hi Luca, do you fish for pike in Lake Garda? I went there for a holiday last summer and found that some large Pike inhabit this lake.
Hi Dave,
Garda is a huge and beautiful lake near my home but I don’t fish there too much.
Pike usually stay very very deep in this lake and you have to troll a lot.
We normally fish in smaller lakes and big rivers.
Also we fish for giant wels catfish in the river Po with my bassboat, musky tackle and lures!
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Posts: 158
Location: Eagan, MN | Pressure, available prey, water clarity, bait type and certainly the presence of numbers of big muskies play into this. Big baits are harder to present in many situations, and easier for fish to detect as something not quite 'right'. However, I'm sure most of us would agree that in many situations big baits will definitely up your odds on big fish. The only way to know for sure is to try it! |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | I've been working on an article about this and have talked to about 10 great fishermen so far. Pete Mania,george langely, Bob m, the late Duke verkulien and more and I'm not done yet but its getting there. Just been too busy with everything that I have going on at this time. I'll say this I have varied responses and when I look back at the records I see many of the fish were caught on small baits. I'll post when its done and where it it can be read.
I guess there is a time and place for all sized baits, somebody just help me figure out when with more certainty.
Looks like pfeiff may be relocating to the north woods next month!!!!!!!!!!!! Be able to guide more then I hope. I still have to work a regular job.
Pfeiff |
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| On average, yes, and my biggest fish have come on big lures. But I still catch plenty of big fish on small bucktails so you never know. Afterall, it's musky fishing!  |
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| haha, go ask the guy who caught that monster in the Shelbyville Spillway on a nightcrawler.....
Yes big lures = big fish. But I had a buddy put things into perspective once. Consider the late fall and the binge is on. The fish are piggin out on ciscoes/suckers whatever. Like on Thanksgiving you are piggin out on everything. You get done eating and are sitting watching the game afterwords and someone passes you a turkey and a bowl of M&Ms. Chances are you will opt for a few small M&M's over the turkey. You have a fish that has been binging on ciscoes and is full to the gills. You toss out a 14" crank, it may pass but you toss a little 6" bait, is it going to be more willing to eat the smaller bait? I would be hard pressed to try this technique but this example definitely made me think.... |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | I sure hope so, because I just made the prototype "Magnum Treat" and it looks AWSOME!!!!!!! |
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Posts: 71
Location: Lake St. Clair | To me the BIG lure is like the all you can eat buffet. When you leave you are stuffed and you still hit the mint tray when you exit. |
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Posts: 1430
Location: Eastern Ontario | YES Definatly there is a big difference. You come and have a look at my 5 bait boxes + my wall of baits and you will have a hard time finding baits under 10 inches, I have a box full of baits from 12 to 16 inches and even have a 22 inch bait that I had made and I am picking up tonight. Sure big muskies have been caught on small lures but I would be wasting my time fighting and taking off <35 inch muskies, pikes, bass and walleyes instead of concentrating on trophy muskies.
Larger baits were part of the equation that helped me increase my average size from 38 to 42 inches.
I would be ready to make an extremely large bet with anyone fishing the same waters I do with him using baits 8 inches and under only and me with my big baits. I don't think I will ever find a volonteer, I would even be ready to let him have the front of my boat and me the back. 
You also have to remember the waters that you fish, some may not have natural baitfish that big but if you look at a 50+ inch muskie with a 10-12 inch lure in it's mouth it makes it look kinda small.
I bet you if I was going to figure out the average size of the fish I catch on lures 12+ inches long it would blow everyone's mind. |
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Posts: 9
| I'm a firm believer in "you can catch all size fish on all size lures" the fish will determine what they want when it is presented to them. The world record, I understand, was caught on a 4-1/2" pikie minnow.
Jim Mentzer
www.mentzerlures.com |
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| GNDR MT GUIDE>
I'm a huge jig man also, I use 3/8 oz. and with a duble tail trailer. Isn't that 3/4 oz droppin like a rock?
Slay em |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i'm a believer that "slow" and "fast" are more important than "big" or "small" .... so i throw big stuff slow. these big slobs eat on opportunity and an easy meal provided by an easy target get results for me. |
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Posts: 2361
| Big bait debait has gone on for years. Doubt there is anything new out there of significant value. The question might be asked as to what constitutes "big" bait. Must be bigger than 10", cause I have had way too many undersized hit 10" baits. I know one thing for sure, I would feel positively stupid running around a lake with 16" baits and catching one mid forty fish, while someone else runs around and catches 10 of varying sizes with 2 mid forty fish, using the normal bait range.
For me to ever even consider big baits, I would have to feel I was in an area with lots of big fish, and that I knew I was presenting to fish frequently, AND I would have to feel that the big bait would be a more efficient presentation for some reason. The question of efficiency is what probably limits big bait use more than anything else. |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | I think it totally depends on the mood of the fish when you're fishing. Smaller baits will often be better after cold fronts and early in the year. Bigger baits will often be better later in the year and when the fish are active.
One other thing to consider is the amount of effort required to use a particular lure.
Casting a mid-sized lure that is easy to throw may be a lot better than casting a big bait and getting tired after a short time. It doesn't matter what bait one is using if one gets tired and is not ready when the fish hits. Then its just another missed big fish. 
In the fall, I will often use as large of a lure that I can throw comfortably and focus on locating the active fish. After all, an active fish will often hit just about any lure presented in the right location.
As for Northern Pike, they generally don't require very large lures. They will hit them, but they are very aggressive fish and will often hit about anything including dead bait laying on the bottom. My experience is that using big lures (8 inches or more) for Pike may not make much difference in how many Pike one catches and can actually be much less productive than smaller lures in the 4 to 6 inch range. When I look at the roughly fifty +15 lb Northern Pike I've caught in my life, only about fifteen were caught on anything that resembled Muskie sized baits and only a couple on larger Muskie baits.
My two cents.
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Posts: 1188
Location: Iowa | This is right up my alley...I have been collecting some very large baits up to 18" long over the past couple of years under the firm belief that big lures catch big fish...my reasoning behind this is, why would a large fish expend a lot of energy to eat a bunch of small meals and be somewhat satisfied...when in thoery it could expend the same amount of energy to eat one large meal and be satisfied for days...granted I still use regular sized baits and have caught a greater majority of my muskies on regular sized baits...so we knows...my first muskie ever was a 28"er that ate a 10" fudally hawg spin on lake of the woods, so maybe this theory is out of whack...but I still like the big baits...makes me feel like I could lay into a stuck pig at anytime more so than regular sized baits...just my 2 cents worth...
Big Perc |
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Posts: 2361
| Herb_b - 4/21/2005 8:03 AM
I think it totally depends on the mood of the fish when you're fishing. Smaller baits will often be better after cold fronts and early in the year. Bigger baits will often be better later in the year and when the fish are active.
One other thing to consider is the amount of effort required to use a particular lure.
Casting a mid-sized lure that is easy to throw may be a lot better than casting a big bait and getting tired after a short time. It doesn't matter what bait one is using if one gets tired and is not ready when the fish hits. Then its just another missed big fish.
In the fall, I will often use as large of a lure that I can throw comfortably and focus on locating the active fish. After all, an active fish will often hit just about any lure presented in the right location.
As for Northern Pike, they generally don't require very large lures. They will hit them, but they are very aggressive fish and will often hit about anything including dead bait laying on the bottom. My experience is that using big lures (8 inches or more ) for Pike may not make much difference in how many Pike one catches and can actually be much less productive than smaller lures in the 4 to 6 inch range. When I look at the roughly fifty +15 lb Northern Pike I've caught in my life, only about fifteen were caught on anything that resembled Muskie sized baits and only a couple on larger Muskie baits.
My two cents.
I hate to be the one HerbB but... you negate your own argument here. Why do you have to throw a big bait to an active fish that you yourself state will hit just about any lure presented in the right location.
Uhm........you might want to reread your statement on northern pike bait size also, .......sorry, LOL  |
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Posts: 141
| I know nothing in fishing is set in stone and Pike/Muskie dont have a rule book, I was thinking in terms of "Generaly speaking", Big lures= Big fish..
What got me thinking is that sometimes you see large prey in the mouths of large Muskie, prey that is much larger than even the biggest baits that most of us use, I suppose the biggest problem would be throwing a very large bait for more than a couple of hours without becoming exhausted. |
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Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL | Man, I'm not about to cast any of those big mammer jammers (Just call me Sally), but I did just buy a couple 16" ukko wobblers from Pastika's with every intention of trolling the hell out of those bad boys up in LOTW. Like a lot of the other guys have stated, I think large baits eliminate most of the dinks and keep you in the water for trophy. Another point that has already been made here, I only see myself using large lures on select waters at specific times (mainly in the fall) I understand the theory of snacking on small stuff after a big meal, but they DO eat the big meal.
F&W |
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Posts: 294
Location: Sakatchewan,Canada | Yea i think that big lures do =big fish.For myself,i average larger fish on the bigger baits than the smaller ones.As far as not catching pike on muskie size baits,that is a crock!!!I live in northern Saskatchewan where we only have pike.I have made a point of using the largest muskie lures available for the past six years and i have had great success.The biggest lure that i have caught a pike with is a Ukko U-60 that has a 24" body and is 26" with the lip!The fish was only 12lb 4oz and 38",talk about hungry!My biggest pike to date came on a 14" Hirsch's Ghosttail and was 46.75"(without a tail pinch)and 26lb.Lots of 20lb+ on the 13"Grandma. |
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Do big lures = big fish?