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| Post your unique tip or trick to tune a bait, make a reel run better, or add an item to the 'rig' that will help MuskieFIRST visitors catch more muskies.
Tips need to be under 24 lines of text. Add your email address to the bottom so I may contact the winner. Enter every month with a muskie fishing tip!!
Tere will be a monthly winner drawn the 1st of every month by the judges (me). Winners will receive two baits valued at a minimum of $20 retail. When the season is over, the tips will be added to the article section on the Cover Page MuskieFIRST!!
All tips MUST BE USEFUL to the average angler.
May Tips and Tricks Winner.. MuskyPippo
June is underway, submit your tip or trick here!!! |
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| My suggestion would be to NEVER GIVE UP!!! Unfortunately I live in an area w/ a low musky population and spend weeks to months trying to latch onto one...do I get discouraged, you bet I do but when I get the chance, that is what I fish for most of the time. I have endured the remarks of others relating to the fact that I must be an idiot to spend the time + money to fish for a "ghost"...yet I still forge ahead in spite of what others might say...people on this board understand though + that is what matters! Be grateful if you live in an area w/ a good population of musky + use the times of going fishless for reflecting on the fact that you are pursuing the king of freshwater and that w/ perseverance your day will come...when it does be humble + share the experience w/ those who have been there.[:sun:] |
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| My # 1 tip/trick would be...........
When it comes to catching BIG muskies put on side 2 of Led Zepplin 4.
You can send my baits to
Damone
420Th St.
Sensamilia Ca. 42042.
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| Try putting a small piece of red yarn where the lip and the body meet on your crank baits, this will give them some life. The red yarn will act and look like gills,it will also pulsate as you bring the bait in. Last this will enable you to place some atractor sent on the yarn and will last longer than if you would have just put it on the lure. [email protected] |
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| This is a tip that has helped us work spots better and longer. All it is, is to use a drift sock on windy days. You don't have to anchor and you can use your trolling motor to work you into the spots. It reduces your drifting and trolling speed. It takes a lot off worrying about staying in a spot because the fish are there. This sea anchor or drift sock will help you catch many more fish in the future.
If you haven't already been using on of these they are must in every boat!
Brett Carroll |
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| A St. Croix Rod in your hand and a Payday in your back pocket for snackin'![:praise:]
Rob
I win! I win! I win! |
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| My secret to putting muskies into my boat is to have Bill Schwartz fish out of one end of the boat and Jason Smith fish out of the other end of my boat! LOL!
Do I win for being the most original idea, and the trick that has been tried by the least number of people?
I THINK SO!!![:bigsmile:] [:bigsmile:] |
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| Come on guys, serious, serious!! Maybe I need to bump up the prize to get the desired response. HMMMMM,let's see...A MuskieFIRST T shirt with the baits; we have a new shipment coming soon!
For every silly or useless post I have to wade through, I will deduct 20% from any good ones by the same author....kidding, I am just KIDDING!![:(] [;)] |
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| Get up early and go to bed late![:p] |
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| The very best tip in the world is one I heard from Bass Pro Roland Martin. Keep your bait wet. This means every day you can go, you go. Every time you go, stay as long as you can. Every minute that you stay, be fishing or be thinking about fishing, keep your bait wet. The very best days to go fishing are the days that end with a Y.
Let 'em all go.....Mike |
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| Ok....
I think listening and reading very carefully to many of the ideas that people have already mentioned on this board. (Yes, do a search!!) There are many that I've gone over and reread and applied!
Rob
I still win! I still win![:bigsmile:] [:bigsmile:] |
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| This tip is what accidentally got me into musky fishing last season on one of my trips up to the northwoods with my dad. When fishing late in the day for smallies, (especially when the water is FLAT) we would cast out a zara spook and let it rest for up to ten seconds after it hit the water. Rings of waves would move away from the bait as I waited. When we couldn't see them anymore, we would twitch it slightly once or twice before starting the "walk" and BAM! A smallie would often smash it! Great trick on calm water. But here is the killer! We each caught a musky (plus 2 bite offs - no steel leader) (one-32" and one 39") along with several good smallies that evening and we weren't even fishing for the muskies! So the next day, (all out of "spooks") we went to a local bait shop and bought the biggest topwater walking baits we could find and steel leaders. Needless to say that our bass combos were not appropriate for the task. Anyway, that afternoon with no more bite offs, My dad and I had 6 stikes/fights between us and dad had one 40" fish in about 90 minutes. It may have been one of those flukes because I didn't catch a single musky for the rest of the season! Well, I guess that's why many get hooked (the thrill, the challenge, and the frustration). I intend to use this tactic this summer to cap off each day/evening on the water.
mclarkin777 |
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| When sucker fishing with a bobber attach a small planer board release clip to the bottom of your bobber with a big split ring. (see attached picture). Then you can clip the bobber to your line at whatever depth you want. When the hook is set the bobber releases and is off of the line while fighting and landing the fish.
you can send me a XX-L shirt please! My e-mail is [email protected]
Dave Jackley[:praise:] |
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| lets try that picture again |
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| Muskyone will be hard to beat, but...
When night fishing, place a split ring (or glow bead) between your leader and line. This will prevent reeling the leader into your top eye at the beginning of a figure-8. |
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| My best tip is to not use a bait because everyone else is buying or says they catch fish with it. Stick to the baits you have the most confidence in. |
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| OK, here is my tip:
Muskies are obviously known for following baits. If you watch a Muskie's feeding habits, one thing does occurr very often. If a smaller musky is let's say following a shiner, the musky will continuously follow the shiner but as soon as the shiner turns to the side and presents a side view to the following Musky, it will more likely than not result in a strike.
This habit does play into fishing, here's how.
-When fishing a bucktail, when bringing in the bait about 12 feet from the boat swing your rod all the way to one side. To a following fish it is a direction change and at that may trigger a strike. When you reach as far as you can go to that side, while still reeling, switch to the complete opposite side. This will give the fish a side profile of the bait and the fish will usually roll on it. This triggers more strikes and gives you a chance to fight the fish at a reasonable distance from the boat, instead of at boatside where the fish has the advantage.
-When fishing a crankbait, you can use the same retrieve strategy as you would with the bucktail, but if you are twitching the bait, you can work the bait so that when you pause the crankbait, it will turn to the side. You can also through weighting a bait make it go to the side every twitch.(Side planted JB weight on a Crane does the trick) this will also trigger strikes.
-Pausing your glider for a little longer than usual can also do the trick, especially a few twitches before the bait is at boatside. If you do a very spastic twitch to the gilder before pausing it also can trigger a pretty hefty strike.
These tips will usually trigger a following fish into striking instead of following and give you the advantage to have better odds at landing the fish. The more you present the side of a bait the more likely the possibility of the fish stiking.
-Phil Cali ([email protected]) |
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| I know that was long, but it is under 24 lines of text. Sorry for blabbing Steve.
-Phil |
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| I'll add a spinnerbait secret from a manufacturer. Fish prefer to swallow other fish head first. When looking at a spinnerbait test the length of the top wire that the blades are attached to. If it bends down past the main hook of the bait it can act as a shield when the fish hits it. The fish grabs the front of the bait bends the wire down to the hook and slides right off. Baits with really long wire can be cut down so that this dosen't happen.
Good spinnerbait fishing tip: When your fighting a fish on a spinnerbait and it runs out away from you and then makes a quick turn it can easially slip the bait. I once lost 2 30in+ pike in a span of ten min due to this. The trick is simple; roll the rod and pull the fish's head around, keeping the line tight.
Brian |
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| I enjoyed Muskiepippo's tip. [:)] |
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| When using a Grandma style, or minnow bait, work the bait steadily deeper as you retrieve it. When the bait is around 10 to 12 feet from the boat, stop the retrieve, keep a tight line and let it rise to the surface. This frequently turns a deep follow into a strike or at a minimum brings the deep follower up where you can see it. This works best on slow rising baits. We call it the "Death Rise". I like to give the bait a slight twitch before allowing it to rise - I'm trying to get the bait to turn sideways.
Craig Eversoll |
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| This is nothing NEW, but I almost gurantee that very few do this....
SSSSSSLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW down!!!!! Yes, a muskie can swim 30MPH, but why make her? Would a muskie rather chase like a maniac a little fast moving meal, or a slow, fat, wounded fish, struggling to get anywhere. My brain (as chemically wounded as it is) tells me that even when the fish are HOT, they would still rather hunt slower moving prey. Think about it, are muskies chasing fast swimming perch, ciscos, shad or suckers....no, more likely they are ambushing unsuspecting food that is probably just sitting there unaware! How to apply this: try a WEIGHTed jerkbait: pull (or twitch)...let her hang for 2 3 seconds before pulling again. Try a jackpot: hard, hard, hard, twitches....then let her stop dead....then limp her along. Try a somewhat nuetrally bouyant crankbait: reel slow, then stop...soft pull or twitch....then reel slowly. Let the fish come to you.....let your partner cast 2X as much as you.....be patient, as long as you are on the right spots, YOU WILL SEE SUCCESS!!! And don't think this is just to be used when the fish are NUETRAL, but all the time!!!!!
Slamr |
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| Firstly, if you have a bait that you like alot but looks too plain add to it. Add a Kalin to the back to get more action or maybe a muskie strip, I find the more the merrier. You can add to Suicks the same punch a hole in the lip and add a spinner. Use the different weight systems on different lures, I feel that experimenting is the key (see what works). If someone has metal lip baits, drill a hole in the lip and add an eyelet to make it go deeper or shallower. On Jakes heat the lip a bit and turn it up a bit, this makes a great twitch bait. Take your Eddie bait and reverse the back hook to the front and tie your leader to the back (watch now). I have even gone as far to take a cyringe and fill it with scent and impregnate any and all plastic grubs, also on bucktails soak the hair in scent and add sparkles to the mix, this gives a unique look to the fish when you then cast. The last one is to add stinger hooks to spinners I feel two hooks are always better than one.
It would be nice to win and help out "the little US" (Canada)musky guy.
Musk. [email protected] |
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| Bend the edges of the tail on your bobbies down. It gives the bait more side to side action on the short twitch(can almost walk the dog with it if done right).
Don't use snaps on your leaders when using Reef Hawgs. A leader with a split ring attatched directly(and without a swivell) will really outperform most of the time. |
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| Here is a quick and easy tip that can help you convince more muskies to attack your bait:
Add a small Mr. Twister to the end of your bait. The extra action from the grub can be the difference in getting a follow or getting nothing at all. This has worked best for me with bucktails, but try it with crankbaits and even jerkbaits.
Good luck this season
Almost forgot my email:
[email protected] |
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| Here's a tip...the 6" tiger tube does next to nothing. So, what I did with the spare one is put a magnum grub (burt, squirko, super stalker, ect) into the tube and thread an 8/0 single hook through. You will get two jigging soft plastic lures in one. Also...add 2 1/2 oz bell sinkers on the bottom split ring on the believer. It has better action on the shallow eye (in my and the muskies opinion) It will run a medium depth. |
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| I think its important,when choosing a new lure,to keep an eye on the ultamite goal:Luring,hooking and catching as many muskys as possible.One of the easyest ways to up your percentage is:SHARPEN YOUR HOOKS or add bigger hooks if your missing fish. |
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| Certain lures seem to get lots of follows with very few hits. I have had good success with the following. Make a single strand leader and add 3 or 4 propeller style blades(round work better than pointed). Between the propellers add a colored bead. On the retrieve this gives the appearence of a small school of minnows being chased by a larger fish (lure). The freewheeling blades continue to turn on a pause, adding a nice flash attractant. This modification works well on clear and semi-stained waters, but I haven't noticed much of a difference on dark waters. Twitch, crank, and jerkbaits all work well behind this leader but it really has turned my Mantas into catchers. |
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| SPEEP UP! A muskie CAN swim 30 MPH.
Sorry Slamr.
MUSKY ILLINI
"I feel the need for speed" |
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| Keep them coming, more, more!![:sun:] |
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| To protect your leaders,cut a piece of 3/4" PVC slightly longer than your longest leader.Glue a cap on one end and just slide a cap on the other.Works great and takes up very little room |
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| BTTT!!! I will select the winners when I get back from the Mercury Marine National Walleye Tournament.[:bigsmile:] |
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| I fish a lake that is very heavily fished, especially during the weekend. Every visible place is usually taken by the weekend anglers. This lake has lots of underwater trees in water that is 50-60 ft. deep. You cannot see them on the surface. After I find them with a depthfinder, I troll 8" Believers (fairly weedless thru the trees and pick up a fish now and then. I also look for minnow or crappie dimples in the main lake basin in this deep water. They are usually suspended above the trees. Fish below them for Muskies. These areas can be trolled or vertically jigged. This isn't any secret tip for a lot of guys. However, what it does do is give me basically "virgin territory" when I fish this overcrowed 505 acre lake because no one else fishes there. They are all up on the shoreline throwing their white spinnerbaits. |
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| My muskie tip is to fish hard!
To often I get out in the boat and fish hard for about 10 minutes didn't see anything so I relax. YOu can already guess what happens, I get bored and nothing happens. For a guy who hasn't ever seen a follow ,but about half a dozen in the boat, in his 1 year muskie pursute I have seen about 30 this month alone. This week and last week. It's not that none of them are biting just I'm not getting hooks in them or there missing. But the main reason I am seeing action lately is because I'm fishing hard. I'm finding out some good structure and fishing weedlines and applying baits to the situation. I have told myself if the crank dives a bit to deep then to give it a twitch and let it rise a little bit more. Sometimes it will count for the action in a day if you just slow down a little bit. I would advise you to do what's different! I have tried doing what everyone elses is doing but it doesn't work! I see the fish when I do something unknown to their eye. I don't know what you want to go about doing it whether it's a really erratic presentation or your bouncing your crankbait off rocks or just ticken the weed tops. Make as much noise when your twitching that thing on a hard surface. |
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| sorry about the double |
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| Here is a tip for suckers. If you are using a sucker 12" or less put the treble hook of the quick strike on the bottom of the fish as opposed to the back. Believe it or not the hook up high will tire them and they will ride upside down at rest. |
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| Another sucker tip. If you are using suckers in warm water buy them from a shop that is not using a chiller if you plan to use them right away. I am having them last this way in 70 degree water using a quick strike rig. I have bought suckers in the past from a chilled tank and the temp shock knocks them deader than a doornail. |
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| The winner for the May Tips and tricks Thread is....
MUSKYPIPPO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Email me with your address; you have an Eddie Bait and a Land O Lakes Big Kahuna Bucktail on the way!!
There were many excellent tips and tricks submitted. June's contest is underway, so submit your tip or trick to improve our chances of hooking up!! |
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| This is from Steve @ G & S Guide Service, so if it wins, he deserves any prizes. When your fishing murky water or at night or you've got a rod lent out to a newbie or just anytime, try this: Take your line that your about to tie onto your leader and tie it onto a threading needle. Thread the needle and your line through 3" piece of worm. Cut the line off of the needle, and tie it onto your leader. Now don't have to worry about crankin' the leader into to the top eyelet.
MJB |
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| This tip is when storing your rods and you want to minimize the chance of the line from catching on other rods or lures in the boat. Attach the working end of your line (crosslock snap or even the lure itself) to the reel or the hook holder that some rods have. Tighten the line snug by turning the reel handle (works best with instant anti-reverse reels). Now stand the rod vertically on the butt end and with one hand grab the fishing line that goes from the tip of the rod down the crosslock snap (or the lure) at approximately the middle of the rod and at the closest line guide on the rod. Now spin the rod with your other hand and watch the line snuggly wrap around the rod and the line going from the reel to the rod tip. This will wrap the fishing line around the rod a few times and will virtually eliminate any loose line hanging off of the rod. Once the line is wrapped snug then simply slip the line over that closest line guide and it will hold the line in place.
Hope this is understandable! [8)]
Will S
[email protected] |
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| Congrats to MuskiePippo for winning the May contest!!
-----------------------------------
Here is my June tip:
Set the hook twice
A muskie's jaw is mostly bone and teeth. Many times, a single hook set will only poke the tips of the hook(s) into the muskies mouth, but it will not get the hook past the barb. When the opportunity presents itself, set the hook hard again.
Good luck this season!
[email protected]
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| Hi,
Here are my june tips of the month.
1. I know this works because it is the only lure that i have actually had a bite on.
take a bagleys db-06 and cut 2 inches off of the back of it insert screw eyes into both ends of the lures then attach them 2gether with a split ring. and don't forget to epoxy the screw eyes in the holes.
2. take someone fishing. some people that u want to consider taking are kids, women, and people that have not fished before. If you don't the future of fishing is done, for your kids, their kids, and maybe even yourself.
Just ask us believe me i'm a kid and we are just waiting for someone to take us fishing.
3. a bad day fishing is mannnnnyyyyyyyy times better than a good day at work.
[email protected] |
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| Hi,
Here are my june tips of the month.
1. I know this works because it is the only lure that i have actually had a bite on.
take a bagleys db-06 and cut 2 inches off of the back of it insert screw eyes into both ends of the lures then attach them 2gether with a split ring. and don't forget to epoxy the screw eyes in the holes.
2. take a young kid fishing sometime, if u don't fishing is done for you and your kids, and there kids and there kids and etc....
3. a bad day fishing is mannnnnyyyyyyyy times better than a good day at work.
[email protected]
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| Hi,
Sorry about the double post. Is there a way to delete a post.
little drew[:knockout:]
and peta still sucks[:knockout:] |
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Tips and Tricks Thread Contest