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Posts: 9
Location: Forest Lake Mn. | I was talking to a couple of people last week about musky fishing. It occurred to me that after fishing these great fish for going on 12 years that I have never caught one on a figure 8. It seems most of the time I catch my fish within the first five feet of the retrieve, or it gets hammered within five feet of the boat.
This got me to thinking about the many follows that I have had and the 8’s that I did trying to get a strike. Sure some were just a lazy follow, but some, I really felt were going to hit. I have had muskies go around 3-4 times trying to catch whatever I was using but no matter what I did, nothing worked.
This leaves me to wonder if anyone else has this problem or if I am the only one. I am at the point now that I am obsessed with nailing one on an 8, oval, or prit near even a snag. I sure can’t see anything wrong with my technique, but obviously something about it stinks!
Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts?
WS
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Posts: 1150
Location: Minnesota. | WhopperStopper - 6/20/2012 7:44 PM
...but some, I really felt were going to hit. I have had muskies go around 3-4 times trying to catch whatever I was using but no matter what I did, nothing worked.
Don't worry W.S., if they wanted it you couldn't take it away from them!
That said, maybe I can suggest you try a 3 dimensional fig. 8 rather than keeping everything on the same level? Plunge the rod a couple (or 3 ??) feet down and come back up on the "8"....might help...can't hurt to try.
I'd also try to draw it across their noses as this sometimes make a diff. "Sometimes" being the operative word with 'ski's...
Good luck man. Once you break the ice your confidence will take off.
Jeremy.
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Posts: 304
Location: Lino Lakes, MN | First off what lenght rod are you using?
Clothing- Are you wearing dark colors or greys ect. Try to blend into the sky.
Try to keep movment down to a minumum.
Position the cast and rod so that the bait is coming in at a smooth angle to the eight or first turn. Increase the spead the last 10 -20 feet of the cast and carry it into the corner. Try to start the bait going down 15 feet out from the boat- change in direction.
If you are not using a rod over 8'6" get one!!!!!!!!!!!!!
direction changes coming into the boat -dropping the rod tip down, increase in speed and the turn at the boat are all keys.
I personally have had better luck since I started throwing big bucktails with speed and after dark. I have not had much luck with topwaters in the 8.
Good Luck
Steve
Many more will chime in with much better experience than me  |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Some good advice already. I will add what works for me.
As your bringing your bait in try and speed the lure up at 20 to 30ft from the boat, drop your rod tip into the water so your lure will start dropping as it approaches the boat to one side of you. Roll into the L at your feet and continue it as far as you can well under the water and when you run out of room start into the second corner and bring the lure up to just under the surface and burn it across the water until you run out of room and then take it back down on the outside corner and repeat as needed.
Speed on the straight aways will trigger your strikes. I do big long ovals with depth changes on the corners. Deep at the boat and high on the outside.
Going deep when your cast is getting close to the boat will keep the fish from looking up at you and the boat. Going high on the outside turns will show the fish nothing is there but the bait and the sky.
I hope this helps you. Remember, speed triggers strikes. Always speed up your bait to trigger the instincts of the predator(musky). |
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Posts: 1296
Location: WI | I like to stall it on the corners. Like go deep at the boat, high and slow on the outside of the oval (I don't do 8's). Fishing out of the left side of the boat I will swing my rod to the right when the lure is about 10 ft from the boat, then swing to the left and go smooth and quickly into the straight away. Sometimes before the swing I'll bulge it up to the surface.
If the fish goes away, throw in a few depth changes for sure, like the low and high on the outside. Sometimes they'll come back and eat.
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Posts: 572
| do a search for "figure 8" (keywords) and in subject (don't include message) for General Discussions. Lots of info and discussions on the subject. Of course, it is great to trigger a hit before boatside and figure 8. Good luck on figuring what will work best for you with the lures you want to figure 8. |
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Posts: 1040
| I guess I'd like to know what kind of baits are you commonly using? I didn't get many fish on the 8 until I started throwing more bucktails. To this day I still haven't had a fish eat a glide bait on the 8. One of my buddies, though, had that happen.
I like to make the tail "rise" in the water about 20 feet from the boat, then plunge it down deep while boatside. Then lift it up a little on the first turn, then plunge it deep after the turn.
I think that like prior posts mentioned, it is important to get the bait at different depths. |
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Posts: 143
Location: La Crosse, WI | There are a lot of people out there that have more experience than I do, but a couple things have really increased my figure 8's. One is changing depths as people have previously stated. Get the bait to start going down in the water column as it nears the boat, but don't do it too rapidly otherwise the fish will lose sight of it. Then make a very wide fast sweep upward and have your bait come almost to the surface(Most of the time the fish will eat right there). Also, try to get the bait to cross right infront of the fish's nose if possible. If it doesn't eat on the first turn repeat with another turn by bringing he bait downward and then coming back up. The best advice I ever received was "If you make your bait act like it doesn't want to be eaten, it often will" By speeding up your lure and making it change depths and directions, it will often trigger a strike. Baitfish do not want to be eaten so if you take this into account it should help you. The first instinct of a non-experienced musky fisherman is to slow down the bait to let the fish catch up. This is the worst thing you can do. Try to act like you don't want the fish to hit your bait but keep it in the water and I think you will be surprised at the results. |
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Posts: 252
| I just caught my first muskie on a figure 8 this past weekend. I saw the follow in and was actually just doing a big circle instead of an 8. The fish turned away from my lure and then on the second revolution I felt her tugging at my lure. This was on a large crank bait. After that, I did a figure 8 after every cast. No way I would have caught that fish without following up.
Made for a very memorable fish. |
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Posts: 38
Location: Forest Lake, Mn | Thanks for all the replies. That said sorry I didn’t get to respond before this but the storms had me working 12-hour days. They kind of took my mind off fishing.
I primarily use two custom Thorne Brother rods. One is an 8-footer for all my medium and smaller baits and one is a stout 9 footer for my bigger baits or for when I want to give something a super launch. Either rod allows me to make nice wide turns when I do my 8’s.
My go to bait is a perch colored Suick. Frankly, I wouldn’t use the battered warlord so much but good things always seem to happen when I have it on. Some days it’s all I use. It’s definitely what I have on at first light or at last light.
The different replies about speed and dropping the depth as it comes in are interesting. With the Suick I could get more aggressive as the retrieve closes in to the last 30 feet or so. Its certainly something to ponder.
For me it seems I do the best (with the Suick) when I basically just twitch it or leave it just sit still for 15-20 seconds at a time. I started doing this when in the early years I discovered that I was getting blow ups every time I had a good backlash. Man if that don’t get you talking to yourself or needing a stiff pull on a pint nothing will.
The other thing I rarely do is throw bucktails. I have a big box with about 40 or so but it seems 95% of the time about all I get on those are slow lazy follows. This is probably where I should try to capitalize on all the good tips you people have given. I am sure it would be easier to incorporate some of the different fundamentals with a bucktail as it would be with the Suick.
Anyway I certainly appreciate the time you have given in writing the replies. If after reading this if anyone else has any further input I sure would like to hear it. Musky fishing for me has always been special. Most days I get to see one or two and of course, some days, I get to do battle. But even without either, just trying to outwit them makes for a great time!
WS
Edited by Whopper Stopper 6/22/2012 2:21 AM
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Posts: 1060
Location: Palm Coast, FL | WS...you need to change baits if you expect to catch many fish on the 8. Although you can catch fish on a suick on the 8...it is not that practical. Many more fish are caught on the 8 or circle as most use these days on bucktails, crankbiats or anything with a soft tail. You get much more action/vibration in those types of baits. I would also recommend using longer rods. You have a 9' and that is great or even longer if you get to that point. The bigger the oval you can make, the better. Good luck out there and don't crap when one finally does decide to hit your lure at the boat! |
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | Maybe it isn't your 8's that suck but your retrieves with the Suick that are way above average in triggering. Think about it. If the fish that you get to hit would just follow, you'd have that many more chances to get a hot one on an 8 and probably would. When we fished LOTW years ago I used a Suick the majority of the time and like you had most of the hits early in the retrieve or close to the boat, but I did catch them on 8's once in a while. I kept the jerk pause jerk rhythm going alternating jerks towards the center of the 8 and then to the outside all around the 8. Another thing to think about is that some lakes are much easier to get fish to hit on an 8 than others. The darker water sections LOTW are at the top of the list when it comes to muskies making dumb mistakes boatside. If you can't get one to eat a lure on an 8 there, then you know your 8's really do suck. But if you're on really clear water it's a totally differnt world when it comes to fooling one boatside. The absolute best figure 8 lure I have is a Crane Bait. After that in 2nd are straight shafted bucktails and spinnerbaits, with jerkbaits and surface baits being last place. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | i agree with Vince, ditch the suick... start incorporating lots of blades, bucktails, spinnerbaits etc ...one key move that scores a very high percentage of fish is the "flare out" about 10 feet out from the boat I give the rod tip a flare up and to one direction left or right depending on the angle and then into the 8, lots of fish explode on that flare out move... add that in there and ditch the suicks! ; )
Edited by BNelson 6/22/2012 7:11 AM
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Posts: 1040
| I was a Suick guy for about ten years while fishing Vilas County. I have a few that can get a follow, every 20 casts or so. But they rarely get hit. That bait can find 'em. I think it is the flash from the metal tail. But, it is not a practical figure 8 bait.
Give yourself a good 10-15 trips without throwing your Suick. Get used to throwing a bucktail. I think that sooner or later, you will connect on the 8 and gain a lot of confidence.
If you find that you are getting slow, lazy followers with the tail, try running the bait a little deeper in the water. All you have to do is slow down your retrieve. Then when the bait is starting to get close to the boat, burn it up a foot or two, then plunge it down on the 8. That little trick has been known to trigger even the sluggish fish.
Good luck to you. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | BNelson - 6/22/2012 7:10 AM
one key move that scores a very high percentage of fish is the "flare out" about 10 feet out from the boat I give the rod tip a flare up and to one direction left or right depending on the angle and then into the 8, lots of fish explode on that flare out move... ; )
a very interesting nugget ... |
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Posts: 200
Location: Minnesota | Instead of ditching the Suick, why not just keep a rod rigged with a bucktail at the ready? Let the Suick bring them in and then try the figure 8 with the bucktail.
I've never caught a fish on a figure 8 either, so I'm just offering a completely unscientifically tested suggestion. |
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Posts: 8840
| You can talk about it all you want, but the best way to learn how to catch fish on a figure 8 is to catch fish on a figure 8. Watch what they do, how they react, what gets them wound up and what makes them lose interest. Every fish you encounter makes you better prepared for the next one. What did it for me was finally getting to the point where I expected there to be a fish there every time. If you're expecting one, you won't be caught off guard. As much. |
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Posts: 20
Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky | yep to all of the above. BUT, a long or short rod is not always the key. A long rod will definitely give you a tremendous advantage but I have figure 8'ed two fish on a six foot rod. It is all in the presentation. Get it down deep. The suick and the glide baits will work too. They don't have any action on their own so you must impart it. The whole time you fish it you give it the action, so why not continue on a figure eight.
Try a pretty fast figure eight made ONLY of quick jerks. With a glide bait the nose will go back and forth and it will "swim". The suick will be more erratic. I got the idea after seeing some of the pros do that with a spinnerbait on tv. I have seen fish completely shut down after a bad twitch on a glide bait. Speed up the lure right before the boat and impart the action. I caught my first and second figure 8 fish in a row. It just takes that first one to get you started. |
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| I'd look into getting a copy of the "Focus on the 8" DVD. It gives a good visual representation of the proper technique. It's very educational and fun to watch. I truly think everyone that fishes for muskies should watch it - whether it's your first year or you're a seasoned vet. |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Suicks are great baits. Do not ditch them. As soon as you can see your suick on your retrieve as it gets within 30ft of the boat give it two hard pulls about a foot or so. Then let the bait rise a few feet slowly(keep your line tight) and then work the lure back to one side or the other of you until it gets under the boat and roll into a deep L. Come into the outside corner deep and bring it up to the top and speed it across just under the water. The fish will eat it on the first rise, or on the outside corner as you bring it up and start speeding it up. I love suicks but they are hard to trigger strikes on the ovals or 8's. Dead rise or depth change and speed gets them ate. |
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| One thing that i catch myself doing too often is waiting too long to start the L turn, if you start it too close to the boat that will sometimes spook them. Casting angle also plays a roll in this. I like to still have a slight angle into the front of the boat so that i can pull the bait towards the rear of the boat gaining depth then a hard L turn back forward and up, this will make a bucktail "flare" as it is going back into the flow created by the forward boat movement. It creates an illusion of speed / escape even though it is moving the slowest at that point making an easy target.
I always treat jerkbaits as bucktails on the figure 8, but generally they are not great boatside triggering baits. |
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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | Try the changing depth thing. Instaed of looking down and seeing a figure 8 visualize that same figure 8 on the wall and try to make that motion. Up and down on the 8 rather than round and round. Something quite magical the first time you try to pull that bait back over the top of their head. You will get bit if you do it correctly. I love em at the boat!!!
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Posts: 164
Location: Bloomington,MN | go out and buy the movie focus on the 8 by redfin outdoors, very informative |
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My figure 8 seems to suck.