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| I have seen 2 for sure "fish of a lifetime" this year maybe 3. I have caught 6 muskies this year. Everytime I go, I am seemingly in the right spot, get lots of follows and more often than not when it comes to the 8 they lose interest. I bought the dvd "focus on the 8" last offseason. I am pretty sure I executed pretty well yesterday. Had a monster come rolling in followed until the second turn then sank away. I dipped my rod to the reel and kept ovaling but nothing. It is so frustrating, I feel like I am missing something, I want to show pictures, not tell stories. Any ideas to get me over the hump? |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | one thought at the boat ... fish eats the bait, you can't feed the fish. not sure it this is what you are running into boat-side, but it's a typical problem. as for technique, do some searching ... there have been some good descriptive articles written on the subject. cory painter did one on MH that incorporates experience from a lot of talented folks with proven results on the subject.
the topic comes up frequently so you should find plenty of information using the search function on the site. |
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Posts: 8782
| Had a few that tried to eat, swing and a miss because I sped up and took it away from them. You can't feed it to them, but you can't take it away from them either. I've also had several big ones make the first turn and just keep right on going. Don't get me wrong - good figure 8 skills are paramount. But sometimes they weren't going to eat no matter WHAT you do at boatside. Might not be you in this case. |
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Posts: 716
| Focus on setting up the boatside tactics during the cast. Watch the DVD again and concentrate on the set-up for the 8 as much as the execution...without the setup the effectivnes is diminished. |
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Posts: 620
Location: Seymour, WI | Both of my musky trips this fall I've had several follows, but no eaters. The first trip the fish were following Suicks out of the thick weed patches. Raised four 5-6 nice fish with no biters.
On Sat I raised a couple good fish on Cowgirls, but could not get them to eat either.
I don't think I could have done a whole lot different. Suick is a very erratic bait and when they hit it they usually just clobber it.
With the cowgirl I was working it pretty aggressively with lots of speed and sweeps of the rod, but still could not get them to hit.
Grass |
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Posts: 61
Location: Anoka | Try holding your non reeling hand on the fore grip it sometimes makes the transition into the 8 more natural. Otherwise
depending on were your fishing have that decoy sucker rigged up next to the boat ready for folllowers. |
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Posts: 458
| Maybe borrow or buy a GoPro type camera. You can review what you are doing on tape and see if you doing something that you are not aware of. Sometimes they just won't eat and that is what it is but you just need to fight the good fight.
The other option is to do something dramatic. I was on Eagle with Herbie a few years ago and we had a bunch of followers and at one point Herbie hurled a bulldawg straight at one that turned away. It spun but it didn't eat but he said sometimes you just need to pee them off. I find that screaming and swearing doesn't typically work but you may feel better later....good luck! |
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Posts: 8782
| I watched Mikie catch a fish by taking his bait and smacking it against the water about 10 feet from the boat towards a fish that turned off. Stupid fish actually turned around and came back and ate the bait.
There are lots of weird triggers, and I've learned MANY from the guys at AML, but that was one of the best so far. Sometimes I think you just have to experiment with the followers a little and just see what works and what doesn't. I've got 9 years chasing these fish, and I still learn new stuff out there all of the time. Still screw 'em up from time to time too! |
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| I appreciate all the helpful info guys, I will definetly utilize the tips. Trying again tomorrow AM, Hopefully I can post a few pics! |
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Posts: 173
Location: Minnesota | All of these are good tips and I want to see some pictures!!! |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | I agree that some of these fish, at times, just can't be converted. I have had a few fish this year as well that have tormented me (or me them). The few I have converted were going to hit it all along I believe. |
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Posts: 17
Location: northeast ohio | Ive found that rather than an actual "8", i really prefer ovals. if they go around the loop more then twice, ill zig zag on the straightaways. with bucktails staggering/pulsing the bait right in front of their noses on the straights seems to spark interest. |
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| you gotta love Herbie - "sometimes ya just gotta p$ss'em off"
I'd surely like to spend time on the water with cantankerous Herbie !
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I know where the fish are....