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| I have seen other fish do this but the musky is most consistent and peculiar in this regard. There may be no discreet answer but I am curious to hear why you think they follow lures more than other species? |
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| Follow/Strike Rationale
To me it's a matter of curriosity/attack response. The musky being the alpha freshwater predator really isn't scared of very much in its watery environment. Therefore the sense of curriosity is somewhat enhanced - if it moves through the water, it catches the musky's interest and it will often investigate (follow). If the movement (forage or lure) triggers an attack response the musky will strike, but if that attack response is not triggered then the musky simply follows until:
a) it loses interest
b) the forage or lure escapes, or
c) the attack response is triggered which causes the musky to strike.
I believe that's why the figure eight is responsible for so many boatside strikes, the rapid change in depth and/or speed changes the curriosity response to an attack response when the musky senses (not thinks) that the forage/lure is about to escape.
That's just my opinion and of course, I could be wrong.
MLK
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| I was at the local aquarium a couple years ago and I saw some interesting muskie behavior. A muskie chased a fleeing baitfish (6" sucker I think) across the tank which probably spanned 40'. The whole time the muskie wasn't but 6" off the back of the bait. Then when it got to the end of the tank it just turned off and went on it's way. At this time all the other fish in the tank went for the sucker with a slab crappie coming out with it.
After seeing this, I've just come to realize that they're just a goofy fish that do what they please. There are some things you can do to trigger some of these fish, but I do believe that following is part of their nature. |
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Posts: 236
| I am certain that it is a territorial response. I've seen a lot of territorial things with largemouth bass that are shocking, and I'm sure very few people have ever seen it happen. largemouth are very territorial and I am positive this would be the case for ski's as well.
Set it and Forget it
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| ive seen in canada alot happens.closed mouth no gill flare.push lure with closed mouth.seems to be a very territorial response.happened too many times to be a coincidence |
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Posts: 172
Location: Chagrin Falls, Ohio | What have you seen? I'd be interested to hear. I have a story for you. Many years ago I had a Golden Retriever that loved to watch fish in the lake behind our house. One season a bass fanned a bed off the beach and she loved to watch it swim around, standing knee deep in the water about a couple of feet off the bed. One day there was some commotion and I stepped outside to see her barking at the bass, who repeatedly jumped out of the water at her each time she stepped forward. This went on for about a half hour before she lost interest. It was hilarious. The bass would actually get in position and take a run at her as she would anticipate and move back, time after time. Never seen anything like it. Good fishin', Tyler Campbell
Edited by Tyler Campbell 6/11/2003 12:05 AM
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| Because we all use a "leader?" |
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Posts: 236
| Tyler,
Wow that is a great story, mine isnt that good. I have 3 big bass that I have transplanted to a pond below my house. I have these bass trained now and they follow you around and I throw them frogs and nightcrawlers. The biggest bass is around 8 pounds the others are around 6 and 7. The biggest bass will chase the others out of the way biting at there tail and hitting them with his snout because he knows food is comming. Even after eating 2 dozen or so crawlers and being so full he can barley move let alone eat, he will still chase the others out of the area even though he is stuffed to the gills.
Sound Familiar?
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Posts: 172
Location: Chagrin Falls, Ohio | That's outstanding. I'd like to see bass that big being hand fed. Doesn't surprise me after what I saw in the backyard. I had some muskies bump jerk baits pretty hard today with a closed mouth boatside, same type of behavior. Good fisin', Tyler Campbell |
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Posts: 184
Location: Rockford Il 61108 | I believe they follow to piss us fisherman off. If not to make us mad, they do it to tease or scare the hell out of us. Seriously Ive had them follow my Suick then hit at the side of the boat. This can make you age in a second of time. Thanks fellas for the input |
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Posts: 1
| My experiance is not of great depth, but I feel I have fished enough to understand these fish. From Pennsylvania, I catch mostly Pike, and recently only Pike. I have only landed 3 muskie, the first of which was a good follower story.... My brother fishing with a fire tiger rapala screamed of the muskie that followed his lure in, said it had a gash in the side of it. We fished for a while in the same area, then moved along, then eventually on the way back, hit the same spot. I must also comment that the follow that happened to my brother was one of those that was like a hit that you pulled your lure from..... "if I jsut had 1 more crank". As we fished the same spot, about 3 hours later, I landed a 38" Muskie, which my brother was sure was the same one with the gash in the side that followed him in earlier. This is proof I think that a follower may eventually hit, in the future, don't let them get you down, you may just end up landing the fish in the future, just give them some time. I landed the fish on a silver rapala, about 5 inches. |
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| talk about following well .every fish in the lake followed an i do mean every fish from carp to muskie. tried every thing i could think of an nothing worked. even drug bucktails on botom nothing worked last fall. every time i got a bite was a bass about 6or 7 pd . tried moveing to another lake still same thing dont no why |
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| muskies are just like us in a way. we walk into a store an check things out. we buy it or we dont.or just looking it over.were in there lake trying to sell something. i think that theirs just to many things that trip their trigger. moon stars weather an good jerk bait lol |
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| I think waterdog is on to something; ever been hungry, yet no money? When I'm in that situation, I go in a Burger King and follow someone to their seat. I then just stand there and stare at them until they freak out and leave, then eat the rest of their food. For desert I'll hit the local ice cream parlor and follow peeps around until they run to their cars; I'm starting to see the similarities now, as I'm most tempted to "strike" as they start to close the car door... |
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Posts: 224
Location: Madison | Interesting post on another BBS the other day - a guy had trained some muskies in his tank. He always fed them baitfish from a forceps, and he'd drag the fish around the top of the tank before dropping them in. Most of the time, the fish would come up and grab them from the top of the water.
BUT there were times when they would just follow. I thought that was fascinating, considering these fish had been trained, and knew this was feeding time. Made me feel a lot better about converting a low percentage of followers!
-d
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Why do muskies follow?