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Posts: 87
| Hey everyone,
I'm looking for some advice on what baits to throw. I am just starting this season to fish a small river in Illinois. The river I am fishing is relatively shallow, about 5 feet deep in the middle with some deeper holes, and has pretty fast current. There are some points that jut out and create large eddies. That is where I have mainly been targeting muskies.
Can anyone recommend some baits that work well in the early spring (April) on small rivers? I have caught one fish on a rapala super shad so far, but I'm not sure what else to throw.
Also, should I only be casting in the large eddies, or should I be targeting the main current as well?
Thanks in advance for the help! |
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Posts: 553
Location: 15 miles east of Lake Kinkaid | Throw small gliders like Hellhounds and 6" Phantom Softtails (or whatever is your confidence bait). Also jigs work very well to fish the deeper holes.
Edited by MuskyMATT7 4/9/2014 8:17 PM
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Posts: 531
| Since ice out I have caught 2 musky casting. One was on a Stinger glide bait (8" long, not the typical spring sized bait) and the other on a Sloppy Swimmer swimbait (6inch long)both of those fish came from a river. What I have found is a larger bait size has never left me feeling like I am missing fish when compaired to the smaller baits. That is just me, other may feel differently that's OK its America.
I fish slack water, or deep holes. I would not think the muskies would be relating to the main current yet as its still cold and the game of calories taken in vs calories used is more critical in the cold.
If you are in a lot of current and gliders are not working right (a lot of current kills a glider action) try either a soft plastic swimbait you can strait retrieve or jig, and a jerk bait (chop style), keep working the holes you feel are holding fish. You may go several trips and not see anything then one day get hit 4 times in 10 minutes. Just keep at it |
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Posts: 1760
Location: new richmond, wi. & isle, mn | Twitch a 205 Cobb bait. I would definitely concentrate on slack water. Natural eddies, downed brush or timber, or any other structural elements. A quiet stealthy approach is a must. Don't get on top of spots. My experience is these small river fish can be awful spooky. |
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Posts: 319
Location: Tomahawk,Wis | #5 mepps hottest musky bait around.Any time of the year. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | The baby manta was killer in current when I river fished. They were good all season. I also liked the small shallow raiders in spring.
I wouldn't shy away from the fast current. Fish don't need to exert a ton of effort to sit in current. I always found the fish in fast current were there to feed also. |
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Posts: 216
| Don't overlook the current areas. One year on opening day my bud andi fished half a day in high,fast moving dirty water and moved nothing till I caught a smallie near a small rapids section. I then decided to fish for smallies out in the current behind rocks and small islands in the main current channel.we caught 4 nice skis from 38" to 44" all in fast water where I wouldn't have expected them to be.got em all on 6" minnow baits |
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Posts: 87
| Thanks for the replies everyone, I did catch a fish in an Eddie area, but I wasn't sure about fishing the main current. Is April too early for top water? Last october I was experimenting with top water and I did move some fish with it, but I didn't hook one. Since spring and fall are relatively similar when talking about temperatures, I was thinking of trying it out. |
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Posts: 219
| 6" Big Game twitcher, 6" glider like a Manta or the smaller Twisted Suckers (glide bait) are good too, and we have done really well on Jigs! 1oz to 2oz jig with a Salty Shaker tail attached - I would start lighter on the jig, but then you may have to trim your trailer to match (most of the time just an inch shorter willl work). The smaller mepps (I do like the tandem #5) is a good idea too, I preffer the mini-dreamcatcher, both both will work well. A J13 Rapala is a good idea too. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | My most productive small river lure is an 8" jointed Swim Whizz, usually set on the shallow setting. |
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Posts: 2753
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Lots of good advice- fish the fast current for active fish that are feeding. I have been pretty sucessful with 6" floating stick/twitch baits. I use floating Zam's (6.3") ->
http://www.zalt.se/zam/zam-16-cm-flytande-29-g/
Colors 11, 33, 37, 38,39, and 76 have all produced fish. The 76 is my go to bait for the WI River. But, I think Rapala's, Rebels, Slammers or and any other floating 6" crank bait will work well.
Also try 4-6" weedless spoons with teaser tails, I like frog colored squid skirts (4-6"). Also try Heddon Crazy Crawlers for some explosive top water action. Even if the holes are 12' deep thats only 4 body lengths for 36" fish, they can cover that distance very fast.
Speed and eratic action are key eat-me triggers - don't just cast & crank it in all the time.
Lastly watch Mike Keyes "Trout Water Video".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIb_BHM_ljI&list=PLXx0W3oJrrPQAn9y-D...
Have fun!
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 4/10/2014 9:33 AM
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Posts: 1202
Location: Money, PA | I have been doing this for 25+ years...It has always been kind of a stable to use smaller baits in the spring...Why? Probably because some old timer probably told me way back when, thats why; and thats just what we follow. I learned you can NEVER go wrong by mixing it up whenever though! Ironically, with that all said, I have to admit that there has been a recent craze for smaller baits out in the eastern part of the country...AND it IS producing and producing some nice fish all season too. Last fall, I caught my largest PA muskie to date (51") trolling a 4.5" Lil Hammer on a down rod 12' back over 18FOW. Luck?? I'd say 75% to 80% of our fish came on that little bait all season in 2013. And its not like I don't run bigger stuff....When I troll, I always mix it up and at least have one or two bigger baits on at all times. The smaller baits have clearly been outproducing in the last few years....Through my recent findings I believe more in "Right place right time" than I do "Bigger baits bigger fish" which I've never really given much credit to anyway.
Some of the smaller baits producing out this way are:
-Boss Shad
-Lil' Hammer
-Alley Cat
-Sisson bass baits
-Chad Shad
-Marshad
-Tuff Shad
-Bakers
Edited by ShutUpNFish 4/11/2014 7:22 AM
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Posts: 531
| Paul, nice post. I might have missed something here but, how does any of what you wrote pertain to casting streams in the spring the OP asked about? I'm just a little confused |
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Posts: 151
Location: IL | To tell you the truth, Rapala Huskie Jerks are probably the best bait to use in the river you are talking about.. congrats on the fish you got last week. But, just remember to bring hook cutters next time because If I wasn't there to help u, that fish would have died no doubt. and too bad you didn't get a picture of her. It really is an accomplishment catching skis out of that river. See you out there soon! |
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Posts: 17
Location: tamahawk,wi-elmwood pk,il | When the surface temp get to the low 60ies go to the shallow timber. I always like spinner baits. Many musky guys forgot how great the Johnson silver minnow can be in the timber. I also throw medium size toppers in shallow water. I had good luck last year with the surfin-jimmy and the lucky-pierre by northwoods custom classics tackle co. in the Wisconsin River. Their in MUSKY HUNTER MAG april/may .Many of the old ideas still work ! ! Good Luck |
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Posts: 70
| Don't be scared to throw a black hawg wobbler in the fast current and the head of the holes!
My buddy as had good luck on white tubes in the holes also! |
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| wallygator - 4/10/2014 12:18 AM
#5 mepps hottest musky bait around.Any time of the year.
do you really like your mepps when you have to use your knipex?at least if you use them |
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Posts: 1039
Location: North St. Paul, MN | I usually bring three rods and usually only use 3-6 lures, but I almost always have on a 6" slammer twitch bait, 6" phantom softtail, and a bucktail I can really move.
I'll fish anything that looks "fishy," typically areas I can't see the bottom --- rocks, wood, and weeds...even better. |
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Posts: 319
Location: Tomahawk,Wis | Jano
I have only had to cut 1 #5 out of a fish.. Never had 1 swallowed. |
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Posts: 17
Location: tamahawk,wi-elmwood pk,il | test |
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Earlly Spring Small River Baits and Location