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Posts: 827
Location: Minneapolis,Minnesota | I'm fishing a very dark water lake up north this weekend and am setting up my game plan. I've never really fished musky in this dark of water before, I was planing to go with very noisy topwaters in hot colors along with burning bright colored bucktails. What are some presentations some of you guys have had success with in dark water?
I was also thinking that throwing glow baits would be good?
Edited by Phish Killer 7/2/2003 2:08 PM
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | I am one that feels that color is the least important variable to your arsenal. I have caught fish in waters that there was no way they could see a bait even if it was on top of them, I really doubt that color matters then. When fishing dark water like this I always use bright colors as a confidence thing, but feel that vibration and flash are more important ingredients to get them to eat.
Remember, even fish in the darkest of waters manage to survive quite well eating natural colored prey, as I have yet to see a firetiger colored sucker. Do not rule out twitch baits, and jerkbaits from your arsenal- if they are on the eat they will find them. |
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Posts: 827
Location: Minneapolis,Minnesota | Thanks for the reply Norm, I agree with you, sound and viberation is way more important than color in this situation...the bright colors are more of a confidence and visability of the bait thing for me. Just curious what has been successful for others, looking for new ideas to throw into the game....
Edited by Phish Killer 7/2/2003 2:15 PM
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | "Phish",
Norm hit the nail on the head, baits with rattles or baits that elicit vibration are key in these types of water.
Don't forget black as a color for dark water. Black still offers one of the best contrasts there is in any color of water and it has served me well over the years when the loud colors haven't produced.
Good luck, |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | One thing I have found, at least for me, less erratic baits produce better than really erratic ones. For instace a bucktail seems to be better for me than an erratric glide bait. |
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Posts: 696
Location: Northern Illinois | We did really well last year on a very dark water lake and we threw a lot but the best lures seemed to be brightly colored crankbaits. Slowly twitched or slowly reeled were good. |
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Posts: 466
Location: Pittsburgh, PA | on my home waters (a river) it is really dark....im talking 1 1/2 foot down visiblility on a very good day. bucktails seem to be the big producer. but what do i know...im just a rookie lol |
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| i think color is over rated in some instances. i've caught muskies on gin clean water with charchuse/floresent orange and have caught them on black gliders in water i cant see the baits coming in till the leader hits your tip top. thorw what u have confidence in. but i will eat my words once in a while and say color is a big factor...the most important thing is to put your bait in front of a fish. |
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| i forgot to add...in this months esox angler read the articles by pete maina and doug johnson. i really liked the article by johnson. both have alot to do with colors of baits. |
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Posts: 2089
| The strike zone of dark water fish is much smaller, therefore I tend to fish a little slower. I use either all black or hot colors, but blade style is paramount. #7 fluted or colorado are top choices, but don't forget the #7 french or the Mepps Musky Killer. Lots of good info on this thread. Steve |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | I also think color is often overrated. i fish the Petenwell Flowage(can't really think of a body of water with less visibility off hand), and used to feel I had to use orange and rattle everything. Though the bright stuff still works, I do very well with natural colors, and duller reds quite often, and have been catching some larger fish on 'off' colors. Surface baits are another thing that people think you have to really use certain colors with. i've been doing very well with colors other than black in my surface lures. My fiance got a 25lber today on a very light yellow surface lure. That said, my favorite lure on the pete is still a bootail with an orange blade(go figure). I alos like hellraisers bear paws in any color(huge lure), big bobbie baits in rainbow, big reef hawgs, big jakes, and jointed depth raiders. Good luck!!!! |
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Posts: 78
Location: Pardeeville, WI | ReefHawg,
Do you fish the upper part of Petenwell in the river channels? I fished the open part of the flowage a few weeks ago and did mark some nice fish when I could find the channel. Otherwise I was cruising around in 3 feet of water most of the time not doing much at all. |
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Posts: 285
| Jason,
Any plans to visit MN soon?
I'm hitting Tonka this Sat with Treats and the MI crew.
email me or let Iowa Jon know when you're planning to be up here.
Or else I will see you at Cass, no?
Later,
papa |
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Posts: 827
Location: Minneapolis,Minnesota | Papa,
Looks like I'll be back up next weekend helping out the girly with the new house in N.E. ....not sure how much free time I'll have? I also want to do some job hunting in anticipation of the move back from Fiblyville. Hopefully in a couple months...cross my fingers.
Cass is still on the agenda BUT after last weeks trip to Oneida Cty. I may take that week and fish some honey holes I discovered in wonderful northern Wisconsin.
I'll let you know......
Someone hit a skunk?????
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I use black alot on dark days, and Firetiger or a close pattern alot on bright days. The old axiom 'dark day-dark lure, bright day- bright lure' holds very well on murky or tannic waters. |
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