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Muskie Fishing -> General Discussion -> Figure Eight or Circle?
 
Message Subject: Figure Eight or Circle?
VanderLaan
Posted 10/6/2020 8:09 AM (#967867)
Subject: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 12


Been watching some Youtube videos and notice that when the bait gets boat side, some guys figure eight and some make big circles. Is it the bait that they are using? Situation? Personal preference? Hoping someone can explain.
Rob C
Posted 10/6/2020 9:02 AM (#967870 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 59


I will usually start with a figure 8. If the fish is still following the 8 after a couple times through then I will switch to a big circle, just to change things up and try to get a reaction.

If the fish is BIG then I will just about always do a circle right away, and use sinuous movements in the circle. I feel that truly large fish have difficulty in the turns of a large figure 8.

When it comes to baits I haven't really noticed where one pattern is better than the other, so I think it mostly comes down to personal preference.
horsehunter
Posted 10/6/2020 10:47 AM (#967876 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Location: Eastern Ontario
Doesn't matter do something..... just don't reel in and immediately remove lure from the water even if you think that you would have seen any follow
ArmPit
Posted 10/6/2020 12:38 PM (#967878 - in reply to #967876)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?





Posts: 447


Location: Waconia, MN
I mix them up, and as mentioned above as long as you do something beside pull the bait out, you'll be good.
Angling Oracle
Posted 10/6/2020 2:12 PM (#967881 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 355


Location: Selkirk, Manitoba
Make sure to watch the videos of weekend guys (ie not guides or the muskie channels) where there is a hot fish and not successful and see what they are doing wrong. Typically they are not going fast on the straightway to rev the fish up and not hanging on the turn. When they do miss a fish that bites, typically they are setting the hook in the direction of fish and not back against.

Figure 8 is better than circle as you are hanging the bait away from boat in both directions, whereas with circle you are going to be hanging into boat which is going make things ugly on the hookset if they bite there. I agree that a big fish is problematic and hence where a long rod comes in. If you do have a hot fish but brought bait out of water too quick - do put the lure right back in again. as all is not lost, and a hot fish will likely still be right there ready to come at it again.
ghoti
Posted 10/6/2020 2:45 PM (#967884 - in reply to #967881)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 1270


Location: Stevens Point, Wi.
Angling Oracle - 10/6/2020 2:12 PM

Make sure to watch the videos of weekend guys (ie not guides or the muskie channels) where there is a hot fish and not successful and see what they are doing wrong. Typically they are not going fast on the straightway to rev the fish up and not hanging on the turn. When they do miss a fish that bites, typically they are setting the hook in the direction of fish and not back against.

Figure 8 is better than circle as you are hanging the bait away from boat in both directions, whereas with circle you are going to be hanging into boat which is going make things ugly on the hookset if they bite there. I agree that a big fish is problematic and hence where a long rod comes in. If you do have a hot fish but brought bait out of water too quick - do put the lure right back in again. as all is not lost, and a hot fish will likely still be right there ready to come at it again.


It's usually not a true circle, more of an elongated oval. The turns are still away from the boat.
pklingen
Posted 10/6/2020 6:55 PM (#967891 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 864


Location: NE Ohio
i just try it all. i've noticed recently that the fish disappear and sort of just re position themselves for the strike i guess cause i can't see them anymore, and it seems to mostly happen when i take the lure deeper (out of my sight) and still do the 8 or a circle.

Edited by pklingen 10/6/2020 6:58 PM
KingT
Posted 10/6/2020 9:43 PM (#967895 - in reply to #967891)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 59


pklingen - 10/6/2020 6:55 PM

i just try it all. i've noticed recently that the fish disappear and sort of just re position themselves for the strike i guess cause i can't see them anymore, and it seems to mostly happen when i take the lure deeper (out of my sight) and still do the 8 or a circle.


On a circle or oval one of the turns has to be toward the boat. They both can't be away like a 8. Oustide corner of the 8 is the money shot!!!
KingT
Posted 10/6/2020 9:45 PM (#967896 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 59


Sorry I "quoted" the wrong person
BassThumb
Posted 10/12/2020 11:50 AM (#968023 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?





Posts: 69


Location: Royalton, MN
The "J" in the figure 8 seems to be where most of the bites happen, so I'm not sure if it matters. Both the figure 8 and the circle have that same "J" portion.
Kirby Budrow
Posted 10/13/2020 6:03 AM (#968050 - in reply to #968023)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?





Posts: 2325


Location: Chisholm, MN
BassThumb - 10/12/2020 11:50 AM

The "J" in the figure 8 seems to be where most of the bites happen, so I'm not sure if it matters. Both the figure 8 and the circle have that same "J" portion.


It matters. Pulling the fish at the boat on a hook set with O is dangerous because you may have nowhere to go. Also when you do an O you give the fish a chance to look at the boat. The 8 keeps them pointed away from the boat for the most part.

An O has a small place in the muskie world for big fish, but that’s about it.
sukrchukr
Posted 10/13/2020 7:35 AM (#968051 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Location: Vilas
doesnt matter, like what was already said...just do something. I start reeling faster as the bait nears the boat then move into a big oval...........
just b/c someone has a youtube channel doesnt mean they are a pro, or even have a clue what they are doing. There is one channel that has gotten popular, to the point of now he has been on podcasts and even seminars...but he doesnt own his own boat.
Kirby Budrow
Posted 10/13/2020 8:12 AM (#968053 - in reply to #968051)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?





Posts: 2325


Location: Chisholm, MN
sukrchukr - 10/13/2020 7:35 AM

doesnt matter, like what was already said...just do something. I start reeling faster as the bait nears the boat then move into a big oval...........
just b/c someone has a youtube channel doesnt mean they are a pro, or even have a clue what they are doing. There is one channel that has gotten popular, to the point of now he has been on podcasts and even seminars...but he doesnt own his own boat.


However much I agree with you about youtubers being blown out of proportion, owning a boat doesn't mean you aren't a good fisherman. I know plenty of people who don't own boats who are great fisherman. It might be daddy's boat or they just hop in with someone else all the time. I don't know who you are talking about specifically, so maybe they don't have a clue. I hardly watch any of those videos anymore.

I'm not really sure what you mean by "just do something". If it were that easy, muskies would be jumping in the boat. The figure 8 is very technical if you want to be good at it and catch a lot of fish. Youtube videos from good fisherman are a great way to learn.
BassThumb
Posted 10/13/2020 9:20 AM (#968057 - in reply to #968050)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?





Posts: 69


Location: Royalton, MN
Kirby Budrow - 10/13/2020 6:03 AM

BassThumb - 10/12/2020 11:50 AM

The "J" in the figure 8 seems to be where most of the bites happen, so I'm not sure if it matters. Both the figure 8 and the circle have that same "J" portion.


It matters. Pulling the fish at the boat on a hook set with O is dangerous because you may have nowhere to go. Also when you do an O you give the fish a chance to look at the boat. The 8 keeps them pointed away from the boat for the most part.

An O has a small place in the muskie world for big fish, but that’s about it.


Not sure what you mean by "nowhere to go" on the hookset if the figure-8 and circle travel the same distance.

Also, the figure-8 turns the fish towards the boat twice per revolution where a circle would only turn them towards the boat once. Most times I turn a fish towards the boat I try to dive the bait to get them looking downward, with the exception of a topwaters. I do believe that bending over to dive a bait can certainly spook a fish though -- I've seen it multiple times -- so I try to do with the arms only.

I agree on the big fish part. I'll do circles on big fish to start. On average or smaller fish, I mix circles in if a fish goes around the figure 8 a couple times.

Like I said before with the "J" comment, it seems like the top angle of the first turn, the J, is where the strike happen most of the time anyways. If they don't hit there, it seems like a toss-up regarding success rate on figure-8 vs circle.

FWIW, I figure-8 50 times for every circle I do.

Edited by BassThumb 10/13/2020 9:23 AM
sukrchukr
Posted 10/13/2020 9:25 AM (#968058 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Location: Vilas
by "just do something" I meant circles, ovals, or 8`s...just do something...not just pull the bait from the water. The youtube comment was meant to mean just b/c someone can afford a GoPro and has a channel doesnt classify them as a pro fisherman....which seems,in some cases, to be the case.
KingT
Posted 10/13/2020 10:17 AM (#968062 - in reply to #968057)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 59


BassThumb - 10/13/2020 9:20 AM

Kirby Budrow - 10/13/2020 6:03 AM

BassThumb - 10/12/2020 11:50 AM



Not sure what you mean by "nowhere to go" on the hookset if the figure-8 and circle travel the same distance.

He means that if a fish eats on the turn of the circle that is coming towards the boat there is no where for the rod to go for hook set. Outside corner away from the boat on the 8 is the best spot for a fish to hit.
KingT
Posted 10/13/2020 10:22 AM (#968064 - in reply to #967867)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 59


The figure 8 does not turn the fish toward the boat twice. Turns it parallel to the boat. Or at least that's the way I do my 8's.
Top H2O
Posted 10/13/2020 12:44 PM (#968065 - in reply to #968064)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 4080


Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion
Ahh, it does turn the fish toward the boat twice.
From the top of the 8 , to the middle of the 8, and again down to the bottom of the 8...
If a hot fish is chasing a bait, it will eventually see the boat . I've even had them run into a running trolling motor before.
I need a Nap.
Kirby Budrow
Posted 10/13/2020 1:50 PM (#968066 - in reply to #968065)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?





Posts: 2325


Location: Chisholm, MN
Top H2O - 10/13/2020 12:44 PM

Ahh, it does turn the fish toward the boat twice.
From the top of the 8 , to the middle of the 8, and again down to the bottom of the 8...
If a hot fish is chasing a bait, it will eventually see the boat . I've even had them run into a running trolling motor before.
I need a Nap.


I haven't fished much in the last couple weeks. Need to get out and turn the computer off.
BNelson
Posted 10/13/2020 2:38 PM (#968067 - in reply to #968066)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?





Location: Contrarian Island
both work, I've caught lots of big ones doing both... with an oval unless they eat in the 1st turn or straight you are going to turn them directly into the boat on the 2nd turn back, which with an 8 you don't turn them directly back into the boat if done correctly... hot fish don't give a hoot about the boat, in general you can do either and get fish to eat if you read the attitude of the fish and what it reacts to...

Edited by BNelson 10/13/2020 2:39 PM
Top H2O
Posted 10/13/2020 3:02 PM (#968068 - in reply to #968066)
Subject: Re: Figure Eight or Circle?




Posts: 4080


Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion
Kirby Budrow - 10/13/2020 1:50 PM

Top H2O - 10/13/2020 12:44 PM

Ahh, it does turn the fish toward the boat twice.
From the top of the 8 , to the middle of the 8, and again down to the bottom of the 8...
If a hot fish is chasing a bait, it will eventually see the boat . I've even had them run into a running trolling motor before.
I need a Nap.


I haven't fished much in the last couple weeks. Need to get out and turn the computer off.

Yep .
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