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Muskie Fishing -> Lures,Tackle, and Equipment -> How Many Lures, Really?
 
Message Subject: How Many Lures, Really?
North of 8
Posted 1/9/2026 9:47 AM (#1035842)
Subject: How Many Lures, Really?




This past season, I participated in a musky league and I noted how much more frequently my partner changed baits than did I. Maybe because he is 30 years younger and not as set in his ways. I really have never been one to use a lot of lures, I have several big boxes of them but really could get by with maybe a dozen. I fished with a guide on Eagle Lake in 2024 and he used four baits, all day. He did switch them back and forth, but only four.
I thought of this recently because one of my sister's grandsons has gotten hooked on musky fishing. He is in high school and has a part time job but we all know how expensive gear has gotten. I gave him a net won at a musky seminar and rod I didn't use. I plan to give him some lures that are like new, just sitting in one box or the other.
If you were completely honest and ruthless in your assessment, how many lures do you really need (for this exercise, count multiple colors of same lure as one)?
Solitario Lupo
Posted 1/9/2026 11:31 AM (#1035843 - in reply to #1035842)
Subject: Re: How Many Lures, Really?





Location: PA Angler		I have a bunch and I do the same. I switch between 3 rods fly, bait, and spin. Changing all of them after I feel I have used them enough. Probably within a half an hr to an hr sometimes shorter. Got the bigger baits on bait, med to smaller on spin, and then flies. If you ask me to count. I wouldn’t know where to start. Plus I make my own plastics and flies so maybe that addiction got something to do with it also.
esoxaddict
Posted 1/9/2026 11:35 AM (#1035844 - in reply to #1035842)
Subject: Re: How Many Lures, Really?





Posts: 8853


Walk the dog
Tail prop
Double 10
Double 8
Deep running crank
Shallow running crank
Jerkbait
Spinner bait
Glider
Rubber

That it.
anderj85
Posted 1/9/2026 12:41 PM (#1035845 - in reply to #1035842)
Subject: Re: How Many Lures, Really?





Posts: 286


Location: US		I have hundreds of baits. Realistically, I use 1-3 different baits on any outing, usually 3-7 hours. Double that if you cast and troll on the same outing. This year I caught all of my fish on 6 different baits (not counting color differences).

I usually only fish local and don't travel as I have a couple young kids. for that reason time invested is also not as high as previous years. If i fished multiple times a week these numbers would likely be different. I'm big on fishing confidence baits so don't switch a lot and I'm sure there are days that costs me fish though.
IAJustin
Posted 1/9/2026 12:43 PM (#1035846 - in reply to #1035842)
Subject: RE: How Many Lures, Really?




Posts: 2078


North of 8 - 1/9/2026 9:47 AM

If you were completely honest and ruthless in your assessment, how many lures do you really need (for this exercise, count multiple colors of same lure as one)?



This really depends on how many lakes you fish and if you are an ice-out to ice-up fisherman. I'd have no problem fishing LOTW in July for a month with 5 baits (assuming if they are damaged I get to replace them)....there have been years I've fished 18-20 different lakes Feb-Dec. and caught fish on 40+ different baits...most years I need about 20 baits (this assumes that for example if a mag dawg is destroyed I can replace it) I'm not a bait collector, for the most part the baits I haven't caught fish on are on the bench until a similar bait is retired.

EDIT - I'm also assuming two different size baits are 2 baits. a mag dawg vs pounder, something like a small and large pacemaker ...obviously a 6" jake and a 14" jake fish a little different - ha!
North of 8
Posted 1/9/2026 1:11 PM (#1035847 - in reply to #1035846)
Subject: RE: How Many Lures, Really?




IAJustin - 1/9/2026 12:43 PM

North of 8 - 1/9/2026 9:47 AM

If you were completely honest and ruthless in your assessment, how many lures do you really need (for this exercise, count multiple colors of same lure as one)?



This really depends on how many lakes you fish and if you are an ice-out to ice-up fisherman. I'd have no problem fishing LOTW in July for a month with 5 baits (assuming if they are damaged I get to replace them)....there have been years I've fished 18-20 different lakes Feb-Dec. and caught fish on 40+ different baits...most years I need about 20 baits (this assumes that for example if a mag dawg is destroyed I can replace it) I'm not a bait collector, for the most part the baits I haven't caught fish on are on the bench until a similar bait is retired.



EDIT - I'm also assuming two different size baits are 2 baits. a mag dawg vs pounder, something like a small and large pacemaker ...obviously a 6" jake and a 14" jake fish a little different - ha!
Yes, I was thinking if you have two Mag Dawgs, but in different colors, I would count as one. And you make a good point about different water. This past summer in league I used some deeper running cranks that I don't use on the shallow chain where I live. In league we fished a number of different lakes.
nar160
Posted 1/9/2026 5:41 PM (#1035848 - in reply to #1035842)
Subject: Re: How Many Lures, Really?




Posts: 432


Location: MN		I love this question - not a big fan of excessive complexity and clutter. My roster currently contains 85 baits, which correspond to 39 distinct types after color is removed but still considering variation like size and weight. I use all of them, but realistically the set could be reduced to these 10 and it would cover the ways in which I use them all:

- double 12s or 13s built heavy
- double 12s built light
- 12" red oct tube mid depth
- husky medussa
- 12" posseidon
- 14" sq hellhound
- triple d
- 12" mattlock
- psycho sister or CBJ
- creeper
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