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| My brother and I are going to Deer lake, north of Grand Rapids MN for the first week in August on our first ever Musky hunt. We have a pair of Gander guide series rods outfitted with Abu 6600c4's. Thats it. The lake is big (4000 acres), deep,( up to 120ft) and very clear( average 16ft visibility). I'm looking to pick anyones brain that can help me with any kind of success, a follow would hook us.
The budget is pretty tight so a guide is kind of out of the question. If anyone could clue us in to a good lure selection and color pallette or any clear water techniques we would be gratefull.
So far i'm looking at the 8" jointed depth raider and the 9" weighted? suick in perch flavors and some mepps musky killers in black. As far as line goes 40lb power pro or spiderwire?
All teamed up with some steel leaders?
I know i have alot of research ahead of me but this seems to be the place to start.
thanks in advance!
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Posts: 291
Location: Minneapolis | Good luck up there! I understand Deer is a nice, but difficult lake, but I have no personal experience there.
First off, I would up your line to 65# or even 80# test. I like Power Pro better than most other superbraids because it absorbs less water. When you're chucking heavier lures, like your weighted suick, lighter super braids have a tendency to snap if you get a backlash.
Use muskie-strength steel leaders. About 9" long will be fine. If they are straight-wire leaders, the wire should be 140# test or better. Lighter gauge than that will kink up too fast. If you prefer 7-strand steel leaders, 90# test will be fine.
Your lure choices are fine so far. I'd add a spinnerbait (2 or 2.5 oz single-spin rad dog would be my choice), a deeper-diving crankbait for casting to suspended fish (a triple-D is less fatiguing to retrieve than most; you'll appreciate that with your high gear ratio C4s), and a top water lure (top raider). With that selection of lures you can cover water shallow to deep, cast and troll, and go slow or fast.
I would expect the suspended bite to be most productive during the day. Fish rock or weed structure at night or under heavy cloud cover.
Good luck! |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | for clear water you should give my stealth leaders a try
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/articles/07.11.2006/1054/Stealth.Ta... |
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Posts: 1189
Location: Bagley,MN 56621 | Never been on Deer, but hit a lake close to there once. I caught a 44"er on a goldfish prism phantom, it was very sunny out and the lake was crystal clear, felt weird throwing it.............. unitl it got bit.
boat was in 20-30', casting up to cabbage/reeds...........dont be afraid of having the boat in deep water
I would get some bright gawdy, orange,chartruse,flashy,sparkly stuff for the bright days (phantom worked for me and is an easy glider to learn) and some dark baits (black bulldawg) for the cloudy days.
just a shot from the hip..........my $.02 |
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Posts: 770
Location: Ames, Iowa | Dog- I've been on Moose right across the road. Very clear lakes. My advice is to fish these lakes early in the morning and dusk. It's easy to stay in deep water and fish shallower. Let the wind help you control your boat. Hit the cabbage and the bulrushes (you ought to get a buzzbait like a Boogerman to throw right into them).
Good luck- let us know how you did.
Don |
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