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Posts: 1060
Location: Palm Coast, FL | How do you feel about small baits for muskies? |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | If they work, use them. The lake I fish the most has very stunted panfish. Not much large bait fish, maybe carp and bass. The use of small cranks let me match the size of the baitfish. I am talking about 3 to 5-inch baits. Thats just what works the best when the forage is small. Now, if you slide over to a few lakes close to here that have ciscos, the crank bait size preference is larger.
This goes way back to the "match the hatch" rule.
The one thing I will always do when I get a new bait is, change the hooks. Most hooks that come on these smaller baits are ok at best. I change all my hooks on evey bait I get. Personal preference I guess or maybe because I don't loose many fish that hit the baits. Back in the days I would always have a "rip" or two that I didn't get, those days don't happen much any more. I believe good sharp hooks have kept those short hitters stuck. Lots of muskies caught in the front lip on those slow days.
Small cranks, sharp quality hooks, correct rod and line = More muskies!!!!
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Posts: 167
Location: Minnesota | I am a big fan of small baits most of the summer especially early, like opener in MN, I find that some lakes small baits are the ticket. Small baits are typically very versitile as far as retrieve methods, but I would say the biggest thing is experiment on the lakes you fish to determine what they prefer.
Dan |
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| All,
I agree with the match-the-forage philosophy. One of the trollers I know here in Ohio reservoirs uses baits like the Reef Runner Ripshad 400s with a lot of success during the summer. They apparently do a good job imitating the shad in those reservoirs. Other lakes you'd be hard put to use anything that small. I also concur with the need to change hooks; those light wire hooks that Reef Runner uses on their baits wouldn't hold up to a hung-over walleye without bending.
Eric |
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Posts: 4266
| I love small lures, but then again, what constitutes small?
For years you would always find a Reef Hawg on one of my rods. That's a small lure....6" I believe.
Last year I made some small gliders. Perkettes they were. Like holding a 7" Perch in your hand. 7" long, but stream-lined and a great darting action. I thought that they would be a good early season lure, but had guys telling me about nice fish that were caught on them all the way into post turn-over.
I like small lures that have little resistance, because they keep me on the water longer. Physically, I can't throw big lures all day long anymore.
You should ask the fish what they think about small lures. In the world of match the hatch, I'm certain that there are far more fish in the lake 6" and below, than above. Will muskies hold out and only eat other fish that are at least a certain length, or are they opportunistic like other fish? Will they pass up a small meal if it means expending too much energy?
I love to throw the smaller lures. Does it cost me fish over the course of a season? I don't know.
I know that they keep me on the water longer, and it's a proven fact that I'll catch more fish in the boat than on the couch.
Beav |
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Posts: 1530
| small is the standard on lsc in summer months. you would be hard pressed to run baits over 7 inches trolling here.. we run woodies shad raps on boards and they produce many many fish over 50 every season.. you have to take into consideration of forage base. |
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | There is short, maybe two week window on a lake I fish that they want a mepps #5. Nothing else compares in action and that bait is very small.My personal best was taken on a creeper, which is a small bait. I think size of forage is the key into knowing when to downsize. I also believe water temp is irrelevant
In very early spring, I like a little glider with a lot of side to side movement and little forward motion. I just can't get a bigger glider to do that.
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Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | Vince, the only thing negative I have seen with small lures and it happens with bass too is the fish can inhale them easier. Yes a musky can inhale any bait but it is easier to inhale a smaller bait. You may encounter more fish hooks in the gill area but wih smaller hooks it does not do as much damage compared to a bigger lure.
Edited by ToddM 1/21/2007 9:42 PM
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Posts: 32930
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I use them quite a bit. Keith even more, he has it to a science. One of my largest Wisconsin fish came on a 4" creature, on purpose. |
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| It probably depends on many factors. I use smaller baits a lot, as I don't get to fish very often and I think it may get me a few more bites than if I used larger lures exclusively. On one lake I fish there were many fish caught on the regular sized Bulldawg, but I can't recall a single one being caught on the Magnum sized one. But what can you say is the reason for that? More people were throwing the regular sized one, but would they have caught just as many on the Magnum, or were they throwing the regular size Bulldawg because the Magnum was ineffective? Who knows. |
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Posts: 317
| I use smaller baits more often than not. Small and fast is good. |
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Posts: 921
Location: Apollo, PA | Chris Hamrick, Tuff shad lures (usually 5'ers) - have taken many, many, muskies big and small.
They work, and on many different waters. |
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Posts: 405
| Small baits rock! From my experience we havent got any to swallow just be ready to set the hook I guess ive just been lucky so far |
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Posts: 723
| I love small baits, but, also love large baits. size, shape, action all has its time and place, I have had many days where small worked the day before, and ended up using double that size the next day to get any action. Don't get hung up on big bait for big fish theory, you will be missing out for sure. |
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Posts: 1188
Location: Iowa | As most of you already know I am a firm believer in big baits and I will use them all year round...however I do believe there is a time and a place for a smaller bait...I just haven't figured out when yet...
Big Perc |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | After reading these posts I realize that I throw Big baits way to much.....
I have found it "mentally " hard to throw "Smaller" baits to such large fish... but I know you guys that throw smaller baits have good success.
I have to re-program my mind and build up some confidence in order to put down the larger baits and start throwing something smaller.
Jerome |
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Posts: 132
| I fish Creatures about 80% of the time, all season long. I consider those a very small bait, by musky standards. Maybe Mr Worrall can add in on this, but after 32 years of Musky fishing I have found that success is more about precision boat control and precision lure presentation than it is about lure size, lure color, and even lure action. There is no other lure that can dissect structure like a jig and creature.
Edited by Partycrasher 1/22/2007 2:13 PM
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Posts: 32
| Yeah Vince, small baits can catch really big fish...and big baits can catch really small ones. It goes both ways.
But with regard to your question, some of my favorite 'small stuff' includes but is not limited to Risto Raps, #7 Jointed Shad Raps, model 00 AC Shiners (expensive but WELL worth it) and some of the older guys (yeah, there are guys older than me--LOL) also used the Hellbender or Waterdogs a lot...if you look into the past (say about 50-60 years ago) most of the 'musky' lures were about the size of the larger bass stuff of today...just a fraction of the size of today's 10-14 inch Jakes, 9-13 inch Grandma's, etc.
And I agree that in general I run these baits considerably faster than the larger 'standard' size musky stuff...I feel this helps keep them from getting them too far into the back of their throat, and more in the lip and jaw area...
Also, in closing, keep in mind that many of these baits have light wire hooks, and one needs only to set their drags a little looser to keep from straightening them out...lock the drag down, and you're sure to lose the fish if it makes a power run to escape.
Al Nutty
I've been Nutty all my life...the insanity is a recent affliction!!
www.kinkaidlakeguides.com
They ALL go back...there ARE no keepers!!
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