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Posts: 67
| In the current MHM one writer said he starts his figure 8 to the left. Are Muskies, so to speak, right or left handed? Or doesn't it make any difference which way you start your figure 8? Do Muskies have a preference as to which way they will turn to chase a lure? I've nevered watched which way I start the figure 8, now I wonder if I need to start going to the left or right? |
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Posts: 571
Location: Williamstown, WV | Yeah after reading Mike's article I started thinking about how everybody I've ever seen do a figure 8 (tv and real life) and they always start it to the left.
Shawn |
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Posts: 8833
| I'd say left is your best bet. Why? Because most of the fish I've encountered on a figure 8 just sort of....
(are you ready?)
LEFT!
BWAHAHAHHAHAHAH!
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Posts: 2024
| I think the issue is not whether the fish are right or left handed, it's a question of what is most comfortable for the fisherman. If these fish don't mind 100 pound test super braid, leaders, snaps, giant lures, or in some cases a propeller in their face spinning at 2500 rpms, I don't think they're gonna bat an eye at a bait that turns either left or right.
I've started to set up on structures so that I am casting off the starboard side of the boat. Why? Because it simply feels more comfortable to cast, twitch, set the hook (I set the hook across my body left to right, fishing from the left side I could potentially smack the trolling motor), and most importantly perform a proper figure 8. Thinking even harder about it, I do usually start my figure 8 to the left.
I'm a righty, is it different for lefties?
Edited by esox50 1/30/2007 5:19 PM
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Posts: 551
Location: Columbus, Georgia | Where I am standing in my boat and the direction the retrieve is coming from has everything to do with whether my 8 will start from the left or right. Has more to do with the laws of physics than anything else ...
Craig
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Posts: 551
Location: Columbus, Georgia | I'm a lefty. Casting off the side of the boat, standing in the middle, I would prefer to begin my 8 by moving to the left. |
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| When fishing off the bow I make my turn away from the trolling motor. So if fishing on starboard I turn right, on port I turn left. |
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| personally I think it has to do more with what angle the bait is coming into the boat at....i.e. if it is coming in from an angle more forwardly, then don't try to make such a sharp turn and go around back to the right...take it out and around to the left if that makes sense...whichever way the lure is coming in at don't try to do such a sharp turn around, make it as smooth as possible...right or left it does not make a difference to the fish imo. |
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Posts: 214
Location: Central Iowa | Interesting topic, I'm a lefty and I always start mine going to the left as well...I'd say it has something to do with the fact that I'm more comfortable setting a hook towards the left so naturally I start my figure 8's to the left. |
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Posts: 117
| cjrich - 1/30/2007 5:37 PM
I'm a lefty. Casting off the side of the boat, standing in the middle, I would prefer to begin my 8 by moving to the left.
Im a south paw too and thats the way i go.  |
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Posts: 350
Location: WESTERN WI | Since muskies usually hit on the first turn if they are going to hit (from what I've seen) your first turn "either right or left" should be the turn that gives you the best hook setting ability in any direction... Remember setting the hook towards the fishes tail is always best when they hit on the 8.
Edited by Got Esox? 1/30/2007 7:07 PM
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Posts: 32930
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I keep the lure going the direction it was headed in towards the boat, if I need to go left to continue, fine, right is good too.
Lots of Leftys here. We are all in our right mind. All mechanically correct muskie anglers are left handed, the rest just wish they could be.  |
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | I go to the right I believe...and....i've never caught a fish on a figure 8. |
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Posts: 518
Location: Cave Run Lake KY. | I allways check the muskies eyes to see if she's has a bad left or right eye than make the turn to the good eye.  Marv. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Being a lefty, on a typical straight retrieve, I start my 8(though I typically don't complete it fully unless I see or sense) to the left, as that will allow me the most fluid movement into my next cast after I finish(I don't switch hands to cast). Most times, though, I just don't think about it and go whichever way the lure is coming in.
Edited by Reef Hawg 1/31/2007 12:59 AM
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Posts: 1168
| I start mine depending on which way the bait is coming in then continue into a fluid casting move. If that means I do an extra half of an 8 then so be it. In dark water or very low light conditions I'll typically throw at least another 8, or O at them. If it's an 8 I'll do the first 8 so it's parallel to the boat and the second one will run at a slight angle just so I'm not retracing my exact path on my previous move. It's one hell of a triggering move. Started doing this only after engaging a fish and watching it stay engaged on a total of 4 successive identical 8's, not making a move on a depth change or speed. 5th time through I changed the angle so it wasn't parallel to the boat and that fish went nuts. Thinking I might be onto something there, I kept this up. Often engaging fish that just would look but no touchy on the typical 8...switch the angle every so slightly and voila. Majority of my boatside fish have connected on this move where in the past I'd get more of those annoying lookers. |
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Posts: 199
Location: Nebraska | Man, we have a lot of lefties here. I am a lefty and almost always go to the left. I fish out of the right side of the boat almost all of the time if the spot allows it. Allows me and the back seater to side arm cast without hooks in the face. Also allows for a 'cross the eyes" hookset away from the trolling motor if the hit on the first "L". |
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Posts: 8833
| I am weird
I use both right and left handed reels, and like most everyone here my figure 8 will depend on which hand I'm using and the angle of "approach". Their job as a predator is to capture food and eat it. You job is to make the lure act like food. Whatever direction you are most comfortable with is the direction you should go in my opinion. |
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Posts: 572
| go toward the bow of the boat.......
fishing off the left side go right. fishing off right side go left. Why? If you go the direction toward the bow or front of boat and the trolling motor is kicked on, the worse to happen is the speed of the lure is increased, which might help trigger a hit. Go the opposite way and the trolling motor is kicked on, more than likely the lure is going to pause.....oooops....slack line even if the fish hits.....go toward the bow of the boat, especially if you're not in control of the trolling motor.
Of course, I feel the best chance of hooking a muskie on a figure 8 is on the first turn bringing the lure back over the muskie's head. That way the muskie is facing away from boat and allows a good hooking set even if the muskie merely takes a nip at the lure. |
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