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| OK guys. What would you say is more important in order to put muskies in the boat??
Is it more important to have proper technique/presentation? I mean what bait you are presenting (both type and color) and how you are working it.
Or, is it more important to be in the proper location throwing "just any old bait"? |
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| 100% hands down it's location as if there isn't any fish there no matter how good your presentation is you will catch nothing. But if your fishing where there are fish somedays anything with hooks on it will catch them. |
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| Location is everything. in my opinion, if you can stay with the fish the lure and presentation aren't really that important. |
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| Hi theedz155,
I feel a little guilty replying all the time on this board because I'm not exactly classified as a Pro Muskie Angler. At least not to the standards that most guys may set it at. But I see a limited amount of replies, and I might as well give my two cents worth. Plus, I really like the Pro Prospective Board alot because of the great questions such as this. Hopefully we can have more interaction with some of the big guns?????(Yeah that's right we all want to hear from the Big Boys of the muskie world!!!) [;)]
I realize that you want a answer that is black and white, but unfortunately it's against my nature( I can really play devils advocate well...even with myself LOL). There's a formula that's been around for awhile and it's been devised by some of the In-Fisherman staff. I think it''s a good guideline that all anglers should follow and that's Fish+Location+Presentation = Success.(This is also known as FLP). Because technique and location is part of a formula, there's no way in which I can place a greater value on one versus the other.
First off: Fish = Know the pecularities of the fish that you're targeting and that will help determine the types of presentation and location. It's trying to know idiosyncrasy of that type of fish and that will help determine presentation and location.
Second: Location = If it's midsummer and the fish are in the slop you'll have to chose a presentation that's apporpriate. It'll more than likely be a bait that is fairly weedless,topwater, or chop bait. Because it'll work through the weeds with ease, and will ensure that you won't be pulling up "salad" after every cast. But you may also want to rip a crankbait over the weed-tops. The little stimuli created by blowing through the weeds may trigger a strike. You have to first determine where these fish are at, and what type of presentation will elicit a strike. Sometimes you will know from prior experience, or there will be times when you have to experiment to find the winning combination.
If it's late fall, most fish will move into the deeper water where there's a transition of the bottom from hard to soft bottom. Tossing a deep diving crankbait, jigging a Fuzzy Duzzit, rolling a Bulldawg,tapping a deep running glider, and soaking a sucker in these areas are all the techniquies often used. Because of the location you need to choose the bait that will enter the fish's strike zone. The type of bait that you chose or technique will often be dictated by the type of structure that you're working.
Finally: Technique = has been pretty much been summed up in the previous paragraph. The technique that you chose is often determined on how effectively you can move a bait into a fish's strike zone. Granted during certain conditions any type of bait may work. Such as before a major storm front, after spawning, or daylight transition times the fish's strike zone will usually be much larger. But during those times when they don't want to chase, you need to determine what lure and presentation will be most effective in "getting in their" face.
Hope I was of some help. I can't take any credit for this great concept. I'm just reitterating some old knowledge that my crazy mind holds. That's what's great about publications, musky boards, and other anglers. There's always tid-bits of good information that should be used. It's just being able to put it all together and using it for your own good.
catch ya later,
Krappie |
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| Scott,
I agree with Rich about location, if there are no fish there, then you can't catch them. BUT, on some days you might be in a key location with fish and you are throwing something that they just don't want, then you will come up EMPTY!!! Like Krappie said they all have to come together. On some days you can throw anything and the fish will hit, on others they want that "CERTAIN" lure or presentation. Take yesterday for an example: I was out with two clients, I let my clients fish from the front, the one guy wanted the back to himself (more room) so I fished in between them. I was raising fish and they were not, I even had the guy in front of me throwing what I was raising fish on, he could not get a fish up. I think it is important to know how to work each and every lure in your box to effectively catch fish. |
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| Uuuummmmmmmm..... I'll go with what KRAPPIE said.
But, if forced to choose between L and P in the In-Fisherman equation.... I'll go with Location every time. You can't catch what isn't there. |
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| Scott,
This is kind of a double edge sword in my opinion which is what makes the hunt that much more challenging...
Yes you need to be where the fish are for obvious reasons. However there may be more than one location to be, e.g. suspended fish and also fish in the weeds/structure. That being said...
I agree with Ralph on the presentation part of it...
In my seminars I make a suggestion to the group I am speaking to, "learn to work a few baits very well, as opposed to working allot of baits with mediocrity",
e.g. look in my Lakewoods boxes and you will not notice a huge variety of lures, what you will notice is a few brands of each of the different styles (jerk/crank/top) in a wide variety of colors.
Make it a goal to learn, and I mean "really learn" one or two new baits per season and you will put more fish in the boat. if.... "your in the right location" [;)]
My .02cents worth,
Mark
www.muskyadventures.com
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