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Posts: 129
Location: Glenmoore PA | I have heard that these are the hot baits for this time of year on the southern reservoirs. Has any one had success with these style of baits? Is it on all the southern lakes that these baits are effective or only a particular few? At what point do they generally become less effective? Will traditional lures like crank baits (jakes, tuff shad, ss shad, etc), jerk bait/gliders, or plastics still work? Thanks.
Edited by Esoxmtk 3/3/2009 10:25 AM
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Rattle baits seem to really shine when the water temps are 55-65*
The other baits you mentioned will also work, but work them slower this early in the season.
Points, and into the backs of Coves.
I've caught a couple of nice mid-40" fish in Mn. in early June, real shallow on rattle traps...... a good bait for sure.
Jerome |
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Location: Twin Cities | I think it's a territorial thing before/during/after spawning when their on their "grounds". If we could fish pre-spawn in MN, i'd bet they would "work here too". (not that they don't when the season opens... <wink>) When I bass fished a lot and we had a late spring, rattle baits would drive the bass still on their beds crazy, they'd come from nowhere at mach 10 to annihilate the baits, the muskies did the same thing in cave run last year for me.
Remember, a muskie is a muskie is a muskie...double tens work up here very well and now own the KY state record!
Edited by JRedig 3/3/2009 10:50 AM
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| They can be a successful bait early in the year, north to south. There is a very good segment in Gregg Thomas' new video that he released this year that I recently purchased...covers both presentation and modifications to rattle baits to make them "musky-ready". I'm guessing the video is available at most musky retailers....I got mine online at redfinoutdoors.com. |
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Location: New Albany, Ind. | hey matt you bout ready to go to the hole to see whats happening??? river is in nice shape and close to 70 over the weekend. ron |
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Posts: 7049
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | For more information on rattlebaits, go to some past chats that Tony Grant has done here on MuskieFIRST:
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/articles/03.03.2009/2028/MuskieFIRS...
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/articles/03.03.2009/1295/2008.Muski... |
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| Yes, they work well. Some years better than others. The fish get conditioned to them pretty fast at Cave Run, though. Probably because of the onslaught of guys who start throwing them even when the water is forty degrees. They see 100 a day from too early spring on. People are funny like that. The Cave Run PMTT has only been won once that I know of with rattle baits. They work, just don't forget to try other things too. In other words, don't base your strategies totally around sales pitches. |
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Posts: 284
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I would start throwing them as soon as the ice comes off the lakes down here. I have caught muskies on rattle baits when the water is still in the 30's. The fish seem to eat them up early.
I don't know if it is a water temp thing or a conditioned thing, but they seem to leave them alone when the temps get in the low to mid 50's. That is when I switch to gliders, soft plastics, and small twitchbaits. |
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Posts: 724
Location: Southern W.Va. | I don't know the reason that they work but they do. Here in W.Va. , and possibly the reason in Ky.,is that we get such off-colored water that the rattles help the fish to find the bait. All I know is that I've seen the bait work on the Cave. Rattle trap are probably my #1 crankbait for bass as well as I catch as many bass as musky when fishing the Cave with these baits. Don't be afraid to throw the smaller 3/4 oz baits early in the year.
Mauser
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| I have had 8 fish days with them when the water is in the mid 50's, and I've seen days when you could go in where 10 guys are throwing them and catch them on jerkbaits. In my opinion, yes, they will hit a rattle bait in colder temps but jerkbaits still work better when it's cold. That's my opinion. The day we caught 8 other guys were catching them on different lures, they were just biting. I've done the same thing with small Crane baits (5 fish day in early spring). All I'm saying is, the technique is way over-blown. But if I was selling them, I'd keep singing their praises too. When you can buy them for $3 and resell them for $10 "Oh my God, it's a miracle bait!" When they are hitting, they are hitting, and it doesn't matter if it's a rattle bait or a spinner bait or a Crane bait. Just so it moves pretty fast in front of a fish in two feet of water who happens to be in a prespawn aggressive mood. I agree they really shine in muddy water, just don't fall too in love with them. You'll catch more fish if you stay versatile. |
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