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Posts: 29
| I'm wondering what people use when traditional bait styles aren't boating fish. One example for me was a couple weeks ago we were fishing a dead calm bluebird day and nothing in my box got even a follow all day while we were out.
What do you guys do in a situation like that? |
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Posts: 112
| When that occurs, I tend to use "out of season" baits or tactics. For example, trolling bucktails in late fall, or trolling big cranks early season. And for some reason, and it's super underrated, but ripping big chrome/silver spoons (8" or 9") can absolutely trigger fish that have lockjaw. Folks like to say that gliders have a strong triggering quality, but I've seen big spoons do just as well. Must be the combo of sudden flash and speed, plus they don't usually see them. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Dead calm/bluebird? Time to go home. |
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Posts: 8829
| I never used to do this, but once we've exhausted all the possibilities as far as structure and thrown all the usual suspects, I like to put on the smallest lure I can find and go fish for something else. Any little changes in light, wind, clouds, etc and we'll go back to muskies. |
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Posts: 29
| I'll give it a go with the big chrome spoons. Nichols lures magnum flutter 8" sound about right? |
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Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | Some times it's a speed change. Blaze it or slow it down. |
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Posts: 112
| Bingo. Stock rings/hooks/swivel are bad, so definitely need to be replaced unfortunately. Plus I like to run a hook on each end instead of just the rear. Using a 'Spro power swivel combo' makes it easy to run the additional hook. Also you could try flipping the spoon (attaching to narrow vs big end) for a different action. Oh, and adding a grub to the rear treble like a esox assault killer tail makes it look even better. It's not a magic bullet by any means, but there's just something about that massive flash/speed. And due to low drag in water rips/reel cranks bring it up to speeds very quickly. Underrated and worth trying. But sometimes they just won't eat and there is no magic lure. |
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Posts: 962
| Bluebird skies and also cold fronts- Big Joe's are my go to bait under any tough conditions. I seem to always get them bit.
Jeff Hanson
madisonmuskyguide.com |
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Posts: 2066
| Fish deep. Cranks, rubber and jigging a bondy ... might find me doing that under “prime” conditions too.  |
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Posts: 29
| How deep is "deep"? Just got done reading the other thread on downriggers and it seems the consensus is anything above 30ft is kosher. |
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Location: Ontario | 14ledo81 - 8/7/2019 4:19 PM
Dead calm/bluebird? Time to go home.
Definitely not here |
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Posts: 2066
| bringo - 8/7/2019 10:31 PM
How deep is "deep"? Just got done reading the other thread on downriggers and it seems the consensus is anything above 30ft is kosher.
Deep can be relative to the lake you are fishing,..but in general consistently getting your bait in the 10-20’ range is what I consider deep when Muskie fishing, there’s definitely times to put away the top waters, bucktails, suicks, glidebaits... so on..... some times/conditions trolling is the best option although for me it’s often the last resort just because I’d rather catch 1 casting than 2 trolling. But if there’s baitfish everywhere suspended over a large basin, trolling can be deadly in summer, if you really dial in a trolling bite... Deep can be jigging 15’ down over 50’ of water, or jigging structure/ bottom 15-20’ ...target reefs that top out 20’ deep surrounded by 100’ of water , might be trees and brush 10’ down on a lake everyone is pounding the shoreline , off a weed line two full casts, lots of places muskies live that most don’t target, especially summertime.. my take is everywhere is getting more pressure, there were always some Muskies deep and more seem to be joining them. |
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Posts: 719
| Try getting a cast away from the area where you see deep fish on the graph and make a long cast with a Bondy Original, Junior or Mini Wobbler and swim jig that thing all the way back in. Never let it touch the bottom. They will rise up to eat it. Works especially good on sunny calm days where they see it splash down. Just do great big 5-6 ft sweeps and quickly reel up the slack as it falls. |
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Posts: 246
| A black and silver bucktail retrieved at various speeds and depths. |
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Posts: 242
| Flies (if water visibility is high enough). They seem to get better action on days with conditions where conventional lures struggle. |
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| bringo - 8/7/2019 10:31 PM
How deep is "deep"? Just got done reading the other thread on downriggers and it seems the consensus is anything above 30ft is kosher. kosher ? |
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Location: Contrarian Island | we don't make them bite... yah some tactics can produce strikes over others...but in general blue bird, high pressure type days are not conducive to getting much action. if you have confidence a spot is holding fish it is more likely timing. come back at sunset, weather change, a major, or after dark.. strike zones are smaller w high pressure blue bird days, get the lure to where the fish are, deep and slow or deep and erratic. |
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