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| Consensus opinion seems to recommend the useage of smaller baits in the spring, especially after the spawn. I personally have only caught one muskie on a bait under 7", and it was all of about 12" long (the fish that is). ie. my faith in small baits is about zero. Can someone give me at least a quasi-scientific answer as to why they believe that muskies are more prone to eating a small bait in the spring??? And, "because I catch fish on them at that time" does NOT count.
Slamr |
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| Thisis about as "quasi" as it gets but Ill try.This thinking probably came about experentially rather than being based on science.Guides just plain had more action on the smaller size baits eary in the year than on bigger lures.In this business its hard to fight what works so it has worked its way into being a spring "pattern".Post spawn muskies just seemed to prefer a smaller meal as they recuperated from the rigors of spawning plus the forage in the shallow post spawn areas is usually smaller than the open water bait fish the Muskies will be looking for as they move off shore.Like any other "rule" in Musky fishing it will be violated and not applicable on certain bodies of water-That you can bank on-I usually have clients begin tossing smaller baits while I will throw something larger.Seven out of ten times ,at least in the waters I fish,the downsized offering will prevail.Your own experience could be due to any number of factors including-water temps,forage type,individual lake preferences etc.One Lake I fish early has a predominant white sucker forage base and those fish will definately prefer a larger bait right from the gitgo.Hope this helps and maybe others can add to the question |
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| Simple..
On shad based lakes...size does not matter. Pitch 10" Jakes and Slammers in the spring.
On perch and shinner forage lakes.. Small is the best answer to get one to pop in the spring. 5" Slammers ect.
On perch and Cisco forage lakes... Its open to debate, but depends on what structure you are fishing.
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| My guess is that small baits work because of their "signature". How would we decribe it...hmmmm... maybe a lighter signature than large baits. Why do they like a lighter signature? I have no idea. To answer this we would need to go through the difference between the muskies environment in sping, summer and fall then tie that in with behavior patterns. There is an answer some where.
MUSKY ILLINI
"All beef patty special sauce lettuce cheese on a seseame seed bun" |
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| Here’s a theory,
Walleye, perch, sucker, northern, and muskies all spawn in the spring, is it possible that muskies are targeting yearling fish from the previous years spawn at this time of year. They are probably dumber and easier to catch than older bait fish and live in the shallow weeds where the small baits seem to do better. As the year progresses it may be possible that the dumbest and weakest are thinned from the herd and the ski move on to bigger more efficient feedings.
Just a thought.
Nail a Pig!
Mike
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| A couple of thoughts. Personally, fishing dark waters, I have great luck on large baits early. One of my favorites has suckers as a primary forage and could be the reason as HC pointed out. Also, I fish "off shore" in deeper water (5-7 feet) also.
As for why smaller baits "usually" rule, it could be because of the "thinness" of the water being fished. Big lures make a heck of a splash, and a muskie in a foot of water is alot spookier than one in deeper water. Small lures splash down much quieter and perhaps get the muskies attention rather than spook them.
Muskie regards,
Larry Ramsell
www.larryramsell.com |
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| I agree with Larry. If we could only get a 10" jake to plop like a 6" slammer in the spring big baits shallow would be much more effective. On the deeper end, large profile baits rule. Big baits seem excessively large to us, but when was the last time you saw a magnum bulldawg or a 10" jake in a 50" fishes mouth and said it was too big? We can't throw a bait "too big" for a muskie.
Bubba |
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| I think it's a combination on many things discused already: splash and yearling fish. Something else I think may contribute would have to do with how fish respond pre and post spawn. I know that spawning takes alot out of a fish and they may not want (or be harmfull) to be digesting a 16" walleye during that time. Also, in the fall the big girls are eating as much as possible to build up fat reserves for egg development. Durning the spring, they may not need all that extra nutrition. Jlong, what do the biologists say about digestion pre, during and post spawn? |
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| No need for small baits in the spring. That is my final conclusion. |
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| I can't even remember the number of muskies I have caught while jig fishing walleyes in early May. Two years ago I caught a mid 40 incher on a 1/16 oz. jig and small twister tail. The fish followed the jig right to the boat and then flaired and sucked it in. What would possess them to expend that kind of energy on such a small morsel? It certainly wasn't being opportunistic, because it followed it at least 20 yards. I don't have a clue why small lures work, just that they do. |
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