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Posts: 71
| not sure if it was mentioned in one of the posts but ive heard of people figure 8ing on the surface with like topraiders and propeller baits.is this true should i 8 on the suface sometimes???i think even though its a topwaters it should still be 8 under the water.
and what is the absolute best depth for the bait to be during the 8?if im correct on musky hunter they just have it not much more than a foot or so below the water and the bait was in full visibility the whole time untill ofcourse he seen a fish then that rod was in the water deep.i think the bait should be under the water atleast so you can see it unless the fish is trying to snak on it. |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | All things considered, I agree with Doug. |
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| I cnat offer any advice better than the mush more experienced pros that have answered. But I can relate an eye opening testament to watching the fish and adjusting to her mood.
I was working a midlake hump and raised a mid 40's fish on a DDD. I was working the bait eratically, plenty of pauses, jerks etc.
Fish came in hot behind the lure. I hit the figure 8 fast and wide and she immediately sunk out of sight.
I thought for sure she was going to convert, so I said WTF and unitentionally froze the bait in the water. There she was 1" behind it flaring her gills. Started the 8 again, away she went. Every time I got erratic or paused she reappeared.
I was fascinated and tried all kinds of different stuff. I stopped worrying about converting her and started to experiement.
Went around 22 times with her following or watching. Did all kinds of crazy crap. Finally took her so close to the surface she saw me up close, thought I was too ugly, and headed on her merry way.
Very enlightening experience.
I learned a lot, and it has made a difference. Take what you want from it.
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Posts: 46
| MY FIRST MUSKY WAS CAUGHT DOING A EIGHT WITH A KICKEN MINNOW I NEVER SAW HER. I DID THE EIGHT ON MY FIRST CAST I WAS SEEING HOW THE BAIT WAS RUNNING ON THE EIGHT AND SHE HIT FROM UNDER THE BOAT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WOKE ME UP.... DIDNT NEED MY CUP OF JOE THAT MORNING.. |
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Posts: 159
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Musky 12, we got a few muskies 8ing on the surface with surface baits this year, but that was only because it was a kid's first figure 8 and i was teaching them how to do it. It was also in the dark in water that was so murky a guy can't see a foot down even in the daytime. I wouldn't recommend a topwater 8 ever, and would say go deeper than a foot below. Even topwaters are more presentable at boatside 4 feet under. I think they do that on musky hunter for the camera, but i real life there's a better chance of holding a musky in your hands if you're 4ft under, even if you get a closer look at her by 8ing 1 foot down. |
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Posts: 71
| sorry to bring this thread back but.......12gauge,
Why "in your opinion" do you think you should figure 8 all baits under the surface apposed to some above the surface? |
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Posts: 95
Location: LOTW every chance I get | Can't add much to the discussion regarding the technique of the figure eight, other than do it every time and make it automatic. However, like Marc J I want to stress the importance of planning how you are going to set the hook and to be ready to pull the trigger when she eats. I lost a heartbreaker at Minaki last fall when I executed a perfect set of eights and got her to eat, and then promptly pulled the hook out of her mouth. (set the rod INTO THE FISH, darnit!) I still shake my head at that one. Dave |
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| If you were to find Weston's video, you'll see how he makes wide turns, goes deep on the inside, comes high on the outside!!!!
Hope this helps.... |
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Posts: 71
| ok let me ask one more question what is the proper way to set the hook when that fish goes around and finally inhales the bait????jerk the rod tip up???jerk it to the right???jerk it to the left???what do you guys do??? |
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| I had one about 40 inches go around for five minutes in about four feet of water on a Bobbie two or three years ago. She would disapear, come back, disapear, come back. I saw her about ten feet past the bow and tried running the jerkbait straight at her face, that's what got her to bite. I guess it was 'either I get outta this little orange thing's way or hammer it.' Ones that come up blindly from straight under the boat or in the dark are lowest %age for me for exactly the same reason as dougj mentioned already, they show up so fast and you can't watch them coming in to get ready, adjust or plan anything. The tips already given about changing depth and speed at certain points are good. I draw a series of big rectangles beside the boat as much as any other shape or pattern, sometimes cutting across the box can work, the longer the rod, the better, for sure. With creepers and other surface baits I will walk them around the bow a ways. Best lure IMO is the Beleiver on top, bring it from that super loud surface action to pounding crankbait action seamlessly. |
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Posts: 519
Location: Bloomington, IL | Get the Linder's Golden Age of Musky Fishing and watch the segment with Josh Brovosky about the Figure 8 - he talks about taking subsurface on the 8 and they have above and below water camera work to demonstrate.
The Linder's DVDs (Golden Age and Modern Musky Magic) are excellent vids.
Edited by Nupe 3/7/2008 9:48 PM
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| Having been catching muskies on Eagle for many years...of which I think that when I looked at my number last...we (my two sons and I) were catching almost 34% of our fish on figure 8's. I've found that if you pull the rod "straight back" into you, no matter which way Mr. Esox is going, the hooks will get into him.
Just my 2 cents worth...and that is about all that's worth!!
Edited by Donnie3737 3/5/2008 1:40 PM
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| having caught a few on the fig 8 I would agree with Donnie, straight back into em hard, if you are super deep with your rod simply standing up can do the trick...
I am not one to take a topwater lure under water on the 8 at first..first I tend to keep it on the surface and do the 8 on the surface with pops and speed changes, if that fails then i go under...the only way to get good at figure 8's is practice, practice, practice on lots o fish....
that is my 1 rubles worth |
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| I am more inclined to pull it stright back into "me" instead of into the "fish." Is this what you were saying guest? By pulling it straight back, I've found that it doesn't matter which way ol' toothy one is going, the hooks will bury. In a figure 8, the fish is NEVER coming straight back into the boat. So by pulling stright into yourself, the books will bury!!
Is this clear or am I just confusing everyone?
Sorry if it is confusing now!!! |
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Posts: 3864
| Alot of very skilled folks have offered great ideas. I'll throw this one out.....
be sure your drag system is working perfect. No need to hit the free spool and then thumb the spool to give her line. If the drag is set right the fish will pull the line out; the bigger the fight in the fish then the more line goes out. I think lots of us use Smooothies on Abu 4000, 5000 and 6000 series reels. I have them on all my reels.
I have heard that the biggest mistake one can make is to allow oil to get to the drag washers. (Still talking Abu here) When that happens, the only way to get the drag tight enough to really set the hook is to totally wrench down on the drag wheel. Now the drag is too tight, but loosen it at all and it's too loose. Wrenching down also flattens the two metal concave washers. (Don't dunk your reels in the water, either.)
Anyway, you want your drag system working just right when that big fish hits at boatside at midnight. When you are loading out, loosen all the drags on all your reels. Reset them next time you fish. All this is for the 4000, 5000 and 6000 reels, the only ones I know about. |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | I always have the feeling that muskie are much more accurate in attacking something that's underwater rather than on the surface. It seems that the closer to the surface of the water a lure is the more often muskie miss it. If nothing else to me this is a good reason to go under water with a surface lure. Not that you can't catch one on the surface, it's just harder. Doug Johnson
Edited by dougj 3/5/2008 6:58 PM
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| I totally agree with Mr. Johnson on this issue of "underwater." My first figure 8 with a surface lure stays on top. From there, if the fish hasn't eaten yet, I go subsurface and start speeding up on the inside turn as I go down, and slowing down on the up and out move, ALMOST cresting the surface, creating an escaping motion by the baitfish. But at all times, I keep my lure underwater although the depth change might be as much as 3-4 feet depending on which rod I'm using.
Thanks for your insight everyone. This has been an AWESOME thread to read through.
Donnie 
Edited by Donnie3737 3/6/2008 9:00 PM
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