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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | I've never tried this tactic before so I'm seeking advice from those that have. Specifically, I'm curious about bait size. Should I throw small twitchbaits or just go straight to the Mag Dawgs/Pounders/Dunrights/big Jakes? Should I base size selection more on the forage size or water temp?
Any other info is appreciated. |
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Posts: 909
| Just after Ice out and before spawn I would throw the big rubber and work them as slow as you can get away with! You still have time to get a pre spawn Hawg!
Brian |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Throw normal size stuff right off the bat. No need to downsize. We throw 10" baits from the get go in early season. Just change the bait to fit the depth the fish are working, but no need to go with the small stuff out there. |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | My advice is to match the size baits to what the fish are eating at this time.
I have fished all over and the most important thing is to keep your baits close to the size of the forage the fish are eating. This will keep you in the game. Going too big or too small can hurt your chances on some lakes.
Match the hatch is always good advice anywhere your go. Find what the main forage is they are targeting and pick out the baits closest to the forage. Colors and tactics will be something you will have to firure out when you are on the water. Weather, wind, water clairity and depth are all variables you will have to deal with but at least you have a starting spot with the lure sizes and general colors to match the forage. |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | What Joel said. Actually, early in the year I do better with 10" Jakes than the smaller stuff. I never go small when suspended. You need something that will get a fish's attention. |
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Posts: 426
Location: Perryville, MO | If the fish are targeting the "hatch," matching that makes some sense. But where gizzard shad are on the menu and the predominant forage year 'round, I doubt the "hatch" is all that appealing. Why expend energy chasing down little fish, when there are plenty of 6"-14" fish in the system that have made it through the winter and are waiting to be the main course for a big hungry predator. Gizzard shad in southern reserviors allow for big baits to be thrown all year, IMO. At the same time, weather conditions and fish attitude may dictate scaling down. I like Baby Raiders and Krushers, just not to the exclusion of throwing big cranks and big jerks. As is always said, "let the fish tell you what they want." |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | Interesting replies to this question and it seems that many different areas have different solutions. As a Lure maker and company I see areas of the Musky range asking for different styles of lures as well as different sizes. For instance I sell a lot of 4 inch Shad style baits in Southern Illinois and Ohio, Indiana etc. Fish eat them in those areas. I dont sell any in northern Minnesota or Wisconsin, Canda or the far eastern areas of the Musky range. Those areas are mostly dominated by 8 to 12 inch lures. Lake St. Clair is another story altogether and very predictable. 5 to 7 inch baits until September and 10 inch baits after that but there are always fish caught on 6 and 7 inch lures on St. Clair. When I say Match the hatch I think I mean something different as in Profile of the lures. If a musky's main forage is sucker then he is not going to pay much attention to a drop belly shad bait but will be looking for those longer slender profile shapes. Think about matching the hatch in matching the profile of the available forage. The size in my opinion is not as important as the profile. I had a totally contradicting day on the water last March 15th. First day of open water in southern Michigan and the last day of season before it closed for the spawn. I had 9 contacts all is shallow water. I caught 3 fish two on a little 5 inch 205 crane and one on a Weagle. The Weagle fish hit the Crane twice but missed it. I came back on that fish with the bigger Weagle and it crushed it. Small baits were the ticket all day but in the end the biggest fish came on a 8 inch top water ,go figure. Every fish that engaged my baits were hitting perch colors including the Weagle. Perch Cranes and the Perch Weagle. No other colors drew any attention. I observed small perch in the weeds so I draw the conclusion that the Muskies were in Shallow taking advantage of the warmer water and small perch that were doing the same thing. The Water was so shallow that these were the only options I had that would not hang up in the weeds including my Little Claws. This prompted me to build a 5 inch minnow bait called the Kidde Claw which stays up on top like a Crane.
So I think where you are located will have lot to do with profile, size and color when deciding what to troll or cast. I hope this post helps you in that regard. Good luck, Kingfisher |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Good stuff Kingfisher.
Suspendo's would be big stuff for sure. Attraction is a huge part of open water fishing. Weed fishing is more what my point of match the hatch is like.
Two Spring patterns work great on a local lake around here. Big baits off the weeds that match carp and small twitch baits that match the pan fish in the weeds or shallower. Both work at the same time of the year on the same body of water.
Location of the forage and it's size is important. Getting close to that size is a start point. Colors and lure choices is what you have to figure out on a given day. Some days they go nuts on the big stuff and other days you can just have a field day with the small baits. |
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Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | In MN fish that are suspended in early season open water are there for one reason - To eat. They haven't been pressured by fisherman or Jet skis making them move off specific structures yet, and most of the decent forage bases are hangin' in deeper water. So I have to join the 10"+ club. Mag Dawgs, Big Cranks, and big chop Jerks that can be worked slow. Let those baits hang. Good luck!
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Posts: 40
| so is suspended open water what to look for or any specific structure in or near what to look for? also what temps do you start fishing these areas. thanks |
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Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | Most open water fish hang relatively close to or between specific structures. In MN it is usually post spawn so the water temps are normally 60-65 degrees. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | b_seiser - 3/6/2010 10:31 PM
so is suspended open water what to look for or any specific structure in or near what to look for? also what temps do you start fishing these areas. thanks
I don't necessarilly look for structure nearby, but it can't hurt. I tend to focus outside of spawning areas and fish outside of those areas to start. I usually throw some for suspendos right from the get go, then as the fish move in to spawn, I tend to slide in a bit, but some fish do still suspend all the time (even when they are spawninig). Then after the spawn right back out to the open water. |
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Posts: 1030
Location: APPLETON, WI | Jsondag - 3/5/2010 5:11 PM
In MN fish that are suspended in early season open water are there for one reason - To eat. They haven't been pressured by fisherman or Jet skis making them move off specific structures yet, and most of the decent forage bases are hangin' in deeper water. So I have to join the 10"+ club. Mag Dawgs, Big Cranks, and big chop Jerks that can be worked slow. Let those baits hang. Good luck!
+1 to all of this.
The fish have had the lake all to themselves... they're at the top of the food chain and haven't been pressured by anyone or anything. The minnows and shad are going to be a dime per dozen... they're everywhere (for the most part)
I'd go with the Mag Dawg and let 'em chase down the feast they're after. |
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