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| Do most of you fish your plastics...(Dawgs, twin fins, big joes) over open water for suspended fish? How much do you let them sink? I have been giving plastics a lot of play this summer with no luck, and always go back to cranks and hair. Any info would be great. |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | In warm summer weather if your sonar is tuned to where you can see the thermocline I will often fish them just above that zone.
Post turnover I look for bottom transition areas i.e. rock/sand to silt/mud and fish those areas.
Over mid lake structure...dawgs are pretty fun to work...
It's a confidence thing with any bait you throw, if you don't have confidence in it, take it off and hang something else on the end of your string. |
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Posts: 827
Location: Minneapolis,Minnesota | I just throw it out let it sink for a few seconds and start ripping it back. One I get it about three quarters the way in I stop reeling and let it "swing" into the boat till it's straight under the boat, then I pump it straight up to the surface.
The only fish we got in the Mike James Mega came out of 61' of water on a Cisco Bulldawg right at boatside using this technique.
Seems the fish like to hit it on the swing or come straight up underneath it when you're popping it to the surface.
I know some guys do well just casting Dawgs and reeling them in.
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Posts: 222
Location: Hartland, WI | Thanks guys. I appreciate the info, anything else would be great. I am determined to figure these baits out. |
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Location: Illinois-Indiana | I fish Dawgs over deep water a lot and I don't let them sink much.
I will cast it out and then start reeling it in, generally it runs about 5-6 feet deep.
Most of the time the fish are suspended in the upper 10' of water or so, you don't want your baits under the fish. Look to your sonar and see if you are marking bait fish or Muskies and target that area.
In the late fall I will fish a little deeper.
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| What size bulldawgs do you guys like the best? also what type of leader do you use? Thanks! |
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Location: Illinois-Indiana | I use the Mag Dawgs and I make my own leaders out of coated 7 strand in 90 pound test. |
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| I find the Mag Bull Dawg very awkward to cast and prefer the 9 inchers. I also think the hook set up on the 9 inchers is better hooking because in my experience the Muskies I have caught on Bull Dawgs hit from the rear. You don't really feel a hard strike, more like extra weight. I did catch a 49 incher on one however that did hit it head on. I felt extra weight and set the hooks - nothing - three more reel turns and she hit it head on. As I was use to a more mild strike I almost lost a grip on the rod. I think I pulled it out of her mouth on the initial set and she made a turn and ate it head on. I of course can't prove that, that's just the way it seemed.
The Mags sink at a rate of 1 1/2 to 2 feet per second and the 9 inch a little over a foot per second. I have had my best luck staying out off the weedline, casting in and counting down the bait to right above the weeds and working it in as a jerkbait. When I feel I am at the edge I let it sink 3 to 4 feet and continue as before. Raking (a quick pull up on the rod at the end of the retrieve) does work as the previous reply stated.
Edited by muskiemachinery 9/6/2004 8:03 PM
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