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Message Subject: Missing & Losing Fish | |||
CiscoKid![]() |
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Posts: 1906 Location: Oconto Falls, WI | This thread is a spin-off of the “Was it just me” thread. This is in response to Don’s question of how are we losing so many fish. Orig. thread is here: http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=45... I agree with Brad. Some people have techniques that just plain trigger fish. When you are triggering fish that were not intending to eat they do some weird things hitting baits. Lots of nippers, fly bys just nicking baits, body hits, etc… When I went to a more aggressive means of fishing (ripping baits) we have triggered a lot more fish. However, we have also experienced a lot more missed fish, and also a lot less follows. I do experience a lot more missed fish on structure versus missed fish out suspended, but still miss fish both places. So there is a trade off. As Brad mentioned having 16 fish hit. I would rather have 16 fish hit… boat 8, and miss 8 than have: one or two fish hit, see 20, and boat one or two fish. It’s the days that you have 6-10 fish hit, and you are lucky to boat one that really suck. Not uncommon. Fishing lures likes Bulldawgs are good for days like this. Using suckers I just accept the fact I will miss some fish due to setting hooks too early (even while knowing the fish aren’t taking the suckers well I have a hard time wanting to wait while using a quick strike rig). Also because the fish may take the sucker on the opposite side of the hook (some fish eat the sucker with the belly in, some with belly out, and some with a side out). The question is how do we look at improving our odds at hooking up with these fish? I have been successful this year switching from Bulldawgs to Hardheads. Most fish that hit are caught. We still have issues with body hitting fish though. No way to cure that situation. Sometimes you end up snagging the fish (inadvertently), most of the time you feel the hit, set hooks, and come up empty. Nipping fish are always tough, and a bit of luck is involved. Having long rods that are forgiving help here, but we still lose our fair share. Much better chance at boating these fish using a 8’6” XH Lamiglass rod than you are an 8’6” XXXH St. Croix. So first off how many of you are having issues hooking and keeping fish on? Secondly what are some of you doing, or have done, to improve your odds at hooking up with fish? Any secrets in hook placement on suckers? Not to start a controversy, but I strongly feel that if you are not losing/missing some fish throughout a year it’s because you just are not triggering enough fish to at least attempt a thrashing on your bait. Thoughts? | ||
esoxaddict![]() |
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Posts: 8828 | I can't catch a fish on a sucker. I set the hook, I come up empty, or the fish is there for a second and gone. It's happened on several types of sucker rigs for me. I've also accepted the fact that bulldawgs are just a good way to lose fish, because that's what happens when I fish them. The nippers/swipers/missers? I blame the fish for missing the bait! I may try trimming the hair off the back of my bucktails next year. It seems like they catch more fish after the first few fish rip the stuff off the back exposing the hook. | ||
BNelson![]() |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I agree Travis...when you trigger hundreds of fish per year, one, you are doing something right for sure...and two, those fish are going to hit baits in so many different ways, you are going to miss and lose some rather than going out and just tossing a bucktail around all year. The more you get to hit, the more you are going to lose as a total...i.e. get 225 fish to hit, maybe you net 150, as opposed to getting 40 to hit and you boat 30..the total number widens the more you get hit.. there are so many variables to why you lost or missed a fish...some are just the way the fish hit the bait or grabbed the sucker...some are operator error..some are just bad luck...one I lost last weekend it hit just as I bent over to change the speed on the trolling motor.. timing was just off on that....sh*t happens right...As far as what we can do, well upsizing hooks on all baits that it won't impair the action is one thing. I like to use wide gap hooks on big minnow baits for one. Long rods I feel help too. Like you said, the boats that are moving and triggering more fish per day are going to inevitably miss and lose more fish than those that just move a few say on easy hooking baits like bucktails. I'll take moving 35 and getting 16 to hit over only seeing and boating a couple any day. we started off 0 for 6 on the season with suckers in my boat but turned it around nicely going 5 for the next 7..nothing changed with where i put the hooks or how long I waited... fish will grab suckers different ways for extended periods and there are times you will just miss more than you connect with. Edited by MSKY HNR 10/16/2008 11:23 AM | ||
JRedig![]() |
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Location: Twin Cities | Last weekend I had 4-5 fish come from no where at about mach 10 and hit my bait right at the boat. None of them got hooked, but it was fun to watch. It's part of muskie fishing, I was happy to know I was doing something right to trigger them. Frustrating? At the time definitely. Better than not seeing anything at all. At the end of the day, even when seeing/triggering lots of fish, muskies are still hard to catch. | ||
Muskie Junkie![]() |
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Posts: 253 | I can not speak on the Bulldawgs, have not caught a lot of fish on those. ( Trying to though) On Suckers, I almost always have (2) sets of hooks. The first is on a short lead and is put on top between the head and the dorsal fin. The second is longer lead and is put down near the bottom of the sucker in front of the anal fin. Thought being is if the muskie strikes the head of the fish there is a hook there and if the muskie comes up from underneath and grabs the sucker there is a hook there. On the lakes I fish, I seem to get more fish on the bottom hook. I still have the misses, but no where near the amount when I was putting the hooks in the midbody of the sucker. Steve Ruhmann | ||
Medford Fisher![]() |
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Posts: 1060 Location: Medford, WI | Travis, Great post and good points that you brought up. I have been thinking about this a lot during my off-time from fishing (college during weekdays; fishing on weekends). By "this", I'm referring to having fish hit and not hooking up with them. Your techniques sound very similar to what we've been doing throughout this year and it sounds like we've had similar results. Some days - lots of hits, no fish in the net; other days - 4 hits, 4 fish in the boat. One thing we have really noticed (which is kind of a no-brainer) is that when the fish are on, they're on! What I mean by this, is that during those prime musky conditions, the fish are really eating the baits and this is when we hardly ever lose a fish, at least on the initial hookup. During this time, most of the fish have hit the head/front of the bait (if I can find the picture of this, I'll post it). I also agree with you that having a little bit of a forgiving rod will help your hookups. I've thought of several different ideas regarding trying to increase the hook-ups on the "hit, hook-set, nothing" situation; but I've yet to try any of these. One is to not set the hooks instantly when a fish hits the dawg. You/others might already do this, but many times the fish hits during the pause and I usually set the hooks as soon as I feel it no matter where my rod is. My theory on waiting is that rather than getting half a hookset, you can get the full hookset, driving the big hooks into the fish. Sharpened hooks, as always, plays a role in this and is one thing that I'm really trying to get better and better at. As I mentioned above, I haven't tried this technique yet, as it's #*^@ near impossible to not set the hooks the instant you feel a hit; but next summer I intend on giving it a try a few times. As far as hook placement on suckers goes, I've had quite a bit of success the past two seasons (which I'm sure luck has a big part in). One way or the other, last year, I went to strictly using Smity sucker rigs (2 bigger hooks) and since we are 5 for 7 on sucker hits/hook-ups. Not the biggest sample size, but I'm happy with the ratio. I usually like to put one treble on each side of the sucker about 2/3 of the way up the side. Not waiting to set the hooks either, just putting pressure on the line and setting as soon as the musky heads the other way. Travis, I may have talked to you on Saturday afternoon; but I'm not positive it was you. If you were on the water in the morning, got off the water for a while and headed back out, then it may have been you....otherwise I'm an idiot. Anyways, good topic to bring up and discuss. Good luck to everyone this weekend; I'll be taking off for up north in the early morning and camping/fishing throughout the weekend. -Jake Bucki | ||
BNelson![]() |
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Location: Contrarian Island | One other thing I will add that works for me and I try to really drill into the less experienced guys fishing w/ me..on topwater hits ...."just keep reeeeling"...most missed topwater hits imo are by pulling WAY too soon...some fishing w/ me can't believe how calm I am on topwater hits even at the boat....(sure i've been known to blow a few too) I don't flinch, don't do a thing and just keep reeling...once I feel A LOT of weight I sweep, not jerk, not even hard, to the side and down, never up... many fish are missed by pulling on the initial sound or sight of the fish hitting....BIG mistake...as I tell my buddies over and over while throwing topwater...when you get a hit...just keep reeeling... Edited by MSKY HNR 10/16/2008 11:58 AM | ||
Medford Fisher![]() |
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Posts: 1060 Location: Medford, WI | Brad brings up a greattt point that my fishing partner and I strongly believe the more and more we fish. Fish hit baits all different ways and I think the way a fish hits your bait plays more of a role in hooking it than anything; at least mostly with bulldawgs! As far as topwaters, I'm the same way Brad...very rarely do I set the hook on a top water before I feel quite a bit of weight. This really seems to work well with WTD tops. -Jake Edited by Medford Fisher 10/16/2008 12:02 PM | ||
Steve Wright![]() |
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great topic and post.....personally have lost over 10 fish this yr....mostly on bulldogs (have come to the agreement between the people i fish with and alot of us agree the hooking percentage on bulldogs is around 50-60 percent). have also gone 2 for 5 on topwaters (all prop baits). lost a few on cowgirls, those were nippers though. the bulldogs where some fairly hard crushes, that always seem to come unhooked, i use 8' 6" XXX and 8" moster mag bulldog rod. some days i would go w/ higher hooking percentage lures, but never get hit then... i have noticed the real high pressure lakes are the lakes i lost the most fish on (they are nippers IMO). | |||
CiscoKid![]() |
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Posts: 1906 Location: Oconto Falls, WI | My observation on those really hard hits. Those are the fish that are body hitting the bait, or are smaller fish. The fish that I have caught that crushed the bait and weren't small ended up being snagged in the side. I see it all the time at boatside where a fish either close mouth hits a bait, or will hit it with it's body (a lot of times rolls up and over the bait). Steady retrieves don't see this type of occurance nearly as much as the erratic ones. One of my best hooking baits is a Big Joe, but take note that it's almost a steady retrieve I use with that bait. Somedays I think being aggresive may be working against us. Those are the days Jake mentioned they "eat". Those also happen to be the days in my boat that we may have a lot of fish overshoot our baits with mouths wide open and gills flaring. Soemthing I have done when a fish has whacked a bait and no hook-up, or missed the bait visually, is to pause the bait or let it drop. The fish will on occasion swing back around and eat again. Jake that was I you talked to on Sat. | ||
Baby Mallard![]() |
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I have had decent hook up percentage with dawgs. Right around 75% fish landed for the year. Still, would rather be right around 85%, new goal for next year. As far as bucktails, for the year I was at 81% fish landed. Longer stiffer rods are the way to go. The majority of the fish that I have lost this year were on a rod that was an extra heavy, but still had too much give to it which costed me some fish. I should add in there also, I have had hardly any follows this year compared to other years. I haven't kept track of follows obviously :), but I don't think I've had more than 15 follows all year. When I did get a follow, I converted most of them on an 8, that's another thing that I really haven't been able to do well until this year. Edited by Baby Mallard 10/16/2008 1:09 PM | |||
CiscoKid![]() |
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Posts: 1906 Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Baby Mallard, why do you think a stiffer rod is the way to go? In all reality the only reason rods are as stiff as they are is for casting the baits. Once you get too stiff the rods won’t even cast the baits well anymore. Gotta have flex in the rod for fighting a fish to keep tension in the line. I am convinced a lot of the fish I lost was due to too stiff a rod in the past, and when the large fish headshook I lost the little bit of flex I had in the rod. Stiffer rods also loose what flex you do have much quicker than a rod with more give. I rarely lost the fish under 44”, but the ones over is what gave me fits with the Bulldawgs. I have come to love long rods with more of a med-fast taper. Unbelievable the casting distance achieved when a rod loads up properly no matter the reel, and the ability to fight a fish. | ||
Baby Mallard![]() |
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The answer is easy for me. This obviously is just my opinion and from my experience, but it is all about the initial hookset. You are driving those hooks in solid with a stiffer rod and it doesn't have to be a long hard hookset, although it can be. I use an 8' 6" rated up to 40 oz. and that is what I mean about "stiff." Any stiffer and you might be right. I have done really well with setting the hook with this rod, and really well fighting fish as well. The most important thing for me is initial hookset though. Edited by Baby Mallard 10/16/2008 1:46 PM | |||
ranger6![]() |
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Baby Mallard, interesting point. Everyones fishing style inluding hooksets and fighting are a bit different...what works for some doesn't for others. Not trying to change your style, but here is my perspective. Main point I beleive is these fish are tough to catch....I want to catch everyone that bites...so if I am not, then I want to figure out how to. Up until a year ago I had a similar philosophy as you...stiff rod with drag tightened to max...nothing gives on the hookset. I would chalk up lost fish to everything from bad angles, to awkward hook sets etc. Until I stared to really think about some of the fish I was losing...good quick solid hooksets and a lost fish. Sometimes for a few cranks in, other times half way in. After I thought more about it I came to two conclussions. One, I was actually ripping the hooks right through the fish and two I could not keep the steady pressure on certain fish all the way to the boat...no real flex in the rod. On my hooksets, if I was not driving the hooks through the mouth and cartilage, I am pretty certain I was tearing the hooks right through the fleshy face of the fish. A good indicator that this may be happening is on the Pike or smaller fish you catch. I had a few pike come in where the top of the mouth was actually spilt in half to the point that the lead hook actually could not hold (looks terrible if you have ever seen it). Thats too much at the point of impact. I have made changes to longer rods as Cisco Kid mentions with a softer tip. Also, I started loosening my drag on smaller bucktails and twich baits (smaller wire hooks) so there is actually give at the point of impact. I want that smaller hook to slide into the fleshy white stuff in the corner of the mouth and not tear out. Still looking for the perfect pounder rod, but I want the same action. All I can say is my lost fish ratio is lot BETTER. Most of my lost fish now I think I can contirbute to my fishing style which is hard & erractic mostly with dawgs and hardheads. | |||
Guest![]() |
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ranger 6. Are you saying you are bakcing off your drag on the big baits like dawgs too???? I do agree with yur idea on the smaller stuff but not so sure you want to do it on all of yur baits. | |||
Steve Wright![]() |
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I have noticed the stiffer the rod, the less fish i lose, the more give/flex in the rod, the more fish i lose. I believe it has to do w/ setting the hook. I feel there is a small delay in the rods w/ more flex and less power to drive hooks. ![]() | |||
CASTING55![]() |
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Posts: 968 Location: N.FIB | One thing about stiff rods is that it isn`t as much fun catching the fish,my biggest this year came on the 7`9xxxh rod and it was a real short fight,not as much fun.I don`t have many misses on that pole but would rather have a little bend in the rod,makes it more fun fighting the fish.If you lose it,oh well,thats fishing to me and fishing is about having fun when your out on the water. | ||
ranger6![]() |
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No, I don't back off my drag on the larger baits. Again, I think that is a benefit of a rod with a little give in the tip. With the drag tightened down and today's super lines you get plenty of power to drive the hooks home. Rods with a softer tip like Lamiglass and Okuma XXH are rated for big baits. They have the power and back bone to get the hooks set on big fish and then keep the constant pressure on them. HOW ABOUT HOOKS? I hear differnet theories on hook sizes. Long shank/short shank, wide gaps, bigger, smaller....how much of the hook itelf do you think plays a part in the hook up and keeping the fish on? | |||
CiscoKid![]() |
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Posts: 1906 Location: Oconto Falls, WI | A good point has been raised on rod action and hooksets. Perhaps when we switch rods that needs to be thought about a bit, and we change the way we set hooks to match the rod action. Being a little guy with tiny arms (yep, stick figure here as far a muscle goes) I don’t have the monster hooksets. I have learned a big sweap coupled with reeling gets me the best hookset. Keep the pressure on. I think those quick, hard, pop-like hooksets cater to loosing fish. It may get the hooks in initially, but as soon as the fish starts headshaking the lure is out. With the long, more flexible rods and a constant pressure you are allowed a lot more “error” in fighting a fish. If the hooks don’t find home on the initial hookset, and you keep constant pressure, that lure will at some point slide in the fish mouth. As long as you have a good bend in the rod you have pressure, which will in turn allow the hooks to grab (usually the fleshy part of the mouth) and keep the fish hooked. With a “broomstick” of a rod when that lure slips the rod goes completely straight, and you lose tension on the lure. Without the tension your lure is likely to come out of the mouth, on a headshake, without finding something else to dig into. Watching video tape of yourself fighting a fish does wonders. This is where it became absolutely clear that the stiffer rods just plain go straight on larger fish. Shortly after that rod unloaded the fish was gone. I also realized my brothers were right in saying I look like a willow branch in a windstorm while fighting a fish! ![]() Edited by CiscoKid 10/17/2008 7:43 AM | ||
CiscoKid![]() |
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Posts: 1906 Location: Oconto Falls, WI | I personally don’t buy into the larger hook thing, yet. Not sure if it was on this site or another but JLong had a good thread going on hook selection. Depthraiders for me are great hooking baits. They also come with tiny hooks compared to most lures. They are more like a 2/0 short shank hook. Lures like bulldagws larger hooks do help though. I had gone to 6/0 and improved my hook-ups. I know others go to 7/0 or larger. | ||
ChadG![]() |
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Posts: 440 | I really think rod types and rod lengths has to do with the individual. I have lost way more fish on long "forgiving" rods then the shorter stiffer versions. My best rod for landing fish is the old 7'6" MH St Croix Premier, which is todays H. It is a pretty stout stick. I have lost very few fish when the line has gone slack because of my moron moves with this rod. I lose more fish with a 8' "forgiving" rod bent down tight. Now; I set the hook as hard as I can and as quickly as I can. Leads to some missed topwater fish but it is just the way I am wired. As soon as I have a fish hooked up I put the screws to it and put it in the net as soon as possible. I learned fishing bass tournaments that the more time a fish has in the water the oppurtunity it will create to get off. Now this year I have shifted to all 8' and 8'6" rods but they are XH's and I am not totally convinced that it is the best move FOR ME. Probably is, but it will take more fish to prove it. (hasn't been a good year) | ||
CiscoKid![]() |
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Posts: 1906 Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Sure the longer a fish is in the water the better the chance it can get off. On the flip side the more you horse a fish the better chance it has at getting off. Besides, I musky fish for the hunt and the fight. Why fish for them if you think nothing other than to get the fish in the net right NOW? A little over a month ago I lost a mid to upper 40” fish. Right from hookset it was nothing but arials and white water thrashing on the surface. I lost the fish on something like it’s third arial going off the bow of the boat. I turned to my brother and mentioned I felt like I was just in a rodeo, but didn’t make it the 8 seconds. It was the best fight I have had in a while. The adrenaline was going. Yep it sucked I didn’t get pictures of that fish, but it was GREAT fighting that fish. It helped I boated three fish before that, but I would take that fight and loss fish over a similar sized fish that came in like a wet sock. As I mentioned earlier perhaps you are still setting the hook with the more flexible rods like you do with the stout rods. Think about it a quick, hard set with a more flexible rod does nothing but bend that rod quickly. If you then let up and start reeling you never get to the backbone of the rod. We’ll use the bass fisherman for example. When they set they set hard, but with a huge sweep of the rod and keep reeling. You need to get into the backbone of that rod. Rods are a great discussion for keeping fish on and such, but I want more of this thread. Hooks is another great topic. What about waiting on hookset after the fish is felt? Someone earlier mentioned it. A buddy of mine swears by waiting for the fish to turn on lures like Bulldawgs before setting the hook. I for one cannot do it. I have programmed myself to set on any little tick or loss of lure sensation. Most times on suspended muskies if you are late that split second you may loose a fish. Anyone here wait before setting? I know the infamous DDFenner has talked about it in the past. What about lure modifications to up the hooking percentage? T’d hooks and the such. | ||
ranger6![]() |
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When it comes to hook choice I prefer a shorter shanked hook with a wide gap. I think it gives less of an opportunity for a fish to get leverage. Not sure if that is true, but it seems to work for me. Musky Innovations makes a nice wide gap hook. On my bucktails I prefer to go with one hook vs two. I modify mine to be a bit "stubbier" than most. I like that shorter profile with one hook hanging off the back...I use a #6 wide gap on standard bucktails and use a 7-8 on large buckatails. With that short profile and going a little light on the hair, I like the hook ups I get. Does anyone have the problem at times on bucktails where it seems the fish are "bumping" them? Some days I can get into a rut where I get a soft hit on a bucktail and I set the hook and no ones home. I even see the flash sometimes of the fish b/4 the strike. Not sure what is happening, but I think sometimes a fish will bump it with there moth closed. Why I don't know. I have had fish that I have caught in a figure 8 after experiencing this "bump" in mid retrieve. I wonder if you did not set the hook on this type bite would they eat after the bump? I can't seem to not set to find out. | |||
JRedig![]() |
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Location: Twin Cities | Does anyone have the problem at times on bucktails where it seems the fish are "bumping" them? Some days I can get into a rut where I get a soft hit on a bucktail and I set the hook and no ones home. I even see the flash sometimes of the fish b/4 the strike. Not sure what is happening, but I think sometimes a fish will bump it with there moth closed. Why I don't know. I have had fish that I have caught in a figure 8 after experiencing this "bump" in mid retrieve. I wonder if you did not set the hook on this type bite would they eat after the bump? I can't seem to not set to find out. Yep, I fish clear water a lot and have seen the fish attack the blades and not get hooked on many occasions. Pike, muskie and bass. See/feel it the most with pike, but have witnessed some large muskies do the same, head-shooting kind of. | ||
esoxaddict![]() |
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Posts: 8828 | Ranger, I haven't experimented much with hooks, but I've come up empty many times setting the hook on that *bump* you feel. When you're fishing 3 feet down over 15 feet of water and there's no weeds to hit you know that little bump was a fish. Other times I'll be reeling and its almost like I feel the blades stop turning, for a seond there's just no resistance. Came up empty setting the hook there a few times as well. I've had a couple fish where I actually saw them swim up behind the bait (we're talking bucktails here) open their mouths, bite at the bait, felt the fish, set the hook, and nothing. All they did was grab the feathers/tinsel/hair at the back of the bait. I suspect that what's happening on most of the ones you feel but never get hooks into. If you're using single hooks though, it might be what's happened to me a couple times with spinnerbaits - the fish grabs the bait, blade and all, it flips sideways in their mouth when they bite down, you set the hook, and you pull the whole thing right out of their mouth. I thought it was a fluke, but it's happened several times. After that I decided to bend the hook points off to the side a little, so they're not in line with the rest of the lure. Stay tuned on how that works, I haven't had a chance to test my theory. Seen a few fish that never opened their mouths too. For those, I've always wanted to try to make it look like what would happen if a muskie swam up and bumped a bait fish. Make the lure go darting off like it's scared half to death. Like I said -- I've always WANTED to try it, but in that moment where a fish comes up and just swipes at your bait, I've not found it possible. | ||
ILmuskie![]() |
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Posts: 371 Location: Dixon, IL | In England, pike anglers use long rods and small hook on live or dead bait to land lot of pike. I think right size treple hooks match the size of lure would land more muskies. 7.5" Grandma have right size treple hooks and file it to be sharp is great for me. Last year, my friend trolling and lost nice musky and I suggest him to replace to down one or two size smaller treble hook and he do very well! VMC, Owner and Gamakatsu is good treble hooks. I like 5/0 and 3/0 for bucktails like Harasser. I noticed that big Double Cowgirls have big treble hook for big fish and it might be too big for average size muskie. Smaller treble or hook get stuck in the mouth or teeth or too big would be easy to spit the hook out! I agreed with longer rod is better. I am 5 ft 8" tall. I like 6 ft 10" for jerkbait and 7 ft for everything but I am serious to buy a 8 ft 6" rod for bucktail and between 6" and 7.5" grandma or crankbaits. Always have file for sharp the hook, check the hook when you snag or catch fish. I think is different between heavy fishing pressure and very little fishing pressure.....musky might bite light or caution on lures on heavy fishing pressure. land more musky on light fishing pressure. I remember that two fishermen complained about that they got lot of followers but no fish at Big Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County because this lake get heavy musky fishing pressure. Fish during week, night or cloudy with light rain might be helpful! I miss or lose some fish like everybody and its what musky fishing is all about! | ||
Don Pfeiffer![]() |
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Posts: 929 Location: Rhinelander. | I would like to clear something up. If I have a fish that comes out of nowhere and swipes at the bait and maybe bumps it I do not consider that a lost fish. To me I never I had it..If a fish explodes on a surface bait but does not grab it and make a run,I never had it-not a lost fish. To me for a fish to be considered a lost fish it should be on long enough to make some kind of run,not a kiss and goodbye. I think many of you are counting fish as lost and you never had them. I'm not talking about suckers here. Pfeiff Edited by Don Pfeiffer 10/18/2008 9:40 PM | ||
john skarie![]() |
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Posts: 221 Location: Detroint Lakes, MN | I have lost very few fish trolling, casting or on suckers since fishing with 7 1/2 footers up to 9 ft rods. Probably more noticable the bigger the fish are, all of my big girls that I've lost were on the shorter rods. Usually the head-shakes get me. With the longer rods the hooks don't tear out nearly as easy. As far as hook sets, I think lots of guys loose fish by setting the hook, and then waiting for the fish to fight back before the get on the reel. I've dramatically increased my hook-ups by just leaning back on my rod and cranking immediately on my reel, not setting the hook very hard. But what works for one guy isn't the best for everyone in this department. Whatever your comfortable doing will put the most fish in the boat for you. JS | ||
JLR![]() |
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Posts: 335 Location: Pulaski, WI | Well I only catch small fish, but we have had a few presentations at the C&R Muskie club from Vermillion and Milles Lac guides and they are all using 8-1/2', 9' rods. I don't think a big muskie's mouth is structurally any stronger than a smaller muskie, but they can generate way more force and a headshake moves more line. It makes sense to me that you need a longer rod for shock absorbtion and to retain pressure on the fish without ripping out the hooks. Just like the salmon guys. | ||
rpieske![]() |
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Posts: 484 Location: St. Louis, MO., Marco Is., FL, Nestor Falls, ON | I find it interesting that no one mentioned the relationship of non-stretch braided line and its impact on rods used. Also, the difference in hook setting with the braided lines like PowerPro. Of course, some of you probably have ONLY fished with the braided super lines; but some of us grew up with mostly monofilaments. We have had to adjust our hook setting and rod choices based on our past experiences. I know I was over setting the hook on a strike. Being 6' 5" and over 260 lbs. (yes, I have lost 50 lbs.) I developed some bad habits when the super braids came in. I was still setting the hook like I did with the old mono. This might be worth discussing also. | ||
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