Posted 8/7/2009 3:10 PM (#392955) Subject: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
I was on my annual LOTW trip a week ago and caught 5 muskies.
36, 39, 39.5, 41, 42, 45
Here's the kicker ... all my fish came on the figure 8. I didn't catch one long line fish all week!
Is this common for all of you?
I forgot to mention this in my previous post ... on top of all 5 of my fish being caught on the 8 this year on LOTW.
I lost the 2 biggest fish of my life within an hour of each other. Both were huge, huge fish and I got both to bite the 8, but after both of them came half way out of the water after I hooked them, they spit the hooks.
My question is, that it seems obvious to me that the bigger fish are harder to keep hooked on the 8?
I did get them to eat, but it's frustrating that with one headshake they are gone.
Is it just that difficult to keep them pinned on the 8 because they have so big and powerful and have so much leverage at boatside?
Posted 8/7/2009 3:13 PM (#392957 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 199
Location: Nebraska
I wouldn't say 100% is common for anyone, but it is a testament to doing a consistent 8. Look where you could have been - fishless after a week. I'm more of a 30% guy. A recent thread here put it at 40% all the way down to zero.
Posted 8/7/2009 3:32 PM (#392967 - in reply to #392957) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 2015
Good work Ball Cap! two years ago 7 out of 9 in the net were on the "8" for me with 4 others getting off boatside - so could have been 11 out of 13. So it does suprise me - I expect them to eat at my feet on LOTW. However, this year (July) was just the opposite as only 3 of 13 were caught boatside BUT visability was low and number of follows WAY down....overall 40% of the fish I have caught in July/Aug on LOTW have been caught boatside.
Posted 8/7/2009 3:34 PM (#392968 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 16
Location: Detroit Lakes
Sure is fun, especially after dark!!! I caught around 40 fish last July-September on the 8 and didnt loss more the couple fish!! I though I was an expert until winter came around and now Im learning how to do it again!! Hopefully the water temps go up so the fish start to heat up!!
Posted 8/7/2009 3:49 PM (#392971 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 123
I was there a couple weeks back and hooked my first fish (43) just as I was completing my L-turn. I caught 5 others up to 49" away from the boat, with thee of the strikes visible to me. The 2 smallest fish I caught bit furthest from the boat, and I got a 47 on a Thunderhead with the strike about 8 feet from the boat. It sure is fun to see that water being pushed up behind your bait and then to have the lure get crushed just a few feet away. The 47 went airborne as well, which made the experience even better than the 49" on a spinnerbait. Congrats on a good trip. I'd say all fish on an 8 up there is not the norm, but I know I get more on the 8 there than in MN.
Posted 8/7/2009 6:03 PM (#393000 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
I have found that it happens there alot more than here. Probably less boat traffic and overall pressure has something to do with it. Took this video of one when it seemed that everyfish had to take a lap or two before it would eat.
Posted 8/7/2009 7:47 PM (#393014 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL
More than half of my LOTW fish have eaten in the 8. When I get a big fish in the 8 (actually try to do it with almost every fish I get in the 8) I free spool and let the fish take line and get away from the boat to do all of it's fighting. Be careful not to loose tension on the line and be careful not to let it pull your thumb under the frame or put a nice line burn on ya. You usaully won't catch me on LOTW without a layer of athletic tape on my left thumb.
Congrats on a good week! Now if your math was as good as your week.
"I was on my annual LOTW trip a week ago and caught 5 muskies.
36, 39, 39.5, 41, 42, 45"
...I count 6
Guest
Posted 8/7/2009 8:01 PM (#393016 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
FYGR8,
Just something to think about that I noticed, don't take it personal, but that fish could have been and should have been caught with a WIDER turn away from the boat. It's not all about how far you can go from one side of the figure 8 to the other side, it is more important how WIDE and far away from the boat you can go. You crossed her head several times, which results in a short strike, which is what you got. Just something to think about.
Posted 8/7/2009 8:09 PM (#393020 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Not taken personal. But I know we could have caught the fish had we aggressively done the 8 with wide turns and some ups and downs. The point you missed was that we had so many fish going on the 8 that we wanted to get one on film(that would actually stay visible) to eat. I knew someone would point out my inadequacies, therefore not offended!
Posted 8/7/2009 10:02 PM (#393040 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 2024
When I go to LOTW I expect fish to eat in the 8 not out from the boat (always be ready obviously, but psychologically be even more prepared for boatside hits). So no, I don't think that's uncommon. Definitely one reason why LOTW can be a blast!
Posted 8/7/2009 11:39 PM (#393061 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN
I'd say that the tendency with Fish on the 8 is to set the hook directly out rather than up due to the positioning on the figure 8. One trick I learned that has served me well is to turn the reel towards the water and try and set the hook in the lower lip this also drives the fish down rather than up on top of the water and I believe that it's mush more difficult for a fish to throw hooks in the water rather than when they are tail dancing.
Posted 8/8/2009 8:53 AM (#393082 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 123
Big fish can't turn very sharp, so I'll be doing oval loops instead of figure 8s from now on. I learned that from someone who's caught hundreds of muskies. Thought I'd pass it on.
Guest
Posted 8/8/2009 10:02 AM (#393100 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
The "oval" isn't the best either as you have to turn the fish towards the boat. How do you set the book when the fish eats on the turn towards the boat?
I know a very well known musky fisherman and lodge owner who teaches people to do ovals simply because it is easier for people, not because it is more effective. A proper figure 8 will put way more fish in your boat than a oval.
Posted 8/8/2009 4:00 PM (#393130 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN
In MN and in Ontario I would say 60% of the fish out of my boat, are on the 8. It is better to do the bigger sweeps for sure, but make no mistake about the turning radius of a big fish. They can turn on a dime if they're hot and fixated on eating. It is those indecisive fish that that really require a wide sweep. Hungry fish will eat pretty much anything especially at LOTW.
Posted 8/8/2009 4:17 PM (#393132 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 311
Location: Ontario
Good point about having the reel handle facing down at the water marine1, this takes a lot of stress off my hands and arms too. For me it just feels less taxing. Also good point about the size of the figures Jerry. If you watch closely some of the biggest fish in Pearson's video track and smack lures whipped around tightly. That video is full of hits close to the boat.
Guest
Posted 8/8/2009 5:52 PM (#393137 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Ball Cap - As soon as you even think that fish may jump, bury the rod in the water to keep them from jumping. In the 8, you'll see them coming up to jump, on the cast, you can feel them rocket towards the surface. Soon as I feel it, the rod is in the water up to the reel...
Posted 8/11/2009 1:01 PM (#393620 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 18
Location: Kenora, Ont
A tactic I have adopted on Lake of the Woods is to slow role the upside turn away from the boat. Deep on the first turn, slow shallow turn away from the boat on the other. It seems that the slower wide shallow turn triggers strikes contrary to the old addage that you want to make fast turns (???). And of coarse always set the hooks in the opposite direction of the strike so you don't tear the bait away from the open jaws. Freespool the reel and giver some line and you should have an unhappy musky in a happier fishermans net.
Posted 8/11/2009 3:14 PM (#393641 - in reply to #393620) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 2269
Location: SE, WI.
Pretty common for LOTW's fish to be caught on the 8. My wife and I spent 12 days recently. Stuck 23. Many on the 8 with a few not even seen until pulling the bait from the water.
This boatside adventure is even more excelerated due to the cool summer. Fish are hanging out slightly deeper than their normal feeding positions. Key this year is to keep bait in the water abit longer than in the past. Also, because of all the high winds, water was slightly more murky than usuall.;)
TopWalker
Posted 8/11/2009 3:33 PM (#393644 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Slow on the turns and fast in the straightaways! After a turn look for them to cut the angle and hit the lure without following it completely around. Fun stuff.
In my boat every fish but one has been on the eight with another one hitting on the throwback cast.
Biggest of the year though, a 48", went early in the retrieve so go figure.
Long rods and 8s after nearly every cast continue to produce and are worth the effort!
TW
MNSteveH
Posted 8/12/2009 11:40 PM (#393933 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
OK, I'm going to offer a somewhat different opinion. Sometimes with a half-hearted follow like the one in the video a big wide turn won't work because the bait is too far out in front of the fish and they won't speed up enough to catch it. In this case the fish ate when the bait passed right in front of the fish - it didn't need to chase it. I also think the bait coming across the font of this fish gives a better chance of hooking the side/corner of the jaw, rather than the front of the lip as it can when they nip it from behind.
So yeah, there a lot of could ofs, would ofs, should ofs, but sometimes the hooks just don't stick - that's musky fishing.
Posted 8/13/2009 10:36 AM (#393986 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 897
yep, i had a mid-30" fish come in and go around twice in the 8 but then just sat there watching for a couple more rounds. didn't look like it was going to do anything, so i tell my buddy "watch this" jigged my bucktail about a foot in front of its face. smoked it on the third jig. called my shot, funny as hell.
Posted 8/13/2009 11:04 AM (#393988 - in reply to #392955) Subject: RE: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 134
Location: (South of the 218)
Big fish sometimes come unglued at the boat... it's a fact of the 8 and a fact of LOTW and every other Muskie lake we fish.... that's how the big girls get so big eh?. That being said, we just got back from LOTW on a 10 fish trip. I think that only 3 of those fish were taken away from the boat.... the 8 was where it was at! We lost a big one that followed a topraider in and ate a Dbl. 10 in the 8. The Dbl 10s just happened in on that fish just behind the topraider.
The 44" i caught in the 8 sure took me for a ride but I remember clearly thinking before I caught that fish---- if you see that a big girl is hot after your bait.... keep it moving and work that eight so fast, almost like you're trying to take it away from the fish without taking it out of the H20 of course.... I was rewarded after she swiped 3 times at it with a FIGHT I won't forget for a long time!
Good fishing everyone.
Mr. Pieske.... - you're the man!
Posted 8/13/2009 11:34 AM (#393994 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 291
Location: Madison, WI
Had 13 in the boat this July on LOTW and none were caught in the figure 8. Actually didnt have many followers all week. Colder water temperatures had the fish off alot of spots, the ones that were on the spots were eating, not following.
Posted 8/16/2009 5:54 PM (#394403 - in reply to #392955) Subject: Re: LOTW Figure 8 Fish
Posts: 331
Location: Stevens Point, Wisconsin
I had a fish going today up in the narrows following a DCG so long that I kneeled down on the front deck because I was getting tired. After about the 50th turn she got it..... One of the fattest 44" fish I have ever seen.
I would say that LOTW is the best place on earth to learn how to figure 8. You really can learn certain subtle changes that will turn on a fish or turn her off. But yes I would say that about 70% of the fish I have boated on LOTW over the past 12 years came on the 8. I love watching fish turn off short of the boat and loop around and hammer the bait from an unexpected angle.
They have started hitting out now as the water temps have made it to 69. LOL
