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Posts: 259
Location: Madison, WI | Hi guys,
Was just looking at the other thread about early July LOTW tactics and it got me thinking (because I'm headed up for a split trip between Minaki and LOTW beginning July 9).
Will it be too early to throw bigger stuff? My personal gut feeling is no, but I wanted some feedback. I just ordered a new 11 inch Curly Sue (which is much bigger than 11 inches BTW), and I'm wondering if that would be appropriate for an early to mid July trip?
At what point in the season do you guys start throwing the bigger stuff (Pounder size baits, etc)
Just curious. Thanks in advance for any feedback!
"Jackpot" John Schroeder |
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Posts: 1060
Location: Medford, WI | John,
Start chucking and let the fish tell you what they want. We've had years where bigger was better early in the year and just the opposite as well. The 11" curly sue is a great bait at all times of the year.
Good luck - I'll be up there a little after you so you'll have to let me know how the bite it.
-Jake Bucki
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Posts: 303
Location: WI | I had a low 30 incher crush a pounder last saturday..... Pounders may not be the best pattern, but that one fish didn't mind the size. |
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Posts: 785
| If your goal is to not miss out on any 34"ers than you may want to reconsider but 40"+ fish that time of year (and already as we talk) have no problem eating the big stuff, as menioned if it's completely not working change up but otherwise I'd go for it. |
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | I mainly fish a MN metro lake. I moved two fish on 6 inch soft tail glide baits on opener... Since then, the only fish I have moved were on DBL 13's. after getting a follow I tried down sizing to 10s, then 8s and nothing. went back to 13's and a few casts later... follow.... Missed a few strikes on them as well... So I would say no. I am usually a "down size in spring" kind of guy to... not this year however.
One of my buddies had a missed strike on a storm flat stick, would not call it a small bait, but not big either. I say fish whatever you feel most confident fishing with, and what is best in your opinion for the situation... |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | Nope! The LOTWs fish like big lures at all times! Doug Johnson |
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Posts: 87
| big fish eat big things no matter what time of year. |
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Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | On Memorial weekend a young guy using live bait caught a 32" Pike that had some really big and nasty fresh bite marks. Figured we should be using bigger baits after that. |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | I've always felt that to use small lures in the early season was pretty much a result of walleye and crappie fisherman catching muskies before the season opens. People think that if they are catching them the fish must like small lures. In reality the size of the available forage is the largest it will be all year in the spring as the young of the year haven't hatched yet. I have serious doubts that any muskie swimming around looking for something to eat will say, "nope I'm not going to eat that one it's too big". Doug Johnson |
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Posts: 8824
| The short answer? NO! Big muskies eat big fish, bigger than any of our lures. |
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Posts: 422
| Not too early at all....Last week caught a 36" pike on a mag dawg and a 4lb largemouth on a 10" monster red october tube. I agree with above, start chuckin and let the fish tell you what they want. |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion |
Giant Lures catch all kinds of fish.... Period.
Jerome |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | I will say that Big Muskies wants Big Baits sometimes but not all the time. I think alot has to do with one's ego, if you have a Big EGO then you want to cast Big Baits all the time.  |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | I actually have a pattern that early in the year (early no longer applies now that it is mid June) the fish prefer 10" Jakes/Warners over a DDD or similar smaller crank. After a few weeks then they start showing preference for smaller cranks. Go figure. |
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Posts: 582
| i think its more about speed than it is about lure size early in the season. Water temps and fish activity out weigh lure size. i have caught fish early on large and small baits. .i just don't burn any lures early. It's almost like you need to dangle the carrot right in front of them and they don't care what size it is just make sure it's in the strike zone and moving at a slower pace. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | all size baits work at all times... everyday is different....muskies don't read magazines or m1st..they eat what they want when they want to eat...if it's a 20" pike, guess what... it's food!!!....our baits in terms of the fish they can and do eat are actually all "small" for the most part... always keep an open mind to what does or will work and you'll catch more fish in the long run.
i have to challenge and laugh when i hear guys make sweeping statements like never/always etc....
Edited by BNelson 6/14/2012 7:27 AM
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Posts: 613
Location: big cove tannery pa | <p>We really didnt have a winter here in Pa and the ski's were hitting 8-10" jerks/gliders in january all the way up till now. Also had many follows on double 10's in febuary so size doesnt matter much...If there hungry they will eat </p><p> So like everyone else has said throw them and let the fish tell you what they want.. Good Luck show some pics...</p>
Edited by pamuskyhunter 6/14/2012 7:29 AM
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Are baits like Curly Sue's too big for a July LOTW trip? No
Next question...are big rubber baits a necessity on LOTW, or even a top 3 bait that should see a lot of water time? Pretty darn debatable.
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Posts: 688
Location: Northern IL | As depth out weighs speed, speed out weighs size.
Size is a factor or indicator of activity level, active muskie or pike, (fish with larger mouths) will be more inclined to hit a larger lure or bait given a side by side choice. The less active Muskie will take the smaller lure or bait given the choice
Jackson you are correct! |
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Posts: 8824
| When I was a kid fishing back in the 70's, this old timer (LOL, he was probably 40) took a liking to me, shared all sorts of fishing wisdom with me. One of the things he said that I will always remember went something like this:
"if a fish can fit in another fishes mouth, that's where it'll wind up."
Look at some of what's been found in the stomach contents of harvested fish. I think we'd be successful with lures that are even larger than what we use now, except that we'd be unable to cast them for any length of time. Muskies are going to eat what they can catch. Put a lure in front of them, and stop worrying so much about which one and what size and what color. |
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Posts: 480
| From my experience, I have 2 windows to catch giant fish, early in the season just after spawn and late in the season just before freeze up. The tankers that I am after are the most vulnerable in these periods. I'm just trying to provide them with a good meal. The only egomaniacs I run into brag about how many small fish they saw. |
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| Have to agree......guys bragging about moving 20 fish a day... catching none....lol....the smallest bait in my regular arsenal is 11 inches...my newest prize is a hawg wobbler imitation made from 2 inch pvc pipe and is 15 inches... look out big girl.... |
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| Bragging is what I just read...two posts loaded with it. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Where are the bragging posts, get deleted? |
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Posts: 286
Location: VA | Small baits are for Bass. Leave those at home. |
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Posts: 1168
| Mullhead - 6/14/2012 11:26 PM
Small baits are for Bass. Leave those at home.
Ken O'Brien disagrees. |
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Posts: 1220
| Gregg Thomas has an article in Musky Hunter this month that says exactly what I think, but naturally better and more accurately. Or, if you don't subscribe, you can read the Book of Ecclesiastes, Ch 1, Vs 1: :To everything there is a season and a time under heaven for tossing nearly every bait that you own, especially if what you are tossing is not working." (or...it says something to that effect) |
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Posts: 567
| Ego has nothing to do with throwing big baits in my boat, I throw what I choose and migrate from that as the fish tell me what they prefer, and some days that's exactly what I don't have. Some people may half to brag about throwing big baits, and then there are tons who cry over it. Yes, I prefer it, year around, and there's nothing I like more than fishing behind the guys throwing hellhounds, phantoms, and regular bulldawgs. For me, I choose to chuck pounders, two pounders, 15" cranks and gliders in that situation not because my "ego" wants too, but because its different than what the fish constantly see. I'm not saying the others don't catch fish, but the way I see it, I don't just eat turkey on thanksgiving day, so where written is the rule that big Muskies only take big baits in the fall? Everyone just seems to assume it. Assumption is the mother of all $#&% UPS. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | there are plenty of times and days in the fall they prefer small suckers/lures over big ones..if we have 3 suckers out and 2 are over 15" and one is 12" and that keeps getting hit but the big ones get ignored we end up switching to smaller suckers/lures...... every day of the entire season is different..from spring to fall one day Pounders might get the hits, next day could be spring dawgs. mix it up..keep an open mind....muskies are predictably unpredictable. |
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Posts: 286
Location: VA |
Mullhead - 6/14/2012 11:26 PM
Small baits are for Bass. Leave those at home.
ulbian - 6/15/2012 8:28 AM
Ken O'Brien disagrees.
Anyone can a catch big musky once. The key is being a repeat that success. Wonder which lure has caught more 54" fish? Pounder Dawg or a MX6 Muskie Train. I'll throw the pounder.
Edited by Mullhead 6/15/2012 11:00 AM
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