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Posts: 1185
Location: Iowa | Someone once told me that "Bigger baits equal bigger muskies." There reasoning was that a muskie will spend a little more effort to take a bigger meal so they will not have to spend energy chasing around a lot of smaller meals. I bit on this hard and have a lot of lures that are now 12"+. But in reading one of the previous posts on this board I cam e across something that really made me think for a minute. It made me think of something my buddy always says, "size doesn't matter, all that does is how you use it." So what are you thoughts on using baits that are 12"+ versus 6"-12" baits. I know that muskies tend to act on smaller baits earlier in the year and large ones as the year progresses, but does it really matter if you are throwing an 8" bait versus a 10" bait, 10" bait versus a 12" bait, or a 12" bait versus a 14" bait. Don't get me wrong, I am a still keeping my big baits but just curious as to everyones thoughts...and Slamr, I think I already know your position based on our PM conversations...
Big Perc
Edited by Big Perc 11/11/2006 8:59 AM
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Posts: 367
Location: Chicago | Big baits do not always mean bigger fish. I have seen many many fish caught on bass sized baits including a 47" on a tube jig in 3 fow the last week of October. |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I have caught some really big muskies on really small creatures. On purpose, too. |
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Posts: 2024
| I know this is terribly cliche, but there's a time and place for all applications.
If you solely use and abide by the big bait theory you are missing out.
If you solely use and abide by the downsize theory you are missing out.
If you employ both methods and are adept at using both successfully, especially recognizing certain conditions that dictate each application, you will become a much accomplished fishermen. Period.
Is bigger really better? In some cases yes, in some cases no. |
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Posts: 459
Location: New Baden IL | No doubt that sometimes big baits equal big fish. There are too many monsters caught every year on 10" + inlines, and huge cranks to doubt it. How many fish are caught on pounders??? Again undeniable proof.
But, there are times that a big bait "scares" off some fish. I've seen times while guiding that a 10" bait wont even get a follow while smaller baits are getting SMASHED. I think it's a forage based "thing". If they are primarily using 4-6" forage, then a 14" bait might be too much. But with muskies, everything is up in the air. My suggestion would be to try them, and if there isn't any action on these big baits, dont be afraid to throw the regular sized stuff.
Rodney LaCaze |
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Posts: 299
Location: Ontario, California | I live by the saying that big baits = big fish. I know there's a time and place for everything but I'm always after the biggest of the big. Therefore I throw big baits no matter what species I am after. |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | Rodknocker really hit it on the head. The truth is it is forage based. Years ago on these message boards we heard of huge fish being caught on huge baits . The facts were these were also huge waters with huge forage. Muskies that prey on 20 inch Lake trout in Georgian bay are caught using 12 to 24 inch cranks with regularity. Use those same cranks in Mil Lacs or Thornapple lake in Michigan and you might get one to go on a 12 but anything larger is wasting your time. Now both of these inland bodies of water produce 50 lb class fish but they do not have abundant prey(soft reyed) in larger sizes. Lures in the 8 to 12 inch range are much better bets . If I were to fish the deep waters of the St. Lawrence or Georgian bay tomorrow. I would be pulling nothing less than 10 inch lures and would put most of my time into 12 to 15 inch baits. On Thornapple in Michigan I would be using 8 to 12 inch lures and putting most of my faith in 10 inch lures. Mil Lacs the same . Hr Johnny Dadson had me make a 21 inch Deepthreat for him . When I asked him why he wanted one so big he sent me a picture on a dead 54 inch muskies stomach contents. The prey fish that was still intact was a 22 inch Lake trout. Johhny is on Georgian Bay. Big Georgian Bay Muskies that roam open waters feed primarily on Whitefish and Trout and Salmon. This is why the fish is these waters are such super tankers. I sell a lot of 12 to 21 inch cranks to guys fishing the Larry and Georgian Bay. I have tried these same lures in smaller inland waters and find its a waste of trolling time. Now its always possible that a huge fish will eat a 5 inch Rapala like in the case of Obriens Georgian Bay fish or the Green Bay monster. It is also possible that an average 50 incher in a small lake like Thornapple will eat a 18 inch Wishmaster. But the Higher odds go to the right size lures that match the forage . The best Musky fisherman that I know today has told me time and again that the forage dictates where to fish,when to fish and how big of lures or what presentation to use. Lets face it ,a 12inch walleye pattern deepdiver will not get it done when the Muskies are feeding on 6 inch Shad or 5 inch shiners. You also will not turn any heads fishing a 6 inch shad bait when miss piggy is looking for a 20 inch Whitefish. Kingfisher |
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Posts: 134
| Try everything until you find what's working. If you know they are hitting large baits it's a good place to start. Find out what the fish are eating and then figure out the average size of that prey is at the time of year your fishing. |
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| You are absolutely right Mike. It all depends on the forage base and the size of the muskies you are trying to contact.
By the way, the 22" Lake Trout wasn't pulled from a 54"... she was only 49"
haha |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | johnnnnnnnnnnyd!!! whats shakin!!!! |
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Posts: 323
Location: In the slop! | Let efficiency be your guide! With casting that tops out at 10" baits for me. I can cast a 10" believer all day long, now a 13 incher, maybe a half hour. Trolling is a whole different game, use whatever fits the conditions at hand the best. I prefer what by todays standards are mid-size baits, 10" Jakes and believers, big eagle tail size bucktails, large pace-makers, oh, and a 9" sledge. I do through some smaller stuff some times though. Even in Iowa, I like this size range of baits. |
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Posts: 299
Location: Ontario, California | When I was traveling through Wisconsin, I stopped by Guides Choice Pro Shop. They have a huge fish tank with Musky, pike, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, etc...
As I was talking with Mike, I looked over and asked what was wrong with the Musky (42 incher). He said that earlier in the day, the Musky ate a 22 - 24 inch Pike. That's enough to tell me that big baits = big fish. That fish could have eaten any of the smaller forage fish but it went after the biggest meal. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Definately dont rule out the smaller stuff. My buddy got a 50.5" inch fish on an eigth ounce jig and twister tail on 8lb omni flex. I dont think it gets too much smaller than that!
Mike |
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Posts: 2010
| get the bait in front of the fish. IMO Big baits 12"+ equal less fish caught... will big fish eat them sure! but I believe they would have ate a smaller presentation 9 out of 10 times as well. get the bait in front of the fish.
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Posts: 90
| Interesting subject. When we discuss forage for a muskie, at some point in time, everything that swims in proximity to a muskie is potential forage. What does that mean?It means that we absolutely need various sized baits/tools to cover this range. How big is too big? I'm not really sure, but I have caught enough 20" pike and smallmouths on 8" baits to know that these fish at least, are not intimidated by a bait that is almost half their size, so I assume a muskie isn't either. I fish Mille Lacs quite a bit and the number of tales told about muskies chomping down on 15-18" hooked walleyes is amazing. Now, not all these fish are 50's, so again we have a fish attacking a bait nearly half their size. For me ( I don't troll) the answer is I throw whatever sized bait my arthritis ridden shoulders and wrists will take, and I have confidence in. |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | I agree with those that say "it depends".
I tend to believe there are two different types of strikes.... an EXCITEMENT strike and a FEEDING strike. Big baits, in my opinion, cater to a feeding strike.... and even that can have specific situations based on forage base, time of year, etc. I suppose one could go even further and say that big baits cater to a VISUAL strike too... since I feel that the excitement bite is all about the lateral line. Toss in the notion that small baits can FEEL bigger than they are... and things get even more complicated. And ultimately, you gotta be practical too when considering casting presentations. Kinda tough to lob a 24 inch deep diver around all day.... so the self fulfilling prophecy can be a factor too. Its easier to cast a smaller lure all day long.... and the bait with the most playing time will produce the best (and sometimes the biggest) results.
And... just what IS a big bait? 10"? 15"? 20"? |
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| Everything has it's time and place. That said,I start big and work way down if needed. As far as big baits catching fish that could have been caught on a smaller bait, my experience has not shown that to be true. Usually when fish are on a big bait bite, you won't even see one on smaller stuff. I have been in situations where there are three people fishing in the same boat with different sized versions of the same bait,same color. The 12" version was the only bait that caught and raised fish,. Go figure. |
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Posts: 556
| Just think when the fudally musky candy bucktail was big; that thing is little.
Edited by guts 11/12/2006 9:51 PM
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