Musky - Live Bait or Artificial Lures

[davetclown]

when targeting tiger musky,

wich works for you,
vote either one or both.

please explain either answer...
[signature]

[CROSSINEYES]

WE CANT USE LIVE BAIT IN UTAH. SO ITS GOTA GO ONLY ONE WAY.[]
[signature]

[davetclown]

so what are you guys using that is boating musky?
[signature]

[CROSSINEYES]

WE CAST TO THE BANKLINES WITH BUZZ BAITS. AND LARGE RAPALS. O AND TWISTER TAILS.
[signature]

[lunkerhunter2]

Yeah, what CROSSINEYES said. Buzzbaits are by far my favorite for musky but i use j-13 rapalas and some plastics as well.
A net![sly]
[signature]

[davetclown]

next question, how deap? top water, divers or down riggers?
[signature]

[lunkerhunter2]

I fish wherever there are submerged brush clumps or structure. The tiger muskies hold in them to ambush prey. I rarely try any deeper than 20' for the tigers.
[signature]

[birddogwi]

I use both. When I go out specifically for esox I'll try and pick up a sucker or a few Xtra large shiners to drag around behind the boat on a quick-strike rig under a float.. other than that its all artificial baits.

I've done nothing but cast for 'em up until this coming season. A close fishing partner had a stroke last year and tires out quickly so he switched over to trolling mainly so I'll be out learning that this comming season. However, I have caught a few of them (unintentionaly) trolling for Walleyes.. they seem to like crank baits tipped with 12" walleyes better than a plain crank bait.

My normal esox baits range from Suick's with a modified bend in the tail, to Cobra jigs.. its a sickness.
[signature]

[davetclown]

this will be my vary first year with a down rigger.

wanted one for years, I couldnt afford one but broke down and got it any way... It helped that is was on clearance [angelic]

I have done a lot of deap fishing, only I spent most of my time waiting for calm days whith winds around 2-3 miles an hour, other wise my line is comming up and way back so I never know where my rig truly is and that makes it extreamily difficult to repeat on the next pass.

so I am open for most any down rigging sugestions and tips, and would realy like to hear about any thing you discover...

I am starting with a 10 pound fish cannonball, "for any one who dosnt know what I am talking about, it is a lead fish that looks like a sucker and weighs about 10 pounds...

I figure with a 10 pound cannonball I should be able to troll at faster speads so 8-10 mile an hour. "I hope" I think that is the trolling spead for the big salmon sized trout but again I am only guessing because that is what I see the big charter boats moving at on the great lakes.
[signature]

[birddogwi]

I do a lot of trolling, DTC.. just not for the warrior (yet).

From 2mph-8mph (GPS always) is where I understand the guys around here troll at. I'll talk to a few fellas I know who know their stuff about trolling for the brutes and maybe I can test some things out after the opener too.. I could babble some things out but, I'll check and see if my understanding is correct first.


congrats on the new toy purchase! ... which rigger did you buy?
[signature]

[davetclown]

I ended up with a score, at least so I think.

I got a Big Jon on clearance at Gander Mountain for 50% off. it came with a hundred fifty feet of cable.

I had three cannon balls two came with the boat, "2- 5 pounders home made, aluminum plate with molded lead that looks like fish" One 10 pounder in the shape of a sucker.

I used it once alrady last saturday, spent more time fighting the leek in my boat and the wind. once I got a handle on the leek the wind kept driving me in to the drop off shelfs.

once I got home I perminantly fixed the leak. next time I go out I will look for a better spot to stay our of the wind or go on a less windyer day.

any rigger tips would be most welcome. Its all new to me...

one thing I did notice is a bottom finder is a must. a few seconds notice that you are comming up on the shelf could save me from cutting in to the bottom of the lake with my cannonball.[unsure]
[signature]

[birddogwi]

Nice buy, DTC! I went with Big Jons after my old Rivieras started to give up a few years back.

Oh yea - keep that graph on at all times.. I've gotten a ball stuck in the rocks once.. not a fun time. Not only can you loose a ball and wire, you can loose a rigger that way and damage the boat. I usually try and keep 'em 4-5' off the floor in case I run into an unmarked pile of rock or crib of some sorts - depends on the bait and lead length you're dragging too.
[signature]

[davetclown]

ya, I got a bit nervous last week when I come across a couple divers in one of the lakes I was trolling last week.

they told me of several boats laying on the bottom. Mostly wood ones. but the thought of hooking in to one of those with my fish ball beeing hooked to a steel cable stronger than my ancor rope gives me the willies.

now I am packing my cable cutters in the tackle box just in case. [shocked]
[signature]

[davetclown]

I am thinking about putting a 5 foot trailer cable between my release and cannonball.

I dont like the way my rod is hooked up with the line streight down, I think with the release out about 5 feet will give me a better troll and release at slower speeds.
[signature]

[thartoon]

Hey dave , I do a lot of salmon fishing in lake michigan ... myself and charter people I am freinds with all troll with down riggers at speeds 1.8 to 3.0 depending the time of year and what the fish are liking for speed. as far as cannon balls I use tru-track with rubberband releases, the fish shaped ones do not track straight that well and when running four riggers they need to stay running straight...or you will get a mess of tangels..I have never trolled with riggers at that high of speed and not sure how they will act. Another way to run your tackle deep and is cheaper than riggers is to use Dipisy-divers, the dive to 20 to 100 ft. depending how much line you let out, also the have settings on them to make them run out away from the boat, I have counter reels I use with them so I know for sure how deep they are running, dipisy-divers run about 10 bucks apiece. They also range in different sizes. If you have any more questions e-mail me , I will be glad to help you...I live in northern MI. Capt. Tom
[signature]

[Flycasting]

I wouldn't troll any faster than 4mph GPS. At 10mph, most lures I would use for tiger muskies would start to spin.
[signature]