Fishing gurus, experts, or just hacks like me???

[musky1969]

Yes we have caught a bunch trolling "Current" areas does not matter natural or wind produced, best was 4 passes 4 fish in a very tight spot to troll. I am also hoping to try to get up to Heaven yet this fall working very hard from a loss we had this spring when our biggest customer decided to go BK and owed us 90K (Ouch that hurt). First summer in 16 years did not get up there Maybe the muskie gods will let a little extra money our way so we can get up there. Hope everyone up there is safe and has great trips.
Darren

[Fisher]

Darren, if you need a place to stay to cut costs so you can make a trip up north this year, I may have something you could use for free. Its nothing special, but has heat, TV, beds, etc. just no running water after next weekend (8th). Anyway, if your interested just let me know.
Thanks

[dpear]

Ran into this while trying to research the difference between water movement at night vs day.Kind of interesting.

http://saltfishing.about.com/od/tide.../aa070517a.htm

[dougj@wiktel.com]

You've love it up here right now! Gusting to around 35 MPH or more for the last three days and suppose to get real windy tomorrow (wonderful!!!!!!!).

I doubt that the fish even know it's windy, but I sure do!

We got three today, on the calm side!

Doug

[Tim Kelly]

Keep a hold of your hat Doug!

[dpear]

Good going Doug-although it likely was calm only on the surface.
I hope someone posts a few pics,I should give photo lessons I guess.

[NETim]

Damn wind.

[dpear]

I'm leaving shortly to deal with wave after wave of snow geese that are crapping on my roof but need to respond to an e-mail I just received from a 'friend' regarding this thread.

YES,my new Evinrude will go 20 knots(23 mph)so I will be able to troll these lures.

[lambeau]

YES,my new Evinrude will go 20 knots(23 mph)so I will be able to troll these lures.

very interesting; i've heard of people toying with these high-speed saltwater baits for muskies but haven't heard about results...is that because they didn't work well or because no one wants to let the secret out???

and i know plenty of guys are speed trolling, especially places like LStClair, but 15-25mph? wow. those big saltwater fish are built for speed and endurance...a muskie can swim that fast easily, at least for short bursts, but will it expend the energy to chase down food moving that fast?
only one way to find out, eh? let me know how you do. ;-)

what do you think about these slightly smaller ones? they can be trolled at speeds in the 5-10mph range and are wayyy more affordable.
http://www.candhlures.com/billy-bait...-game-kit.html
maybe try one with a bucktail blade rigged in front of the leader for some added thump?

[dpear]

While reviewing baits such as the Mr Big,see: http://www.candhlures.com/wahoo-lure...ber-skirt.html ,I was reminded of the extreme expense and the rigging hassles I had experienced.(using one treble and light through wire).
So,will one of you creative minds please make rigged baits similar to these using poor mans muskie materials?Please consider the vented head and the 'smoke screen' concept which appears to be new since I explored these options awhile back and which may have merit 'out there'.
THANKS!!!

[Muskie Junkie]

Ok, I am really late to the dance on this one but for some reason I could not get my login to work. Regardless, DP, you mentioned water clarity. Last year I really noticed that the water was definately much clearer, to the point where I felt that the "flame" blades were no where near as effective as in years past. That and I noticed other colors showed better and actually out produced my LOTW go to flame. I thought this was from a lack of bloom in the water since in July we did not encounter much and very little in August. Am I imagining this or are we truly seeing a water clarity change?

[dpear]

Very true Steve.

[dpear]

Good stuff.Now we are getting somewhere.I think.Keep it coming.
Was just reminded that this thread has gone over 10,000 hits.Wow,should we move on or keep going?Been fun but is it too unwieldy?Blame Fishwizard,not me,he won't shut up.

Anyway,recently we've discussed some good stuff.I know the target is 'out there'.I know how to reduce the meaningful water out there(shrink the box).I know to key on 'movement' and bait concentrations.I know the surface is a great edge to focus on.I know speed 'triggers' and can make me more efficient- especially at certain times and under certain conditions(high riding bait for instance).So how about lures like these-traveling up to 20 knots? http://www.candhlures.com/Wahoo-Lures/
Courtesy of a Florida friend who also is a muskie guy-LOTWs muskie guy sometimes.A few here may recall some years ago when I tinkered with these types of lures.Never really gave them much of a chance-hard because of the companion laughter and ridicule and the fact no other bait was compatible in terms of speed.Sooooo,instead of practicing what I preach,ie,'Fish Alone',I converted them to jerk baits and promptly destroyed them since they aren't a numbers bait for sure.NOT this time!!!!!!

[dpear]

I get slime,not moss.Also,need you to rig up a couple of weighted 'bulls' with D10 blades for me,I have some stories for you.Please get on it,I know you have nothing to do but sit by the fire and watch Fiona this time of year anyways.

[dpear]

Another oldie.

A FISH STORY-AND A BIT MORE

Hi Folks.How about a fish story?I’ve sure got one for you and while some may question it(I would have if not there),its true.
First let me set the scene.Its July and prime casting time on Lake Of The Woods.Prime surface bait time.I’m staying and fishing with my good friend Barry who had just built a new cabin on an island.His dad and brother-in-law were there as well and were doing some finishing work on the cabin while we fished.Fishing was good and topwater activity was picking up as our week progressed.
About noon one day we pull up to a large reef we know quite well but one that,with most water conditions,is hard and hazardous to fish thoroughly.A complex spot with numerous shallow rocks,deeper holes,fingers,etc.
Since its relatively calm I decide to get right up on it and pick it apart.I’m throwing a Topraider,one of my favorite surface baits.As we work the reef, I take a cast into very shallow water near a couple of large boulders and am rewarded with a follow by a monster-the likes of which I hadn’t seen in years.After quickly swinging the boat away from the spot,I turn and Zing,in goes Toppie and ‘pop,pop,pop’here it comes back-right through the gap between the boulders.As Toppie clears the gap the seas part into a black hole type swirl and the she monster emerges with my leader in her mouth and Bull Frog Toppie swinging futiley free on the far side. My computer quickly spits out that my only hope is to reset once she opens her mouth during her repeated,almost slow motion like,headshakes.Of course,she opens,I set-and dang near knock Barry out of the boat with the returning Toppie.Anger,embarrassment,sick stomach,appologies to Mr Toppie,you know,the usual,describes my reaction afterwards but, being an expert on this type thing,I eventually recover.Sort of.
Well no surprise but we beat the spot to near death day and night for a day or two to no avail.She’s gone- forever we think.Now we come to the last evening of the trip. Barry’s dad and bro-in-law have been working hard all week and we decide we should take them out that evening.Its decided Barrys dad,Jim(an accomplished multi-species fishermen)will go with me and its agreed we get ‘the reef’ at dark.As we are about to depart the dock,Barry walks over and hands his dad his scarred and well used Baby Loon Topraider with a precautionary statement,”Dad,don’t lose this,I’ve caught many muskies on it,including three 50s”.
Fast forward now to dusk,the bewitching hour.The wind is ‘up’and for the last hour or so I’ve been debating where our last stop will be.Wind or not,I decide it better be ‘the reef’.As we head that way I explain to Jim it will be difficult to fish-especially the spot where ‘it’was,but that I’ll be able to slide into a gap upwind of the spot,hold the boat,and let him cast to it.(Honestly,had I thought there was even the remotest chance of ‘it’being there,I wouldn’t have handled it this way,at least until I made 10 casts there myself.)
We do just that,Jim makes the perfect cast and Toppie starts ‘pop,poppin’his way home.After it clears the boulders uninjured,I glance away to verify our position and to start extricating us from the spot-just in time to miss the seas parting again,but even in the wind and all the commotion going on,there was no missing the loud ‘whoosh’ of that sucking chest wound type sound some big fish make when striking a bait on the surface.I turn and see her,the she monster,slowing shaking her head-with Baby Loon nicely stuck in her huge mouth.Instinctively I holler,’set again’,and Jim,an ex-marine-a very big ex-marine- does.Perfect I think momentarily.Only momentarily because a split second later Baby Loon was sailing past my head.’Oh no’,I said,’not again’.Yes again.The she monster was gone-again.
I ‘m looking away,unsure what to say,wishing I’d never said ‘set again’,when Jim says ‘Dick,look at this’.He’s holding Toppie and it takes me a second or two to realize something is wrong.Then it takes a few more seconds to comprehend precisely what is wrong.Only the top half of Toppie is still there!The bottom half is gone!Missing!AWOL!
What the heck I say as he swings it to me.And there it is,top half only,the through wire looking cleanly snipped off.By teeth?Impossible,right?Bottom line is we spend a long time that night and in subsequent days replaying,studying and thinking about this.There is only one plausible explanation.I have caught many muskies,big muskies,on Topraiders,as has half the western world.Its always been indestructible.I’ve always thought(still do think)its an engineering marvel with the straight tail and tank like construction.so whats the only plausible explanation?Fatigue,plain and simple.Numerous muskie,including many big ones.Numerous pike,including many big ones.Thousands of casts.A big fish that’s unmoveable,with leverage,coupled with braided line and a big ex-marine hookset=she monster escaping.A freak incident but true-not a ‘fish story’.Honest.
Barry is upset about Baby Loon of course,but his dad didn’t lose the bait-at least not the entire bait-so he has no recourse.Of course,we rename the reef.It’s now called ‘Top Half’.


*sidebar: Is this criticism of Topraiders?Absolutely not.The opposite in fact,an endorsement.I never leave the dock without a couple of Toppies in my boat.The message here is simple and basic,everything fatigues with use and time.Heck,I verify that every morning when I look in the mirror.The solution,whether dealing with gear or your body,is to recognize the fact and deal with it.

A BIT MORE
The ‘she monster’in the story above was in a foot of water or less all three times she was seen.Super shallow.What’s with that?Is it normal?Unusual?Was it the weather?The stained,fairly dirty water?Was she feeding?Digesting?Global warming?
You know what?Despite being intrigued by it,and despite writing a lot about it in recent years(recall my articles about the ‘twi-lite’ and photosynthesis zones,a muskies temperature comfort zone,and a host of other reasons I think they are shallow 99% of the time),I really don’t care’why’ anymore.Muskies are the top of the food chain.They go where they want,when they want.More and more I’m seeing they want shallow water.Very shallow.Very often.Under varying conditions.They are there and I’ll be there more often myself.Even on Trout or very clear waters, although so far my very shallow success there has been limited absent wind or current.
The reality Im afraid,is that I haven’t gone shallow enough in years past and have ‘missed’a lot of big fish as a result.I pass this on,for what its worth.

Remember:Thinking is just being thoughtful.See you next issue.
Good fishing!
Dick

[fish_wizard]

Thinking of toppies... besides Alexandra Daddario

There was a time, back before the big double blade age, when you could throw a topraider all day long, or pretty much all week long, and be quite productive. Does anyone still do this, or have times changed too much? It's still one of the best lures to put on the line of newb, of which I have two in my group this year. I'm referring more to the general style of tail prop bait, than the specific brand.