Goals for 2009

[ttabaleulb]

Ok, I hope to have "everything" that I need to accomplish my goals this year. I am curious to see how you guys choose the baits that you want to purchase or use for the year ahead. For me, I am all about Musky in waters from the surface to about 10-12' of water. Not including the flies that I have, below is the mix I will be using to attack the beast this year:

1) 7 & 9" Suicks
2) Mantas
3) Assortment of buck/boo tails
4) Deviators
5) Jakes
6) Grandmas
7) Depthraiders (including countdowns)
8) Shallow Invaders (my favorites so far)
9) Jackpots
10) Bulldawgs (and the like)

Now, I don't have a lot of each, but I decided to have a mix of patterns at each water depth rather than going for the same bait styles. Do you guys like to have a variety of colors in the same bait or do you prefer to have a different action to throw?

[Red Childress]

In my opinion, you could probably take a manta, grandma, jackpot, bulldawg, a quickly retrieved search bait (i.e... bucktail) and catch muskies in any state at any time.

Since most of us will never encounter the type of extreme pressure that the "hot" lakes of the Midwest endure, it really is not necessary to carry dozens and dozens of baits. I would focus on baits that will allow you to effectively present baits in the 4 main conditions: clear water, stained/muddy water, post-frontal/post-spawn and low light/dark conditions. Adapting your bait color, bait size and bait speed to those conditions is about all you can do.......the rest is up to the fish.

Jim Saric continuously preaches using baits with strong contrasting color schemes no matter the contitions. During the last segment of MH TV I watched last nite, he explained how he keeps Sharpie Markers in his boat just so he can add contrast to all of his baits, especially his blades and bucktail dressings.

[b.bent66]

i keep sharpies with my gear. some of my best baits are sharpie modified.

[RapRunR]

" using baits with strong contrasting color schemes no matter the conditions"

Good tip !!

[muskie24/7]

There are a couple things that I am going to do this year. I'm going to buy the color lure that is on the total opposite side of what I would normally buy! Instead of the natural perch, walleye, etc... I'm going for the least attractive to me. It's a known fact that the best selling colors of lures are not the biggest fish catching colors! They catch more fishermen than fish. I will also spend the majority of my personal fishing time (without clients) experimenting with different lures, patterns, techniques and other things that will improve my skills and add to my strategies. Right now, I have a few tricks up my sleeve thats going to make 2009 an interesting year for me and everyone else in my boat! I can't wait!

Brian Gilmore

[jah1317]

Purchases for this year so far are:

Some awesome gaudy wileys bucktails
suzy sucker
Super d's
8" jake
Manta (Orange bandit)
9" suick (orange and black)
Amma bamma
Smiling jack
Big game twitch (sucker) I need more!
Most of this was from family for christmas santa was awesome!

Getting:
Manta (bullhead)
Suick nightwalker (greenfrog) as soon as they get them at R&H
Weagle (stink pumpkin)
7' rod (St. Croix triumph I believe)
Okuma induron 400.

Honestly when I complete those last 5 things there is nothing else I want or need. I have all depths, categories, and I get a natural and an unnatural (bright) color and as long as I have that, I don't think I need anything else. Nothing else jumps at me. If they don't bite those, they are not going to bite. It's not the money you spend it's what you know and how you apply it. There all tools, how many 1/2" sockets do you need?!?!

[ttabaleulb]

I also decided to go with a few "different" colors for my baits as well. Seeing that my most successful bait so far is an orange fire tiger pattern, I figured what the heck.

I agree with you Jacob, I think my arsenal should be stocked well enough to hopefully give me a shot on any given day that I am on the water. Thats all I can ask for. Unfortunately, I have already lost more baits in 2009 than I did in all of 2008!! LOL So, I need to replace a couple. I REALLY envy you guys who can consistently find and catch these beasts by fishing from shore/wading.

I am leaning toward focusing on baits that I enjoy fishing too. When I used to bass fish a lot, I loved the surface baits (poppers, WTD, etc...) and the crankbaits. I like a bait that requires action from the caster. It also helps me maintain focus on those LONG days with no fish in sight.

My biggest goal in 2009 is to LAND a Musky on the Flyrod. I've seen it happen a hundred times in my head, now I just have to get it done!!

I also plan to do more night fishing.