Do you remember the first muskie bait you purchased?

Me and my dad were talking about this the other day. As we were going threw our new baits we purchased and comparing our collection, he ask if I remember the first muskie lure I purchased? Of course I do it was like it was yesterday. Even thought I was around 10 years old and on my first muskie trip to the Hayward area. The first bait I purchased was a toprader. At the time it was a small fortune for a 10 year old and a kid that has never muskie fished nor eve seen a muskie. Take you back 16 years here we were, my family heading up to Hayward to a small lake to go muskie fishing. We barrowed a few big rod and reels from one of my dads friends, and his boat. We fished panfish at the time but that was the extent of our fishing. Everyone that we talked to thought we were crazy for even wasting out time muskie fishing. Well anyway first night nothing. Second nite, nothing. This went on for 4 nites. I was beginning to think everyone was right. On the 5th nite my sister wanted to go with. At the time had not even went fishing. Well there we were casting away and it happened. She said I think I have one. Sure enough she has the biggest thing I have seen come out of the water. She even said what is it? Well to make a long story short she hooked the fish at boat side with a Zebco hawg with no drag on a mania Burt. We netted the fish in our little butterfly net. We were in aww. We zipped back to the lodge to get a measurement on the fish. The big girl measured 49 ½”. Since that moment I have been hooked. I still feel bad to this day that we killed the fish. Anyway amazing how far muskie fishing has came from buying muskie lures in little gas station to what it is. Lets here how you others got into muskie fishing?

I think I know the first few I bought...it gets kind of blurry when I try and narrow it down.

teasertail
billyfin bucktail
reefhawg
jtd grandma
smity bait
mepps musky killer
suick

I'd have to say the first bait that I bought on my own might have been a Burmek. On the first cast off the dock at Daggett's resort I had a big follow. That was the only fish my brothers and I saw on that bait. The bait got one heck of a workout though.

The first bait I purchased was a creeper from Pastika's. I had a couple of bucktails, an old suick, an old globe and a couple big rapalas that I took on my first musky trip.

Cold Front

I'm thinking it was a Surf-oreno. Then a Globe. Then a lot after that.

The last one I purchased was a Pacemaker. Hmmm. Seems to be a surface bait thing goin' on here.

I always wanted a Bonnett, sure wish I'd gotten one when I was a kid.

Wow...great question! Sometime during the week prior to my first trip to The Chip I bought a black globe, a black creeper, a black bucktail and a black suick. Hmmm...nice color assortment. That weekend on a Saturday night in 1974 I caught my first muskie on a black creeper...a beautiful 30"er. That was the beginning of the end for me.

Became an avid hunter of the elusive muskie ever since. Some thirty-five years later I needed an extra bay on my garage to house my boat, rods, tackle boxes, clothing and oh yeah the hundreds of muskie baits I've accumulated over the years.

Never can have enough baits...and it all started with four simple baits.

Less than three months til the opener...can't wait

Chuck

My first lure was a Cisco Kid Topper. I bought it the day after our first guide trip with Bruce Tasker in 1971. I raised a musky with Bruce on his Topper out at Birch Island just before quitting for the day.

Today I have over 100 musky lures and I buy at least 5 new ones every year! This year I bought 8 already, you never can have enough!

I remember "borrowing" old baits from Ty and my other brothers and mom/dad. I think the first bait I ever bought was a Jackpot or a tek-neek. The weirdest bait I ever bought was close behind these. It was a bucktail with a globe double-blade head on it. saw a bunch of fish until it got stolen.

t-dogg

44 incher was caught about two-three weeks ago down here(not by me)

I bought a few baits on the way up to Eagle Lake. Some friend my buddy Jerry is. He takes me on my first real muskie fishing trip to Eagle. I think it was 1994. I bought a Chartreuse weighted suick, a bulldog and a bucktail. Couldn't catch any muskies on that Indian summer trip, but I had a follow that still remains the largest muskie I've ever seen in the water. Couldn't believe my eyes as this Orca follows my bulldog back to the boat. I am positive to this day that it was a true 55" plus.

I've now got 125+ baits in the box. Some of them are even made by people other than Ty. Ridiculous when you think about it.

First Muskie Lure...... 6" Jake.
So, about 8 years ago I read a story in Wisconsin Sportsman by Pete Maina about getting started muskie fishing. So I'm gonna do it.
He says all you have to do is get a sm. Jake and circle the shore of this small Hayward lake at the 8 ft. depth line and cast toward shore. Great lake for beginners. So I get the lure and drive 3 hours to this lake. Well, we casted all around the lake and just about back to the landing a monster (36") grabed my lure about 20 feet from the boat and went airbourn and ballistic and was off in about 1 second. needless to say I've been hooked ever since. Thanks Pete!

-Jon Rude

The first lure I bought was a perch colored mud puppy, the style where the body seperated after a fish hit. Mom took me to Mel's Sporting Goods in Rhinelander to let me spend some birthday money. I think that would have been in '78 or '79 and I still have that lure hanging in the garage. Man I caught alot of fish of all kinds on that thing.

Corey Meyer

That break away lure thing was quite the selling point. If you really look at it though, in the wind you lose your lure(or at least the wood body) after catching a fish. They don't tell you that part. Suick had the same concept.

Were those break away models considered lake models, and the solid ones river models? I think I remember reading about those somewhere.

That's an easy one - Cisco Kid Black Topper (WOOD)

First one I bought wife(on Big Chip honeymoon) Cisco Kid Green Topper(Wood) and I still have Both!! Wife & green topper!!!!!