In the latest MH mag Mike Hulbert talks about using only a few a baits and really committing to them instead of constantly switching(the whole "grass is greener on the other side" thing). This really struck me because I am one of those guys always looking for "the one". I am going to be trying this for sure this year.
A wise man told me years ago to head to the lake with 5 baits and fish them all day/season. Now, he really doesn't take his own advice but I fished the fall with only 4 different baits and 2 colors of each bait. I've done this the last two seasons and did well. It definitely makes you decision making on the water much easier!
Oh and FYI… The wise man was not Hulburt.
I'm forced to do this. Fishing Skegemog you only occasionally contact fish so your down to picking your best option and sticking with it. I'm not raising enough fish to detect a pattern as far as baits go, I just have to go with what has worked or what I think will work. Seems like a good value to carry to other waters…
Casting, I can honestly say I only fished with 5 lures all season. ( If you don't count changing colors of the same lure ) Trolling, well you know how that goes! lol Also, I put jigging in with casting, so that keeps the numbers down.
The key is to use the lures you have the most confidence in and STICK to them all day long. Usually, if you stick it out, you will have success.
As I get older and lazier I have realized that I get the most gratification catching fish on certain baits so I spend the majority of time throwing them. If all I could use for the remainder of my musky career was a jackpot and a mepps #5 I wouldn't lose any sleep and I would probably have a bunch more gas money!!! I watched Gilman and Ron throwing 10" squirrely jakes one day and it seemed like they were really laboring, I remember telling Corey that if that was the only way to catch a musky I'd quit fishing.
"jasonvkop" said:
This is pretty good advice, BUT there are times it will hurt your catches as well. There are times in which one does need to switch up lures in order to move or trigger fish, and sticking with the same bait all day/everyday will result in a frustrated angler.
Unless you're catching fish! lol
"ricky sox wrangler" said:
[quote="jasonvkop"]This is pretty good advice, BUT there are times it will hurt your catches as well. There are times in which one does need to switch up lures in order to move or trigger fish, and sticking with the same bait all day/everyday will result in a frustrated angler.
Unless you're catching fish! lol
Well obviously if youre catching fish its a good idea but i know a lot of people, including myself, get into a rut of throwing the same bait over and over when other baits will work better. We try to force the fish into eating the lures we want to fish instead of fishing the baits they want to eat.
Most lakes will tell you what works in them. Some lakes require big ,some small, some only a handful of baits get it done others have wide selections that work. St. Clair is one of those. You can almost drag half a chicken in St. Clair and get bit. Cranks, jerkbaits, Glides, rubber, Bucktails,jigs , I mean what doesn't work there? But these smaller inland lakes have in my opinion smaller numbers of things that work. Its like that little lake in Indiana. We went big? Nothing at all. We went small? 20 contacts in one day. I only throw three lures down there. Our 4 inch Bluegill, our Little Claws and Mepps Musky Killers. The only things we could get trolled fish on were 4 inch Rippin Shads and little tiny Rapalas. That Bluegill has only moved a few fish up here. Michelle and I both have confidence baits for each lake we fish. The funny thing is those change with each lake. Mike
Well I'm definately no expert and I really only fish two lakes. (Lsc and Hudson) On both lakes, I'd rather use my confidence baits and wait for that window of opportunity to open. For me, that's worked out better than playing merry-go-baits looking for the magic one. Which, by the way, is what I used to do. And what works for one may not be so good for another.
Hudson can be a very tough one to crack. I try what others have success with. But what works for me there is different. The only likeness is bait size. I can definately stick to five baits there and do ok. I don't fish there much anymore but I'm over .500 there, which is a good stat on that lake in my opinion.
Lsc is a different beast. She can be magical. But contrary to popular belief, one can be humbled there very easily, as many of us know.
I'm still very "new" to muskie fishing, IMO. I just enjoyed a very fun season. This past season, the most important thing I learned was to stick with the baits I have faith in. That doesn't mean the baits I "want" the fish to bite. I guess next season I can put what I think I learned to the test…..
BTW, I'm talking only of casting here…..
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