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esoxjunkie · 09-03-2008, 10:42 AM

I've found over the years that my approach to muskies is quite different than most muskie nuts. A friend of mine who has literally written the book on Lake of the Woods muskie fishing is fond of saying that he'd rather fish the wrong lure in the right spot, than the right lure in the wrong spot.

Without going into a long monologue about feeding habits and biology of muskies, I'll just say that in my opinion most people chasing muskies overthink the process. Simply stated, muskies are the top of the food chain in any given body of water they live in. That said, anything else in the water is food. Given favorable weather/water conditions and throw in a day or two either side of the full moon and muskies will be active. Active muskies will eat anything!

To make a short story long, I don't put too terribly much thought into the what I'm throwing, and concentrate more on where and when I'm fishing. I have a very small (by muskie nut standards) box that I load with 10 or 15 baits before I go. These are proven ones, with good hooking percentages, and built tough enough to handle the destruction that those mean monsters can dish out. An example of what my box might have in it for a fall day on Zorinsky or WT would be:

Mepps Giant killer-gold/brn & gold/blk
Cowgirl-blk or brown
Big Game Tackle twitchbait (9")-blk/white
Poes Giant Jackpot-no preference for color
Ace Tandem SPinnerbait (2oz)-gold/brn & Silv/white
Slammer Deep Diver-blk/white & gold/org
Crazy Crank Rumbler-blk
Boogerman Buzz Bait-blk/org
Triple-D-no preference for color

That assortment would do for a day on local water, or a week on Lake of the Woods. A few years ago on the 'Woods we were 21/2 days into the trip when I noticed the three rods I had in the boat still had the same three baits on them that I rigged the day we got there. I know I fished the same blk/chart spinnerbait for a day and a half before I even threw anything else.

Needless to say, I don't spend a lot of time changing lures and looking for the magic bait.

squid, Randy caught the 51"er casting a big cabbage bed. The 42"er I lost at the boat Sunday morning was about 50 yards from where he caught the 51" the day before.

Jamie

09-03-2008, 10:42 AM	#12 (permalink)
esoxjunkie esoxjunkie is anxiously awaiting hard water Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 176 Thanks: 19 Thanked 36 Times in 29 Posts	fall baits I've found over the years that my approach to muskies is quite different than most muskie nuts. A friend of mine who has literally written the book on Lake of the Woods muskie fishing is fond of saying that he'd rather fish the wrong lure in the right spot, than the right lure in the wrong spot. Without going into a long monologue about feeding habits and biology of muskies, I'll just say that in my opinion most people chasing muskies overthink the process. Simply stated, muskies are the top of the food chain in any given body of water they live in. That said, anything else in the water is food. Given favorable weather/water conditions and throw in a day or two either side of the full moon and muskies will be active. Active muskies will eat anything! To make a short story long, I don't put too terribly much thought into the what I'm throwing, and concentrate more on where and when I'm fishing. I have a very small (by muskie nut standards) box that I load with 10 or 15 baits before I go. These are proven ones, with good hooking percentages, and built tough enough to handle the destruction that those mean monsters can dish out. An example of what my box might have in it for a fall day on Zorinsky or WT would be: Mepps Giant killer-gold/brn & gold/blk Cowgirl-blk or brown Big Game Tackle twitchbait (9")-blk/white Poes Giant Jackpot-no preference for color Ace Tandem SPinnerbait (2oz)-gold/brn & Silv/white Slammer Deep Diver-blk/white & gold/org Crazy Crank Rumbler-blk Boogerman Buzz Bait-blk/org Triple-D-no preference for color That assortment would do for a day on local water, or a week on Lake of the Woods. A few years ago on the 'Woods we were 21/2 days into the trip when I noticed the three rods I had in the boat still had the same three baits on them that I rigged the day we got there. I know I fished the same blk/chart spinnerbait for a day and a half before I even threw anything else. Needless to say, I don't spend a lot of time changing lures and looking for the magic bait. squid, Randy caught the 51"er casting a big cabbage bed. The 42"er I lost at the boat Sunday morning was about 50 yards from where he caught the 51" the day before. Jamie