Jigging for Muskies

[BillyBoy23]

Has anyone had any luck on jigging for muskies. I have heard that they really work this time of year. I have been fishing WB all year and in the past 5 trips all I get is follows.

Any tips on how to fish it or good target spots for jigs?

-Bill

[scsavre]

i was on WB yesterday Jigging and dawging and all i got was followers too. I was out there the better half of the day, hitting all different depths. seemed jigging brought them closer, but they were just staring at it. Not much of a follow i guess.

Good luck.

[BillyBoy23]

How were you jigging??? any tips on colors?

I have had follows all over the lake and know where some fish are. I want to see if I can get them to take something a little different. I feel like all the fish see now are bulldawgs.

[50inchpig]

I've had a little luck popping jigs off humps in the fall, usually with the musky jigs a shad body or twister tail is added and it's fished more horizontally with some pauses/falls in between. If you go to the In-Fisherman HSOforum I believe there are a couple articles about it, Stange is a big fan of that technique.

I've been fishing WB too and my impression the last week or so is that the windows are short and I'm probably fishing too slow, so maybe add some harder pops or rips and fish it more aggressively and see what happens.

[scsavre]

Your right 50, seems like we dont have to go too slow out there yet. I was just using a big twister tail type of jig. Im switching lakes, see if i cant find more takers. WB's window is defenitley a short one. Seems the fish i am seeing are pretty small too. Under 40's.

[50inchpig]

yeah i haven't done great on the rubber lately either, since you mentioned the big twister tail. i usually don't get to the ramp before dark except on the weekends occasionally though so my opportunites to mess around and try a bunch of different things are somewhat limited.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Had 6 follows on WBL 5 of those on bulldogs recently. Fishing them on the weedline dropoff area with a hopping/jerking retrieveing when the bait got below the botat I would try to give it more swimming action on the way up. Few fish came in really quick but wouldnt hit.

[Larson15]

I fished White Bear and Bald Eagle last Saturday and landed a 34" on WB using a 3/4oz Black/Blue Football jig with a 3" craw trailer. Later in the day I went over to bald Eagle and landed a 44" on the same set up but green pumpkin/chartreuse.

Both these fish were caught in less that 6ft of water. The interesting things was that the 44" bit 3 times. Missed him the first time, bit me off the second time, and caught him the 3rd time

[Sherpa]

I was targeting eyes the other day with a 1/4oz jig with a shiner on it and ended up with a 32" musky. I was surprised that it didn't break my line since I didn't have a leader on. I also caught 3 northerns and no breaks on any of those either. It seems like the only time I get muskies is when I'm fishing for walleye. This is my third one this year while chasing eyes. I have yet to get one while targeting them. This is my first year of musky fishing though so I attribute my lack of success to being a rookie.

[fishuhalik]

Those fish in alot of these metro lakes get pounded so hard all year, if you're presentation is off even a little they're not gonna commit. It really gets frusturating after a while, I quit going after muskies in the Metro for that reason!!

[50inchpig]

i'd have to disagree, pressure is pressure is pressure, i'm not sure the metro lakes see that much more pressure than other lakes. we pounded 'em at night and was alone for the most part all summer on the lake. bad things happen to your numbers and ego when you get yourself into thinking you've gotta be perfect in your presentation or that there's only one thing that'll work.

compared to other parts of the state we are LUCKY here in the metro with so many choices and so many (big) fish.

if you're getting frustrated by follows it's probably not the 'where' or the 'what' it's the 'when' - you'd be surprised at how stupid they can be at night.

[cjmuskie]

Growing up in northern Wisconsin I know of alot of guys that verticle jig Fuzzy Duzzit's. They have some really good success; they are just a big blade bait that gives off some great vibration. I am going to give a try on some lakes in my area the next couple of weeks.