Question about lunges

[Scoot]

I'm a novice musky fisherman, but I was wondering about time of year and type of bait. I know that some people will tie on bucktails on opening day and use them until they put their boat away for the winter. What can people tell me about surface lures? Is it better to use them early season? Late season? When in the year would a Giant Jackpot be most likely to boat a musky?
I have yet to catch one, but I've had two on with two different surface lures and I'd like to have my first one come on top. What's more exciting than having a big 'ol toothy critter bust a plug on the top of the water? I'm getting excited just talking about it!
Scoot

[Guest]

You are correct about surface lures. A strike on the surface leaves the knees weak and stops the heart. And, surface lures seem to work from start of season to finish. You're right about bucktails -- they get thrown constantly, but for good reason. They produce. Also, some of the big spinner baits work well for bass, northern, and muskies. At Big Winnie, they like throw smaller spinner baits known as muskie candy.

For sheer fun, surface lures are at the top.

[David Swenson]

Scoot,

As clayton stated surface lures can be used from beginning to end. They are pretty exciting to use, especially when a big girl attempts to eat your surface bait. Problem with surface baits is hooking them. You may get more exciting action with a surface lure, but you will miss a lot of fish. When a muskie does hit it a surface lure it is poor at hooking them. Bucktails on the other hand have a much greater hooking percentage.

My advice is not to get stuck using just one bait type. There are times surface lures are the best to use, as there are times bucktails are best, as there are times crank baits work best. Diversity will boat more muskies in the long run.

I have seen muskies caught from June to October on surface lures. The best time for surface baits I have found is early to mid summer.

Good luck and I hope you get a big one on a surface bait!

David Swenson
http://muskieguide.homestead.com/

[Scoot]

Thanks for the replies guys- I appreciate the info.
I have a different, but related question. I've heard and read elsewhere that it's wise to not use "piano wire" for leader. However, that's all I've been using. I figured I wanted the strongest stuff so I didn't get snipped off. What's a good, strong, and relatively invisible leader to use for muskie? Does anyone make a really high poundage flourocarbon leader that might work? I'd guess no one makes such a thing and I'm not sure it would be very bite-resistant anyway.
What do you fellas suggest?
Scoot

[Fish-n-Freak]

Scoot,
I should take you fishing! I toss Jackpots/DOCS/Jitterbugs and other surface lures all the time -- I also make my own 100lbs. Flourocarbon leaders. I have not had the "problem" of missing fish on topwaters, I would put my hooking percentage at about 80%, not perfect, but I have missed fish on Bucktails too. You can get the Flourocarbon Leaders from Thorne Brothers and other Muskie shops. I have not had a failure yet, and I have had many roll-ups and head-first strikes where the leader is in their mouth.

Good Luck - and keep tossing those Jackpots!

Steve

[Guest]

Best bet on topwaters is to delay the hookset. Might be hard to do, but you've got to let it get in the muskie's mouth. The natural tendency is to want to cross their eyes at the earliest moment -- which is fine for lures under water. With surface lures you see the strike long before you feel it.

[MrMuskie]

I throw alot of different lures under different circumstances, But always go back to my RED&WHITE "JACKPOT" Love to see & feel the thunder of a Top Water strike.
KEEP YOUR LURE WET

[TomWehler]

Cool post!
I love Topwater fishing!
Topwaters rock, but David S. is correct in his statement that you will lose a few.
We lose a bunch every year due to them totaly misiing the bait all together!
Sometimes it is our falt for not paying attention to the lure at the time of the strike or fishing and helping someone at the same time or something silly like that.
July and August last year were really hot and at times the fish were hitting real good everyday at some point
At times they were so intent on killing these presentaions that they totaly missed the lure and we just kept right on working it back perpendicular (?) to the boat.
Time on the water makes this a little easier to do, but we still lose a few here and there.
LOL
At times we did manage to get these fish to hit again boat side or return cast to the fist blow up areas.
On a Jackpot try bending the lead hook in T shape. This seems to work as it gives the hooks great exposure.
Knowing what each bait dose will also help a lot.
You can also tinker with them or modify them to get them to do many different things and make a wide range of sounds.
Plop, plop, fizz, fizz!
LOL
Waiting until you feel the fish is a good idea also, but if your not watching the lure on the retrive and one blows up on your lure your reaction to the splash is to rear back and hook face!
LOL
And a blow up boat side in the dead of night can really wake you up, FAST.
LOL
More like really scare ya good if your not out there with your A game going.
LOL
Nothing like working an area you know well, late at night during the full moon or late at night as a storm moves in and it is pitch BLAK out and you can't even see your motor at the rear of your rig.
Dead calm and quite, no one on the lake but you and yours, and your pulling your Topwater over a known Hawg hide out.
Wham!
Wham!
Wham!
LOL
Nothing like it in the world!
LOL
Lots of lures out there to chose from and they all seem to work at one time or another.
We tend to use the following more often, simply because of it being a confidence thing and clients or friends like them because they are easy to work.

Topraiders, Jackpots, Skywalkers, Creepers, Hawgwobblers, Triclops, Tallywackers, Topwalkers, Teasertails, Dancen Raider, Flap Tail, Topper Stopper, Double Trouble, Awakers, Hammer Heads, Thunderheads, Scuttle Bugs, and a few other home made deals in some sort of Black or Blue pattern mostly.
There are a wide range of colors and patterns to fit most any weather or water condition.
We seem to throw them all over the years, as I have had this fever for some time and have just about as many lures as most lures shops?
LOL
Most of us do?

But a homemade bait out of a old shovle or broom handle will also work if you can make her sing the right tune to get these very special fish to dance with ya.

Spring, Summer or Fall, Topwaters can and will turn the trick.

Keep on rock'en.

Musky Tom Wehler