Double-top secret tips to triggering strikes

[Scoot]

What are people's double-top secret tricks to getting fish to commit? The standards that I hear about are 1) classic figure 8 and circle patterns at the side of the boat, 2) speed up, 3) speed up, then slow down so the lure is right in the face of the fish, 4) dramatically change your rod tip angle so it looks like the lure is changing direction abruptly, 5) after the fish hasn't bit, chuck back a "follow up" lure- often a twitch bait or soft plastic.

What other tricks do you fellas use to convince a biggun that he's just gotta eat the lure?

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Scoot

RodsbyEngel: custom made fishing rods

[Guest]

My biggest joy is burning bucktails.

When you get a hungry follow, crank faster and faster, making her chase to the point where you are burning as fast as you can. I love it when they crash that bucktail at that speed!!!

I had one case, where I ran out of line to crank in, so a dropped the rod tip in the water, figured 8 twice in a panic and she was hot on my tail.......so then I pulled the bucktail up the side of the boat, as I ran from the back to the front when she hit.

My buddy looked at me like I was nuts, but I think that when the figure 8 was done and the buck tail did a straight line shot to "get away", the ski went bezerk!

Nice fat 45"!

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!

[Fish-n-Freak]

Scoot,
If you have done all of the above and the fish still won't eat -- You only have two options left. Dive in and grab that fish! or Come back later and hope she is ready to eat.

If the fish is 'hot' try a toss back or make a second pass over the area. If the fish is 'lazy' mark her for a visit later in the day, either on a weather/wind change or as the sun is setting.

I have yet to discover any 'magic' move or lure that will make all the followers into eaters. My best toss back lure is the Jackpot.

Good luck!
Steve

[RK]

Hiya,
Couple thoughts:

I think one of the biggest factors in triggering following fish is seeing the things. The farther away from the boat you can pick up a fish, the more time you have to try to judge their mood and start trying different things to push their buttons - and be able to see how they react. Also helps you keep track of fish while you're figure-8ing so you can play keep-away better. Get a pair of high quality polarized glasses, and you'll catch more fish that follow. Period.

Beyond that, everything is so dependant on the lure type. To me, the most important thing is to get to know your lures and what they can do. What's the speed range? Buoyancy? How hard can you snap a jerkbait or crank before it goes out of control and flips over? How fast can you figure-8 before the bait blows out on a turn? Once you know that, you can leave some room in the speed range or how aggressivley you're working the thing during your retrieve so you have some options when a fish follows. I hate not having the ability to increase the speed or erratic action of baits, which is why I have a tough time with many glide baits and slow moving topwaters like creepers.

With almost any bait, it seems like if you can get a fish to move out of a straight line of travel, either by zig-zagging a topwater or bucktail, or twitching a crank or jerkbait so it shoots off to the sides, you have a much better shot at getting them to hit. As soon as a fish starts wagging its head, it's a good sign you're about to do business. Easy with bucktails and topwaters, but harder with body baits. I like baits that you can do that with like big Jakes, Burts, Sledges, Triple-Ds, etc. I hate one trick pony baits that do one thing, at one speed.

Speed is the biggest triggering tool to me though, especially with bucktails and topwaters. With bucktals or spinnerbaits I gradually increase the speed of my retrieve as I get closer to the boat on every cast. If there's a fish following, you're setting them up to be triggerd at boatside, and if not, it gets the cast over with faster. If I see a following fish I may give them a burst of speed, pulse the reel handle, etc., and almost always, if I see the fish early enough, start to zig-zag the bait. That, and a hard L-turn into a good figure-8, is often all you need with bucktails. Another trick with bucktails and spinnerbaits is to move them up and down in the water column. Pop them to the surface for a second, bulge them, then drop the rodtip to force it back down. A lot of the time, if it's a hot fish, as soon as it starts to bulge, they drill it.

Jerkbaits and cranks are tougher, partly because the speed range is usually more limited, and partly because they're erratic to start with, and if that didn't trigger the fish right off the bat, it's hard to do more. To me, slowing down is usually an all or nothing deal - they either wack it or leave, and leave more often than not. About the only time I slow down is when a fish is coming from a ways back or picked up the bait late, and I'm giving them a chance to catch up. As soon as they close on the bait, it's back to playing keep-away.

Finally, get good at figure-8s. Just practice it. Doesn't matter if it's 8s or ovals I don't think - I do both depending on the fish (usually ovals fo rbig fish) and the bait (ovals if the bait doesn't do well on turns). Good glasses come into play again here. The better you can see them, the easier it is to trigger them.

Cheers,
RK

[RuKiddingMe]

As always great info RK.

[Guest]

Great info. Tried most of tactics (and they do work) and learn a couple of new ones .. Thanks!!
One thing I've had sucess with, when doing your figure 8, and the fish isn't really "hot": short turn your lure (doesn't matter what type) and feed them the bait. I either get a reactionary, defense strike or they dive and disappear into the depths and I come back another time.

[cliffy]

If all the ideas listed above fail, I fall to my knees and pray that the great Muskie god will shine and allow a simple man like me the honor of catching such an amazing fish. PS: This hardly works but its worth a try.

[Rino]

I keep a second rod rigged up with a large soft plastic (like a Sluggo) and offer a slow drop dead presentation. The sudden change of lure/presentaion can trigger even a not so hot fish.

[David Swenson]

Increasing the speed of a retrieve can trigger a strike as well as moving your rod tip to slightly turn the bait before it gets to the boat. This works best with bucktails and crank baits on a steady retrieve. If they are following a jerk bait or other twitch bait, I find most often they are not going to bite. If they are not biting a bait that already has an erratic action, there is little you can do to entice them.

Most importantly on a follow is the figure 8. One way to set up a figure 8 is not to cast ahead of the boat. When doing this the bait comes directly at the boat and not at an angle. The fish literally runs into the boat. Cast straight out perpendicular to the boat. This allows your bait to come into the boat at an angle which sets up the figure 8. Make sure you reel right up to the leader and hit free spool ASAP. Have your thumb down tight on the spool. As you begin your figure eight start to dip your rod down into the water and make the first turn real wide. I continue to put my rod into the water until at least half or more of your rod is in the water. Make your figure 8's (or circles) as big as possible w/o losing any lure speed. Fact is, the faster you can do your figure 8, the better. Vary the depth of your lure as you do the figure 8. If the fish is right under your lure, try to bring the above it right between the eyes. Some fish just can't resist reaching up and taking a nip. Practice figuring 8'ing often so you are prepared when the big girl comes a following. I use this method on just about every type of muskie lure there is.

This method has worked well for me even on Vermilion were fish are often boat shy. I believe this works well for me because first, the fish does not run into a boat at the end of a cast because the lure comes in at an angle. Secondly, I attempt to bring the fish even farther from the boat by dipping the rod into the water so the lure is below the boat, and finally by increasing speed and depth it provides a triggering action.

Hope this helps you some. Good luck fishing and always remember to "Pay attention to Detail".

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