Jackpots?

[outdoor ran]

How the heck do I get a muskie to hook up on a jackpot? I love throwing them, I catch pike, bass, and walleyes on the dang thing. I've tried them on several lakes and rivers and can't get them to hook up. I've had over 30 blow ups over the last 4 years and haven't felt one of them. Some nice ones come right out of the water. I've tried different speeds. But yet I hear all the time about big muskies being caught on jackpots. Any suggestions? Thanks

[outdoor ran]

Thanks for the advice, I'll try that. lol

[RuKiddingMe]

bout the only suggestion that comes to mind here would be to not pull on the bait until you actually feel the weight of the fish. To many fisherman get all excited on top water bites and end up yanking the bait from the mouth before the fish even has a strong hold of it (beleive me I too am guilty of this). Takes a little self control... haha

RU

[Dan Wood]

I thought it was strange catching walleyes on the jackpot. I got 2 last week while fishing skis, guess I'm not alone. The walleyes really smack it too!

On topwaters it is important as mentioned to wait until you feel the weight of the fish to set the hook. It is easy to pull the bait from the fish if you are a bit excited when you see them break water.

[half2fish]

How big is the jackpots that everyone uses? mine is about 8" long. is that good for skis?

[RuKiddingMe]

That is the Giant Jackpot (8") and the ideal size for the ski's.

RU

[RK]

Hiya,
Well, from my experience, you don't...

Seriously, I can't hook fish on jackpots to save my life. Either the way I'm working them or how and when I set the hook, but they're the ultimate hit 'em no hook 'em bait for me. I don't even own one anymore. I used to try, get frustrated, give them away, then forget how frustrated I got and get another one. Finally after dumping 3 fish in about 15 minutes on one, I cut the hook hangers off and left the thing in my box for a year to remind myself that I never wanted to use a Jackpot again. That cured me.

Other walk the dog topwaters are a different story. I do pretty well on Docs, and Phat Boys seem to be ok so far, though I haven't used them much. With the small size Stidham's Z-180 I can get darn near every fish that actually tries to eat the thing.

I know a lot of people that do very well on Jackpots, but for me and how I do things, compare to other walk the dog baits they're an exercise in futility... It's just me.

Funny mention of walleyes on muskie topwaters. I've caught a number of them over the years - on buzz baits, Z-180s, Tally Wackers, and one 29 incher on a fouled 10" Believer rolling on the surface... Always a mond melter when it happens. "Got one...Hey - what the hell? Oh....cool."

Cheers,
RK

[Tonka Boy]

Great story Crappie jigga!!!

[crappie jigga]

Here's a good story about a top raider for ya'll...
My friend and I were fishing for muskies up north last weekend... We got on the water at 8:55pm Friday night so we only had about 45 mins too fish... So we pulled up to the first drop off w/weeds on it and started casting... With'in 15 minutes we had 2 hits on a bucktail...
The guy in the next boat says to us, "we had a couple of hits earlier today on topwaters", so my buddy beats me to the tackle box and he slapped a top raider on his line... (Keep in mind were new to this musky fishing stuff) so anyway, he casts out and starts his retrieve, the lure comes bubbleing across the top of the water to the edge of the boat, right infront of me, he proceeds to lift the lure out of the water, and this 45 to 50 inch musky comes completely out of the water, engulfs the entire lure in mid-air and slams off the side of the boat... At this point I was still in shock from stareing down the throat of one of the biggest fish I've ever seen... So, I quickly wiped off the urine that was dripping down the inside of my leg and skeedaddeled over to the side of the boat and look over the edge... Here, about one foot under the water, this monster is thrashing and chomping on that 8" top raider... So, I look over at my buddy and he's stareing at the same thing, "then it clicks in my head, he hasn't even set the hook yet" so, I start screaming like a 6 year old girl, "SET THE HOOK, SET THE HOOK"!!!! He looked at me like, "Oh $*%t, I forgot to do that"....
Well about the time he set the hook the fish decided that, "play time" was over and spit the lure right back in our faces...
After it was all said and done we just sat there, our knees shakeing and just laughing at each other because of way we reacted to the situation....
I think it's safe to say, "We are hooked for life" and I like top raiders.....

[crappie jigga]

Sorry guys
I thought we were talking about top raiders here... After, I reread earlier posts, I realized you were talking about jackpots...

[Fish-n-Freak]

I don't know what I'm doing 'wrong' but I hook (and land) about 90% of the fish that hit my Jackpots? I use Jackpots, Phat Boys, Docs, Top Prey and Z-180's -- I hook-up very well with all of them.

I use a 6'2" stiff rod and 80# Tuff Plus on a Calcutta 400 TE. Seems to work for me.

I don't pull or jerk my Jackpot style of lures, I just give them a small quick pop, and get them to shake their heads back and forth, without much travel to either side. Maybe the straighter line makes them easier to hit square? If the lure is really zigging and zagging, the fish will have some trouble lining it up.

Keep using these lures they do catch fish, try using a different style, they are different sizes and weights so they do act different.

Steve

[RK]

Fish-n-Freak...

See - there's my point. Some guys do great on Jackpots. I've been in the boat with a couple guys that swear by them. But they're useless for me. Funny how that works with some baits. I fish with a guy that can't hook a fish on a Squirrley Burt to save his soul. I've been in the boat with him when fish have murdered the thing, and the hooks come flying out as soon as the fish starts to fight. But I think they're the best hooking jerkbait there is... Wierd stuff.

Cheers,
RK

[Fish-n-Freak]

Rob,
I know exactly what you're saying. My brother can't hook a fish with a Jackpot either. I guess I really don't have a lure I consider a non-hooker, never have missed that many on any certain lure. I do change most of my lures, putting on different hooks, T some hooks, shrink tube some rear hooks and even add an extra hook or remove a hook on some. Not that many lures I buy that will not get modified in some way.

Good Luck!
Steve

[Dan Wood]

I miss a few when I'm walking it, pike and muskie can't seem to zone in on that walk the dog action... I let it sit still a lot, especially after a looker or a miss... That seems to help on the hook-ups and they can't resist a bait sitting still..

The giant jackpot is one of my favorite muskie baits - it can get those fish moving when nothing else will.

[MT Net]

I agree that it's a great attracting bait. I also have had toruble with hokking fish on them. Then I figures that the big swinging "walk the daog" had too much movement. I spent time on the dock casting and retrieving, trying to get a better action.

Like Fish-n-Freak said, not much travel is required. Now, instead of jerking the rod tip, I sipmly give the reel an extra hard rhythmic crank. This makes the Jackpot's front end pop side to side with the tail end moving slightly.

I'm looking forward to working it this weekend to see if it works better.

[jigeye]

Make sure the hooks are razor sharp each time you go out also. Don't give up on the Jackpot!