One lure for river muskies???

[Stick in Mud]

Hello all,

First time poster in this forum.

Each autumn I spend a lot of time throwing large-ish crankbaits (shad raps, bomber long a's, husky jerks, etc.) for walleyes in the Mississippi River around the St Cloud/Sartell/Clearwater/Royalton area. Each year, I catch a muskie or two on accident--or I'll lose one because it'll spool me, or one will bite me off (maybe it's a big pike).

Now, I've seen y'all's lures at the fishing stores, and I know they're super expensive. I don't really want to fill up a tackle box (at this point, anyways) with a bunch of lures that I'll only throw for a few weeks out of the year (I've been out muskie fishing a few times on various lakes, and it never really was my thing). I do have a rod/reel combo that will handle a muskie lure and a muskie, too, but I don't know what lure to buy for autumnal evenings chasing 'skis on the Miss (while I'm chasing REAL fish! ).

So, the question: If you only had one lure for fishing a shallow-ish river from shore, which one would you buy?

Carmike

[not_nuf_time]

When I river fish, I almost always use a orange floating rapala. Have caught all varieties of fish on them. Believe it or not even catfish. So if I had one lure to use, I would choose for muskie in the river it would be a about a nine ten inch thicker body floating orange rapala. I use them in the river because you get way less snags on submerged objects because you can vary your reel speed to get the depth you need for an area that is iffy. No sense losing lures at eight ten bucks a crack, a muskie will see it above even if it's sitting in a deeper hole. Generally the river holes are only going to be about eight to ten feet deep any way so realy don't need to get more than three feet in depth. Also to be a little long winded, my guess is that river skies don't relate quite as much to vibration cause of the water turbulance therefore possibly more sight predators than lake bred fish. Clff Clavin.

[chief]

Any lure in the musky spectrum could, and would, work (and I, too, love Rapalas).

However, given your parameters of autumn, rivers, shallow water, shore fishing, and financial restraint, I'd go with a spinnerbait. Something in the 2oz. range is pretty versatile, and it's your call as to color. Bucktail skirts and rubber skirts are both effective. Spinnerbaits are about as snag-proof as lures get, so they might save the shore fisherman very cold, unsafe, trips into the water for retrieval. Fish 'em' fast, slow, shallow, deeper.....they're just really versatile.

In many ways, having only one lure is very liberating. You're avoiding pointless obsession and worry, while concentrating on the important business of keeping your bait in the water.

Tight lines.

[Musky Buck]

I'd say since you have luck on rapala style baits just upsize to the largest shallowest running rapala style crankbait you can find.

[Stick in Mud]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I've thought about just going to the store and buying a really big shallow shad rap, but they're expensive and I didn't know if I could get more "'ski for my buck" by getting something else.

I do have some big spinnerbaits hanging around from some trips to Canada/Quetico/BWCA for big pike. Never really thought of throwing them on the river for some reason, though I've caught plenty of other fish (well, mostly smallies) on them.

Either way, with the low temps tonight, the walleye and I assume muskie bite will be picking up soon, at least on the river. I can't wait to get out there.

[Rivernut]

I'm big on blade baits. Whether it be a bucktail or spinnerbait. Try changing up speeds and you should do well. Minnow baits, as suggested, can be good also. Good luck

[Stick in Mud]

Thanks for the advice, Rivernut. I have some pretty big ones that I've thrown for pike up in the BWCA, Quetico, Wabakimi, etc., so that might be an option i can try for free.

Plus, with the way those smallies put on the feedbag this time of year, I might just get a mama brown bass, too!

[wbliceman]

5" baby shallow raider, Super shad rap. The shallow version, small bucktails

[Stick in Mud]

This may be a stupid question, but how much should I worry about choosing a color? All of the fishing will be done at night.

[mainbutter]

Black, black, black, orange and black, white, white and black, and black are my color schemes I like.

[graf703]

Black, black, black, orange and black, white, white and black, and black are my color schemes I like.

It's pretty hard to beat black. I'm not experienced with river fishing but the pink and purple double cowgirl (I call her barbie) has caught more fish in the evenings/dusk than any other lure for me.

[Musky Buck]

Read the "Hammertime" article from a fairly recent musky hunter mag article by Jason Hammernick. Are you saying your fall approach to river musky will be night outings only or are you saying more for next Summer ? I wouldn't spend much time night fishing now until freeze up simply because there will be feeding windows throughout the daytime hours until ice.

[Stick in Mud]

I've only planned to do shore fishing at night because that's when I catch all my muskies--while fishing for walleyes. I was thinking I'd go down there and have a real chance at a bigger fish if I actually targeted them.

[The Grebe]

I'd say the most consistant river lure would be a two inch twister tail in any color you choose! It never fails, I can cast a whole tackle box full of muskie lures and some dude will come down to the water with a tiny bait, no leader, a little Zebco push button reel, with about 300 pound test on it, the line looking like a stretched out slinky and he will catch the muskie! "Sir, could you tell me what kind of fish this is?"

[Stick in Mud]

I caught my biggest muskie ever on a 3'' twister tail in pretty much the same fashion as you describe, Grebe. Only I was using 8 lb. test and it was a crappy openface reel, not a Zebco.

[SmellEsox]

I fish the river a lot and 90% of the time I'm throwing either a Regular single blade Rad Dog or a big bucktail with a number 8 fluted blade.

[popriveter]

Mepps aglia long bucktail. Either yellow or black and orange. You don't have to go very big. Try size 5.

[b1gf1sh1]

mississippi. not rocket science. black spinnerbait gold blades when mostly cloudy to overcast. white spinnerbait gold blades when partly cloudy or clear. medium sized on both. worked for thirty years that i know of and don't see it stopping any time soon.