The follows

[Steve Foss]

When I'm getting nothing but follows, it's hard to know how to convert them to strikes.

Here's what I do, and I'd like anyone's input on what they do.

First thing is the figure-eight. Might do it three or for times or up to five minutes. If not strike, try again casting same lure, then, if nothing, either try a more subtle lure (first option), like going from a big ole loud surface prop bait to a bucktail or a smaller jerkbait or plastic glide bait (Slug Go type). If no joy, back to the most aggressive bait in the box to try to anger/trigger. Like a bit spinnerbait burned under the surface at high speed.

There's a lot of long-term musky expertise on this board, so I figured I'd dip into that.

[Jim Hudson]

Steve

Them following fish can sure rack our brains and test our patience at times... but tis the game of musky fishing...

For what I have been taught and tried on the water, the number one way I feel to trigger a following fish is to immediately make an adjustement to your retrieve... By this I mean, to make the lure do something different. And usually a person should try doing something right when they see the fish following the lure.

Somethings I know that work: (1)Make the lure go in a different direction (bucktails, cranks, spinnerbaits) Do this by pulling the lure with your rod to one side or the other, making it appear the bait is fleeing in a different direction (2)Speed Up, make the fish chase that bait (3) Twitch the bait, with most lures you can twitch them, allowing them to look different to the fish and induce a strike. (4) stop and go... if you see the fish far off and it is behind the lure a good ways and you have a suspending bait, stop it, let it shimmer, then speed that bugger up.

But all in all is try to do something different as you see the fish, making it want to commit during your retrieve. Then as you come to the boat, during your 8 or wide circle, keep the bait going as fast as you can, try not to slow down, and even try to work the bait faster to trigger the fish. Another trick is to move the lure up and down during the boatside 8, I like to keep the lure as deep as I seen the fish (most times they sink down and reposition to strike) and then if I make a few turns in the boatside manuever, I move the lure up and down as I continue to make my 8's (pull the rod up and push back down during the motion).

And if you can not trigger this fish during a reasonable time frame... You have tried to throw back, etc etc... Leave em alone, mark the spot and come back to it later. You may even have to come back a couple of times before the fish eats. Try to come back at optiumum times also, such as a slight weather change (ie, it was sunny out, then some clouds come overhead... the wind switched...etc etc), day to dusk transition, sunrise to miday... little things can trigger these buggers and coming back can be the ticket to you getting a photo with a beast... And for myself, when I go back, I always throw a lure I have confidence in. Knowing I can work the bait properly to a known fish holding spot giving me that added edge to boating that fish.

I am sure a lot more info will be given to you Steve, but this is just some stuff I have learned in the little time I have been after these fish.. Hope it helps!!

[shamalex72]

What is the best way to trigger a strike when they are following a walk the dog type lure? The last few I've had follow to about ten feet from the boat then do a 180.

[Random guy]

Steve and jkh, both good plans and well thought out “what to do if.” I also make fast changes to the retrieve; like making a hard “L” turn and run the bait up the side of the boat before going into an eight or oval. Another thing that has really produced for me with cranks and jerk baits is to get the lure to flop over or turn on its side while making a figure eight. I will make a sharp turn and get the lure to flop then bring it into a wide turn running sideways. I don’t understand what triggers the strike other then an action they did not expect.

I try to match conditions and strike zones when I have a following fish that has a bad case of lockjaw. If the fish are coming of a steep break line or deeper rock structure I will toss a jig out and hop it along the bottom back to the boat. Another presentation is what I call the pendulum move, simply position of the structure within casting distance, throw the jig to the top edge of the structure and let it fall slowly though deeper water back to the boat by simply keeping the line tight. Sometimes this slow graceful action is just what they are looking for, similar to a bulldog, another great throw back lure.

If the fish are up high or in shallow following top water baits I will give the same lure two or three tries increasing the action each time. When that fails I will downsize my lure drastically, instead of a large walk the dog bait I will put on a bass sized chugger that has been modified with bigger hooks. Another trick is a smaller sized big bladed bucktail that moves slow but creates a huge bulge in the water. This slow moving straight line bait presents an easy meal for the taking.

Another strategy is to change the angle of attack if possible. If I can get away with it I will move the boat to the side of the structure and run along side of it, then come in the back door and pull the bait into the structure. I can recall many times that a fish would strike the split second before a lure was about to crash into the weeds. I believe this is a get it now or never move that triggers the attack.

Other things I will try to watch out for when fish will turn before getting to the boat is the boat itself. Shut off any thing that moves or makes noise. A trolling motor spinning around is not part of their world. Stereo bass may be almost unheard by our ears but to them it thumps like a rap performance. Another thing I will go as far to do is shut down the sonar units. Next time your boat is in the garage turn on your sonar and listen, you’ll hear the snap, snap, snap coming from transducer and bouncing off the floor. To really put how loud that is to fish into perspective next time you go swimming hold your head under water and snap your fingers, you’ll swear thunder is rolling in. If a musky can sound locate a crippled baitfish from twenty or more yards away I’m positive all these noises from sonar, trolling motors, even feet moving on the deck of the boat are intrusive and spook the fish or make them uneasy enough to neglect a strike when they are in a neutral mood.

[gundy89]

I'm new to the game too and it may be a mistake, but I don't work following fish too hard. I'll figure 8 them for a minute or so and give a couple throwbacks with the same lure and a couple with an additional. Then I mark it on the GPS and move on. It frustrates me too much to know the fish is there but won't bite.

[walleye_guy18]

im with gundy, I will figure 8 them, throw back, figure 8 again, switch up to some sort of jerk bait, and if they don't go for that I just leave and keep comin back until they decide that they are actually hungry. this plan works really well, although it can be disheartening when you come back and some other guys are measuring the fish you wanted to catch.

walleye guy

[Jim Hudson]

Shamalex...

Usually if I get a blow up on a walk the dog type bait or I see a fish following, I try one of two things... first is usually to speed up the retrieve, giving the bait a more erratic side to side motion. If nothing, throw back again and slow down, giving the lure big pops so it throws a lot of water as you work it back across the fish's lair.. And be sure to do an 8 manuever at the boat even with these top water baits.

Again, if nothing, simply come back at another time to try to trigger the fish.

Jon.. Great info on noise in the boat.. Especially with a sounder on... When I first started fishing musky, I would have my trolling motor on constant, and 9 time out of 10 when a fish was following and the prop was turning, voom.... the fish turned away...

[markkstanley]

Some days I contemplate the potiential of hand grenades - especially after the fifth follow of the day.

[Random guy]

I've thought about electric shock, it's not as noisy.

[loebs93]

JKH...

When you do the 8 with a top-water (walk-the-dog, prop...etc) do you keep it on the surface or pull it under the water?

Great Topic, I'll be sure to use this advice when I go out this weekend - still in search of my first.

[markkstanley]

I'd just electrocute myself as well as anyone else in the boat. Lots of times I would settle for an in water photo of some of the pigs I had follow up to the boat. I still remember the one on the Chip that was over 60. I was up in the bow and the head was on one side of the boat the tail on the other as she went by. Boat measured 56" at that spot. Just trashed my fishing for the rest of the day.

I tend to agree with the give it a few 8s or Ls, a couple of tosses of a follow up lure and move on. Drop back in a hour to see if anything else has changed. Muskies don't need a lot of time to catch something to eat so they spend a fair amount of time just cruising around. That's why we get follows. The ones we catch are in full feeding mode.

Jon is also right about electronics. If I am casting I usually turn mine off. I've been in the water with my rear unit on (unwrapping line from a prop my bad) and you can really hear them underwater. Flipper on streoids. If you need to keep one on turn the ping rate down to the minimum. Maybe in another 10 years or so the sonar clicks will just become background noise to muskies because of all the exposure but for now depthfinders are kind of a new thing to them.

[Jim Hudson]

loebs

I pull them under water during my eight.... But in retro, I have never had a strike during a figure 8 on a walk the dog top water...

Have had one fish hit a prop bait on an 8 though, and that was under the surface... I am sure it makes a lot of noise when you push it under.. along with the trail of bubbles it leaves as the props turn under water...

[muskieboy46]

This weekend i had a follow and it sank away. i continued to figure 8 and while doing so my dad casted a smaller lure of the same color about 15 feet away and about 4 feet from the boat she hit. HE STOLE MY FISH. jk, he forgot to set the hook and the fish got away.

[Random guy]

It's amazing when a fish hits at boatside how fast all that you think about and plan for goes away and is replaced by a lost look and good case of the shakes.

[Steve Foss]

Good info on the electronics/trolling motor. Not often you need the electronics once you've gotten to the spot, after all, so why waste battery? Same with trolling motor. I especially like to let the wind do my controlling for me, at least on days when it's not a gale. And if the wind's blowing right into a spot instead of allowing a parallel drift, I'll cast until I'm too tight, then pull my way out with the trolling motor and down a bit and then let the wind move me back, continuing the zigzag. Wind power is goooood.

I also do an L at the boat on every cast. Especially on V, a fish could be two feet below the surface and invisible, particularly if there's any chop. I keep a close watch, and if I see something that looks fishy, I transform the L into the beginning of a figure 8 and keep going.

[cjac]

Great info all the way around.......one more point to mention is to free spool and thumb it when doing the 8s.

A 50 inch fish on 1-2 feet of line with the drag cranked down isn't going to stick around very long!!! Kind of like my lab on a short short leash when a rabbit runs out!!!

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, I remember to do that most of the time. Gets to be a fine-tuned athletic sort of dance on each cast as the lure gets close to the boat, doesn't it?

[shamalex72]

We've had them hit a prop bait during a figure 8, like you said push it under the surface. I just can't get them to chase the dog next to the boat