jackpot

[muskiedreams]

Ihave had 10 fish mis this bait this year never felt one of them. Last night I trew one out and did not start retrieve went to turn my lights on and the water exploded the fish missesd a jackpot that was not even moving strat calling that lure the heart braker

[DUCKJ]

The JP is very lite. Most of the time the fish miss it do to they are blowing it out of the water before they even get to it. Get a Doc or a Weagle and yur problem will be solved.

Duck

[MuskieSlayer]

I've also had many misses on the Jackpot, but most of my misses are because the fish are just bumping it and not eating it. A Weagle is good recommendation, but I still throw Jackpots a lot because they have a different action.

Have you "T'd" your hooks?

A lot of guys also replace the hooks. I'm not sure what kind of hooks I replaced mine with, but someone here will surely chime in.

[Dano_the_jigasaurus]

you can wrap lead wire around the shaft of the hooks on your jackpot to weight it down, and prevent it from being blown out of the water. Experiment with it so it still rides correctly and a has proper action.

dan

[Meat-Run]

muskyslayer beat me to it but open up your hooks more and increase the size of your treple hooks. If your getting that much action I would definetly downsize your topwater to the new Xrap topwater lure just like the JP and does the walk the dog action. And make sure to replace those hooks because they are on the small side too.

I wish I was having that kind of troube because it's been a slow start this year for me.

Plus your other options like Duck said is to try the weagle (go bigger) and don't be afraid to try larger lures it might keep the smaller fish away but if you have any interested fish you know there going to be big.

Good Luck,

mr

[CommonSense Guy]

I would stick with it. Don't switch to something bigger. They don't have the same action. The jackpot has a unique cadence from the bubble it creates. That triggers fish. Maybe try slowing it down some.

[cjac]

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I wish I was having that kind of troube because it's been a slow start this year for me.

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That pretty much says it all for me too.....

If you have the fish that dialed in on the topwater action, I would guess the slight variation from lure to lure isn't going to stop the action. I'd switch to the Weagle since it rides so much lower and doesn't get launched as much when a fish comes up on it. Take me with to your "Hot Spot" and you can borrow mine!

Chris

[MJBo]

I'd try a viper. They ride lower.... You'll get fish on both though. I mainly use my side to side topwaters to find fish and when I'm climbing the walls for a strike (which is alot of the time I suppose). Now that you know where they are go back with a weagle/creeper/wobbler and catch em.

[Tim_Anderson]

The Jackpot is definitely not one of my "go to" lures, specifically because of the problem you're having. Blowups without hookups, yet I have seen days when the muskies do this to any type of topwater (topraider, weagle, pacemaker, etc.)not just the jackpot. And then I've seen days when you hook up every bite all day long. Logic tells me that this top of the line predator is very efficient at what it does, and if it really wanted it, it would eat it, period. Sometimes, I think they don't really want to eat it, but still can't resist kicking it's butt and knocking it for a loop anyway! How else do you explain the days when you hook everything versus the days when you hook nothing, and that on a variety of different topwater lures? Seems to have alot to do with fish attitude.

My vote goes for the viper, like the guy who posted before me. Like he says, it rides lower. I use mine weighted, so it basically has the same action, only slightly subsurface. For whatever reason, the muskies seem to "eat it" better for me than the jackpot.

[muskiedreams]

Hay guys I just got off the lake and managed to get a 35" ski on a jackpot But I had 4 miss the jack pot tonight I threw almost every lure in the box and they would not move on nothing else.

[MUSKY18]

It is the nature of the beast with all "Walk the Dog" topwater lures. While they are very good at finding active fish, the are also very good at being missed. Every bait gets missed, the JackPot just happens to be in the higher percentage of the spectrum. I actually prefer the Doc to the Jackpot, as it is longer, bigger hooks, and offers up more for the fish to hit. Keep plugging and you will get your hookups.

[mrmanners]

I have only been out once this year yet but the Doc brought me a 31" right off the bat. I use the jackpot as either a scooting lure or a throw back lure. In Canada a few years ago I had a huge fish on until he rolled and broke the line.

[porterhouse]

I love throwing W.T.D baits. My hookup percentage went up when I started to slow down. I think most muskie nuts work the W.T.D. lures to fast. Slow down and be focus.

My faverite lures to throw are

1) Viper

2) Recon (h2o tackle)

3) hoodini

Good luck!!

Brian

3)

[RK]

Hiya -

What's a Weagle?

Personally, I can't stand Jackpots. I used to go back and forth with them - I'd use them until I missed one too many fish, give them away, forget how much I hated them, buy another one, and repeat the process. Finally one year I cut the hook hangers off one and left it in my tackle box all season to remind myself that I never wanted to use one again. I haven't. To me, they're too buoyant, and when they walk, they zig-zag rather than staying on a line, if that makes any sense.

That having been said, there are some WTD baits I like. I doubt I could hook a fish on a Jackpot to save my life, but give me a Stidham's z-180 (I don't even know if Stidham's are still making baits...) and if a fish actually HITS it (vs. just blowing up on it) I'll hook dang near every one of them. The z-180 walks, but pivots on a line rather than zig-zagging.

Another one I really like is the J Walker from American Hardwoods Lures. Goofy bait in that it almost looks like a popper - it has a dished out nose - but a very good walk the dog bait, and dense so it rides low in the water. The Phat Boy from Musky Buster's good too. I've caught some fish on the smaller Docs, but never liked the big ones all that much...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[MuskieSlayer]

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What's a Weagle?

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Go to Thorne's and they'll point you in the right direction.

[mntraveler]

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What's a Weagle?

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Go to Thorne's and they'll point you in the right direction.

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I think that was sarcasm. The weagle created quite a bit of chatter on all the muskie boards a while back. It got me to buy one, although I haven't thrown it much because the waters I tend to fish seem to produce much better with smaller baits.

[B420]

Ask DuckJ

He will "show" you!

[RK]

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What's a Weagle?

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Go to Thorne's and they'll point you in the right direction.

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I was just pokin' fun at Baldy

[JRedig]

This is a good thread, i've had probably 12 fish hit a giant jackpot this year and missed every one. Picked up a Doc at lunch today, i'll try it tonight, Gander only had the big one's....

I've thought about a weagle, maybe the next time i'm at TB's.

[RuKiddingMe]

I have never thrown a jackpot, but the guys I fish with all have them and I have yet to see a fish landed on one.

Makes you wonder how Bob Meshikomer (sp?) lands so many of them on his shows.

Anyway, wanna a try a really cool WTD topwater checkout the lil'houdinis that AWH has on his HSOforum. They have a squirrelly tail and ride surprisingly well, much like a viper with a tail.

I have a few weagles, few vipers, top dancers, and some 10" Hawaiisbest I pickup a few years ago when he was still selling on hsolist. With a selection like that no need for a "Crackpot".

RU

[cjac]

JRedig: Since I pretty much know where you fish, I'll ask you.....how many of these blow ups and misses might be little snot rocket pike? I know on WBL one night last year they looked like they had an underwater trampoline and were shooting thru the air over my topwater like bottle rockets.

Just curious more than anything since I've only contacted a few active fish this year and trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I think the Doc will help you out.

Chris

[MuskieMojoTackle]

Bring it on , Rob. I can take it.

Fish are just plain going to miss WTD baits. It's the nature of the bait, but there is not another bait that I have as much confidence in to show me fish when nothing else is going.

The best thing to do is SLOW DOWN. Most WTD baits are worked much too fast, IMO. The beauty of the Weagle is that it almost forces you to slow down. WOrk it too fast and you wont get the right action. Slow it down and really get it swooshing...watch out!

[JRedig]

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JRedig: Since I pretty much know where you fish, I'll ask you.....how many of these blow ups and misses might be little snot rocket pike? I know on WBL one night last year they looked like they had an underwater trampoline and were shooting thru the air over my topwater like bottle rockets.

Just curious more than anything since I've only contacted a few active fish this year and trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I think the Doc will help you out.

Chris

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Hey Chris-

I haven't been on WBL this year, FL and BE. (haha i know, same game) I've gotten a good look at almost every fish that's hit these, they've been pretty close to the boat, or they've rolled/cleared the water some. Two have been small'ish pike, the rest were bigger fish. Some were definetly muskie's, some were maybe's but had size either way.

Wednesday night out on FL, we boated 6 muskies, largest 41 smallest 29. I had the biggest fish i've ever seen hit my viper that night, thought I lost it, all the sudden line went tight, I yanked, couple REALLY good headshakes 5 feet from the boat and it was gone. Just sat there ready to cry....

Last night we got 9 pike and didn't even see a muskie.

I don't really have any answers as to what i'm doing right or wrong to see fish, but i've been seeing them, so I count this as a good start.

Cheers

Jeff

[JRedig]

Well, tried out the Doc tonight, I do like the action a lot. Fishes nicely, has a smoother wider sweep with less effort. Rides nice and low and has a nice sound.

Didn't see a single fish though, not of any kind....it's called fishing not catching! Heading out EARLY am to give it another shot.