Author Topic: alternative muskie baits  (Read 2673 times)

Offline panfishman13

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alternative muskie baits
« on: Dec 29, 2013, 01:09 PM »
i plan on fishing a small lake for muskie this year, but having never fished for toothy critters, i don't know anything about bait types.

live minnows are illegal here in Idaho, and the main forage in the lake is small bluegill and trout.

Offline muskyon46

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #1 on: Dec 29, 2013, 01:34 PM »
Doing the same here panfishman, first year using a tip-up. Pretty much the same on bait with the exception that I am regulated to a 1in X 1in piece of cut bait for the tiger musky at pineview. I have been using a 3in plastic with a 1in X 1in piece of bait on a treble below it. No luck yet, but with my 2 pole permit I can play with the perch and crappie on one pole while waiting for a flag. Any ideas, tips or tactics would be greatly appreciated
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Offline IM-POUNDING- R -U

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #2 on: Dec 29, 2013, 01:48 PM »
Muskies here in Pa love big tubes jigs like Red October baits
http://redoctoberbaits.com/

If you can use dead bait why not rig a dead Trout with a quick strike rig?
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Offline muskyon46

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #3 on: Dec 29, 2013, 06:13 PM »
If I could use a whole dead minnow here I would definitely look into the quick strike rigs, that may just be a good approach for you panfishman. With either a chub, sucker or shiner.  I might just have to give the tubes a try though. Are you tipping them with a chunk of fish?
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Offline stripernut

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #4 on: Dec 29, 2013, 06:16 PM »
Look into Chubby Darters, they are great at calling in the fish and no bait needed at all.

Offline IM-POUNDING- R -U

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #5 on: Dec 29, 2013, 06:23 PM »
Muskyon46, i never use bait when Musky fishing. Big sonar type lures,Tubes,
check these outhttp://www.muskyshop.com/modules/cart/navigate.php/nav_id/7
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Offline swen

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #6 on: Dec 29, 2013, 08:17 PM »
Can you catch a bluegill or trout and use them as bait? If you can put them on a quick-strike rig.

Offline muskyon46

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #7 on: Dec 29, 2013, 08:37 PM »
Muskyon46, i never use bait when Musky fishing. Big sonar type lures,Tubes,
check these outhttp://www.muskyshop.com/modules/cart/navigate.php/nav_id/7

Thanks, I do like those twisted tubes from redoctober

Look into Chubby Darters, they are great at calling in the fish and no bait needed at all.

Thanks striper but im looking for something I can sit dead on my tip up

Can you catch a bluegill or trout and use them as bait? If you can put them on a quick-strike rig.

Panfishman might be able to do that but some regs don't allow game fish as bait unless purchased from a dealer. I know they do sell trout from the trout farms for sturgeon. For me im regulated to a 1in X 1in piece of cut bait  :(

This is the exact wording from our regs for bait where ill be targeting tiger musky

• Unlawful to use whole fish for bait. Cut baitfish must not be larger than one inch in any dimension and no more than one piece per hook.
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Offline panfishman13

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #8 on: Dec 30, 2013, 02:06 AM »
here in Idaho we can absolutely use dead baitfish and cutbait, and since this particular lake is chock full of 7" bluegill i'll probably use some of those. just have to make sure they're dead first.

i will be fishing tipups for muskie, so i'll look into quick strike rigs as well.


Offline old buffalo

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #9 on: Dec 30, 2013, 04:24 AM »
New at this. What are considered quick strike rigs ?

Offline delawareriver

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #10 on: Dec 30, 2013, 07:18 AM »
Seen pike guys try to use dead bait for skies, never saw them catch anything. I buy live trout from the hatchery as well as catch large shinners, creek chubs, and suckers. If I couldn't use live bait, I would jig with large rattle baits, swim baits, and spoons.

Offline kyle31490

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #11 on: Dec 30, 2013, 11:51 AM »
1 by 1 inch bait? 2 Rods?

Move to a new state.
FLAG!

Offline muskyon46

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #12 on: Dec 30, 2013, 01:40 PM »
1 by 1 inch bait? 2 Rods?

Move to a new state.

Yep, but it protects the tigers that cannot reproduce and they idiots that dont know how to handle or fish for them. I used to see 5-6 dead ones on the bank trolling in the summer. Most with a full perch lodged in the throat with 2-3 trebles hooked to it. Pretty sad but since they have changed the reg for that water i onlyu seemaybe 2-3 a year now. So i can live with that just have to figure them out in the winter
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Offline delawareriver

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #13 on: Dec 30, 2013, 03:22 PM »
You gotta be better off jigging then a 1" square of fish. Would invest in those windlass tipups to jig one or both of your rods

Offline IM-POUNDING- R -U

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #14 on: Dec 30, 2013, 08:26 PM »
Here is some i always start with.
]
10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish .....im a 10% are you?

Offline muskyon46

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #15 on: Dec 30, 2013, 09:00 PM »
Very nice selection, thanks for sharing. My plan was to use swim baits like you have in the upper right with my cut bait. Them tubes are no joke  :o

Hey panfishman13 just wanted to let you know that in no way am I trying to hijack your thread. I hope you don't feel that I have. If so I understand. I just cant help myself with the thought of pulling a musk thru the hole
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Offline delawareriver

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #16 on: Dec 31, 2013, 10:52 AM »
Do the tigers use smell like pike do? Or are they more visual like pure muskies. Personally I would skip the cut bait all together for a more natural visual presentation.

Offline panfishman13

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Re: alternative muskie baits
« Reply #17 on: Dec 31, 2013, 12:41 PM »
no problem muskyon, you're asking some great questions that i wouldn't have thought of, feel free to continue! this thread is all about alternatives to the common baits for musky, so why not?


 



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