Baits - So many options, which to choose?
With so many options available for today's muskie angler, the question of which bait to use is usually at the forefront of everyone's mind. So, let's break it down.
Color: When it comes to muskie fishing I personally believe that color is given to much consideration in the sense that it over complicates things. Typically you want to "match the hatch". By this I mean that you want to base your color selection to lean toward the available food source that muskies prey upon in the particular body of water that you are fishing. However, a muskie will practically eat any color of bait, which is why color consideration is not a "big" influential factor in my bait selection.
Size: Again you want to attempt to "match the hatch" and try to closely mimic the size of the forage for the particular body of water you're fishing. In most cases you will hear at some point that "big baits catch big fish". This is partially true. Muskies expend a tremendous amount of energy to feed so it only makes sense that a large fish would instinctively spend a lesser amount of energy to eat larger prey. However, muskies are opportunity predators and an opportunity to feed is just that! For example, most people snack throughout the day to keep their strength up, then eat a large meal for supper. Muskies often do the same thing. The 57 inch muskie I caught at Lake Vermilion, Minnesota didn't come on a "big" bait, it came on a nine inch Suick Curley Sue. Obviously there is no way to ask that fish if she was just snacking or that was a big meal to her. Just know that muskies can consume prey of nearly half their length.
Presentation: To me this is the most important factor of deciding which bait to use. Different baits have unique qualities for targeting muskies. Crank-baits, buck-tails, jerk-baits and top water, all have their own time, place and qualities. Crank-baits can be used for probing different levels of the water column. While top water baits skim across the surface mimicking a duck, mouse, frog, etc. Buck-tails typically run closer to the surface and allow you to cover water more quickly than other baits which is why it is typically thrown more often than any other bait. Jerk/glide baits tend to mimic dying fish by diving and rising. A slower method usually resulting in more fish, with the drawback of not covering as much water since they can't be worked as quickly as others.
The key to any decision is being able to read the water and how muskies are reacting. If you watch any fishing show on television, you will often notice that (if there are multiple anglers in a boat) they are typically throwing different baits. The reason behind this is to establish a pattern. They do this by effectively covering the majority of the water column as I previously mentioned.
Putting it all together. The way I approach any body of water to establish a pattern is by first establishing a "milk run". A milk run is a series of places or spots, that muskies are likely to be. If it is a new body of water I am fishing, or one that I haven't spent much time on, I will look at maps of the lake and identify what I would consider to be typical muskie holding areas like structure, cover points, etc.. Once on the water, I will take note of any bait I find on my electronics on my way to the aforementioned spots. These spots can be fished by casting or trolling, if my milk run doesn't produce.
Once I reach the first spot, depending on conditions, I start from the top of the water column and work my way down. If fishing solo, multiple passes over an area are required to cover the water column in such a manner, it is time consuming but essential to finding the fish and what they want to eat. This is what it means when you hear "let the fish tell you what they want". If you have others in the boat with you, it can be done in a shorter time frame. If you are the "run and gun" style of muskie hunter, than you'll probably dislike this method of locating fish. However, it can be simplified with basic information such as local intel. If you have heard that muskies have been biting in on buck-tails, you know where to start. From there you can upsize, downsize, change colors, etc. You can also (if you have had success on a particular body of water before) use past data to give yourself a starting point. Often what has worked in the past will work again providing the conditions are the same or close to it.
What happens if you aren't getting bit, but are getting follows? You are close! The bait they are following is an indication that you are on the path of getting one as they say, in the bag! If you are using a buck-tail and getting follows but no strikes, try up or downsizing the bait, maybe now is where color becomes an important factor. Try to vary the speed of your retrieval. These are just a few things that you can do to seal the deal. However, also remember that muskies don't follow the rules. As grandpa says "they make the rules, and they ain't talking!".
Hopefully you find some of the information I have discussed here to be helpful in your pursuit of King Esox!
As the season is wrapping up in most areas, I hope that you have been blessed with hefty muskies in your "bag" and I'd like to wish you and yours an early Happy Thanksgiving.
Keep that lure in the water!
-Caiden "The Muskie Kid" Ramsell
