Swimbaiting For Musky

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Mattlures Hardgill got crushed by this 38"er

[tomustang]

Very nice, is the bait still useable?

[NoBassPro]

Well, I could be a jerk and tell you thats a half starved sublegal fish you are holding improperly, or I could say nice catch.. I'm torn...

[AK-Jax86]

Nice muskie man I bet you needed to buy a new swim bat

[Bluebasser86]

Nice, were you targeting muskie or was it an accidental catch? It looks like a see a leader in your picture but if I was fishing a custom painted hardgill in muskie waters I'd be using a leader too, even if I was after bass.

[deep]

Even big old 'skies fear the beard!

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Bait is perfectly fine. One of the front trebles got a hook broken off but other than that no problems.

[Dwight Hottle]

Was that a swimbait or a jerk bait. And you could have washed that ski off for the picture too. LOL

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Was that a swimbait or a Jerk bait. And you could have washed that ski off for the picture too. LOL

Just wanted to get a pic and get it back in the water.

[MarkH024]

Mattlures Hardgill got crushed by this 38"er

Beauty man! Congrats. Do you fish Musky often or just when they hit your bass stuff? I love musky fishing but once you go to Canada and musky fish...no where else is quite the same. I picked off my first IL musky in the Fox River back in May this year. Caught on a 1/2 oz Red Eye Shad, Orange Craw color.

[HookSetDon]

Lots of musky here in our waters, Caught one 2 weeks ago fishing a senko on spinning tackle, 10lb braid. Took me a while to bring it in, Didnt measure it but it weighed 16 lbs.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Beauty man! Congrats. Do you fish Musky often or just when they hit your bass stuff? I love musky fishing but once you go to Canada and musky fish...no where else is quite the same. I picked off my first IL musky in the Fox River back in May this year. Caught on a 1/2 oz Red Eye Shad, Orange Craw color.

Been fishing this spot specifically for musky the last two years and just now getting them to show some interest. I've had a ton of follows this year but this is the first one I have hooked up with here.

I've had them hit an 3:16 8" Freestyle trout and a 3:16 Rising son this year without getting hooked up.

Most of the follows have come on the 3:16 OG Wake bait (matte bone color) cranked down, a High Power Herring ripped around grass clumps or a Born Again Armageddon (perch trout) cranked down.

[MarkH024]

Been fishing this spot specifically for musky the last two years and just now getting them to show some interest. I've had a ton of follows this year but this is the first one I have hooked up with here.

I've had them hit an 3:16 8" Freestyle trout and a 3:16 Rising son this year without getting hooked up.

Most of the follows have come on the 3:16 OG Wake bait (matte bone color) cranked down, a High Power Herring ripped around grass clumps or a Born Again Armageddon (perch trout) cranked down.

Do you ever throw any bucktails? I like the Mepps Musky Killers or Double Cowgirls (the smaller ones). Black/orange or black/silver/blue. I've caught a majority of my musky from bucktails alone. Seeing musky follows is a rush, I still remember my first time. I'll never forget that moment.

[SirSnookalot]

I'd be willing to bet a barracuda tube would get a lot of muskie strikes. I've caught many of both species and there are quite a few similarities in how they strike, follow or veer off without striking at all. I even have used a figure 8 for cudas with success.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I'd be willing to bet a barracuda tube would get a lot of muskie strikes. I've caught many of both species and there are quite a few similarities in how they strike, follow or veer off without striking at all. I even have used a figure 8 for cudas with success.

I agree they would likely hit that.

Figure 8's are out of the question how I am fishing for these things unfortunately. Most of the time, the water is mid chest on me. Even if it were only knee-deep it would be tough.

[SirSnookalot]

The cuda tubes actually were developed for stripers, as I heard it, from a gent in Maryland. The is supposed to resemble an eel............I make them a few ways, this style is the only pic I have, that's a 12/0 limerick hook, it's bent and that what gives it the spinning movement.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Interesting.

Might need to be a bit meatier through the body to get a 'ski to chase it. You're fishing a lot more clear water than I am.

Ever split the tag end of that tubing to give it a forked tail look?

[SirSnookalot]

Interesting.

Might need to be a bit meatier through the body to get a 'ski to chase it. You're fishing a lot more clear water than I am.

Ever split the tag end of that tubing to give it a forked tail look?

That's true, cuda's like calm clear water, a much harder catch in dirty water. Never tried splitting the tail, most of my cronies make them similar to mine.

I did make a mini version and used it for bass, I was surprised as I got struck.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Hell, I'd be adding Krystal Flash and all types of things to it.

That thing would look like a disco ball coming through the water.

[MarkH024]

Any more ski's lately SpeedBead?

[RyneB]

nice fish, but thats on helluva swimbait stick you got there. May i ask what brand? or custom?

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Any more ski's lately SpeedBead?

I wish man, got a case of the newborn at home. LOL, it might be a while until I get back out there.

As for the rod, it's a Low Down Customs Production rod, heavy action. I think I am allowed to post a link, if not I apologize to whoever deletes it.

http://lowdowncustomrods.com/swimbaitrods/production/

[MarkH024]

I wish man, got a case of the newborn at home. LOL, it might be a while until I get back out there.

I hear ya. I have 4 month old twin boys. My fishing time this year has been close to non-existent. I was expecting that though coming into this year so it's all good. Plenty of years to come.