# What are your favorite Musky lures!?



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

Hey everyone this year will start a new season with new goals. I now have access to a cabin on a lake that is known for Muskies. I will be spending quite some time there. For those of you who target musky, what are some of your favorite lures for this fish? 
If you don’t mind sharing, most importantly I’d love to learn what baits for each season and your favorite colors!

Early spring/prespawn 
Late spring/post spawn 
Summer 
Fall 

Your knowledge would be much appreciated and I’ll be sure to post pics through the year! Thank you and spring is almost here!


----------



## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Early/prespawn - jig-npig, husky jerk
Late spring/post spawn - 1 oz spinnerbait in white/charteruesse with a Kalins 6" grub hangin off the hook.
Summer - deep diving crankbait trolled 3.5-5.5 mph, usually perch or firetiger
Fall - Any of the above could work.


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

crittergitter said:


> Early/prespawn - jig-npig, husky jerk
> Late spring/post spawn - 1 oz spinnerbait in white/charteruesse with a Kalins 6" grub hangin off the hook.
> Summer - deep diving crankbait trolled 3.5-5.5 mph, usually perch or firetiger
> Fall - Any of the above could work.


Thanks! Any particular deep divers you like? We’re definitely going to troll a bit this year.


----------



## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Early prespawn I wouldn’t leave home without a rattle trap. Doesn’t have to be huge either imho from now till spawn smaller bass/saugeye sized lures will out fish the huge stuff. I’m no expert but I’ve out fished lots of guys chunking 2 pound lures this time of year. Very rarely seen it the other way. Besides something like a rattle trap and a heavier bass rod you can out cast a musky setup 2:1 over the course of a day.


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

jray said:


> Early prespawn I wouldn’t leave home without a rattle trap. Doesn’t have to be huge either imho from now till spawn smaller bass/saugeye sized lures will out fish the huge stuff. I’m no expert but I’ve out fished lots of guys chunking 2 pound lures this time of year. Very rarely seen it the other way. Besides something like a rattle trap and a heavier bass rod you can out cast a musky setup 2:1 over the course of a day.


Good stuff, I always have an assortment of rattle traps. Come to think of it, many of the skis I have caught over the years have came this way. Thanks!


----------



## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Two years ago I caught 8 muskies at Alum. 6 were caught on a chatterbait and two on a jerkbait all shallow while fishing for bass. 3 were Fish Ohio. I also caught one the same year at Clear Fork on a chatterbait. This was early to late spring.


----------



## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

Prespawn; 3/4-1.5ounce rattlebaits, #12 x-raps, large slow sinking glide baits, small loud rattling glidebaits
Postspawn; big glide baits, whopper plopper, bucktails. Vertical jigging Bondy baits

Summer; if the water is over 78 degrees main lake you are killing fish, really just leave them alone if you consider yourself ethical 
If it's cooler, same as post spawn just different locations. If you like to troll, Chad sheds, even kvd10.0 bass cranks work

Early fall; same change locations, add big tubes
Late fall; big bait time, this is when the giant plastics rock. Though at times if you locate fish jigging 3/4 vibees catches fish.

There is no wrong answer, you will eventually hook fish on anything. The difference is efficiency and how well a bait triggers. I suppose the other difference is whether you want ten fish to be a good season, or a decent week....


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

riverKing said:


> Prespawn; 3/4-1.5ounce rattlebaits, #12 x-raps, large slow sinking glide baits, small loud rattling glidebaits
> Postspawn; big glide baits, whopper plopper, bucktails. Vertical jigging Bondy baits
> 
> Summer; if the water is over 78 degrees main lake you are killing fish, really just leave them alone if you consider yourself ethical
> ...


Great great info! Thank you! I’ll be spending a lot of weekends that this lake so I’m wanting to land as many fish as possible but also size. So I’m looking to be efficient with my choices. I’m a firm believer in big baits catch big fish. Although I figured in early spring months smaller baits can produce well.


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

riverKing said:


> Prespawn; 3/4-1.5ounce rattlebaits, #12 x-raps, large slow sinking glide baits, small loud rattling glidebaits
> Postspawn; big glide baits, whopper plopper, bucktails. Vertical jigging Bondy baits
> 
> Summer; if the water is over 78 degrees main lake you are killing fish, really just leave them alone if you consider yourself ethical
> ...


Great great info! Thank you! I’ll be spending a lot of weekends that this lake so I’m wanting to land as many fish as possible but also size. So I’m looking to be efficient with my choices. I’m a firm believer in big baits catch big fish. Although I figured in early spring months smaller baits can produce well.


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

For fans of buck tails, what sizes do you guys prefer?


----------



## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

#5 or 6 musky vibrax, the longer one with two hooks.
Or double #8s, even 10's. Personally I don't like casting doubles cuz I'm a pansy, it just sucks.
What lake, I'm assuming piedmont but I may be able to narrow down some baits based on the productive type of water in a given lake


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

riverKing said:


> #5 or 6 musky vibrax, the longer one with two hooks.
> Or double #8s, even 10's. Personally I don't like casting doubles cuz I'm a pansy, it just sucks.
> What lake, I'm assuming piedmont but I may be able to narrow down some baits based on the productive type of water in a given lake


Leesville but we plan on taking a couple trips to piedmont with the boat


----------



## 1hasyourlures (Oct 13, 2017)

Ive caught 8 musky this year on 12 husky jerk.and rattle trap in the spillway of alum creek at night.and had more than that get of.i did have on snap my line on a xrap 6 perch.


----------



## steelshep (Feb 16, 2011)

I know this is a late reply but for what it's worth I did real well last spring on cobra jig reaper tail combo.


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

steelshep said:


> I know this is a late reply but for what it's worth I did real well last spring on cobra jig reaper tail combo.


Anything to add to the arsenal! Where’s the best place to find these reaper tails? Not familiar with them


----------



## Tinknocker1 (May 13, 2013)

just a plain old Mepps giant killer ...... or cast a real Rap Husky 13 at night for saugeyes starting 2 days ago ................


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

Tinknocker1 said:


> just a plain old Mepps giant killer ...... or cast a real Rap Husky 13 at night for saugeyes starting 2 days ago ................
> View attachment 255960


Bought myself a mepps the other week. Orange and black seems to be a fan favorite. What color combo do you like?


----------



## MDBuckeye (Sep 29, 2009)

hoffman24 said:


> Anything to add to the arsenal! Where’s the best place to find these reaper tails? Not familiar with them


http://www.ebait.com/baitrigs/product/SS-96.html

http://www.fishing.info/esox_cobra.html


----------



## Tinknocker1 (May 13, 2013)

hoffman24 said:


> Bought myself a mepps the other week. Orange and black seems to be a fan favorite. What color combo do you like?


orange and black will work ! i add a big split ring and a extra treble to the giant killer ..early shallow muskies are a bit nippy you can feel the tick tick they like to follow and nip the spinner ... sunny days now after ice out they move into the shallows in the afternoon....the giant killer is all you need don't get caught up in spending a bunch of money you don't need to right now ! key area's to target shallow bay's mud bottoms sunny windy days will stack warm water up in the shallows ...


----------



## Tinknocker1 (May 13, 2013)

i wish i could say i learned that all on my own but i had a awesome teacher back in the 80's..........


----------



## steelshep (Feb 16, 2011)

hoffman24 said:


> Anything to add to the arsenal! Where’s the best place to find these reaper tails? Not familiar with them


ebait.com sells the jig heads and kits with the reaper tails for around 40 bucks. However, if you don't want to buy an entire kit check out Moore's lures online. They sell individual reaper tails in an assortment of colors for 45 cents a piece. I just ordered a dozen black ones from them for this spring.


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

Tinknocker1 said:


> i wish i could say i learned that all on my own but i had a awesome teacher back in the 80's..........


Sure sounds like you had a great teacher! Appreciate all the info from you and everyone else. Always willing to ask questions and learn from people. Really looking forward to this new species addiction!


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

steelshep said:


> ebait.com sells the jig heads and kits with the reaper tails for around 40 bucks. However, if you don't want to buy an entire kit check out Moore's lures online. They sell individual reaper tails in an assortment of colors for 45 cents a piece. I just ordered a dozen black ones from them for this spring.


sweet thanks! I’ll be sure to check them out


----------



## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

Riverking or anyone else who throws whopper ploppers. Do you upgrade the hooks? If so what size do you put on? I bought the 130 size. I dont want to go too big on hook upgrades and affect the movement of the lure.


----------

