In the muskie fishing game, close calls can be exciting but don’t count. So top anglers seek new ways to turn fish on. Muskie guru Pete Maina reflects, “When conditions are right, muskies might eat a shoe.” But most of the time, conditions aren’t so favorable. Muskies are known for their stubborn nature and finicky disposition. But gear modifications can make the difference in getting fish to bite.
Lures are the last link in the chain of gear between angler and fish and the first item anglers associate with triggering strikes. Making modifications to your selection can be a game changer. Sometimes that means being the first to try new lures. There’s no denying the instant success of Bull Dawgs, Double Cowgirls, and Bondy Baits. The key becomes finding that next breakthrough bait ahead of the pack or modifying existing ones to show fish something they haven’t seen.
Sound Effects
For the last several seasons, Maina has been experimenting and refining lure designs to incorporate baitfish sounds into muskie lures. “Folks think of me as a muskie guy but I fish for many species and have long recognized the benefits of sound in triggering fish. Livingston Lures has developed a successful niche by incorporating smart chips and sound chambers in their lures. They made their name in the bass market, but their lures have proved outstanding for walleye and trout. My idea was to put this technology to work for muskies.”
To that end, Maina worked with Livingston Lures to design the Predator series. The first goal was to develop lures with appealing size, shape, and action. The sound component is a bonus feature—a modification that separates them from other lures. When considering productive designs, Maina immediately thought of the B Viper 8 jointed swimbait. This swimbait has a large profile and can be modified to run at multiple depths and speeds with entirely different actions. “The advantage of the B Viper is its versatility,” he says. “It has internal weights that can be added or removed to adjust its sink rate and the aggressiveness of its action. With most of the weights removed, it can be fished quickly on the surface like a wakebait. For a more typical swimbait action, remove half the internal weights and fish it at middepth with a steady retrieve. Under tough conditions, add all the weights and the B Viper can be presented vertically like a jig.
“Its large tail wags as it descends on slack line and with each pull of the rod. This presentation can be deadly during post-cold-front periods or other challenging conditions, including hot, calm weather when you need to put a slow-moving bait right in their face. In these situations, the B Viper can be presented precisely along rock ledges, tight to standing timber, or along weededges. It not only has the profile and action of a distressed panfish or shad but also emits fish-attracting sounds.
Maina also has become a fan of the Livingston Head Hunter, a three-piece articulated swimbait just over 6 inches long with a small diving lip that gives it a quick action on the retrieve or troll. The Head Hunter resembles the Storm Swimmin’ Stick, one of Captain Bret Alexander’s hottest change-up lures for muskies on Green Bay.
As much as fishing guides try to keep secret lures under wraps, word always leaks out. In this case, word got out last summer and sales of Swimmin’ Sticks were brisk. For anglers who had them, it was like winning the lottery. Those who didn’t were left to wonder what makes them so productive when muskies turn tail on traditional favorites.
Like other species, muskies can become conditioned to lures. Rapala Super Shad Raps, Musky Innovations Shallow Invaders, and Bucher Shallow Raiders have dominated muskie trolling spreads on Green Bay for years and continue to deliver muskies consistently. But sometimes too much of a good thing can work against you. These lures have similar wobbling and rolling actions, while the action of the Swimmin’ Stick and Head Hunter is faster and tighter. These lures also make a clacking sound as their joints pivot, creating sound cues for predators.
For a novel look, consider mixing non-traditional muskie baits into your trolling spread. Some examples of smaller, more erratic salmon and trout lures that have been quietly producing big numbers of muskies recently include Luhr Jensen J-Plugs, Yakima…
