Early season go-to lures?

[muskie guy]

Hello there fishing aficionados. What are the couple baits you can't leave the dock without while the water temps are still chilly and the water is pretty clear?
I am always tossing a spring bulldawg. I love 'em. Another favorite is the J-Mac weedless jig with a monster twister tail or a boot tail plastic added for extra action and to slow the fall rate. I like tossing these into the weeds and wood in Silver and Curlew.
I don't throw spoons very often. But that's just me.
What about you guys?

[kevinb]

Only in recent memory have I been tossing Dawgs. Todd and Ryan got me hooked on those and finally I feel more comfortable with chucking those. My body of work for Spring time musky is rather limited, this isn't to say I'm not out there but I quickly fall back into old and sometimes bad habits. In many cases I tend to go back to previous lures that I use during Summer and early Fall. Those baits are spinnerbaits and cranks. The only real change I do is alter the presentation by speed and pauses. I tend to toss the Rapala Super Shad Rap and/or Salmo Pikie, both run the same(about 6-8 feet) My spinnerbaits I tend to twitch as well but give several seconds to drop in depth before I start my retrieve. However, this method doesn't allow as much time in the fishe's zone. I wouldn't suggest this to someone starting out unless you huff paint like I do. I've had luck with slow moving bucktails but the key word is "luck" as I just happened to find two hungry muskies that were just under 30 inches willing to hit. I toss swimbaits here and there but it has been limited and I'm certainly not in the position to say it's a go too. I still like my chatterbaits but again, my knowledge is very limited but I hope to learn more. I think jigs would be a go too but again, I fall back to old habits. I know they are productive. I've played netman on a few and I know Mike F does very well with 'em but I just tend to lose patience and fall back on my crutch of spinnerbaits and crankbaits. I need to break my own mold.

[muskie guy]

Hey Kev;
I'm a big spinnerbait guy too. My PB ski came off a white terminator years ago. I don't think I ever have a spinnerbait free day on the water. A guy I took to Newman was using my favorite yellow/silver musky candy spin and a 47" tiger turned it into an inline spinner in about 9 seconds. Small price to pay.
Well guy, sounds like you have to devote more time to unfamiliar techniques. I tell the wife its not fishing, its "personal development time". After I figured out the rod and leader set-up I was using was way wrong, I started bonking bass and tigers on Silver with topwaters. I never used to toss them, and missed some sweet action.
Well I hope I can get over that way this year and hit Tapps or Mayfield with you and Todd.

[muskie guy]

Wow, what a forum. (Crickets chirping)

[kevinb]

Hey Kev;
I'm a big spinnerbait guy too. My PB ski came off a white terminator years ago. I don't think I ever have a spinnerbait free day on the water. A guy I took to Newman was using my favorite yellow/silver musky candy spin and a 47" tiger turned it into an inline spinner in about 9 seconds. Small price to pay.
Well guy, sounds like you have to devote more time to unfamiliar techniques. I tell the wife its not fishing, its "personal development time". After I figured out the rod and leader set-up I was using was way wrong, I started bonking bass and tigers on Silver with topwaters. I never used to toss them, and missed some sweet action.
Well I hope I can get over that way this year and hit Tapps or Mayfield with you and Todd.

I certainly need to expand my options to fit the conditions. I had a stock pile of spinnerbaits, simply dubbed "The Spinnerbait Box" I lugged that thing everywhere. I think Todd tripped over it a few times. When my Wife and I bought our new home, it somehow got lost in the mix. I'm now building it up again.....basically restarting an old addiction. I'm still trying to break the habit but it's tough. Random note, I'll let him jump in but Todd picked up a tiger today. I opted for a family camping trip.

[muskyhunter]

I told you guy, the go to is a bratwurst. Quick strike set. Johnsonville work the best. A treble through the eyes and another in the side. The side one allows the scent to hit the water. The 6" ones work best. That's the go to bait. Another is bucher depth raiders. Put my p.b. from tapps a 47" beast. Put a 36" in the net last Sunday on a n 8" jointed raider. Maybe tomorrow I'll get busy on the lake. Bucks always work. When there are fish around. Can always use a senko. Fish for smallies, then you catch tigers for some stupid reason.

[muskie guy]

MH: these east side fish are a bit different. They seem to favor hot Italian over brats!
I totally agree on the quick strike set-up too.
I prefer a wedding ring to troll up the skis.