Spring Bait Size

[ttabaleulb]

Ok, I have to ask this as I am planning on having 3 flyrods rigged and ready for the upcoming season. How small a bait do you guys fish early on? This idea still perplexes me as I constantly hear of bass and walleye fisherman consistently hookin Musky all year long on smaller baits.

I am trying to figure if its worth casting 12" flies when I could be gettin the same action casting something much smaller, which would make things MUCH easier. At this point I'm trying to save the "big" flies until the Fall. But with the limited time I've been chasin Musky, I seem to have the most action on flies that are 6-8" all year long.

I'm certainly not a trophy chaser at this point, but I've had some good fish attack these smaller flies. I wonder if its the size of an easy meal, or just the idea of an easy meal that gets their attention?? I hope to have an opinion on that question at some point this year!! LOL


Jay

[Red Childress]

I started upsizing Spring baits 3 years ago just to see if it really made a difference. I would have clients use baits in the 5-8 inch range and I would follow behind them with a larger bait. My non-scientific results appear to be that larger fish will still chase larger baits (at least) here on the river. There is a good article in Musky Hunter about upsizing for Spring muskies that backs this generalization pretty well. We have trolled 10-inch Perchbaits in the same spread with 5 to 7 inch baits and the perchbaits have produced larger fish and the smaller baits have caught larger pike and smaller muskies. Matching your presentation's speed to that of the water temperature or weather pattern is a big factor as well.

I would not hesitate in throwing larger flies at them for sure but since I do not fly-fish, that is just a gut feeling. The larger flies are not pushing nearly the amount of water as a modest sized crankbait so you might have to go larger to get noticed, especially in water with low visibility. There are still many times when downsizing will produce very well but muskies continue to be the freshwater's top end predator here in North America and can eat just about any damn thing they want.

IMO, the body of water you are fishing has its' own personality regarding bait size and catching success. You might just have to block off some time and experiment with those larger flies to see what happens. I am betting if you find a hungry fish, she will eat most any sized bait your fly rod has to offer. I also think that all those bass guys getting attacked by muskies would do just as well if they were throwing "musky sized" baits in the same locations.

Just my .02 cents.

[ttabaleulb]

Thats some good info Red, thanks. You're right, definitely worth throwin those bigger flies too, all year. I'm thinkin at this point I'm gonna have the 2 9wts set up for the 4-8" flies and have the 10wt set up for 12". That way I have some good throwback options too. Hell, I'm not even fully into the season yet and these fish have me thinkin too much already!! LOL Damn I can't wait to see that first fly of 2010 get inhaled!!

And you bring up a great point about low-vis water situations. Thats another point that I have to overcome this year. When I get on water thats murky, it has decreased my confidence using the flyrod. But last Fall that changed drastically. Just because I can't see that fly very well DOES NOT mean the fish can't see/feel it. They had no problems crushin em, its just that I had problems landing them. LOL

Anyhow, I'm rarin to go. I got the boat out this weekend and everything should be all set to go for a great year ahead. Now its time to find some hungry toothy critters!

[ppalko]

I've been playing around with tying some huge flies based on this pattern. Ever try anything this big??? I just found some 6/0 hooks at walmart of all places and will see just how big I can go. I use a 9 wt so I maybe in the market for a bigger rod this year!

[Red Childress]

Now you are talking!! Many of the fly guys I get chasing muskies are normally using Tarpon sized stuff. I think it was Jay maybe who had strips of silver flashaboo running along side the hackle and man did it look sweet. It pulsated and flashed very nicely on the pause.

I honestly think that these larger flies can be as deadly as regular musky baits in clear water. They look (and probably sound) much more realistic than traditional stuff.

[ttabaleulb]

Oh yeah, I actually broke down and bought a couple of those flies in the pic. Expensive as hell, but I had to see what they were all about. They are pretty wicked!! I have not even tried throwin them with my 9wt's, went straight to a 10wt. Once they get wet, they are pretty heavy. I got them late last year and only got to fish them a few times. Got some Pike action and a few Musky follows. They will get plenty of time in the water this year.

Red,

That fly that you are referring to has got most of the action I have seen with any of the flies that I've used so far. Of course I have about 4 different patterns of the same fly, but its a go to fly for me, no doubt.