Bass cranks and muskies

[Red Childress]

I picked up several USED deep-lipped crank baits over the weekend for the sole intent of rock/log bumping for post-spawn muskies. While my clients are using 6-8 inch baits, I will follow behind them with the short, fat largemouth bass cranks. I will beef up the back treble to a 2/0 or so but leave the front treble alone to prevent snags.

Has anyone tried this on the NW PA lakes or Rivers?? I bet a guy could really hammer some accidental walleye in the process........

[RapRunR]

After seeing my buddy nailing muskie and pike with what he calls his "baby bass" rap i bought one too. All i ever caught on them were muskies and we have never caught an eye, not saying they won't hit one though. To us they are a must have and work very well !!! They look identical to a baby bucket mouth.

[b.bent66]

i have used that technique during this past summer for bottom hugging walleye. read about it in a walleye insider article. i was using some deep diving reef runners.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Isn't that what alot of the guys do over in Ohio?? I know I hear an awful lot about one particular bait coming from those guys all year long. It makes you wonder why they don't get the exposure in PA like they do in Ohio.

[Red Childress]

I have read about the downsizing to bass tackle for years so I think it is about time to give it a shot. I have never heard about the OH musky guys doing this but I sure have heard plenty about the Southern Res. guys chucking bass sized rattle baits.......they hit the flats with them when the mud is flowing.

[Pescatore]

I have caught several muskies short line trolling at Pymatuning and Tamarack in the spring with a Sisson. In the past we had caught fish at Leesville using this approach and two years ago I successfully tried this at Pymatuning. One spring at another lake we short lined four baits, one of which was a sisson, and we lost 2 fish and netted a 43" all on that tiny bait.

[Red Childress]

If you don't mind me asking, we you guys grinding bottom?? Feel free to say no comment.......

[RapRunR]

Where i fish and since i'm a shore guy it's usually ticking bottom. There is one spot that has a lot of weeds where i use floaters so i don't get down too far ( 3 to 5' ) staying just above or just inbetween the weeds.

[ppalko]

Red, this past early fall, the two times you saw me on the river, I was doing exactly what you mention...casting and bouncing a deep diving rapala "minnow rap". Two trips produced three hooked muskies with one landed (40-45). I tend to use an "ultralight approach" (7 ft med-spin rod with #10 line probably seems crazy but I've never had a fish bite off that I can recall) just because I like the idea of landing big fish on light line and tackle and these types of baits are big enough to get a muskies attention. I have caught musky over the years on bass style cranks but the longer leaner baits tend to be more successful I think. Slow trolling these baits for walleyes in rivers has been a "new" approach for the fishing shows in the last few years. I have not done much of this yet but once I find more time, probably will as it complements a drift and jig approach when all I have is a trolling motor to move back upstream.

Phil

[Red Childress]

Downsizing to larger bass stuff is something I will do this season for cold fronts and high sun, if the fish are not moving......We have done pretty well using smaller rubber swimbais in tough conditions but tend to snag up too often. The big lips will help alleviate that.......

Thanks for the info.

[HBmusky]

there are all kinds of good baits out there for doing just that . A good bait out there is by acompany and friend of mine Ace baits . They have a 3 or 4 inch bait called migets that are of fine craftmenship that would work for all of the above.I am going to use them . It might be a hard one to get a hold of but if you email Phil at fishingpoolusa you could get them. Phil was at the butler show. Thanks guys Herb Bloxsom

[ttabaleulb]

The DVD that I picked up at the Butler Show talks about using some of those smaller Bass baits with great success, especially in the Spring. They made a couple of alterations to make them Musky-ready, but nothing too crazy. I think I might still have a few from my bass fishing days to try.