Mid 40" Musky

[THE TRADESMEN]

I heard a rumor that a certain person got a mid 40 Musky during his week at Chautauqua. Of course with no pic for us its JUST another fish story!

[zach]

nice! clean fish?

[NitroMusky]

Ya know Lee, I heard the same thing but since he didn't take any pics I guess it will forever be known as 'Ripley's Fish': believe it...or not

seriously, I didn't do all that much fishing, at least not as much as I expected....just a couple hours here and there on a few days. funny thing was my stepfather came down for a couple days early on and took him out trolling at dusk tuesday...nothing. he passed on joining the next AM (Wednesday: full moon day) and a bit after a rip no hookup...BAM...the camera was still secured away and without anyone to take a pick of me with it I just released it in the water figuring there would be other fish later that week, and besides it wasnt a 50! It looked to be a bit longer than the one I had the prior weekend and definitely a lot fatter relative to length (clean from what I saw of it).

Of course my stepfather was eager to join me later that day, but the clouds parted and the bite died. went again thursday AM with my wife and daughter, another rip no hookup and then we had one on...handed the pole to my wife to get her 'first' while I grabbed the net and a minute later the line went slack....never saw it but it ripped a nice gash in my Invader which incidentally is what I saw ALL my action on. Perchbaits and Wiley got NO attention.

Think I figured out what it is about that Invader in particular that gets em going though...i'm working on my little 'invention' to add to any lure, so I'm keeping tight lipped for now while I work it out

pray for clouds and wind Friday...taking a buddy out on Waneta... his first muskie hunt there, despite staying a week at his in-laws place there for a week every year

[THE TRADESMEN]

Nice report Brad. Glad to hear you had some action down there. Funny how they shut down when the clouds push by. Cant wait to hear about your new invention. Hmmmmmmmm NitraNator no Bradalicious.

[zach]

when can we order these nitro-specials? setting the water on fire!!! nitro-licious.... this winter i will turn some copies of the cedar wiley deep diver and do my best to copy and modify the tuff shad. have the lathe and band saw- need an airbush kit. neither of these favorites are thru-wire made. i also think that the tuff shad is some what over weighted which makes it run good but the wobble is less then if it were less weighted. it would pound even more, would have to be super tuned though. just thoughts bouncing around my head. have been making bucktails for years (have close to 70) and this year i have thrown only two. been using mostly cranks lately, so why not try to make some myself? good luck on the super nirto-licious especial.

[zach]

on another thought, about to drill a hole in a 10" believer and fill it with foam to get a couple extra feet, somewhat nervous that it may lose its action, anyone ever do this here?

[THE TRADESMEN]

been using mostly cranks lately, so why not try to make some myself?

You got way too much time on your hands!

On the foam thing. Would foam add bouyancy and therefore less depth? Not sure just a thought.

[NitroMusky]

gonna take some time to consistently reproduce the action im looking for corretly ad reliably so it could be a work in progress for a while and will probably take testing a bunch of different style prototypes-but I have a bunch of ideas already.

I was thinking along the same lines as gus on the foam thing unless im missing something. I would probably either try to get some weight in or on it (without creating resistance, like lead tape etc) or get some thick lexan and make (or buy premade) a lip and glue it on the molded lip of the believer, but wedge something under it towards the rear of the lure to give it bigger lip with a steeper angle than the molded one. just a thought...

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[zach]

from what i know about it. the added foam will add weight to the plug. i guess this will add depth. just think ahead to fall on this bait. adding a new lip to the believer would be a hassle i think. have a grandma that i broke a lip on years ago, i did add a bigger lexan lip that worked out good. gets deeper. just epoxied that lip in their and it has stayed on so far. cut it out on a band saw. i have also been thinking about taking the back half off a jointed gotcha, attaching a big ole saltwater hook with a twister tale. saw a pic of the les chubby this way and looks awesome. to me it looks better than what they do to the stalkers.

[hoppy]

I dont know that I would drill a hole in a 20.00 plug...however try some suspend dots...they weigh 1/32 each I think...that should help to get a bit more depth

[zach]

the whole bait would be covered in dots. good idea though. i have messed around with lead tape in the past, only to take them off and have that nasty sticker residue left over. i have got a bunch of believers though and wouldn't mind messing around with one. have heard that filling them with foam is what pete mania said works the best. i just wanted to see if anyone here has done that. in the past i have drilled a hole and put bb's in the bait to make it rattle. no problems with that franken-bait yet. if this was a jerkbait adding lead like u are talking about may be an option. i just want to get a 10" believer to go 25' for me this fall. thinking of ideas that i dont have to run wire for.

[mostlymuskies]

A better way to add even weight to Believers is to drill holes and fill with Corian Seam Kit Material you can get at Home Depot.The chambers fill evenly and become solid plastic,no more leakers filling with water at the hook hangers.This will add 25% to the diver curve,but the added weight means you will need to troll a little faster to get the same action.But you can now reach speeds of 6.0 mph without blow out!Because the Corian Seam Kit Material gets hot with the chemical reaction as it sets up you will need to wrap the crankbait in a cold wet rag as it cures or it could melt through around the hook hangers if you do not.

Capt. Larry D. Jones

[mostlymuskies]

Setup one rod with 60 lb test Mason Leadcore and you can get those 10" Believers to 30'+ no problem!

Capt. Larry D. Jones

[solgrande]

Hmmmmmm....Great to have your input here larry!

[zach]

larry- your fishing knowledge is second to none. you have been awesome about helping everyone out. i used to not share any info and switch baits when going to dock so people wouldn't see what i was using and all that. seeing how you share info has got me opening up and now i'm sharing too. i have wanted to do this doctoring for a while and now i have the recipe for success. cold towel- great idea. hope retirement is going well and thanks for your input! larry are you fishing the tourney this time?

[mostlymuskies]

Zach,No I will not fish in a Tournament that I'm running and holding the Cash for the Winner as well.I'll be getting the Chicken Dinner setup from noon on!All the oldtimers on the Niagara River use to change lures before they came in and give you bum scoop.I vowed from those days where I was left learning on my own that I would noy be that way toward others starting out,I would help when ever I could.Over the years I have done seminars at the musky shows,the midwest and all around the northeast in past years,written for Musky Hunter Magazine,In-Fishermen and North American Fishermen,fished the PMTT,through all of this I have never forgot where I came from.

Capt. Larry

[solgrande]

Was a little tough for me as well even a few years ago,I learned alot reading and watching from afar .Your tourney on the 08 opener (my 1st)Helped me a great deal not only with on water experience but with lessons on conduct.Some(very few)opened up but most not.Now i try to help whomever whenever i can with whatever i have learned the last couple years(i am still only 3yrs into fishing for musky).It`s just nice to see interest growing in our sport. Thanks

Bob

[Chautauqua Tony]

A better way to add even weight to Believers is to drill holes and fill with Corian Seam Kit Material you can get at Home Depot.The chambers fill evenly and become solid plastic,no more leakers filling with water at the hook hangers.This will add 25% to the diver curve,but the added weight means you will need to troll a little faster to get the same action.But you can now reach speeds of 6.0 mph without blow out!Because the Corian Seam Kit Material gets hot with the chemical reaction as it sets up you will need to wrap the crankbait in a cold wet rag as it cures or it could melt through around the hook hangers if you do not.

Capt. Larry D. Jones

yea just so you know the chemical bond that takes place in corian or any acrylic adhesive is over 300 degrees. In case you were wondering, i have a fabrication shop.