Big lure question.

[Brian]

Every fall I switch over to large lures on Oneida. The past two years my best lure has been this giant Shad rap (ssr44).17 inch walleyes have no problem hitting it especially after dark. It’s just a bigger target. But what I notice is that most fish are mouth hook on the front treble. They are hitting it mid lure from the side. Is this to avoid the spiny dorsal on the larger perch? Anyone else running into this on oversized lures. You can clearly see where they are putting their teeth on this lure. Just looking for input.

 

 

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[lyk2fish]

Walleye, like many fish ambush strike from the side, many times to stun, then eat. I’ve seen them do this at night near shore, when you can see your lure on a bright winter night, I have watched them flash at my stick, sometimes missing it on the strike. Pretty cool to see. Also One of the reasons many are foul hooked in the face or other areas of the head when they hit. Even on small lures they will be hooked on the front treble many more times then the back. I notice when they short hit under a frontal condition they tap at the back of my sticks, hence getting caught on the back hook and not very well. Just my observation over many years of catching these fish.

[justtracytrolling]

Esox as rule all feed this way.  Even a scorpion spoon a 48" tiger will bite right behind the gill plate and so do walleye pike and musky.  They have to eat things head first so they kill/ disable then eat.

[Storm Junkie]

Walleyes typically attack lures from the side and more often than not on multi hook lures are caught with the front or side hook in their mouths.

[justtracytrolling]

The third pic tells the story...the perfect t-bone....they hit from the bottom right behind the gill plate.