Musky Fishing
Best Topwater Baits
8/23/12 @ 12:42 PM
I recently realized that I have 1 topwater bait in my box, and I'm not particularly fond of it (won it at a banquet). I'd like to pick up a few, but there are so many out there that I am not really sure what to get. If you had to pick 2 or 3, what are your favorite topwater baits?
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"when using lures like the jackpot, are you guys tying your line directly to the lure or are you using leaders."
The very best way I've found is use a single strand leader and no swivel and no snap, but rather a split ring on the bait and a solid ring on the leader to that split ring. You want the bait to have a nose up attitude and the less hardware on the front of the bait helps. I also swap out the rear hook to a 3/0 wide gap round bend hook. It lets that bait jump around like crazy!!! Note - two tines down and one up when installing a rear hook on a bait.
I picked up some new top waters this weekend, Giant jackpot and top raiders to name a few. cant wait for the opener! when using lures like the jackpot, are you guys tying your line directly to the lure or are you using leaders. I've used flouro 150lb leaders, but some are telling me that they tie straigt to the bait, because leaders take away from the action of the bait.
Snapping that top-water on that leader and making a pristine bomb cast to that spot.........having it get fouled up in the leader but getting smashed at boat side anyway. Musky's, IMO are exactly like women when you think you have them figured out or you think your so "Rico suave" they throw you a massive curveball. IMO, always think out of the box(well speaking of musky fishing that is lol). Good luck and don't set the hook until you feel that musky's weight on the other end, cheers!
My favorite Topwater musky lure is by far the Topraider. Its simple to use. Its just a cast and reel in type surface plopper. The noise this bait makes is like music to muskies. It also has good action under the surface for figure eighting. They come in lots of great colors also. I took my biggest musky to date with this lure. She was a fat 46"er. Ive also caught largemouth bass and northerns on these lures. A great bait. I have quite a few of em. Also just to add, you can fish these lures in just about any condition. I caught my big fish in choppy water. Dont be afraid to fish em even if its a bit windy and youre dealing with choppy conditions.
You may want to try a Gooch's talllywacker.
I have a few that I've modified of Tallywackers as well. I remove the hooks/hardware and eyes on front of the body (leave the tail section alone). Drill a wire size hole throw the body of the bait for a through wire. Using a 3/8 in drill, drill out the nose so a 3/8 oz bullet weight can fit in there. Mud up the gaps, then drill a small hole up from the bottom to fit a swivel to the through wire hole. Run a one end looped wire through the body while inserting a swivel for a hook hanger in the middle of the bait. Then loop the other end. Slowly open the tail end eye and run it through the loop and then close the loop. Place a split ring on the swivel and then a larger size hook. So you've added weight to the nose, removed two hooks and replaced with one larger one. This allow the nose to ride nose down and the tail spin easier and you can reel it in slower. great mod.
I did three and gave one away. The all black one was a quickie one, it has a 3/8 oz weight on the bottom of the nose and I put a screw eye back a little ways removed two stock hooks for one larger one. The weight used is a JB weight system which I don't think is available, but someone is still making, Fudally??
The directions I noted above is the orange belly wacker. It had a through wire and a 3/8 bullet sinker in the nose and I place putty around the opening when I got done. I also placed hook hanger that came with it on the stock hooks, but under that the split ring is connected to a swivel anchored to the through wire ans will never pull out of the bait.
I too like the Bucher TopRaider. After getting a TR, I will change out the 5/0s hooks that come on the bait to 7/0s. They lay lower in the water and sounds a little different (lower) and also bigger hooks help in hook ups. Remember tail hooks has two tines down and one pointing up. The bait will ride better that way. And if you get into a real weedy situation, you can try it without a belly hook and it most times will come through the weeds spinning, you might have a little salad on the tail hook, but the blade should still spin.
My favorite top water bait is a Joe Bucher Outdoors Top Raider. I had a generic version for a few years never had a strike also the blades bent on every cast. I bought a Bucher Top Raider and had 2 strikes and caught a muskie my first day of having it. I'm sold for life after that.
Yes, it was the Fetch and Catch. Great bait too, once modified slightly for better hookups(bigger front hook, add spreaders that I personally prefer for creepers).
Favorites for me are ituational. Being a river fisherman by nature, but also spending lots of time on lakes in WI, MN and Ontario, as well as Green Bay, I have developed fav's for each. That said, you should at least have a tail bait you are confident in, perhaps a non clicking like a topraider, and one that clicks like the first of its kind, the Rylure Tapdancer or the easier to find Pacemaker. Smething for big waves, like a globe is nice, something for throw back, and a couple good slow moving chug baits for a spotted fish you've come back to, or after dark(creepers/hawg wobbler types or a hybrid). Walk the dogs are great, and their uses and situations are as varied as the sizes and types of the lures themselves. A jackpot type(smaller/quicker) and a larger 'in the water' type like a Rylure sidekick or weagle will get the job done, though there are more types and sizes once you start fine tuning.
Action, lure type, speed, cadence are all more important to me than color, especially after dark, when topwater color has made little to no difference to me in terms of productivity. Further, depending on where I'm fishing, I might choose something that doesn't highlight itself best against the sky/background as often as I do. We find seasonal color preferences a perrenial deal on many waters, dependant upon seasonal forage movements/migrations.
Good luck, and have fun shopping!
Oldest Frenchy LeMay giant jointed hawg buster
I believe the jointed creeper by Frenchy LaMay was called "Fetch & Cacth". Here's a couple of my treasured Frenchy lures signed by Frenchy. When I told him that I probably won't fish with them again, he said "I ought to take them away from you" 
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