Board gettin boring? ask some questions about open water fishing.

[guideman]

Hey Ranckenstuff,

Walk the dog style topwaters like the "Doc", are typically at their best, when used in a calm water situation. You can use them in a light ripple, or even gentle waves, but there are some better bait choices for those situations.

Prop style topwaters are your best choice when there is wind or current to deal with. When it comes to, when is the best time to throw a topwater for Muskies. I'm a big believer in "any time" is a good time to throw a topwater.

The best of times is any time that you are fishing up in shallow water, flat calm conditions and periods of low light. Early and late in the day, or cloudy conditions even if there is some wind. It doesn't have to always be flat calm to throw a topwater.

Big prop style baits can be used almost any time, even in windy conditions. As long as they are thowing some water or making noise, the Muskies will find them.

Windy days can be a great time to throw a big loud topwater over rockpiles, or a windblown mainlake point. Just keep an open mind and don't forget, that there is no such thing as "always or never" when it comes to fishing.

"Ace"

Ace guide service.

[Ranckenstuff]

thanks for the tips Guideman....

[SledNeck]

Thanks for tips. Do you use a leader with spinnerbaits? I do, but finding closed eye spinnerbaits is a little hard, and if I didn't I could use the open eye style without the snap sliding around.

I always use a leader, never really had a problem with them sliding...unless its in a fish's mouth, then I dont care.

I used to not use a leader for buzzers and spinnerbaits...but now I do. I lost like 6 spinnerbaits in one day from pike sucking in the whole thing so now I never fish em without one. I use 30 lb fireline on all my casting rods. Its really nice for buzzbaits cause you can hook a fish quick and hard, especially if they hit it and it slacks a little. I fish the "heck" out of buzzbaits in summer and found that the booyah brand is the most durable especially when youre catching 15lb plus pike on a consistance basis. ALWAYS use a trailer hook on a buzzbait. I used to wonder why I missed so many fish or why bass spit em when they jumped. Now I know why.