Fall Musky bait rigging?

Was curious as to the best rigging medium to larger minnows for Fall Muskies.
quick strike brands, or tie your own. how do you rig the baits, and bobbers used.
how far below the surface do you rig it bait?

Any general tips would be appreciated on rigging and fishing this technique.
Thank-you
Jack

I like to use quick strike rigs. the single hook through the sucker’s cheek, I bend one hook on the treble nearly straight and make it barbless which then goes into the back behind the dorsal. I use round bobbers and I just make a loop in the line and snap the bobber to the loop twist so when you set the hook the bobber just comes off. I also at times use planer boards instead of bobbers if you can troll the water you are on. The bigger the sucker the better.

Don’t use live bait anymore, but I used to run a sucker about a third or quarter of the depth I’m fishing.

I believe Musky’s and northerns both stike up more than down, so I keep the bait higher in the water.

Quick strike rig Jack, anything else I’ve seen seems to allow the hooks to get deeper into the fish and do more harm.
You can buy decent rigs so I’d pass on making them unless your turning into a Musky fanatic..:)

I also like to set my bow mount on it’s slowest speed and zig-zag a shore line, you hit different depths that way and it seems to produce more fish.

Good luck..:)

Al

The Shumway E-Z Duzzit is slick!
http://www.shumwaysmusky.com/pages/new-products.php
Dream’n

Quote:

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The Shumway E-Z Duzzit is slick!
http://www.shumwaysmusky.com/pages/new-products.php
Dream’n

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I second fuzzys rig as well, very eazy simple clip pin hook and go.

Jack,
I make my own harnesses but won’t claim to have perfected them. All of them have a single hook that I put through the upper lip of the sucker. I’ll either use 1 or 2 treble hooks. 1 is always placed behind the dorsal fin. If I have a 2nd treble, it goes in front of the dorsal. I also use spinners on some of the harnesses along with a few beads. I’ll use bobbers if we are fishing with more than 2 lines. I also use egg sinkers to help keep the minnows from staying on the surface. I try to let the minnow swim right on top of the weeds.

I like to use bigger minnows (16 inches preferred). Make sure you have a big net and try to get the fish in the net as fast as possible. The longer it take, the better chance of them getting off. If they get off, leave your minnow in the water. More often than not, they will come hit it again.

The Shumway EZ-Duzzit rigs are the best out there.

Thanks Guys,
I watched the EZ Doesit rig video.
Are you able to cast that rig at all, am sure the weight of the sucker would be too heavy to do so.
Do you let the minnow swim around and away from the boat, or drop them over the side and move the boat further away.

What are the type of slip bobbers recommended for this presentation?
Thanks again, am sure thinking about taking the proverbial Plunge into some Fall ‘Skiing.
Jack

Do not cast the sucker, especially with the Shumway rig. The sucker will slip off and swim away. Just set it in the water next to your boat and let out slack line for how far away you want it. Let the wind move you or trolling motor. Also, be careful with larger suckers as the nose clip can slip off easier. (By the way, getting the sucker away from the boat is not necessary… muskies will hit it right next to the boat… don’t even need a bobber.)

I use a large round slip bobber (3″) with a bobber stop and add an ounce or two of weight to keep the sucker down. Nothing fancy to it. Good luck!

I will either run one right off the side of the boat(still use bobber knot for depth reference) or use a 10″ pencil type bobber. I like this type of bobber because if its choppy or your have and active minnwo they can mover the bobber around easily which seems to be easier on the minnow. The bigger minnows (18+) can pull the bobber down but can not hold it down for long. Usually when the bobber starts going nuts and bobbing under your clicker is about to go. Personally I run mine to a depth where the minnow is just out of sight or just barely visible this usually puts them at a good depth according to the weeds.

Alot of the time I will run one on the corner of the boat no bobber, one on a bobber at about 30-40 feet out and anoter on a bobber at about 70-80 feet. If you keep your far bobber rod high and your close bobber rod low you will not get any tangles as you zig zag with the trolling motor. Usually run .5-.7mph on the GPS when possible. Big key is when you get a rip is to turn the boat around and get on top of the bobber for a soild hook set.

Thank-you for the good technique tips.
Jack

fwiw the gas station on Old Shakopee and 98th has suckers.

Al