Combo Trip – Pike & Muskie on Mille Lacs

Making the trip up Thursday Sept. 9th. Have a couple of guys from Colorado with the group who are used to catching twelve inch trout and would love to put them on a good sized toothy critter. Any suggestions on patterns, presentations or general location that would produce Pike action along with a chance at a Muskie?

Currently thinking of trolling plugs along the weedlines on the south end. Cove Bay, Wahkon etc. Trolling speeds? Baits to consider? I have a few big shallow running Muskie baits along with some big Reef Runners I use in the fall. Also have deep running Husky Jerks if the fish are set up more on the break.

If the fish are up in the cabbage or on the rocks would consider switching to casting methods but there will be some relative novices in the group and this could prove dangerous if we start to sling around big baits. Bucktails and big spinnerbaits could work though.

Thanks in advance for any input and feedback.

Troll cranks (Jakes & Beleivers) and Spinner baits.

Firetiger, perch, red/black, silver/purple are all good colors………

Gary
You ever troll the #18 Rapalas? I have one in Perch, that might be a good one to try.

I haven’t, but I do know they are a good lure!!!

I personally like the 10″ believers and 8″ Jakes. Even the SuperShad raps are good!

Wahkon Bay has been slow. I would cast the rocks with top water baits or spinners. Try Andersons,Rocky Reef or the 3 mile on the east side.

Good input and quick too. Thanks for the help guys.

43″ muskie last evening in wahkon. sorry no pic’s, used a regular camra, have to wait till they get back from target. the water was really cloudy last night, didn’t see any follows. i would say cast big wood, either cranks or glide baits, over the tops of the weeds. i haven’t seen anything to speek of on the rocks yet, but don’t rule them out. good luck……….tom f

I like to troll Jakes and drop a tiger tube in the prop wash. Vary your speeds from fast to really fast.

I’ve been up there twice in the last week or so working the north end breakline about a mile or two either side of the Wealthwood landing and have been seeing fish…including some very big girls.

Our most successful baits have been walk-the-dog topwater baits (Jackpot and Doc), 8″ phantom glide baits (perch color) and good old black hair/silver blade bucktails.

One bit of advice that I’d offer is to take time to work both the primary break (3-4 feet dropping to 7-8 feet) and the secondary break (7-8 feet dropping to 12-14 feet). Hang out on the deep side and cast up top. There’s a lot of flat area in 7-9 feet between the breaks that we haven’t been able to move fish on….everything has come by working across the change in depth.

Please post your results, as I’ll be up there that following weekend and would be curious to hear what you come across.

Good luck in your “hunting”….

Eric

P.S. I haven’t seen or hooked a single northern on the north end all year…doesn’t mean they’re not there, but I’ve only seen muskies during my trips.

Thanks again for the help.

Sounds like the Muskie’s have been active but the Pike action is a little slow. Also indications are I better be prepared to do some casting if the trolling bite doesn’t pan out.

Will post results after the trip. Looks like cooler weather will be back in the picture next week. Hope the swings back and forth don’t affect the bite in a negative way.