Does anyone know if tiger muskies exhibit the figure 8 behavior that pure strains do? I sometimes have them lazily follow a lure in but they always back off like a pike once they near the boat. I know there’s a full moon this week and I am considering targeting them at night. Does anyone know if they bite at night time like pure strains do?
Thanks
Yes they will and I have also caught many pike doing figure 8s. I find it helps to wear grey or light blue cloths so they don’t notice you as easy. Also I think my blue boat blends in well when they look up. There might be some bodies of water that may shut down but you won’t know if you don’t try.
All due respect Rod, IMHO, pike and muskies do not care about boats they may even attract them.
All due respect Rod, IMHO, pike and muskies do not care about boats they may even attract them.
I would agree in most cases. I have had muskies camp under my boat. Heck I have had a muskie hit my trilling motor. I have also had a buddy fishing with me when I was doing a figure 8 and as soon as he popped his bright red hat over the side of the boat the fish took off. Might have just been a coincidence or it was enough to distract the fish from the lure.
Yes they will and I have also caught many <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>pike doing figure 8s. I find it helps to wear grey or light blue cloths so they don’t notice you as easy. Also I think my blue boat blends in well when they look up. There might be some bodies of water that may shut down but you won’t know if you don’t try.
Excellent, thanks Rod. Any word on if they’ll bite at night? Thinking of a night time trip with the full moon.
“Excellent, thanks Rod. Any word on if they’ll bite at night? Thinking of a night time trip with the full moon.”
A couple of weeks ago I had a Northern clip off my top water at 4:45 AM. Absolutely pitch black out and he nailed my bug and clipped me off. So yea, Pike will hit at night.
SR
Tiger muskie exhibit behavior much closer to pike than they do true muskie.
True muskie are notorious for following as well as being as much or more active at night than during the day.
I’ve had a lot of experience with each back in my Wisconsin muskie fishing days.
While yes, northern can be caught at night…it’s not all that common. I have caught a couple in all my years of night fishing for muskie, so yes it can happen…just somewhat rare. Same thing with Tiger muskie. Possible, but not near as likely as true muskie which are far more active and aggressive at night.
Truly a heart stopping experience when one hits a topwater boatside in the dark of the night.
I don’t want to discourage you from trying, but just saying you’ll have rather low odds.
Are there any true muskie in the waters you’ll be fishing?
Thanks Andy. No pure strains as it is a metro lake stocked with tigers.
I remember a lot of lookers and not a lot of takers at boat side, smaller musky baits for the hybrids, faster retrieve. Night fishing, if the waters clear yes, stained nope. The best bait for me was a red Panther Martin spinner size 28 the big one. DK.
The water is generally stained on the lake I intend to try but this year it is clearer than normal. Lack of rain and lower water levels. I’m going to start an hour or two before dark and then stay after the sun goes down because there is a full moon.
Catmando is correct about the preference tigers have which very much like pike seem to favor flashier lures like spinnerbaits, bucktails, and large spoons.
True muskie seem to prefer large crankbaits, big rubber lures like Bulldogs and of course large jerkbaits…Suick, Reef Hawg, etc.
Absolutely if you can get out at least an hour before sunset it would be worth your effort. Being on the water during that “bewitching” hour as it’s called, the time after the sun has already set and there’s just a sliver of light left in the sky.
All species including pike and tiger muskie could still be very active. And BTW, largemouth bass remain active well after dark so that may be a bonus.
Good luck!
Not sure how much of a believer you are in Major/Minors but tomorrow has a minor window with sunrise/sunset. Could be worth trying both days 
Update: I went last night for a couple hours before sunset and then about 90 minutes afterwards when the moon was out. Although I didn’t catch a sizable muskie, I did catch one right during twilight when the last fading light was going away and the moon was coming out – a 28 inch tiger muskie. Overall it was a productive evening with 7 bass, 6 pike, a muskie, and a walleye in about 3.5 hours. The biggest bass was a plump 19 incher I caught in the complete darkness. I only had the dog with so these are the best photos I could manage to show evidence and size.
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Update: I went last night for a couple hours before sunset and then about 90 minutes afterwards when the moon was out. Although I didn’t catch a sizable muskie, I did catch one right during twilight when the last fading light was going away and the moon was coming out – a 28 inch tiger muskie. Overall it was a productive evening with 7 bass, 6 pike, a muskie, and a walleye in about 3.5 hours. The biggest <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>bass was a plump 19 incher I caught in the complete darkness. I only had the dog with so these are the best photos I could manage to show evidence and size.
I have caught musky on topwater up into Nov, try a black Hawg wobbler after dark, even small bass hit that bait at night.
Well gee gimruis, sounds like your experience was exactly what I said it could be.
BTW, did you catch any of the pike after it was completely dark?
And yes catmando, that black Hawg Wobbler was a top producer for me for true muskie and bonus LMB after dark.
BTW, did you catch any of the pike after it was completely dark?
I did not catch any pike after dark. All 6 were before sunset. I will try a surface lure/wobbler next time.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:</div>
BTW, did you catch any of the pike after it was completely dark?I did not catch any pike after dark. All 6 were before sunset. I will try a surface lure/wobbler next time.
Again, exactly what I predicted.
Why switch what you were using? If there aren’t any true muskie in the water you were fishing, a Hawg Wobbler type lure will not improve your results.
Whatever you were using, I’d stick with that.
Do what you wish. that Hawg Wobbler is a great bait for night fishing lots of noise slow motion.Clearwater is what you want, and keep the bait shallow.
Do what you wish. that Hawg Wobbler is a great bait for night fishing lots of noise slow motion.Clearwater is what you want, and keep the bait shallow.
As I previously agreed, the Hawg Wobbler can be great, but it’s not a “one size fits all” in it’s application.
Gimruis caught 15 fish with whatever he was using, so I think he had the lure selection dialed in pretty good.
My fondness though of the beloved Hawg Wobbler has this black one being retired from active duty for my display.
It’s the memories…
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