If you’re just getting into musky fishing or an angler looking to add a few baits to your box musky guide Doug Wegner give his top 5 must-have musky baits.
Top 5 Musky Baits
BuckTail/ Cowgirl
This bait has probably caught more muskies than any other lure out there. Bucktails/ Cowgirls come in a wide variety of sizes and colors and can be throw almost anywhere. They can be fish on any type of structure and work in shallow water and deep water.
They can be fish extremely fast and can also be effective with a slow retrieve. Overall they are one of the most versatile musky baits out there and are a must have for all musky anglers.
Pull and Pass Style Baits: The Beaver
Pull and pause style baits work great for muskies, because they are great for triggering a reactionary strike. The beaver is a newer style bait that has kinda come around over the past few years, but it has quickly become one of my favorites. It can be fish multiple ways but I really like using it with a pull and pause action.
This bait shines along sharp weed lines, deep structure, and over open water.
Topwater Baits
Topwater musky baits are one of the most exciting ways to catch muskies. Single prop tail baits are one of the most effective topwater baits out there. They kick out a bunch of water making a lot of noise and really draw in the fish. Topwater baits are probably the most effective bait in super shallow weedy cover.
Dive and Rise Baits: Suick
Dive and Rise baits like the Suick have been around forever and are great baits for catching muskies. When you work a Suick you get that slow death rise in the bait as you pull it down and that action really triggers reluctant muskies into biting.
Dive and rise presentations like the Suick, are great baits to use to catch muskies that don’t want to come out and chase baits.
These baits are best used for picking apart a high percentage spot.
Suicks just have a really nice action and have been around forever they will continue to catch fish until the end of time.
Trolling/ Casting Crankbaits
Large crankbaits like the Rapala Super Shad Rap are a great way to target and catch muskies. They can be trolled or casted and allow the angler to cover a lot of water in a short amount of time.
I tend to use this bait when dissecting a new lake, because you can fish it so fast.