Today was forecast to be good for kayak Musky fishing. Low winds, overcast and lots of rain. I was the first boat on the water and first to fish the big point. Nothing there but I caught 2 eleven inch bass on a 5/0 Flashy White Dive Banger. I tried lots of other flies with little success, A 4/0 Chartreuse Dive Banger also got small bass. A big 3/0 Flashy Bucktail HookUp Popper got a few hits back in the lily pads but only landed a small bass.
I was working 2 rods, one rigged with 20 lb and a 50 lb biter leader for Musky and the other for smaller bass flies with 12 lb and a 40 lb bite leader.
Sticking with the big 5/0 Dive Banger, I got a bass over 20 inches at noon and missed hit from a good bass near by. At dusk, it got hit by very big fish that I had on for 5 seconds. It what was probably a big bass. Close to the kayak, it blew up the big topwater fly with a big sucking noise and I didn't see no Musky. You either see all the musky or at least the head or the tail as it turns down with a lure it takes on or near the surface.
BUT!! When I cut the fly off for this Photo Op, there were several definite nicks in the 50 Lb Bite leader that can only come from a pike, or in this case a musky. This was the virgin debut for the bite leader and the fly.
In the last 5 years I have hooked and lost 3 muskies here on flies. A 5/0 Chartreuse Stacked Bucktail Popping Wedge for 1, a 6/0 like the Bullet Dog shown, and the 5/0 Dive Banger yesterday. All were noisy floater divers fished in the surface film.
- Musky Dive Banger
- Thread: 210D UV Chartreuse Flat Waxed Nylon, Glue coated.
- Hook: 5/0 or 4/0 VMC 7250BN or similar
- Head1: 15/16" or 3/4" Half a Foam Cylinder face cut at 25 Degrees
- Head 2: Silver Prism tape wrap over foam cylinder
- Eyes: Stick on Flat Foil Type, UV Chartreuse 7/16 inch
- Gill: Stripe of red nail polish
- Tail: Sparse Long Bucktail, 3 White Saddle Hackles on top flat wing style
- Tail Flash: 3 strands Opal Magnum, 4 regular Silver folded to each side
- Collar 1: 2 applications of hollow tied Bucktail top half of shank only
- Collar 2: Center tied generous clump of Pearl Ice Wing, top of hook only
- Collar Flash: Again 3 Opal Magnum and 4 reg Silver Flashabou but shorter
Hollow tying bucktail makes a tapered bait fish shaped body. The first tie, make it sparse and long, each successive tie going forward is spaced slightly closer to the one behind it, tied in slightly shorter bucktail strands, and slightly bulkier. Going through the water, the fly tied assembly slicks back to look unnaturally skinny for the big foam head. I like the big head for the noise and lateral line stimulation. The angle cut of the face makes it cast farther and easier.
July 21, no Musky, Musky trip.
I was first on the water with calm water to fish the east shore out of the boat launch bay where I hooked a musky in the evening last trip. Using a Chartreuse 5/0 Dive Banger that has a nice side to side swing in addition to its head dipping popping action. small bass 11 to 13 inches were liking it and I had on good bass 17 to 18 inches hooked for a minute. Mid day the bite turned off.
I paddled down wind to the narrow inlet channels. This roaring wind made that partly unfishable. Muddy water was blowing in and nothing but a few very small bass in the sheltered edges. This dragon fly and I sat out the worst of the wind before moving on.