By Joe Bucher One of the biggest keys to finding late spring/early summer walleyes on many lakes is the presence of perch; especially smaller young-of-the-year ones. Walleyes will key strongly on this perch forage throughout most of the season. Newly emerging weeds are amongst the strongest locations to find schools of small 3 to… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Articles
Three Simple Keys To More Muskies
By Joe Bucher I relate back to my days as a guide quite often in articles. Still to this day, it is my main foundation of musky memories and knowledge. Admittedly, I still rely on it a lot in my writing since it involved so many experiences over time. This past winter, someone in… Continue Reading
Spinnerbait Tricks for Muskies
By Joe Bucher Strong wave action washed across the expansive weed point as I launched a perfect cast that sent my single spin well beyond the emergent weed clump into a small pocket of open water. Simultaneously, I engaged my reel to match the splash entry of the lure, which made the black/orange combo dart… Continue Reading
SLOP BUZZIN’
By Joe Bucher Ka Whoosh! For the third time on this particular hot, muggy, flat dog day afternoon I was startled by the gator-like eruption on the water’s surface way back in the thick impenetrable jungle of surface weeds. Only, this wasn’t central Florida – it was Ontario, Canada. So, this was no gator (alligator).… Continue Reading
Modifying Crankbaits
By Joe Bucher As my rodbent for the 15th time, I just had to give in. I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. After all, this wasn’t some duel between two tournament combatants, this was father and son, enjoying an afternoon on the water.. My dad certainly was not a patient man to… Continue Reading
Tuning Crankbaits
By Joe Bucher I’ll never forget my first experience with tuning a crankbait.Again, it was back when I was still a teenager, with no money and few lures. This meant, every lure I had – had to work. And, if I had a good one, I had make sure I didn’t loose it, plus… Continue Reading
Crankin’ Weedflats & Weedlines
By Joe Bucher Weeds, whether in a bay, flat, bar, or mid lake hump, are one of the most productive forms of cover for nearly every big gamefish that swims in freshwater. Admittedly, much of my success with magnum muskies, big bass, and wallhangin’ walleyes have come from some form of weeds. This includes… Continue Reading
JOINTED LURES OR STRAIGHT MODELS
By Joe Bucher World class muskies have been taken on nearly every style of lure over time. Bucktails, spinnerbaits, topwater plugs, jigs, crankbaits and livebait have all taken their share of big ones. And, just when it looks like one specific type is beginning to dominate, preferences can suddenly change on a dime tilting… Continue Reading
Sinking “Count-down” Crankbaits
By Joe Bucher As much print as crankbaits have commanded in articles, books, and other publications, very little material has been devoted to the sinking “count-down” style crankbait. In fact, few anglers own or even know how to effectively use these highly efficient deep water tools. Without the proper working knowledge of sinking count-down… Continue Reading
The Roots Of A Crankbait
By Joe Bucher The term “crankbait” was actually first developed by bass tournament anglers back in the late 1960’s, and generally it referred to any hard bodied lure that had a natural, built-in action when retrieved. Before that time, such lures were referred to as plugs, wobblers, vibrating lures, and divers. In fact, the… Continue Reading