Lures for muskie
Musky lures: bucktails, glide baits and topwater
The muskellunge is the largest pike in North America and often follows lures right to the boat. Five lure groups cover shallow weeds, edges and deep fall spots, and water temperature sets size and speed.
The lure groups
What for, in which size and colour, and how to work it.
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Bucktail spinner
Shallow weed beds, weed edges, bulrushes and docks, mainly in summer and early fall. The classic search bait.
- Size
- About 6 to 12 in overall. No. 9 and 10 blades for shallow fish in early fall, big No. 12 and 13 blades later in fall for the big fish.
- Colour
- Match the forage: perch, sucker and shad patterns. Natural in clear water, brighter in stained water.
- Retrieve
- Steady just over the weeds, fast in warm water. Slow-roll big bucktails at about 6 to 8 feet. Finish every cast with a figure eight at the boat.
Jerkbait and glide bait
Weed beds and structure just under the surface, fish that only follow. Glide baits also in spring and in cold fall water.
- Size
- About 6 to 12 in.
- Colour
- Match the forage: perch, sucker and shad patterns, brighter in stained water.
- Retrieve
- Cast the jerkbait far and work it in a zigzag with rod jerks, mostly over weeds in about 6 to 8 feet of water. Twitch a glide bait and give it long pauses, very slowly in cold water.
Topwater
Bulrushes, shallow weed beds and docks. After ice-out near shallow inflows, in summer early morning, evening and at night. The topwater bite fades in fall.
- Size
- Like most musky lures, about 5 to 10 in.
- Colour
- Match the forage, brighter in stained water.
- Retrieve
- Work it over bulrushes and weeds, fast in warm water. If a fish follows, keep it moving in a wide figure eight at the boat.
Big rubber and tubes
Deeper fish on rock, wood and weed edges, in late fall over deep breaks and baitfish schools.
- Size
- Tube about 10 in with added weight, in spring a big jig with about a 6 in twister tail.
- Colour
- Natural sucker, perch or shad patterns in clear water, brighter colours in stained water.
- Retrieve
- Drag, lift or pop a tube over rock, weeds and wood. Slow-roll, pump or rip big rubber until the fish respond. In late fall also vertical over breaks at about 15 to 30 feet.
Crankbait
Deeper weed edges and rock, the thermocline in open water, in spring between shallow bays and drop-offs.
- Size
- About 6 to 12 in, about 4.5 to 6 in on rivers with small forage.
- Colour
- Match the main forage: fire tiger for perch, shad, bluegill or sucker.
- Retrieve
- Cast and retrieve steady and fast, in spring with twitches and long pauses. In fall slowly with bottom or weed contact, let it hover after a deflection. Trolled along the outside weed edge.
Through the year
- Spring Muskies spawn at about 48 to 56 F water temperature and are hard to catch then. Afterwards go smaller: jig with twister, twitched crankbaits and glide baits between shallow bays and drop-offs. Check the season opener in your state.
- Summer From about the mid-60s F muskies feed more often. Bucktail, jerkbait and topwater over shallow weeds, fast retrieves in warm water. In real heat fish go deeper, and many anglers leave them alone because released fish survive poorly in warm water.
- Early fall (September, October) In the high 50s to low 60s F the best time starts. Shallow fish on weed edges, bulrushes and sand flats with topwater and mid-size bucktails, deeper fish with rubber, crankbaits and tubes.
- Late fall (through November) Below about 50 F muskies move to steep breaks, rock piles and baitfish schools at about 15 to 30 feet. Bigger lures, glide baits with long pauses, big rubber and slow crankbaits.
Rules of thumb
Muskies often follow to the boat. At the end of every cast keep the lure in the water about 12 to 24 in from the rod tip and sweep it in a wide figure eight, sudden changes in speed and direction trigger the strike.
Their teeth cut normal line. Always use a steel or heavy fluorocarbon leader, with strong braid and a heavy rod.
The agencies' rule of thumb: smaller lures in spring, bigger lures in fall. Cold water means a slower retrieve.
Muskies grow slowly, and most are released. Keep the fight short, unhook in the water, have long pliers and hook cutters ready, support the fish horizontally and never grab gills or eye sockets.
Minimum size, season and bag limit differ by state and province, see Fishing licence USA. Example Iowa: muskellunge under 40 inches must be released immediately.
Quick questions
What is the best lure for muskie?
None for the whole year. Bucktails and topwater for shallow fish in summer and early fall, jerkbaits and glide baits for followers, big rubber and crankbaits for deep fish in late fall.
How big should musky lures be?
Mostly about 5 to 12 in. Rule of thumb: smaller in spring, bigger in fall.
What is the figure eight in musky fishing?
At the end of the cast you sweep the lure close to the rod tip in a wide figure eight through the water. Muskies often follow to the boat and strike on the sudden change of direction.
Next
Lures for other species
Everything here is a rule of thumb from practice, not a guarantee. Lures are named as a group, not as a brand. Sizes are guide values.
Licence, minimum sizes and bag limits are set by each state. Fishing licence USA: agency by state
Sources (6)
- iowadnr.gov/things-do/fishing/iowa-fish-species/muskie
- mdc.mo.gov/index%2ephp/fishing/species/muskellunge/muskellunge-tips-fi
- pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/fishing/all-about-fish/catch-pa-fish/muske
- nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/fishfact/focus_on_fishing_musk.pdf
- 1source.basspro.com/news-tips/fishing/36412/fall-musky-fishing-tips-wi
- outdoornews.com/2025/09/11/persistence-big-bucktails-and-the-right-win
Last checked 2026-10-25. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].
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