In this edition!

• Hot NEW colors from ERC and Musky Mania

• Introducing the NEW 6 oz. Exo-M™

• Musky Methods from Dick Pearson

• Trolling the Famous Believer^® from a Kayak

• 2009 Drifter Store Holiday Promo

Hot new colors from ERC and Musky Mania

ERC Big Flash
for Pearson’s Grinders™ and Bump & Grinds™

6 new colors – 1oz., 20z., 30z. and 5oz.
Available today from the Drifter Store – $13.25 – $17.50

ORDER PEARON’S GRINDER | ORDER BUMP & GRIND

ERC Chrome Series
for Hell Hounds™, Double D™ and Triple D

Available today from the Drifter Store for $18.25

ORDER HELL HOUND | ORDER DOUBLE D | ORDER TRIPLE D

33 hot new colors for the Jake™
by Musky Mania

Available today from the Drifter Store for $11.55 – $33.50

ORDER THESE HOT NEW JAKE COLORS

Musky Mania™ Exo-M

The middle child of the Exo softbait line weighing in at 6 0z.

Available in 2010 for $15.95

Miscellaneous on musings on muskies and methods

by Dick Pearson via ESOX Angler 2004

Hi Folks. Well, it’s August again as I write this, and time to reflect on the past month fishing the mesotrophic portions of Lake Of The Woods. A strange year indeed. I was there for opening day, and had water temperatures in the 61 degree range. When I returned two weeks later, the water temperature was in the 59 degree range. Extreme cold periods. A few extremely hot days here and there. Extremely high winds every other day or so it seemed—with resulting extreme wind currents. Extreme mayfly hatches. Little algae bloom and often extremely clear water for the areas I fished. Rising water levels, then rapidly dropping levels. No weeds in some traditionally weedy places, and nearly unfishable mats in others. Some big fish full of eggs, others skinny as nails.

Click here to read entire article….

Kayak and the Believer®

Fishing from a kayak presents the angler with many challenges, fishing for large pike and musky from a kayak is nothing short of an adventure!  One of the most important challenges that needs to be overcome in any craft but especially in a kayak is bait presentation, trolling is one very effective method of presenting bait.  Aside from allowing the angler a break from casting big lures on heavy tackle, it also allows for more water coverage and ultimately more boated fish.  The same holds true for kayak fishing but without the assistance of a motor, reaching and maintaining the optimum speeds for the best presentation can be physically impossible (especially from some of the wider sit-on-top style of kayaks that have become popular amongst anglers).  There are two ways to overcome this, one is to add a motor but this isn’t the best solution for the purist like myself and will certainly disqualify you from entering any of the human-powered only kayak fishing tournaments that have started popping up in recent years.  The second solution is to use baits that perform well while being trolled at slower speeds.  I have found that most large musky lures generally need to be trolled at speeds of at least 4mph up to 8mph or even faster to get the best action out of them.  These lures simply can’t be trolled effectively by kayak, they can be casted but they can’t be trolled because a reasonable and sustainable paddling speed is somewhere in the 2mph range depending on the kayak and the paddler.  What I have found is that the Believer does have good action at this speed and therefore can be trolled effectively under paddle power, great news for all of the trophy kayak musky hunters out there!

There are as many different ways to rig the average kayak for fishing as there are kayak models to choose from…LOTS!  How you decide to rig is ultimately what will determine how you will troll a Believer for musky and pike.  Below I have highlighted 3 different ways I accomplish this task and some advantages/disadvantages of each.

1.    Through the legs method.  I call it this because it involves putting the handle of your rod over one knee and under the other.  It is important that your rod is pointing slightly forward so that it doesn’t interfere with a normal paddle stroke.  It should also be noted that this method works better in a sit-on-kayak (SOK) as opposed to a sit-in-kayak (SIK).  In a SIK the walls of the cockpit will be too high and will get in the way.  This is my preferred style for trolling because it provides me with a very positive feel of the lure’s action.  I can feel if the lure catches some weed or debris and can fix the problem before wasting time and energy paddling around an ineffective lure, I can also feel a strike instantly.  I also like how close the rod is to my hands and how quickly I can grab my rod and set the hook.  The only real downfall to this method is that the added drag (from the lure) on one side will mean that you will have to compensate and paddle double time with one arm but this isn’t a big deal once you have conditioned yourself for this sport.

2.    On the Triple Mount.  Scotty makes a wonderful product called the triple mount, it creates the ideal dashboard for the kayak angler.  I use mine for my depth finder, my GPS (when needed) and a rod holder.  It is important to use the centre mount for your rod when trolling for big fish so that the force of a pulling fish is not amplified by the leverage that would be created by trolling from one of the side mounts and so that the drag caused by the lure is minimized.  Of course you don`t need a triple mount, just a single rod holder will accomplish the same result and can be attached to the same base as the triple mount.  This method is nice because your paddle strokes are completely unimpeded and is also well suited for the angler trolling from a SIK.  Depending on how far ahead the rod holder is mounted, this is sometimes a bit of a reach and for the short-armed paddler might not be the best option.

3.    Behind the Seat.  This method requires rod holders to be mounted behind the seat.  Some people use flush-mounted rod holders, I prefer the non-flush mounted but they both work well.  The main advantage is that you will experience less one-sided drag from the lure and therefore could probably paddle at slightly faster speeds.  The downfall is that the rod is behind you but as long as your reel has a clicker on it you will be able to hear the fish hit and grab the rod pretty quickly.  I also prefer my rod tip closer to the water than this will allow but this is more a result of me usually fishing a little deeper.  It is very important that if you troll this way that you use a rod leash to tether everything to the rod holder, this will prevent a fish from snatching your gear!  It is probably a good idea to use rod leashes at all times anyways.

So now you know what lure works the best for trolling musky and pike from a kayak and how to do it.  Now go get some Believers®, get yourself into a kayak and experience some the most exciting fishing there is!

Russ Jones
www.canadiankayakanglers.com

Drifter Holiday Sale

Stuff your stockings with great products from Drifter Tackle, Musky Mania and ERC. All orders over $100 we will take 20% off the order and will ship to you for free (free shipping US Only). If you order by the 7th we will ship it to you by the 14th. This offer will expire on Dec. 31st. Happy Holidays!!!

Start shopping!

Amazing Catches from our customers

Pat Westberg – Musky on the Famous Believer®

Valentine Fernandes – Musky

Welcome to Issue 8 of the Drifter Newsletter

In this edition!

• Fall Trolling on Shield Lakes by Doug Johnson.
  
• New Drifter Tackle Baits – 4″ Believer’s® and 5″ Stalkers™
  
• A great article by Dick Pearson on open water fishing.
• Video’s of Drifter baits in action.
  

Fall Trolling on Shield Lakes

It’s that time of year. The leaves are starting to fall, Ducks are gathering up for a trip south, Kids are back in school, the lakes empty out, the first killing frost has happened, water temperatures are falling fast. All this means that the tullibees, and whitefish will be thinking about moving into shore in preparation for their annual spawning run. When this happens big muskies begin to travel in search of these schools of prime forage. With a little bit of knowledge you can be there to intercept their travels. It’s Fall trolling time!

The type of trolling that I do on LOTWs and on other shield lakes is probably unique to the shield lakes, that have tullibee (cisco) populations and is quite different than trolling a basin on a small Wisconsin lake, or a large open water lake or river system. I don’t spend much time fishing open water, and when I do I rarely catch anything. What I’m doing is trolling structure that will eventually serve as spawning areas for tullibees. Muskies will be traveling in these areas and are aggressively feeding in the fall.

Here’s what I do. The areas I troll are usually fairly large islands that are somewhat close to areas where tullibees are found. Tullibees are cold water fish, so they usually need water that is over 25-30 feet to survive in the summer months. I usually start to look in areas that have fairly deep water, it’s not absolutely necessary that real deep water is real close by, but it helps. Tullibees will swim long distances, and move into shallow water areas once the water temperatures drop into the 50’s. I look for inlands that allow me to troll fairly close to shore and maintain water depths from 8 to 15 feet. In general the closer I can stay to shore and keep my boat in 8-15 foot of water the better I do.

Once you find areas that you are able to troll you need to be set up with the correct equipment. Because you are trolling rocky shores there’s a great possibility of your lure snagging on the bottom. To increase your chance of not getting snagged it helps greatly to use a long soft tipped rod which allows the lure to “bounce” rather than stick. The rod you use will make a great deal of difference in your success. You should use line counter reels (Okuma’s work great) as that makes setting the lines easier and accurately. I use 100 lb test Spiderwire Stelth line, but any of the new super lines in 80-100 lb test are fine. You’ll need about a four foot leader of at least 90 lb test. I’ve been using

130 lb fluorocarbon or 150lb 19 strand stainless leaders, with good snaps and swivels. Both work well and are easy on the fish, and are necessary to prevent your line from fraying on the rocks.

The lures we use are also very important, both from a fish catching standpoint, and from a snag proof standpoint. The best lure that I’ve found for shield lake trolling is the 10” Jake. Somehow, the lure is by far the best “bouncer” off rocks that I’ve found. Also a greatly added feature is that it is also a great fish producer. I would guess that 95% of all the fish I’ve caught trolling the past 15 years or so (whenever Jakes first came out) have been caught on Jakes. They flat out work! I do use some other lures, 8” and 10” Believers, and 10” Stalkers also catch fish. Favorite colors vary from year to year, they all seem to work at times.

The actually fishing is a lot harder than it looks! You need to be constantly watching your depth finder and well as the shore line. Sometimes the shore line will forecast a possible boat or motor rock problem, but sometimes it doesn’t. The biggest problem with shield lake trolling is close encounters with the Canadian shield. It sometimes takes many runs around the same structure to get a feel for what you need to do to safely get your boat around with out hitting something, and several more times to figure out how to present your lure properly to the fish. I usually troll some where around 4MPH, but slow down and speed up as necessary to get over rocks and around points. With 10” jakes I usually run around 40” of line on the inside rod and 50” on the out side rod, and vary this some with the lure used.

Trolling sounds boring, but it’s sure not in the Fall. My best catch rate (fish/hour) is when doing this, my best size average comes when doing this, and four of my five biggest fish have come while Fall trolling. It’s a great way to catch the biggest muskie of your life.

Doug Johnson

Introducing the New 4″ Believer® and 5″ Stalker™

The 4″ Believer® comes in both Straight and Jointed styles and 13 unique color patterns.
Available today from the Drifter Store for $6.50

ORDER NOW

The 5″ Stalker™ comes in straight style and 13 unique color patterns.
Available today from the Drifter Store for $7.50

ORDER NOW

Also available New Drifter Tackle Believer® key chains
Available today from the Drifter Store for $7.50

ORDER NOW

FISHING OUT THERE
by Dick Pearson

Hi Folks. Sure hope your season has gone well so far-complete with big fish and  smiles.

What I want to talk about in this column is fishing ‘out there’,you know,the ‘open water’thing. Some of you have been doing it since opening day,some are thinking its time to try it out there,and some I suspect have never tried it,or have,but without success and have no intention of seriously trying it again.Regardless of what category you’re in,I suspect all of you at times have concerns about  how random it seems when fishing out there.How much water there is,how little‘structure’there appears to be,in reality how futile it seems..Well,lets take a closer look at that and see if we can’t crank(no pun intended)your confidence level up a notch or two.

First a few threshold concepts:

Click here to read entire article….

Drifter Baits In Action

Recently there has been some requests to see our baits in action. We took a trip up to the Detroit river last week to do just that. Click on the picture to see the 10″ Jointed Stalker™ in action. More to follow in the near future.

Some kind words from one of our customers

Hey Luke here are the pics of my daughter and I.

The first one is 49X24″ and was caught on 8″ holo clown Jake™ the second one was 52X23″ also caught on 8″ holo clown Jake™. Both were caught when I was out fishing with my 8 year old daughter on October 5, 2008. Both fish were live released right after the pictures were taken. We practice CPR and are members of Muskies Canada.

Thank you to musky mania for the 8″ Jakes™ they rock.

Mike Parker

Thanks for the Amazing pics Mike!

In this edition!

• Drifter Labor Day Sale
  
• Giant Lake trout with the Famous Believer®
• A great article by Dick Pearson on Confidence.
• Early season fishing on Lake of the Woods by Gary Bartlett.
  
• Drifter Talk messageboard coming soon!
• Drifter Tackle refreshes its brand.

Drifter Labor Day Sale – Starts Friday Aug. 29th

We are clearing overstock on Musky Mania’s Double Trouble™ and Double Maniabou™ in select colors through the Labor Day weekend until September 29th.

Double Trouble™ 20% off – $10.39 in the following colors
- 01 Black & Silver
- 14 Black & Orange
- 16 Gold Fish
- 18 Chartreuse Silver
- 20 Pink & Purple

CLICK HERE TO ORDER DOUBLE TROUBLE™

Double Maniabou™ 22% off – $11.99 in the following colors
- 01 Black & Silver
- 02 Walleye
- 06 Crappie
- 08 Sucker
- 10 Fire Tiger
- 12 Clown
- 14 Black Orange
- 16 GoldFish
- 18 Pink & Purple
- 20 Chartreuse & Silver

CLICK HERE TO ORDER DOUBLE MANIABOU™

Musky Mike’s Trolling Secrets Book Now Available

This years book features 30 new baits and an updated guide on trolling for big game fish and it’s printed on the same quality waterproof paper as before. For more information on this valuble resource visit muskytrollingsecrets.com.

Order today!

The Famous Believer® does well with some large Lakers

Bill Rager sends along some great pics of some very big Lake Trout being caught on Drifter’s 10″ Believer. These great fish were caught during a recent trip to Lac La Marte. All of the fish were caught on 10 inch Believers® both straight and jointed in  Fire Tiger and Orange Tiger colors. That’s some amazing catches!

Confidence
by Dick Pearson

As I sit down to write this column its April and while trying to decide on a topic I get a call from a friend who says,”Dick there’s still 25 inches of ice on Lake Of The Woods, last year I was trolling for lakers there at this time, what’s going to happen on the opener?”

Coincidentally,last night another friend had e-mailed about a recent crappie ice fishing  trip to Rainy Lake wondering about the effect of extremely low water on his opener there.

Then, as I thought about an e-mail I had recently received from another friend from Wisconsin asking me to comment on his ‘plan’ for an upcoming trip to Lake Of The Woods it hit me, within days three friends with over 75 years of combined muskie fishing experience were expressing a lack of confidence in a season that hadn’t even begun. I thought wow, what’s up with that? Upon reflection nothing much really. Everyone,myself included,lacks confidence at times when fishing muskies. It goes with the territory.

Why? The friend from Wisconsin nailed it in his e-mail I think. He stated “I should be able to figure something out,again having confidence is the key, it’s too easy to talk yourself out of a good idea with these fish, they just don’t give a lot of positive feedback, there’s just not enough of them.” Exactly. Unfortunately he’s right, there are times when even doing things ‘right’ doesn’t work. Tough to stay confident knowing that isn’t it?

So what is confidence? Websters New World dictionary tells us confidence is trust, reliance, assurance, a fact of being or feeling certain, a firm belief in ones abilities. OK, so that’s what it is,but how do we get it,how do we lose it,and most importantly,how do we get it back when we temporarily lose it?

Click here to read entire article….

Early Season Fishing
Gary Bartlett is a Coast Guard Captain and guides on the Lake of the Woods from the Northwest Angle of Minnesota for muskies.

The waters of Lake of the Woods (LOW) were no different from waters anywhere in the northern states.  The open water season started with late ice out conditions followed by much rain and cool temperatures.  This affected the muskie spawn.  I saw muskies spawning in May and still spawning in July.  These conditions brought new challenges to us fishermen.  Different areas of the Northwest Angle of LOW produced varying muskie responses to baits, if any at all.  Some areas that have been successful during the first few weeks of the season held few fish, while other areas held some fish.

For the most part the basic baits again caught fish once you located them.
My early season choices consisted of Lilly Tails™, Sneaky Pete’s™, and Grinders™.  Remember the fish will be in the weeds and bays for the first few weeks of the muskie season in Canada.

This is how I attack and fish the weeds; commonly referred to as slop.

The Lilly Tail™ is an awesome bait that works very well over the weed tops.  This bait is designed and best used as a bulging bucktail.  Move the bait fast until it starts to bulge then slowly slow the speed of the retrieve keeping it bulging.

When I cover the lower portion of the weed beds I will use a Grinder™.  This year I have been using the 2 ounce, as it settles and stays down in the cabbage better then the lighter versions.  The heavier Grinder™ also allows you to move the bait faster which enables you to cover more area in a shorter amount of time.  When using the Grinder™ remember to point your rod directly at the bait.  With a little bit of practice you will be able to retrieve the bait without weed foul-ups.  Since I am talking about slop fishing I will mention that if a bait has weeds on it – do not give up.  Muskies will hit a weed clogged bait.

The top producing bait for this year was the Sneaky Pete™. This bucktail is reversed tied which makes casting it effortless as the hair will not have the wind resistance like a regular bucktail.  A fast to very fast retrieve is what produces.  You can bulge, burn, or slow retrieve the Sneaky Pete™.  Bulging and burning over weed tops are the key presentations for me this time of year.   My congratulation here goes to Jim J.  Who in his third time muskie fishing used the Sneaky Pete™ to catch a 45” and a 47” on opening day.  I was using the Sneaky Pete™ and getting most of the follows in the boat so I took the bait off my line and snapped it onto Jim’s and the rest is history.

This is a short summary of my early season fishing on LOW.  I have thrown the Exo on rock points and it too has yielded some nice fish for me and the Turbine with the #8 blades caught a 49” muskie for me.  I will talk more about these baits in another month.

Drifter Talk message board coming soon!

Continuing our efforts to give our customers the best experience from our web sites, we are adding a message board for open discussions on all products. This will offer users valuable information on how to use our baits, possible support questions and a forum-based connection to the Drifter Tackle team. We hope to have Drifter Talk live by sometime in August and will be accessible from the Drifter Tackle website.

Drifter Tackle logo gets a fresh coat of paint.

Drifter Tackle updated its logo last month to help allign the tackle manufactuers brand with both the Musky Mania and ERC brands. Michael Paulus, Creative Director at Deploy worked with Drifter Tackle in designing all of the Drifter Tackle, Inc. brands over the past year. “It was important to bring all the brands together stylistically to help unify the entire brand family.” Paulus said.

Deploy is a multi-disciplined creative studio located in Toledo, Ohio, that specializes in interactive web design and development but has a passion for all things creative. http://www.deploycreative.com

In this edition!

• A great article by Dick Pearson on Experimentation.
• An amazing story about catching Giant Trevally’s and Queenfish on Musky Mania’s Doc™.
• Drifter Tackle announces the 2nd Edition MuskyMike’s™ Trolling Secrets handbook.
• Musky Mania announces the New Exo-L™.

Musky Mania™ does it again with all new Exo-L™

Back in February we introduced the Exo™ family of soft plastics as part of our 2008 new bait line-up. We have had a great response so far and as part of our continued dedication to product development, we are now releasing the Exo-L™. The Exo-L™ is a smaller version of the original Exo™ (Exo-XL™) that gives you the same great action in a smaller profile and weight. The Exo-L™ is available today for from our online store for $19.95.

Exo-XL™ – 18″ / 11oz. $24.95  | Order Now!

Exo-L™ – 15″ / 9oz. $19.95 | Order Now!

Exo-M™ – Coming soon!

MuskyMike’s™ Trolling Secrets 2nd Edition is on the press!

Drifter Tackle is happy to announce that we are now publishing the famous MuskyMike’s Trolling Secrets™ book. For the past couple of months we have been working on the 2nd Edition to get it ready for press and are happy to say it will be available for shipment on July 14th. You can preorder the book today at our online store for $24.95. This years book features 30 new baits and an updated guide on trolling for big game fish and it’s printed on the same quality waterproof paper as before. For more information on this valuble resource visit muskytrollingsecrets.com.

Pre-order today!

Welcome to Pearson’s Corner!

Experimenting
by Dick Pearson

Hi folks. I write this just after returning from the Canadian opener. Only spent two days but had a great time and boated some very nice fish. One of the many things I enjoy about the opener is I get to test the many ‘experiments’ I’ve invested time and money in over the winter. Occasionally they work, most often they don’t. With respect to homemade or home modified lures, the experiments have a chance if I can get my wife to do the actual work involved. She’s definitely a ‘hands on’ farm girl as opposed to me, the ‘hands off’ city slicker. Heck, I have to admit that occasionally its her idea-and work-that works. For instance starting in the 70’s she was the first I knew to drill holes in Suick tails and attach small spinner blades that flutter which each jerk, and her weighted Bobbie baits are still sought after by many old timers in the know. I digress but anyway, with respect to lures, this year was no exception and I had a number to try.

Click here to read entire article….

The Doc™ takes on the Giant Trevally

Tony Luscombe’s experience with Musky Mania’s Doc™

“Dear friends,
Enclosed you will find photos of the 58lb. Giant Trevally and a Queenfish both caught on the Musky Mania Doc™ glidebait that is also enclosed for your inspection after the abuse it took from the Trevally. Pound for pound this may be the hardest hitting and strongest fighter among fish of the world. It is certainl far stronger than any other fish I have caught including a 100lb. Baby Bluefin Tuna.

Before taking my trip to Oman, in the United Arab Emirates, I saw your lures on the internet and their size and type of lure prompted me to want to try them on the Giant Trevally. It would appear that my decision paid off. I am also including some pictures of the damage other lures suffered by the attacks of these brutes. You can clearly see that your lure withstood the abuse much better than the others.

I like to experiment and have found that many freshwater lures also do well in saltwater. Most lures used for the Giant Trevally are made in Japan of hardwoods and given an incredible fine finish. These lure can cost anywhere from $40-$70 each. While they certainly catch fish, I find that a bit expensive for my taste. Obviously, another reason for experimenting with more reasonable costing lures.

I hope my little experiment will be some help to your company and I am sure that the Doc™ will produce on Stripers here locally on Long Island.”

Best regards,
Tony Luscombe
New York, NY

Pearson’s Bump & Grind™ from ERC™ (ESOX Research Company)
The Pearson’s Grinder just got louder!
Inspired by Dick Pearson’s Grinder, this bait comes armed with a large Colorado blade that delivers a thump that you will first notice at your rod tip. You will also feel the shake right through your rod handle. While maintaining its unique grinding action, the big Colorado blade creates a more noticeable audible footprint and greater lift as it comes through the water. Bump and Grind™ through those thick weed beds that big predators like to submerge in and watch for the wake to appear behind the bait as slumbering giants come up to inhale the sound and vibration that calls and drives them to attack!

The Bump & Grind™ comes in 1oz. 2oz. 3oz. and 5oz. sizes and 6 exciting colors.

More info at http://esoxresearch.com/prodBumpGrind.php

Turbine™ from Musky Mania™
This bait screams “Big Fish”!
The Turbine™ is a tandem bladed in-line spinner bait aptly named for it’s ability to move large quantities of water. You’ll feel the Power and Electricity the TURBINE creates when large Muskies and Northerns begin appearing and crushing the Turbine™. The Large twin #8,#10, or #12 Colorado Blades create enormous vibration and a distinctive Sonic Impression as it comes through the water. A vortex created behind these huge blades brings the SiliFlash™ & Flashbou® skirts to life as the strands and tentacles dance and pulsate to the beat of the blades, mimicking the shimmering flash of fleeing bait fish. This Awesome combination of Power, Vibration and unparalleled Flash accompanied by massive razor sharp 7/0 Trebles results in a signature that spells one thing? BIG FISH!

The Turbine™ is Available in (3) Sizes and (6) Amazing Colors:
8KW (Kilowatt) #8 Colorado Blades, 8” long and weigh 3oz.)
10KW (Kilowatt) #10 Colorado Blades, 10” long and weigh 4oz.)
12KW (Kilowatt) #12 Colorado Blades, 12” long and weigh 5oz.)

More info at http://muskymania.com/products/turbine.php

Lamprey™ from Musky Mania™
Finally a Swimbait that actually swims!
Inspired by the Burt™ Jerkbait, the Lamprey™ is a cast and retrieve softbait with realistic paddle tail action. The Lamprey’s™ shape and design combines the enticing paddle tail motion with a side-to-side rocking motion of the head and body. This hard-nosed bait gives an unparalleled life-like action compared to conventional swimbaits, where all the motion comes solely from the tail. The Lamprey™ combines the rock and roll action of traditional crankbaits with the life-like action and feel of traditional soft plastic swimbaits. Bottom line, this bait is alive and once they bite down fish won’t let go!

The Lamprey™ is 10” in length, 5oz. in weight and available in 7 Amazing Colors:

More info at http://muskymania.com/products/lamprey.php

Exo™ from Musky Mania™
This craw does it all!
EXO™ is a hand poured soft plastic imitation swim bait that represents a natural food source within the predator food chain. When casting this CRAWFISH FORM as a crankbait the live action curly tail virtually brings this bait to life, making it irresistible to even the pickiest of big game fish. The Exo’s™ life-like qualities and Flashbou® tail accents, create a highly visible target very similar to real crawfish. The added flair of a curly tail that creates a vibrant footprint and attracts large game fish such as Muskie, Northern Pike and Striper…EXO™ LOOKS, SWIMS and FEELS like the REAL DEAL !

The Exo™ is 20” from head to tail, weighs in at 12oz. and available in 7 Amazing Colors:

More info at http://muskymania.com/products/exo.php

BELIEVER’S ON BOARDS

Have you ever felt intimidated while fishing a large “super clear” body of water? I’m talking about bodies of water like the Great Lakes, Georgian Bay or Lake St. Clair. You may ask yourself, “Where do I start, What should I use, How will I ever cover all of this water? These questions have only one simple answer. Troll 10” Jointed Believers on planer boards in the section of the lake that is holding the most baitfish and muskies. Yeah right, if it were only that easy. Well it can be if you learn to master the art of trolling for muskies using planer boards.

Let’s start by analyzing my bold statement in the last paragraph – Troll 10” Jointed Believers… Why? Well let’s see, there is not a trolling bait made that has more built in action than the Believer, where its side to side sweep/wander can cover an amazing 6+ feet and in doing so also changes depths all without having to pump the rod or impart any action into the lure. In 2006 the Catch and Release World Record Muskie was caught on a 10” Jointed Believer, also past experience has shown me that 95% of my trolling muskies in the U.S and Canada have been caught on 10” Jointed Believers and then there is the very well known fact that the Believer has more “World Class” muskies under its belt than any other muskie crankbait on the market today. I think you can begin to understand why it’s my #1 go to lure for trolling.

Next, planer boards… Wait a minute; I thought planer boards were only used to troll for Walleye or Salmon. Actually, planer boards have been used by muskie fisherman for more than 10 years on Lake St. Clair and various muskie fisheries in the Eastern United States and the technique is quickly gaining in popularity on other bodies of water around the country. Planer boards spread a lure laterally away from each side of the boat which helps an angler cover more water by being able to run multiple lines (check local regulations on lines/angler), they also make turning easier and reduce tangling, but most importantly planer boards have played a huge part in my success rate on “Super Clear” bodies of water in triggering strikes from fish that may be spooked away from the boat. I am afraid to think about the amount of fish that get overlooked due to this unfortunate scenario. The truth is in the numbers, on my last muskie trip to Canada where the water is gin clear a whopping 9 of the 10 muskies hooked where on planer board rods and the trip before that we went 8 of 11 on the planer boards that’s 17 muskies on boards and 4 on the boat rods – I think you get the picture.

O.K now to the most mystifying part of the statement I made earlier,” the section of the lake holding the most baitfish and muskie.” Again I have a very simple answer to help you breakdown your favorite body of water and also help you to more understand the key elements used when trolling for muskies with planer boards. First I need to shed some light on the baitfish thing. In my area in Canada, I am targeting both muskies suspending in open water and muskies relating to structure such as rock humps and shelves. One reason I choose a 10” Believer for this type of trolling is because my target range for a lures depth is 10-20 feet to stay around baitfish/muskies whether I am in open water or trolling structure and this lure covers that range very well. Also keep in mind I am talking about a gin clear body of water so Drifter Tackle’s natural color patterns such as Finlander Cisco for open water trolling and Perch or Walleye for trolling structure tend to be my best producers. Knowing what forage your muskies feed on most and the times of year they feed on them is a very important part of your trolling success. Once you have figured out what type baitfish you are targeting and you know their depth ranges and you know the depth ranges of the structure you will be fishing you are ready to set up your system and start trolling.

There are 3 key elements to trolling with planer boards. First is obtaining the right lure depth. The desired lure depth is obtained by lengthening or shortening the distance of line between your rod and your lure. Simply put, the more line that is out the deeper the bait will run and the less line that is out the shallower the bait will go. I have found that using line counter reels and making a lure depth chart has greatly improved my efficiency on the water. My lure depth chart for trolling 10” Jointed Believers on 100# braided line in my desired depth ranges are as follows:(may vary with different speed/conditions) 85 feet of line = 12 feet deep, 100 feet of line = 15 feet deep, and 125 feet of line = 18-20 feet deep.

The second key element is trolling speed. The right speed can mean the difference between catching muskies and not catching anything at all. My average speed for trolling 10” Believers on planer boards ranges between 3.0 and 4.5 miles per hour. Finding out what speed it will take for your muskies to eat is just a process of elimination. Keep in mind these baits will troll with the same great action from 2 to 6+ miles per hour.

The third key element to trolling with planer boards is setting a pattern and reproducing what has just worked for you. Being able to duplicate the situation that caught a muskie is the difference between catching muskies by chance and catching muskies consistently. For example, if I catch a muskie on a planer board rod with 100 feet of line out on a Perch colored Believer trolling at 3.9 miles per hour, I will immediately set that lure back at the same 100 feet and will key in on that trolling speed of 3.9 miles per hour. I will then put another Perch colored Believer on the other planer board rod and troll it 100 feet back. You can see how setting a pattern using planer boards can be very efficient and easy.

I think it is obvious that the days of just grabbing a lure out of your tackle box and hopelessly dragging it behind the boat are over. By taking a systematic approach to trolling you will be able to target fish that were previously overlooked. On your next muskie trip make sure you try trolling Believer’s on planer boards. I’m sure you will have the same success as I have. Good Luck!!!

Equipment List:

• Lakewood tacklebox full of Believers
• Big Jon Trolling Mast
• Homemade wood planer boards (can get plans from www.mssfa.com)
• Offshore Tackle OR-30 Muskie Release Clips (These even hold 13” Believers)
• Down-East Rod holders on Traxstech adjustable bases
• Shimano Line Counter Reels on 7’ 9” Heavy St. Croix rods
• 100# Power Pro Braided Line
• Stealth Tackle Leaders (130# Fluorocarbon & 175# solid strand)

Chris Walker is owner of Indiana Fishing Adventures Guide Service which specializes in Muskie and Smallmouth Bass trips in Indiana . He also spends 7 weeks a year dedicated to trolling Lake Huron in search of “World Class” Muskies. Chris can be reached via his website at www.indianafishingadventures.com or 317-727-8432

Drifter Tackle Introduces 2008 Standard Color Charts
Drifter Tackle has standardized its color charts across all of it brands for 2008. Starting in January we will we be offering new as well as some classic color patterns for the Drifter Tackle, Musky Mania and Esox Research catalogs. The color charts are now available for download on the Drifter Tackle website via this link: Catalog and Color Charts

Believer® Named in the Top Five Muskie Lures by Outdoor Life
In the July issue of Outdoor Life Magazine, Patricia Strutz puts the Believer® at #5 as a must have bait when fishing for muskie. Just below a line of classic muskie tackle, including Joe Butcher’s Topraider, the Suick Thriller, the Bull Dawg and Mepps Musky Killer.

Drifter Tackle now available at Dick’s Sporting Goods
We are happy to announce that Drifter Tackle baits will now be available for purchase at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Pittsburgh-based Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel, and footwear in a specialty store environment. As of January 28, 2006 the Company operated 255 stores in 34 states primarily throughout the Eastern half of the U.S.

We are thoroughly excited about this agreement and look forward to seeing our baits in-stores this spring.

Feature Story
Catch & Release World Record Muskie caught on The Famous Believer®
November 20, 2006

It’s offical, a Catch & Release World Record Muskie caught on the Famous Believer®. Kevin Davison hooked the 58-inch Musky while fishing with his brother on Northern Ontario’s Lake Nipissing on October 6th, 2006.

The two brothers were trolling the lake when the large fish took to a 10″ Fire Perch Jointed Believer®. I’ve caught several muskies in the past, but this is definitely a catch of lifetime…” said Kevin’s brother, Gary Davison.

Rather than keeping the fish for mounting, Kevin and his brother released what could have been close to the Canadian record, a 65-pound musky caught by Ken O’ Brien back in 1988. Interestingly O’Brien’s fish was also 58-inches in length.

Lake Nipissing is one of Ontario’s best known fisheries, attracting thousands of anglers each year from Canada and the U.S.A. Muskies are caught regularly in Nipissing but the lake has never been considered a true trophy fishery among the musky fraternity. With Davison’s fish however, that may soon change.

Crash Mullins Video
“Crash” Mullins: Southern Style Musky Fishing video.

This 65-minute DVD features Crash with his son, Justin, and local guests. 4 chapters cover different techniques used specific to four reservoirs — Cave Run Lake, Green River Lake and Buckhorn Lake in Kentucky and Melton Hill Lake, near Knoxville. High paced action, with numerous big muskies makes this video a must have for the avid angler. One section in specific features the Drifter Tackle’s Super Stalker™ where Crash nets a nice Musky figure 8 style at boat side. You can see the video clip on our web site. Super Stalker™ Clip

Crash Mullins, recognized as one of the Top Five Musky Fishing Experts in North America, has chased these toothy critters for a quarter of a century; earning him the title of “The Southern Musky Fishing Expert.” web site.

We have Crash’s DVD available for sale at the Drifter Online Store. Order Now!

New Look for the Musky
Musky Mania logo gets a redesign

Sticking with the base of the original Musky character we gave this famous mark a fresh coat of paint.