Feeling the power of a musky strike will always get the blood pumping. Watching it happen with a foot of line out right next to the boat? That’s next-level stuff.
And it’s one of the most common ways to catch muskies. Mercury Pro Team member Jim Saric estimates as many as 40% of the muskies he catches hit at the side of the boat while he’s performing the figure 8 technique.
“It’s one of the most effective techniques in musky fishing,” Saric said of the figure 8. “It’s something you have to do and get good at doing if you want to catch more fish.”
The figure 8 should be done at the end of every cast and retrieve. When the lure gets near the boat, you put your rod tip down and swirl the lure in a figure 8 pattern. There’s no reeling involved. You simply trace the number 8 with the lure.
Finishing the retrieve this way is important because muskies are notorious for following a lure all the way to the boat before striking. The figure 8 keeps the lure in the water and gives the fish an extra chance to bite.
Sometimes you’ll see the fish following, but other times the fish will just “appear” boatside. Doing the figure 8 after every cast ensures you have this extra opportunity to catch that fish, as there are few things more disheartening than to pull your lure out of the water only to look down and see a musky sitting there wondering where its lunch went.
If you want to learn the right way to figure 8, check out Saric’s video below. The host of “The Musky Hunter” show breaks down the little tricks that make a big difference in results.
Here are a few more tips:
- If Saric sees a fish following his lure way out, he immediately does a couple quick cranks with his reel handle to pull the lure away from the fish. If the fish swims faster and its body goes from straight to more of an “S” shape, that’s a sign the fish is committed, meaning you’ve got a good shot at catching that fish.
- When you’re making an outside turn in the figure 8, try to “hesitate” or “hang” the lure before speeding it up in the straightaway. “That hesitation during the change of direction is often when they’ll bite,” said Saric.
- When you start the figure 8, press the thumb bar to put your reel in free spool, with your thumb firmly holding the line. This will allow the fish to run as soon as it bites.
- If the fish comes from behind the lure and strikes, try to set the hook back toward the fish, into its mouth; don’t pull it away.
And one last thing: Try to stay calm. That might be the hardest thing to do when a massive fish is at your feet and you’re about to fight it with a foot of line out. It’s a rush you won’t forget.
For more musky fishing advice from Jim Saric, check out muskyhuntertv.com.