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2010 MuskieFIRST Online Seminar Series, Tony Grant

Category: chat

 Mar 11th, 2010 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Mar 11th, 2010 at 12:00 AM

Steve_Worrall: MuskieFIRST Welcomes Tony Grant, Welcome, Tony!

Steve_Worrall: Fire away with the questions!

archerynut36: when do your fish spawn in Kentucky

leech_lake_strain: when using big swimbaits what method do you find on average proves more success ripping, slow roll, ect

Tony_Grant: Not an expert on those guys , but with other rubber I like ti pull and drop

Steve_Worrall: What does the early Muskie season on the Cave look like Tony?

jdsplasher: Tony; How successful was your school last year on Vermilion?

Tony_Grant: Slow start can be good the long term rain looks to be below average that a good thing
 
Steve_Worrall: Hows the water level now?

Tony_Grant: Big V School had 2 good days 4 bad days and nights tough

Tony_Grant: It was successful causes everybody had a great time
 
Stinky: Tony, was Chad Cain’s recent big fish caught on your Rattlin’ Shad?
 
Tony_Grant: The Big V kick my butt last year for the most part

_lil__Tuffy: I know you guys use rattlebaits alot, I’ve even heard of throoling them, what kind of depths can you achieve while trolling rattle baits?

Tony_Grant: That was a great fish caught on one of my very old patterns

Tony_Grant: What a pig
 
NOFEAR: Can you talk about color a little bit. Does color really matter when throwing bucktails (Cowgirls) and are there certain baits that color is more important than others.

Brad_R: Tony, what rod length and action of the Okuma’s do you use for 10’s, how bout Mag Dawgs?

Tony_Grant: I think Gregg has about 10 so far trolling them there great a 3 to 4 mph but longlining works We troll in 3 feet with them

leech_lake_strain: do you change your retrieve with every cast or how often do you change speed or action

Tony_Grant: I use Lamiglas rods for over 15 years now, but Okuma 9 3 is a hell of a rod and ad the price its a no brainer for the big stuff

Tony_Grant: I have found color is a big part of all baits

archerynut36: what are your favorit colors

Tony_Grant: When you have 6 guides working out of a resort and when you meet at night to report to many times color is matched with the guys that caught fish

jdsplasher: Tony; What are your favorite topwater baits?

Steve_Worrall: Do you have open guiding dates available on the Cave this Spring?

Tony_Grant: If I am casting in the tight same area I almost always change up

Tony_Grant: Cave Run Chart Orange Pink

Tony_Grant: Up north Pinl browns and golds

Tony_Grant: Cant beat the top raider but at times the Pacemakers my choice.

Tony_Grant: Love creepers more and more

scares_fish: When trying to pattern fish, how long do you work a bait before changing to a different bait?  After you change baits do you worj an area a second time or move to new water?

archerynut36: in the pacemakers do u like the wood ones or the new plastic ones

Tony_Grant: I have just a few but Scott, Jimmy B Lance, Darrly and good old Charlie have opennings

Tony_Grant: I often work the same areas over many times making lure changes

archerynut36: do u fish the same area at different angles
 
Tony_Grant: I like both Pacemakers it seems you can get more speed when neeeded out of the plastic without rolling
 
Tony_Grant: Every piece of structure is worth 2 shots

leech_lake_strain: what’s your thoughts on walk the dog top waters, not as much action maybe or?

Tony_Grant: Good action low percentage hook up but sometimes that’s what they want

Steve_Worrall: What waters are you guiding this year, and when do you make the move to new areas?

scares_fish: Is it more important to match the forage of a lake or play the weather ( sunny vs overcast)?

Tony_Grant: Ill get to Vilas during the first week of June my 8th year at Bonnies Lakeside

Muskyhunter24: What is the night bite like on the cave?

Tony_Grant: For the hours Ive put in poor

Tony_Grant: Scres-fish is that a trick question

archerynut36: when u use rattlebaits do they work better being burned or just straight cranked

Steve_Worrall: What is your favorite Wisconsin lake/sysyem?

scares_fish: After I typed it and re-read it I was wondering myself

TJ: what makes you troll or cast in spring, how do you decide?

Tony_Grant: Love Twin, Seven Mile Kentuck

Tony_Grant: I troll when I can’t catch um casting or by customer request

Tony_Grant: Many days trollers and casters find the same success

Tony_Grant: I love the Chip it kicks my butt but what a body of water Ive had some big shots there

Muskyhunter24: do you prefer the clear or the dark side?
 
Tony_Grant: You have to mix up the rattlebaits
 
TJ: any particular baits you prefer for trolling and casting?

Booted_Again: How are the Launchs @ the cave and parking ?

Tony_Grant: Its fun and challenging to fish both

Tony_Grant: Perfect

Tony_Grant: Love trolling the Krushers also Leo Lures and Tuff Shad

Lars: What are some major differences you find fishing Kentucky lakes vs. northern lakes?
 
jdsplasher: Whats the deepest you run your cranks on the cave?

Tony_Grant: Steve are we going to get together a Muskie first outing for 2011?

Steve_Worrall: yes we are, for sure

Steve_Worrall: 2011 Sprng Outing On the Cave

Brad_R: Do you downsize lures in Vilas?
 
Tony_Grant: Reservoirs, imagine fishing a lake that one day is clear and stable water then two days later fishing a 4 foot jump in coffee colored water

Steve_Worrall: Some of the best we’ve had have been at the Cave

Tony_Grant: Not only to have 2 more days when the water has been released

Tony_Grant: The Lakes are tuff as any we average a 14 foot swing to water pools
Buckhorn in near 30 and Green River over 20 That some changin stuff tuff to pattern
archerynut36: when in muddy water do u see that  noise outdoes vibration? or vice versa
Tony_Grant: Yea alot Ill get back in size early although my largest June fish came on the monster medusa

MIKE: What is your number one confidence bait on the Cave?

Tony_Grant: I think its a combo of Noise speed and vibration that is most successful

Tony_Grant: Chartrese black dot hellhound in spring

Tony_Grant: Maybe THE BIG BANANNA SLEDGE

MIKE: Good Choice!
 
Tony_Grant: Love the rattlebait bite

TJ: What’s one piece of advice to a guy coming to the Cave for the first time ever in the spring?

Tony_Grant: YOu can’t get to shallow

Booted_Again: Whats the best times to be on the water at the cave in the spring , or does it really not matter changes by the day ??

Tony_Grant: Numbers early bigger in late April and May although some hawgs are caught early like the one on the opening page

MIKE: Do you use the big saltwater reels like the Trinidad up north or down south?

Tony_Grant: No just my Okumas
 
Tony_Grant: Speed is key sometimes up in Minnesota I am going to try the Saltise?

Brad_R: What do you think about the st Louis river fishery?

Steve_Worrall: Any insight as to the new Okuma on the way in the 400 size?

chasintails: I’m considering a trip down to the cave the last week in March.  Do you think that would be a good time to come down or will the fish be going through the motions, and not interested much in eating?

Tony_Grant: Hear great things about it Like the St Croix I can’t wait to fish it

Tony_Grant: most of them will be no where near spawning routine that early

chasintails: what kind of water temps should I expect?

Tony_Grant: I Just started using the Akeena great reel for the price I think they have some big surprises in new reels soon

Tony_Grant: 55 to 60 morning temps can vary 2or 3 each way

chasintails: sorry meant water temps

Tony_Grant: That week generally is our best week of the month

chasintails: Awesome

Tony_Grant: Mother nature’s  queen
 
Lars: Is burning double 10’s as popular down south as it is up north?

Tony_Grant: I never burn double 10s I usually lower to 8’s or 6’s

Tony_Grant: I best percentage with double 10s is slowly moving them above cover just enough to stay out of cover

Steve_Worrall: How dId you do with the Hybrids last season?

Tony_Grant: On these southern waters weather is a big key its allot different fishing rising water than falling clear or muddy
 
Tony_Grant: Not good Steve only 4 over 40 and that the worse year going back to 2002 too COLD WATER Never got where they like it

Booted_Again: hows the cave for wind, boat control , big waves ?? min boat size ?

Tony_Grant: big fat 46 the biggest

Steve_Worrall: Hopefully we’ll have a real Spring and Summer this year

Tony_Grant: Not much of a factor early season in the coves and creeks and not bad when the bite turns to the main lake
 
archerynut36: signal must be bad in mountains..lol

Tony_Grant: Every thing slow here

Tony_Grant: Got some great fisherman this weekend and it shoukd be exciting I hope
 
chasintails: What kind of water temps are you guys fishing right now?

Tony_Grant: Ive heard of nothing big here yet but is going to happen any day we got 3 today small

TJ: what kind of water temps get things going in the spring at the cave?

heckster: line color? Lb test? @the cave

Tony_Grant: 42 to 43

chasintails: thanks

Tony_Grant: Heavy line helps at the Cave too much timber
 
Tony_Grant: Hey Mark
 
Mark_Gostisha: Hi Tony long Time

Tony_Grant: Miss having a few with you
Mark_Gostisha: Same here
 
Tony_Grant: Mark how’s the north woods

Mark_Gostisha: Covered in ice here.

Mark_Gostisha: No skiing for a while

Tony_Grant: I was with you buddy Dietz this weekend, I guess He’s heading north

Tony_Grant: Good for him

Tony_Grant: the only ice here is in my glass of Makers Mark

Mark_Gostisha: I was late coming in, had to close the store

Mark_Gostisha: have you had a good season?

Tony_Grant: Its always fun

Steve_Worrall: Last questions for Tony?

Tony_Grant: Mark Pack up and head down Ive got a couple of days for you

Lars: Best tactic for pressured waters?

Mark_Gostisha: We will be close in a couple weeks.  Going to Carbondale to see our new grand daughter

archerynut36: sounds like fun mark u should take him up on it
 
Tony_Grant: Prsssured waters are where persistent and confidence pay I’ve seen it happen way to often

Tony_Grant: Stay on the good spots and get your chances

Steve_Worrall: MuskieFIRST Thanks Tony Grant for a very informative hour, thanks again, Tony.

archerynut36: thanks Tony
 
Mark_Gostisha: Be good Tony

Booted_Again: Thanks for your time Tony goodnight and god bless