As the title implies, what is your favorite ice-out lure for muskie? I'm talking water temps below 40.  I know many are unable to target them until May because of state regulations, but where I'm going next week there is no closed season.

I've personally had mixed results using smaller lures. A 42in. is my PB on a 6in. Jake in a perch pattern.  I just purchased a Li'l Ernie so I'll have something that runs a bit deeper. I've had follows on smaller bucktails, but never hooked up with them.

I have heard that hollow body swimbaits in  6in.-8in sizes rigged with a stout jig head and slow trolled can be a great alternative to a hard bait, but I've yet to hear from someone that has actually used them.

 

I usually try and downsize and throw smaller bucktails like you mentioned. I also like throwing smaller rubber baits or jerk baits like a Hell Hound. When you get those follows try to burn it back to the boat or change the bait's direction to trigger that strike. And never give up on the figure 8 sometimes it takes several passes back and forth to get that fish to bite.

Ditto small buck-tails. White Musky Vibrax in particular. Back up baits would be 8' Senko types. 

8 hours ago, Brown Town said:

 

Just use a 4" keitech on a jighead haha

3 minutes ago, everythingthatswims said:

Just use a 4" keitech on a jighead haha

 

I kind of figured you'd say something like that - wonder why ?

A-Jay

 

Cold water muskies are some of my favorite fish to catch.  My best producing lure by far during this time is a 6" Fat AZ Sloppy Swimmer (rubber paddletail swimbait).  I take the bottom hook off and craw this sucker slowly on the bottom, sometimes taking 3 or 4 minutes a cast.  Here's a musky caught last Spring in 38 degree water temps using this technique.  I should be out there now, but I just haven't had the chance (I know, weak excuse)

May?  Try June 10 up here.

Savage 10in slow sink line thru trout, for me this season. But it's probably way different out where I live, and ours are tigers. My most productive has been an 8in hellhound super slow rolled. Won't let me load the pic cause it's too big but I caught a majority of them with ice still on the edges. I know most people downsize but I have found 8 to 10inch glides and swim baits work well for me. I do understand that most of you fish pure strains but we don't have them here so my view may be slightly skewed.