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10 Best Muskie Lures for this Season

Looking to catch trophy muskie this season? You landed on the right article! If you’re heading out to catch a big muskellunge, be prepared with the best muskie lures on the market. Since you can catch trophy musky with many types of lures, whether you prefer spinnerbaits or spoons, there’s a lure that suits your fishing style.

Top 10 Muskie Lures

Fishmasters has compiled a list of high-quality lures that are sure to help you entice musky to bite. Pick from the best musky lures, known for making great catches!

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These are the Best Fishing Lures for Musky

  1. Savage Gear 3D Burbot Softbai Lure
  2. Lixada Fishing Pike Lures
  3. Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait
  4. Rat-L-Trap Lure
  5. Heddon Rattle Spook Lure 
  6. Original Dardevle Spoons
  7. Livetarget Hollow Body Frog 
  8. Rapala Original Floating Minnow
  9. Rapala Super Shad Rap
  10. Musky Innovations Swimmin’ Dawg

 


 

Savage Gear 3D Burbot Softbait Lure

burbot pike lure

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Big Pike Musky LOVE Burbot! This would be my number one trolling lure for trophy muskie.  A Superb realistic burbot imitation that can be fished trolling or casting! 3D Scanned details and incredible swimming action will fool even the most wary predator fish to go for the kill!

The detailed pectorial side fins move with erratic motion, and the tail eels super enticing at the same time – just like a burbot swimming suspended midwater, even the small whisker under the chin, vibrates with micro movement as the lure glides thru the water. The inside harness is designed so the lure can either be rigged as a line thru, with an ABS line thru tube or with the fixed clip release rig, to ensure less lost fish and less damage to the lure, from the sharp teeth from the Pike and Musky during the fight.

The Lure is balanced, so it swims, gliding forward and downwards with the perfect characteristic Burbot profile. From the “small” 25cm, to the perfect 36cm all-rounder and the giant 50cm this is your new magic tool to lure the giant Pike & Musky.

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Lixada Fishing Pike Lures

small pike lure

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This lure is literally a small pike as a lure to catch much bigger musky.  Musky definitely like eating up younger juvenile pike who swim too close to the big fish. 3D realistic looking eyes and body make it a life like fish.

It has lifelike appearance and can create S-swimming motion at any speed to provoke predator to bite. Durable ABS construction make it rigged with sharp treble hooks which makes it a powerful catching tool.

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Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait


booyah pikee spinnerbait pike lure

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Spinners are always excellent lure to use when fishing. With their flashing colors and vibrations, you can successfully attract fish with spinners. Since the Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait was made with musky in mind, you can rest assured that this is a solid purchase. Besides musky, The Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait is also ideal for catching bass and pike.

But what exactly makes this spinner stand apart from the rest? First, the spinner has a Vibra-Flx wireframe, which is incredibly strong and durable, which is necessary for catching large, strong fish like muskie. Along with the wireframe, there’s a 12 inch steel leader. This feature prevents musky and other fish from biting through your fishing line. 

 If you’re fishing in waters with reeds or dense vegetation, choose the Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait. Although there’s always a chance that the spinner’s movement causes it to be trapped, the design of the lure helps to stop your hook from getting stuck in any weeds.

The Silo-Tek skirt moves through the water to mimic small bait, so musky will bite. The Booyah Pikee Spinnerbait comes in a variety of colors, like Perch, Red Craw, and Shad. The lures are created to look more lifelike, and the lures have bits of shiny metal that attract fish. Along with the strength of the lure, this spinnerbait is optimal for catching muskie.

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Rat-L-Trap Lure


rat-l-trap pike lure

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Although it’s small, the Rat-L-Trap Lure is mighty. The Rat-L-Trap Lure doesn’t have the same flash and vibration as a spinnerbait, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t attract musky. The most appealing feature of this lure is the rattling sound the lure makes. The rattling sounds like a school of wounded fish, so the sound signals a musky’s prey. 

As for its look, this lure resembles a minnow. There’s a long list of colors to choose from, and some of them resemble bleeding fish. Styles like Gold Bleeding Shad combine shine and wounded bait to attract your catch. This can be more appealing for pike. With the rattling sound and appearance of wounded small fish, musky and other large fish are enticed to bite. 

The paint is quite realistic, but it chips, especially since musky have a strong bite. One option is to buy a few lures, but that can get more expensive. However, for its quality and ability to catch muskie, it’s worth the cost to have a couple Rat-L-Trap Lures in your toolbox.  While the paint may chip, the lure itself doesn’t get damaged easily. For a small lure to catch strong fish, it’s very durable.

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Heddon Rattle Spook Lure


heddon rattle spook pike lure

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When you’re catching musky, lures that create sound are a major benefit. The Heddon Rattle Spook Lure does just that. To create sounds, the Heddon Rattle Spook Lure relies on tungsten ball bearings in a chamber within the lure. The rattling sounds imitate the noise baitfish make when they’re fleeing, so pike know that this noise means dinner. 

If you’re fishing using a “walk the dog” technique, this is the lure for you. Trolling and casting are popular techniques, but this lure is fantastic when you’re “walking the dog.” This technique involves making the lure move from side to side. The lure also darts around in the water, much like wounded prey. 

With two Mustad treble hooks, your musky will stay firmly attached to your lure. These hooks are extremely sharp, so be careful! To get those muskie on your hooks, the lure’s color has plenty of shine to attract fish. The Heddon Rattle Spook Lure is fairly realistic, especially when combined with the sound from the rubbing tungsten ball bearings. The lure is made of plastic.

On Amazon, you need to pay a shipping fee for the lure to be delivered, but if you’re looking for a lure with a good sound and movements, choose the Heddon Rattle Spook Lure.

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Original Dardevle Spoons


original dardevle pike spoons

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Do you prefer casting or trolling to fishing with a “walk the dog” technique? Spoons are great lures if you’re casting or trolling, and Original Dardevle Spoons are the best spoons when it comes to fishing for musky. This lure is excellent for catching other freshwater fish. Use this spoon for catching pike and walleye, too. 

For over 100 years, this spoon has been a go-to choice for fishermen. When a lure has been around this long, you can rest assured knowing it’ll be a good purchase. One attractive quality is the way the spoon wobbles in the water. The curve of the spoon gives it a unique movement in the water to tempt musky and other freshwater fish to take the bait. 

Although Dardevle Spoons don’t imitate a smaller baitfish and are not realistic models, they’re still successful when it comes to attracting fish. Along with the spoon’s movements, the bright yellow color will also entice musky. Since the color is striking, this lure works well in murky and darker waters in addition to clear water. This Dardevle Spoon is ¾ ounces, but if you’re looking for a larger lure, you can find them in the 1 ounce size. 

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Livetarget Hollow Body Frog


livetarget hollow body frog pike lure

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If you’re looking for a realistic bait that isn’t a type of fish, try Livetarget’s Hollow Body Frog. When you’re frog fishing, bring Livetarget’s bait for fishing trip with a large catch. For bigger types of fish like northern pike or musky, frog fishing in a very good choice. In waters with vegetation like weeds or lily pads, a frog is an excellent choice as bait or lure. Some lures can get caught by weeds, but the design of these frogs prevents them from getting stuck. Ultimately, this leads to a smooth fishing experience!

The body of the Livetarget Hollow Frog is made with soft plastic. As a bonus, the PVC material is environmentally friendly! Even though the Hollow Frog is soft, it’ll keep your pike firmly attached to the lure, thanks to the sharp hooks hidden in the body. The plastic and hooks are high-quality and sturdy. 

Livetarget’s lure is so realistic, from the colors and patterns to the eyes of the frog. The frog lures are covered with spots to mimic live ones. You can select from a wide variety of colors, like Emerald Brown and Yellow Black. Although bright colors tend to attract fish more often, you can still catch musky with a Tan Brown or Brown Black lure. If you do have a darker lure, try to avoid murky waters where the lure will be difficult to spot. Livetarget’s Hollow Frogs also come in sizes that start from 1-¾ inches and go up to 2-¼ inches. 

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Rapala Original Floating Minnow


rapala original floating minnow pike lure

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For nearly any fish, you can expect to see a lure from Rapala as a top-rated lure. For musky, the Rapala Original Floating Minnow is a great option. Since this bait is so versatile, it’s beneficial to have a couple lures on hand for any fishing situation. For example, the Original Floating Minnow is an ideal lure for snagging some trout or bass on your line.

The Rapala Original Floating Minnow is made of balsa wood, so this lure floats well on the water. The lure has a minnow profile, so it looks realistic. One style is modeled after a yellow perch, making it even more desirable as bait. If the bright colors and bobbing movement don’t attract musky, the bleeding fish styles should do the trick. 

Additionally, the Original Floating Rapala comes in a few different sizes, so it can fish at different depths, whether it’s at a surface level or a few feet deep. If you want to fish deeper in the waters, try a larger lure size. There are nickel hooks to keep your catch on the line. Overall, the Rapala Original Floating Minnow is a solid choice for any fish, including muskie.

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Rapala Super Shad Rap


rapala super shad rap pike lure

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Another lure from Rapala is the Super Shad Rap. This is also a phenomenal choice when you’re fishing for musky. Like the Original Floating Rapala, the Super Shad Rap is made from balsa wood. With such natural movements as it moves and bobs in the water, this lure seems like a live bait. 

With several options when it comes to color and design, there are plenty of Super Shad Rap lures that are realistic. The more realistic choices include Gold Shiner and Mullet. With the shine on these colors, they’re extremely attractive to musky. The gleaming from these colors should work in murky water, but Hot Tiger and Redhead also work well under this condition.

While the Original Floating Rapala lure can be used when fishing at the surface, the Super Shad Rap goes a few feet deeper. This lure is optimal for fishing at depths of five to nine feet. The lure is a bit larger than some others, at 5-½ inches. The stainless through wire construction makes the lure strong and sturdy, so it can withstand the bite of toothy musky. Thanks to this lure’s durability, the Super Shad Rap can catch pike as well. 

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Musky Innovations Swimmin’ Dawg


musky innovations magnum swimmin dawg lure

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Musky Innovations Swimmin’ Dawg is a heavy-duty lure and one of the best musky lures on the market. The lure has a paddle tail, which gives the lure its natural movements while also creating powerful vibrations to entice fish. The paddle tail is something more specialized to this specific lure, and it does a great job when it comes to attracting muskie. 

The White Sucker model looks more realistic while the Black Orange design has more bright colors. Either option is solid for pike fishing, so you can’t go wrong with either decision. Musky Innovations Swimmin’ Dawg is made of soft plastic, but the lure has treble hooks that can pierce your catch. Musky Innovations is also known for their Bull Dawg lure, which you can use to catch trophy fish as well. 

The most significant downside of the Swimmin’ Dawg is the price. At over $30, this is by far the most expensive lure on this list. On the flip side, keep in mind that this is also the largest lure out of the list. This durable lure is 11 inches long, and it weighs seven ounces. For big fish like pike and muskie, a larger lure often leads to a catch. 

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How to Catch Musky

The first step to catching muskellunge is to pick a lure that will induce them into taking a bite. In general, bright or reflective lures are the best. As with any fish, lures that make a lot of movement are useful tools. For larger musky, use a larger lure, like the Musky Innovations Swimmin’ Dawg. Because pike have a strong bite, be sure to use a lure that will be able to withstand their strength and teeth. 

While the right lure is crucial for a good catch, it’s not the only factor to consider as you’re planning your fishing trip. Catching muskie is significantly more likely during their feeding times, and they feed when there’s light outside. As it gets into the evening, you’ll be out of luck. Try fishing for musky as the sun is rising or setting. 

Besides time of day, consider the season and weather before you start fishing. In the spring, the water will be warmer, and here, you can find pike in areas with weeds and vegetation. Musky will move farther away from these locations once the weather begins to heat up. If you’re by shore, bring a lure that won’t get caught so you don’t need to spend time untangling your lure from the weeds. 

If you’re fishing among vegetation and in shallower waters, you can use a smaller yet durable lure since the musky will likely be smaller. In more open and deep water, use a lure that goes a few feet deeper to ensure you get a bite.

 

Final Thoughts on Musky Lures

Musky aren’t picky, so you have numerous options when it comes to picking a lure to catch these fish. Just remember to buy a lure that makes enough sound and is flashy enough to attract musky, and you’ll be all set for your next fishing trip!

 

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