It was a frustrating day on the water. Eighteen follows and one strike. To make matters worse I lost the fish.

How can this happen? We varied lure speed, color, casting angle--nothing seemed to work. That night I began thinking about possible ways to get even with these fish. I grabbed the bucktail that had produced many follows and attached a size 0 blade to a ball-bearing swivel. I then attached the swivel with a piece of piano wire to the bucktail. The blade now hung just beyond the hook so the blade could spin freely.

The next day brought identical weather conditions. On the first spot a 38-inch musky came tearing after my bucktail, and in the first turn of my figure-eight the musky pounded my bucktail. That teaser blade was irresistible. The day produced three more muskies on bucktails with various forms of teasers attached.

The increased flash and vibration made the difference. Let's look at some various teaser options and how they can increase the attraction of some of your favorite lures.

Bucktail Teasers

In early summer the bucktail spinner is one of your top choices when musky fishing. As weed growth is developing, many baitfish move into those areas and so do the muskies. Since the weed growth in not at its fullest, a bucktail is an excellent choice to cover a lot of water in search of active fish. Attaching a small blade as discussed above is an excellent option. I use small blades in nickel or florescent colors to add a little extra flash or vibration.

Another great teaser option is the addition of small, plastic twister-tail grubs to the hooks of the bucktail. For smaller four- to five-inch bucktails I prefer one- to two-inch tails, and put one on each barb of the treble hook. For larger six- to eight-inch bucktails I either use two- to three-inch tails on each barb of the trailing treble hook, or I attach a four-inch tail with a snap to the bucktail so the plastic body trails just behind the bait.

Pork trailers are another excellent option. Porkrind strips add color, scent, and subtle vibration. I particularly like using a pork trailer on a bucktail spinnerbait. On one lake I commonly fish, the pork trailer has made the difference between a boated or raised musky on several occasions.

Jerkbait Teasers

Jerkbaits, with there irregular action, trigger many strikes. Yet fish often follow but do not strike diver-style jerkbaits like Suicks or Foolers. Try adding a small teaser blade to the adjustable metal tail of the jerkbait. The addition of the teaser blade increases flash and vibration. It also produces a slight bubble trail that can trigger that reluctant musky.

Crankbait Teasers

Many musky anglers are hesitant to add any type of teaser to a crankbait since it may disturb the action. This is true with some subtle-action crankbaits. However, many musky crankbaits continue to operate properly with the addition of a small twister tail to the trailing treble hook. The trailing twister commonly results in muskies taking a shot at that twister. The strikes are usually subtle when the musky takes the twister so be ready as the lure approaches the boat. On several occasions I have seen a musky grab the twister with the hook and release the bait before the angler could react.

Jig Teasers

Many jigs, such as those made by Gene Curtis, come rigged with a blade attached to the plastic creature. The movement of the jig is more of a vertical presentation, which commonly triggers reluctant muskies, and the added flash and the vibration of the blade increases strikes.

Live-Bait Teasers

Attaching a blade to the tail of a sucker is deadly on muskies. On several occasions I have had suckers with blades outproduce plain suckers three to one. Attach the teaser blade with a snap in the bottom of the suckers tail; there is a white, gristly section in this part of the tail to which you can easily attach a snap. With the teaser in place, every shake of the suckers tail produces a deadly flash.

Remember that lure modifications only work when presented in the right area. Don't expect them to produce miracles. But if you add teasers to you favorite musky bait and fish them in the right places, watch some of those follows turn into strikes.