speed. If the lure nears the boat but the Musky still hasn't hit, don't rush it, you still have time to trigger a strike. When the lure is about 10 feet away from the boat, I like to create a slight angle change by sweeping my rod tip off to one side. The resulting slight vector change of the lure often triggers strikes. If not, when the lure arrives boat side, make a 90-degree angle change. This irresistible enticement tricks many a finicky Musky into hitting. It's a good idea to make sure you have your free spool button pressed and your thumb hard on the spool, just before you initiate this maneuver. This will enable you to get a good hook set, while at the same time allowing the Musky to make its usually explosive first run under the pressure of your thumb. But, if the Musky still doesn't hit on the right-angle change, just continue pulling the lure alongside the boat, making sure the lure stays on the surface and maintains its normal speed. I'll slowly walk the lure around the entire perimeter of the boat, adding an occasional twitch here and there, as long as the Musky keeps following. You could call it a huge "figure-zero" around the boat. Whether you choose to do a large FIGURE-8 or make a huge oval next to the boat, or circle the entire boat with your lure, doesn't matter that much. What matters is that you do something that will keep your lure working near the boat for a prolonged period of time to entice boat side Muskies into striking. I once had a 43 1/2-inch Musky follow an orange Topper (for the entire length of my cast) up to the boat, swim completely around the entire boat, and then hit the lure. Luckily, I had my button pressed and thumb on the spool the whole time I was pulling my lure around the boat, because when the fish hit, it was very explosive! Had my reel been engaged with my tight drag, I could have lost my rod when the Musky powered away.
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