There's a certain magic to fall musky fishing here in Central Wisconsin. The air gets crisp, the leaves turn, and the biggest fish in the system put on the feedbag for the long winter ahead. It’s the time of year when personal bests are broken and legends are made.

As the owner of Taps and Tackle Co. and a guide, the question I get asked most often from October through November is simple: "What should I be throwing right now?"

While there's no single magic bullet, there are a handful of lures that consistently produce for me and my clients on the Wisconsin River system. These are my confidence baits-the five lures you should absolutely have in your box this fall.

1. The Pandemonium Marvin 88

• Why it's a must-have: Durability meets performance. The first thing you'll notice on Pandemonium bucktails is the Roswell titanium wire frame. Unlike standard wire that bends and loses its shape, this wire snaps right back into place, meaning the bait runs true cast after cast. In the fall, the big blades are crucial-they put out a deep, resonating "thump" that calls fish in from a distance, even in the murky waters of the river, while giving off the flash of a large baitfish.

• Pro Tip: The key in the fall is a slow, steady retrieve. You want to "slow-roll" it, feeling every turn of the blades. Keep it just deep enough so it's ticking the tops of dying weed beds or bumping off wood and rock structure. When it makes contact, give the rod a sharp rip to free it. That change in speed and direction is a massive trigger for a reaction strike.

> Shop the Pandemonium Marvin 88 at Taps and Tackle Co. Here <

2. The Musky Innovations Swimmin' Dawg

• Why it's a must-have: Sometimes, muskies want a meal, not a snack. The Swimming Dawg offers a large profile and an irresistible action without a lot of hardware. The oversized paddle tail creates a heavy "thump" that fish can feel in their lateral line from far away. Combine that with our custom colors designed specifically for the Wisconsin River system, and you're showing the fish something enticing that they haven't seen a hundred times before. It’s the perfect imitation of a large, slow-moving baitfish.

• Pro Tip: This is one of the easiest and most effective soft plastics to fish. A simple, slow-to-medium straight retrieve is all you need to let that big tail go to work. But to turn followers into biters, try a pull-pause retrieve. Use a long, 3-foot sweep of the rod to make it dart forward, then reel up the slack as it sinks. That hesitation as it sinks on the pause is often too much for a following musky to resist.
  

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> Shop Musky Innovations Swimmin' Dawgs at Taps and Tackle Co. Here <

3. The Chaos Tackle Medussa

• Why it's a must-have: The Medussa is a chaos agent in the water. Its triple-tail design creates a unique, rolling, and wobbling action that’s completely different from standard single-tailed plastics. It also has a great sink rate with an enticing wobble on the fall, allowing you to effectively "yo-yo" it down sharp breaklines to trigger fish holding in deeper water. It's the perfect choice when fish have grown wise to more common profiles.

• Pro Tip: To get the most out of it, use a combo retrieve. Make long, 2-3 foot sweeping pulls with your rod to get that signature body roll, letting it fall back on a semi-slack line. Every few pulls, give it two sharp, upward "pops." This makes it jump erratically and is often the trigger that turns a lazy follow into a violent strike.
  

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> Shop the Chaos Tackle Medussa at Taps and Tackle Co. Here <

4. The ERC Squirrelly Hell Hound

• Why it's a must-have: Nothing imitates a large, dying baitfish more realistically than a glide bait. The seductive side-to-side glide of a Hell Hound is what convinces cautious, following fish to finally commit. The addition of the "squirrelly" tail provides a lifelike breathing and flowing action, even when the bait is paused. That extra bit of subtle movement is often the final trigger that a big, wise musky needs to see before striking.

• Pro Tip: Rhythm is everything, but the pause is the key. After each downward tap of the rod, you must give the bait a moment to glide out and hang in the water. Count "one-one-thousand" in your head before the next tap. Over 90% of your strikes will happen during that momentary pause when the bait is at its most vulnerable.

> Shop the ERC Squirrelly Hell Hound at Taps and Tackle Co. Here <

5. The Marshall Tackle Jointed Twitch N Troll

• Why it's a must-have: This lure is the ultimate search tool for fall muskies. Its versatility lets you attack the water column in two ways: cast it to target specific structure like a rock pile, or troll it to efficiently dissect large flats and river channel edges. The jointed body adds a secondary, serpentine swimming action that creates even more vibration and a realistic profile that perfectly matches the key fall forage.

• Pro Tip: When trolling, don't just set it and forget it. Hold the rod and actively "pump" it—ripping the rod forward 3-4 feet and then dropping it back to the original position. This gives the crankbait a surging and stalling action that triggers far more strikes than a steady, monotonous retrieve.

> Shop the Marshall Tackle Jointed Twitch N Troll at Taps and Tackle Co. Here <

Time to Hit the Water!

Having the right lure is only half the battle, but gearing up with these five proven winners will dramatically increase your odds of success this fall. Load up your box, stay warm, and fish hard.

Want to see these lures in action and learn the patterns on the water? Book a guided trip with us at Taps and Tackle Co!

Stop by Taps and Tackle Co. in Stevens Point to grab these essentials and talk fishing. Good luck on the water!