Tom's Custom Musky Baits - The Manatee

Here is a video showing how Tom Harrison's creation, the "Manatee" performs in the field. I'd say it perfoms pretty galdarn beautifully, the muskies can't resist it. The Wausau Musky Expo is this weekend and Tom and Deb will have these at their booth!
I cannot say enough about this bait folks. Tom gifted me an unweighted manatee at the Musky Expo last year. I never was one for the dive and rises and I always preferred glide baits over them. After this bait sat in my box for a while, seemingly staring at me like a puppy who hasn't been outside in a few hours, I finally decided to attach it to my leader. It didnt take even 5 casts and I caught a little musky on it! This was the official day marking me becoming a maniac for the Manatee. The following week, I caught a few other fish and destroyed the bait in the process. (It'll happen when you fish from shore, even while using Tom's masterpieces.
Fast forward a few months. Haven't spoken with Tom for a little while and I go to visit him at his shop. He pulls out a Manatee and tells me that he's making them with weights now. That night, wasting no time, I got to the river with my freshly weighted black with chartreuse spotted manatee. Literally again, not 5 casts in I had a big fish on but didn't set the hook because honestly, I didn't think it would happen that quick. I have never seen a bait trigger fish like these things right here do. The week after getting this bait, I had put around 10 fish on the bank with it. Probably half of them coming at night... You can walk it on the top of the water, rip upwards with your rod to keep it high in the water column moving fast, or put your rod tip into the water and get it down deep. It floats so slowly it almost suspends. This thing also moves side to side if you can work the rod right. Going from a dive and rise to a side to side action made a lot of fish eat for me. The Manatee is hands down the most versatile bait I have ever seen and it just flat out catches muskies.

[@dakotaschaetz8763]

The self control at 4:02 is unreal🔥🔥

[@shorelineanglers7912]

I know a man who has all the potential to learn such self control, his name starts with.. .SCHAETZYYYY

[@ryanveith2594]

Hype

[@shorelineanglers7912]

Yaaaaap big ole time