Adapting to Cold Water Muskie Activity
Precise Presentations for October Muskies
Late Summer, Cooling Water and Feeding Muskies
Opportunity Knocks: October Muskies at the Door
Encouraging September for Muskies
Alternative Summer Muskie Tactics
Weed Muskies: They’re in There Somewhere, but Where?
Adapting to Cold Water Muskie Activity
November is one of the few absolutely magic months for muskie fishing. Muskies will remain active even if the water is half frozen.
By Adam M. Glickman
November ushers in what I consider to be true fall weather, at the same time putting to bed almost all chances of summerlike weather that has a sneaky way of showing up from time to time in October. In November, lakes are the quietest they will be all year. Boating gets down right miserable for most and the hustle and bustle of ice shack towns is near but obviously not yet a reality. Rivers aren’t quite as desolate as they will be in the dead of winter, but there is certainly little traffic on them. On the surface, these waters may seem like they are going to sleep for the year, but in the ones that contain muskies, underneath a violent siege is taking place.
Muskies are classified as a warm water fish, and early in the season cold fronts and cooling trends in water temperature turn muskies off and make them very tough to catch. However, the cooling and cold water of late fall turns muskies on like no other. It is a bit of an anomaly, which many explain as a push for caloric intake to make it through the inactivity of winter combined with the need to develop reproductive cells and tissues (eggs and milt) during that time. Whatever the reason, muskie feeding activity during November is huge, and fishing can be great with the proper knowledge of cold water muskie behavior and application of cold water techniques.
I once thought muskies fed heavily but always did so at a slower pace late in the fall because I needed to fish much slower to take strikes. Years back, most of the late season fishing I did was very deep in the natural lakes of northern WI, so I was only able to visually witness a small percentage of the strikes I took. However, thinking back on those strikes, only about half of them were the slow approach and strike I thought typical for that time of year. The other half were the quick out of nowhere slashing strikes the specie is known for.
When I moved west of Minneapolis five years ago and began fishing the muskie waters in my new neighborhood, I found that the local muskies stayed on the shallow milfoil edges all the way until freeze up. Of course, my late fall tactics changed considerably from those I had honed in northern WI. My November fishing occurred much shallower than it ever had before, and I was able to visually observe cold water muskie behavior to a greater extent than I ever had before. Since then I have had the opportunity to observe many muskies approaching and striking my lure throughout the course of several seasons.
In cold water during November, the half and half ratio of slow strikes to fast strikes has held true for me. I have also witnessed muskies in partially frozen lakes herding then slashing through schools of bluegill and crappie at tremendous speed. What has also held true for me is that I need slow presentations to trigger strikes from these fish, no matter how fast they are moving. I have heard of others doing well on fast presentations in November, and I have tried them myself, but to no avail. I can’t explain why I can’t get these fish that are capable of such speed in icy water to take a fast presentation, but that is what my experience has found.
Slow presentations must still have strike triggering action to get the best results. Lures that rely on speed are out. My favorites are jerkbaits and crankbaits that are either neutrally buoyant or sink, large soft plastics, and live bait. Presentation depths for both lures and live bait should be matched to the depth muskies are holding at. As a rule, I keep my presentations 0-12’ above the depth I think the muskies are at, but usually toward the lower end of that range. With crankbaits, diving jerkbaits, soft plastics, and live bait; I try to put it right in their face. Shallow gliding jerkbaits can be put right in their face if muskies are very shallow, but under the right circumstances, enticing muskies to rise out of 6-12’ of water for a shallow glider can be deadly.
I work all lures with erratic action, alternating sharp jerks and twitches with long pauses. The length of the pause is dictated by activity level of the muskies as well as reaching the desired depth with a sinking lure. The less active the muskies are the longer the pause that is usually needed to entice strikes. In November, I experiment pausing my lure anywhere from 2-6 seconds until I find what works. When fishing very deep (20-40’), long pauses with sinking lures will be necessary to get lures down to the muskies. Live baits should be lively and when used with weights and slip bobbers, they can be put accurately in the face of muskies 1-40’ deep, depending on the given environment.
In the lakes of the twin cities metro area, the milfoil edge holds most of the muskies throughout November. In other MN lakes, the same Leech Lake strain muskies usually hold tight to shallow structure as well, with the exception of those that follow cisco schools in the muskie waters that contain this forage base. For these shallow structure muskies, presentation difficulty is minimal. The fish are usually in 2-18’ of water depending on the depth of the weed edge or availability of permanent hard structure such as rocks. There are many effective lures on the market that cover these depths with ease. Muskies are usually tight to the weed edges and/or rocks, so the depth such structure exists is usually the depth at which the muskies are holding and working. All that is left is to make quality presentations tight to the given structure, and success will not be far behind.
In lakes in which muskies relate to structure in 20-40’ come fall, such as the deep clear lakes of northern WI, fishing is a little more difficult. There are fewer (sinking) lures that effectively work such depth, and using them requires longer pauses and thus more patients. Greater boat control is also a must, as a position must be held until the presentation has effectively worked the deep structure. Blowing out of position too quickly means never getting the presentation to where it needs to be. For this type of fishing I like heavily weighted jerkbaits, sinking crankbaits, heavy large tube jigs, and live bait used with large slip bobbers and heavy egg sinkers; anything that can get down to depth as quickly as possible and stay in the strike zone as long as possible. For this type of fishing, slow trolling lures (1-2.5 mph) can be a great option to keep presentations in the strike zone most efficiently. Slowly trolling suckers (.1-.3 mph) and casting lures is also very effective. However, if casting lures is the only available option, great success can be had through meticulous presentations and precise boat control.
In November, muskie fishing in rivers can be tremendous, especially in rivers that have good current throughout and average 2-4’ deep. The reason for this is that muskies must find deeper slower water in anticipation of winter, and in these types of rivers, wintering holes are often few and far between. When a large, deep, slow hole is found in the river; it is often stacked with muskies. The fish are hungry before winter, competition gets fierce, and action is often tremendous. Just one of these holes can make the day even if it is tough to access. I will go through a lot of hassle to make it to just such a spot. I work such areas thoroughly, meticulously, and slowly with a variety of presentations to make sure I have covered all possible bases. Often this results in multiple fish days from just one or two areas. Large individuals are often encountered as well.
Another cool November muskie phenomenon is the cisco spawn. In WI and MN lakes that contain large populations of ciscos, some of the largest muskies are those that follow the schools of ciscos. Most of the summer, they roam open water, but in November, when the water drops to 39-40 F ciscoes move onto main lake break lines, islands, and reefs that have clean sand and gravel bottoms to spawn. The location of ciscos and the muskies that target them become predictable and many of these huge muskies have seen few lures all season. I use my electronics to locate schools of these suspended baitfish on and directly adjacent to such structure and then fish the structure as well as the depths just outside of it. I note the depth of the cisco schools and concentrate on putting my lures in that zone. Prime depths for this are anywhere from 5-40’ depending on the make up of the lake and the habits of the individual population of ciscos. Any of the previously mentioned presentations will work as long as the ciscos are there.
November is one of the few absolutely magic months for muskie fishing. Muskies will remain active even if the water is half frozen. I always make sure I am prepared for the long haul on a November day by packing plenty of food, making sure I eat a good breakfast, and by wearing all the appropriate warm clothing. Boating safety is also even more critical in November as the water is very cold. Stay warm, stay safe, and catch some muskies.
Adam fishes the Professional Muskie Angler Circuit (Pro-MAC), is a multi-species guide, and runs a multimedia website. Visit him at www.honestmusky.com
Precise Presentations for October Muskies
By Adam M. Glickman
Turning good days into great days is what October is all about, and it can be done by paying attention to presentation details and working classic fall areas in a meticulous and precise fashion.
In October, muskies become more predictable in terms of location and activity level, which is why fall is the most productive time of the year to fish muskies. In the modern era of muskie media, anyone who has done any reading on the subject knows how to locate fall muskies. In lakes, reservoirs, and large rivers muskies move to key open water structure to feed with few exceptions. In medium rivers and streams, muskies migrate to deeper slower stretches for foraging purposes, but also in anticipation of winter. Predicting muskie location is simplified. However, taking the best advantage of them can become tricky. On a good fall day, catching one muskie is fairly easy, but such days are capable of producing numerous muskies and big individuals as well. Turning good days into great days is what October is all about, and it can be done by paying attention to presentation details and working classic fall areas in a meticulous and precise fashion.
Often, I have had the good fortune to observe big cool water muskies following my lure very slowly, but with intent to strike. For instance, if I am working a Manta Hang 10 glider, I have observed them slowly and sharply turning to follow each individual glide of the lure. Each time, their mouth opens a little but unfortunately a foot or so behind the lure. At this point, I make the lure glide wider and more sharply side to side which makes the lure more tantalizing and excites the muskie. This also decreases the lure’s forward progress per glide which means that each time the muskie turns on it, that open mouth is a little closer to the hooks. I repeat this until the muskie finally delivers that ever so slight strike. I try to let the muskie turn with the lure before I check for pressure and deliver a solid hook set. Of course, this whole process fails more often than it works, but when it comes together it is fantastic to say the least. I have wondered how many times this scenario plays out when both the lure and the muskie are out of my view, and over the years I have begun to fish as if this is always happening.
Visualizing possible scenarios as I meticulously pick apart fall structure has lead me to more success than I would have had otherwise. The first step in this process was to have confidence that the areas I was working held muskies. It was easy if the spot had produced muskies in the past, but having faith in a likely yet unproven area was a little harder. However, such faith and persistence helped me discover some of my best areas that still produce fall after fall. The next step was to find lures that allowed me to work slow yet kept tantalizing action. For me the answer was neutrally buoyant jerkbaits that I could glide, twitch, or dive and then allow to just hang in the strike zone. I know others who do well diving and rising crankbaits or bouncing soft plastics off the bottom. It boils down to personal preference and what the individual angler has confidence in, as long as the lures meet the criteria of tantalizing action combined with not moving away from the muskies too fast and the ability to work around any given structure without fouling constantly.
Picking apart chosen structure is the last piece of the puzzle. I have found proper boat control to be crucial. I work into the wind for the best control and the slowest rate of progress. Anchoring is less ideal, but in a pinch it does work to gain control in crazy weather conditions and heavy river current. Several casting angles are often necessary to find which one will trigger a strike from a muskie holding to a specific piece of structure such as a point in a main lake weed edge or a deep current seam in a river. Truly picking apart a structural element such as a weed edge means placing a cast every 3’ or so. If I am fishing alone, I often put my boat right on the weed edge and cast parallel to it keeping my lure no more than a foot or so from the vegetation at all times. Fan casting repeatedly through a hole in a river works great for eventually putting my lure in front of a muskie holding behind a deep boulder for instance. If I am working an off shore reef or hump, I fish it twice around at least and work its depth contours form the top down to the deepest point I think fish will be holding.
Meticulous fall fishing has accounted for many of my best days of fishing and most of my biggest muskies. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of practice as well but it most certainly works and is worth the time it takes to develop the skill.
Adam fishes the Professional Muskie Angler Circuit (Pro-MAC), is a multi-species guide, and runs a multimedia website. Visit him at www.honestmusky.com
Late Summer, Cooling Water and Feeding Muskies
By Adam M. Glickman
Adam fishes the Professional Muskie Angler Circuit (Pro-MAC), is a multi-species guide, and runs a multimedia website. Visit him at www.honestmusky.com
The cool weather of June gave way to a scorching July and isolated severe storms and heavy precipitation. Water temperatures went from the upper 60’s F to the Upper 70’s F in a week in many areas. River conditions remained high across MN and southern WI. The rivers of northern WI saw much more stable conditions and steady action for muskies. The muskie lakes in the rain soaked areas of the upper mid west remained very high with good water quality. When the weather was right around these lakes, good action was had, but severe weather, extreme heat, and late weed growth caused finding good bites to be challenging at times.
The beginning of August will most likely bring more dog day summer weather, but towards the end of the month the heat will break and give way to that magic late summer bite. Muskies that have stayed shallow will become much more active as water temperatures drop into the mid to low 70’s F. Those that went deep during the heat of the summer often move shallow again. Low light bites will become much steadier, and all day action can happen under overcast conditions.
Shallow presentations shine in late summer as forage and muskies invade shallow structure. Bucktails, spinnerbaits, shallow crankbaits, and shallow jerkbaits can all be used to effectively work shallow structure edges and pockets. Points and inside turns in weed edges are excellent, but muskies often push back into pockets within a weed flat. Look for pockets at least 5-10’ across. Pockets from 2-20 yards inwards from the edge have the best chance of holding muskies. Pockets further in lack quick access to deeper water and are seldom productive. Working these pockets out by snapping and pausing a buoyant crankbait or diving jerkbait can be deadly. Larger pockets open up the possibility for a larger variety of lures to shine.
Late summer is also one of the best times of the entire season to get hot top water muskie action. As the water first begins to cool, faster prop style topwaters will take reaction strikes well and allow for covering water faster. Below 70 F water temperature, creepers, wobblers, and walk the dog style topwaters often take the most strikes. Top waters are also great for reaching back into open pockets in dense weed flats without fouling in the vegetation.
River muskie action also picks up in late summer and fishing can be tremendous. Often, the severe unstable weather of summer moderates and river conditions become more stable as well. The water clears and begins to cool triggering both migrations and heavy feeding in muskies. Areas of rivers with moderate to slow current are usually best. Muskies will often hold close to any available structure, below fast current areas, behind current breaks, and along current seams. All lures have their time and place in river fishing. Matching the lure to the depth of the river is often a good choice. Usually shallow running lures work best and are most efficient around shallow river structure, but working out deeper holes with deep running lures can produce very well.
Efficiency, as always, is the key to successful late summer musky fishing. Confidence lures and lures that fish well without tangling and fouling in structure will provide the best action. Low light conditions and overcast weather will almost always trigger the best action from fickle populations of muskies. Finding cooling water late this summer will be the key to finding active muskies.
Late pre-spawn + hot color pattern = great fishing.
By Adam M. Glickman
The 2011 muskie season in WI and MN has certainly got off to a very different start than the 2010 season. Instead of water temperatures and weed growth being way ahead like last year, they are way behind this year. Water levels in many lakes across MN are the highest I have ever seen, especially the lakes in my west metro home waters. Lots of new water in any lake or reservoir almost always makes for good fishing or at least improved health of the ecosystem.
Just after opening day in MN, I observed large females in the shallows (mostly with lock jaw) and significantly more active males, classic most spawn conditions. A heavy post spawn pattern is rare in MN because of its June opener, but it was indicative of just how late spring was this year. A brief but extreme heat wave just after the season opened probably broke the post spawn doldrums and caused some feeding in the large females, but many lakes still weren’t on a good bite. Fish were certainly caught, but the season didn’t get the same jump start it did last year. However, if mild temperatures persist and prolonged severe weather patterns don’t become a problem, the summer should see good steady action.
The southern WI opener treated me well, as I found concentrations of prespawn muskies looking for a last minute meal. I encountered water temperatures 47-53 F during that first week of the season (second week of May). Again, very indicative of the unusual cold spring weather. Glide baits fished in a slow and taunting fashion were the key to my success, as was finding the isolated pockets the fish were concentrated in.
The lakes are high and many rivers flooded again this spring, but since then many rivers in WI and MN have stabilized and are near normal conditions. If stable weather persists, our muskie rivers will be in very good shape this year and I will expect excellent action from them all season. A few have already produced fish for me this year.
As lakes and rivers warm in July and aquatic vegetation begins to get more lush, I will be looking for water temps in the 70-74 F range for the best action. If I have the time and resources I will be heading north little by little chasing these ideal conditions looking for lakes with brief summer peak musky action. In a summer like this, it may be possible to follow the summer peak north for a month, give or take. If action on a particular water body slows, I will not hesitate to move on and follow the bite as it progresses north. Living in the past will lead to missed potential for great action. Successful anglers are concerned with where the hot bite is and where it will be, not where it was.
The population of muskie anglers is increasing every year. As such, muskies everywhere are more pressured than they have ever been. Trendy lures may be very effective, but they also get used much more heavily than other lures, and as such muskies often become conditioned to them very quickly. Numbers of fish caught on such lures remain strong for some time, but such numbers often reflect the vast usage of the lure, not its productivity measured in fish per usage hours. Certain lures do catch fire for a reason, but very often in my experience it is the anglers who have the confidence to do their own thing that do the best.
In terms of lure color, I have noticed in the past few years that there are many situations in muskie fishing where lure color does matter. Just a few years ago, I was a firm believer that color made very little difference. However, in recent years when I was fortunate enough to have multiple fish days, I noticed upon experimenting with different colors of the same lure, that the muskies would readily strike one pattern while completely ignoring another. Often, this seemed to have more to do with the particular season and water conditions rather than the actual forage base. When on a prolonged bite, I haven’t noticed preferences changing from day to day, but during certain seasons and/or on certain waters, one pattern often has a way of shinning over all others. I still don’t bring out nearly as many lures as most muskie anglers, but I certainly bring out a few more than I used to. Experimenting with colors until a hot pattern is found is very worth while in my opinion. It has opened many new doors to muskie fishing productivity for me.
I will be looking for more hot patterns this summer, and if mild weather persists I expect good action all summer. Muskies will feed well, and be big, fat, and healthy all year (especially come fall). However, fall action will be a little less furious than last year, because the need to feed come fall will not be quite as strong if the summer is not stressfully hot. That is what I think now anyway. If the weather patterns change, what I think next month probably will as well.
Adam fishes the Professional Muskie Angler Circuit (Pro-MAC), is a multi-species guide, and runs a multimedia website. Visit him at www.honestmusky.com
Make the best use of available resources this muskie season.
Maximum efficiency leads to good days on the water.
By Adam M. Glickman
The promise of another new muskie season is upon us. Of course, every season is unique in terms of weather patterns and the way the muskies respond to them. Muskie fishermen succeed and fail by the weather possibly more than those who fish for any other specie. My understanding of weather patterns and my ability to make a game plan around them is one of my greatest keys to success. Another key to my success is overcoming challenges and adversity. In this sense every musky season is the same, because there are always many obstructions in the road to success.
Last year, we saw unseasonably hot weather during spring and summer. By the time muskie seasons opened in MN and northern WI, water temperatures were steadily warming and already reaching the lower 70 degree range. Of course, action was great for a short period until water temperatures soared and the heat became accompanied by persistent severe weather. This year, temperatures are much cooler, below average in fact. Action at the outset of the season may not be as fast, but we can probably expect a more extended period of good early season action, and not such a rapid transition into the dog day summer nonsense that seemed to last forever last year.
Of course, long term weather patterns can make a total reversal in the course of a day, so it is best to choose fishing locations at the last minute. If the summer turns out to be very cool, a lake at a more southerly latitude that was a tub of green goo by June of last year may be perfect during June this year. If late June is a real scorcher, heading north looking for water in the lower 70’s instead of the upper 70’s is always a good bet. For instance, Vermilion comes to mind as a lake that holds on to cooler water while most others in the state are smoking hot. I am hoping for better river conditions than I had last year. Less severe weather will allow for good action from rivers and streams that were torrents of brown paint most of last season.
Short term weather patterns must be accounted for as well. I take advantage of any flexibility I have in my schedule to enhance my results. When I am not out working to pay the bills, I have X amount of time to divide between my household to do list, family time, my fishing, and anything else that needs to get done. In this scenario, I think most other anglers are right there with me. What I do is sit down and take a close look at the ten day weather forecast and try to make the best weather days (or hours) my fishing time. Luckily, good musky weather is bad weather for all those other things. Of course, the extended weather forecast is often a total crap shoot after 2 or 3 days at best, but it is better than shooting in the dark. In our current economy, I use every resource I can to make every dollar and minute count as much as possible. I can’t afford not to.
Aside from adjusting to the weather, fishing pressure in my opinion is always the next biggest obstacle. Fishing early in the morning, during the middle of the night, on week days, in rotten weather, and on less accessible waters will almost always cut down on the adverse effects of fishing pressure.
As far as lures go, I think that in the very near future there will be a shift away from the expensive trendy lures that have been staples during the last half decade. These lures caught on in a big way not only because of their quality action, but because the muskies had never seen them before and thus they had that extra element of “newness” on their side. However, these lures are almost all many muskies see these days and as such muskies have probably become more conditioned to the new lures than the old standards.
I think functionality is going to be the most attractive feature for lures this year and into the future. I was helping out at the River Run Tackle booth at the MN Muskie Expo this spring, and a huge selling point for most lure manufacturers was functionality. Money is very tight for most fisherman these days and we simply can’t afford to pay thirty dollars or more for a lure that looks cool but will most likely just sit in a tackle box all year.
Good functional lures also shouldn’t break the bank. Some that I am particularly excited about are the big tubes from Red October Baits. They fit most of my soft plastic applications and when the plastic is destroyed, the hardware can simply be put in a new tube at minimal expense; highly functional and cost effective. No more $30 soft plastic lures ruined when the tail falls off during its first hour of use. Great topwaters for price, functionality, and durability include: Poe’s Jackpots from Yakima Bait, Docs from Musky Mania Tackle, anything from Lee Lures, Top Raiders from Joe Bucher Outdoors, and Creepensteins from Monster Lures. Bucktails and other spinners from Mepps and Dreamcatcher Lures are affordable, proven, and easy to fish. Of course there is my favorite, the Manta Hang 10 from River Run Tackle which is the most functional glide bait I have ever used.
When purchasing a quality lure, my advice is not to drive all over creation trying to find it at the last minute. Wasted gas money will likely be the only result, coupled with not finding the target item. Instead, I order ahead of time straight from the manufacturer in most instances to get exactly the lure and color I want. The cost of shipping is always cheaper than fuel and wear and tear on my automobile. As a rule, I always have everything I need for a fishing trip when I leave the house. Stopping at a retail store on the way just wastes time and does not guarantee I will have what I need for the trip.
Maximum efficiency will be as big a part of the game this season as timing the weather and finding the hot bite. I for one will be wasting nothing this season to ensure that I have the resources to go when there is something to go on. I want to get out and throw as much as the next angler, but I will have to forego instant gratification (which often ends in waste) to make sure I can fully strike while the iron is hot.
Adam fishes the Professional Muskie Angler Circuit (Pro-MAC), is a multi-species guide, and runs a multimedia website. Visit him at www.honestmusky.com
November brings winter, but also some of the best big muskie opportunity of the season.
By Adam M. Glickman
By Adam M. Glickman
November brings unique muskie fishing opportunities as well as winter weather to Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the water cools, muskies prepare for ice cover by feeding heavily to prepare for the low activity levels of winter, and the reproductive season still five months away. The large females must have large calorie loads to achieve proper egg growth over winter. It is in November that they come out to feed, often more than they have all season. Recreational traffic and fishing pressure are the lowest they have been all season and the muskies’ biological needs are screaming for food. Also, the big females are full of food weight, egg weight, and body mass; so they are the biggest they have been all season. For these reasons, November is the biggest muskie month of the season.
So far, it has been a classic fall in the sense of unpredictable weather. September was much cooler than average, causing water temperatures to drop much faster than expected. October was much warmer than average, causing largely stable water temperatures. As mid fall transitions into late fall, muskies will begin to feed heavily as water temperatures decrease. Look for water temperatures dropping to and below 50 F to trigger large feeding movements. Feeding windows will be triggered by moon phases, cloudy weather, wind, and low light periods as usual. The evening bite becomes better than it has been all season. Fishing in cold rain, sleet, and snow can be dynamite.
Action is often excellent in water 50 F down to freezing, but tactics must be tailored to the cold water. Muskies are considered to be a warmer water fish than most swimming in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but they can maintain high activity levels and fast movement when motivated by feeding urges. However, fast presentations are seldom effective for targeting November muskies. They can swim just as fast in 42 F water as they can in 72 F water, but they respond better to presentations moving much slower. Slowly working neutrally buoyant or sinking jerkbaits is one of my favorite tactics, working large live suckers is another. Using these tactics in conjunction is as good as it gets in my world. In two to nine feet of water, neutral jerkbaits shine, those that sink slow target structure best in the 10-18’ zone, past that a more rapid descent will be necessary to get down to the fish.Large sinking soft plastics and crankbaits that maintain a nice wobble at slow speeds also work well.
Work 14-20” suckers on quick strike rigs under large slip bobbers with two to four ounces of weight. The large bobbers and weight balance each other out and allow for maximum control of the sucker, which is the name of the game. Large lively suckers are great, but not if they swim into structure causing snags, foul ups, and lost time and bait. Precisely working a large struggling sucker around specific structural elements is the key to success. The notion of live bait fishing for muskies as just dragging “meat” through the water is a complete misnomer. Effective live bait muskie tactics are as precise as any used by a walleye pro for instance. The sucker must struggle in place right on the edge of key structural elements for best results.
Late fall muskie locations vary greatly from lake to lake. For instance, in a highly fertile lake with low water clarity in southern Minnesota, muskies will often use shallow weed edges from post spawn until freeze up; sometimes as shallow as three to five feet deep. Conversely, a deep clear lake in northern Wisconsin will often see muskies using deep weeds, wood, rocks, break lines, and open water 15 to 40 feet deep during fall. In rivers, muskies will be stacking up in deeper slower holes, and action can be tremendous. If fishing is slow, move to a different body of water. During November, some lakes may be off, but some will almost always be on. Widespread poor action is rare in November. Muskies are territorial all season long, but often become more so in November. If I know where a big fish is holding, I hit it up frequently. Also, I fish only my best spots very thoroughly on short November days. I have little time for locations I consider marginal. I stick to the spots I have the most confidence in, and I pick them apart.
Feeding windows can come on at any time during November. I like to stay out from before dawn to after dusk if I can, but the weather can be rough. I dress very warm with water proof outer layers and boots. I also keep at least two pairs of water proof gloves for fishing and a pair of warm mittens for when I need to warm my hands quickly. An ice off paste of guides and reels will help prevent freeze up. I boat very cautiously in frigid November water and am very careful when moving around the boat. Being prepared for the long haul in November often produces the best muskies of the season.
Adam fishes the PMTT, is a field editor with MUSKIE Mag. See his website at www.honestmusky.com.
Opportunity Knocks: October Muskies at the Door
This 47" muskie was caught just before a massive cold front put the lake into turnover.
By Adam M. Glickman
October is one of my favorite months in which to fish muskies. The muskies are really putting on the feed bags, but it is not so cold as to make fishing for them overly difficult. As water temperatures steadily cool, massive feeding movements are triggered within populations of muskies. Also, muskies often begin to abandon feeding solely in early morning and late evening feeding windows; and good action can often be found throughout the day. However, October muskie fishing doesn’t come without obstacles. The largest road block in the path to October muskie success is usually turnover, but there are ways to deal with this as well.
Fall turnover is a process that takes place in natural lakes and reservoirs that stratify during summer. When a lake stratifies during summer it separates into layers. The upper is warmer and more oxygenated than the lower layer which is cooler and more oxygen deficient; usually too poor in oxygen for gamefish to survive in. The upper layer is usually 15 to 35 feet thick, depending on the overall depth of the lake. The lower layer extends to the bottom of the lake. In between these layers is the thermocline, which is actually a thin layer (one to three feet thick) in and of itself that separates the upper and lower. The layers resist mixing, as the upper layer is warmer and thus lighter and essentially floats on top of the lower layer. Turnover occurs when the upper layer cools to the temperature of the lower layer and they mix by the natural currents of the lake. The process may only take a few days or as long as a few weeks depending on the characteristics of the lake and external weather conditions.
In Minnesota and Wisconsin, turnover takes place on most stratified lakes during October, and different lakes will have different turnover schedules. Some lakes will often complete turnover before others even start. After turnover, a lake will stabilize and action will usually become excellent. However, turnover itself makes a lake unstable and is usually marked by poor fishing. Lakes usually turn over when surface temperatures are in the range of 51-56 F. Again, every lake is different, and when the layers mix is dependant on what the temperature of the lower level is and when the upper level cools to that mark. The use of a Fish Hawk® temperature probe, a good sonar unit, a fair amount of scouting, close attention to local weather patterns, and accurate record keeping can reduce turnover to an exact science. In lieu of all that, simple observations will often help. If a lake becomes turbid with a lot of aquatic debris in the water, this is almost a sure sign of turnover. Once the water clears and settles, the lake has stabilized and ready to produce good action. Also, extended windy cold fronts lasting several days are common in October and will turn lakes over very quickly. Once surface temperatures drop just below 50 F, it is almost certain turnover is complete.
Try to fish lakes that are either pre or post turnover in October. River fishing is also excellent in October. Rivers in fall are typically more stable than in summer and the cooling water turns muskies on big time. Look for them in deeper holes and following the fall movements of suckers. Slow gliders such as the Manta Hang 10 and live suckers are my go to river presentations. Also, some lakes never stratify and thus never turn over. Shallow reservoirs with heavy current flow are some examples. Other examples are large shallow wind swept lakes. Lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota is such a lake, and thus never suffers the instability of turnover. In lakes that are turning over, muskies often move to shallow shoreline cover to escape the unstable conditions occurring in main lake areas. Muskies that normally use shallow main lake structure often make massive migrations towards shore during turnover; and can be found lurking around docks, shallow slop edges, rock piles, or atop shallow sand flats. If necessary, active muskies can be found like this during turnover. However, they will often just lay low until the lake stabilizes. Again, every lake is different.
In most cases, after turnover Minnesota muskies will be using the same shallow weed edges and rock structure they used all summer long. Usually, the same is true in Wisconsin lakes. However, in deep clear lakes in northern Wisconsin, muskies often move to deep weeds, cruise steep drop offs, or chase ciscoes deep over open water. If muskies want to go very deep, the restraints of stratification are no longer there to stop them. I have hooked them using presentations running 40 to 50 feet deep.
Most muskie presentations work well in October. As the water cools though, presentations must retain triggering qualities at slower speeds. Slower speeds often become necessary to trigger strikes, and if a certain lure loses its action at slower speeds it becomes useless. Sharp hooks are always a must, and October is no exception. Cold water bites are often very subtle. Setting the hook on such strikes is aided greatly by the sharpest of hooks.
October muskie fishing is excellent, both for big fish and numbers of fish. Staying adaptable, paying close attention to the aquatic environment, and examining all options will allow for the greatest success. Make sure you are ready when October opportunity comes knocking at your door.
Adam fishes the PMTT, is a field editor with MUSKIE Mag. See his website at www.honestmusky.com.
Encouraging September for Muskies
By Adam M. Glickman
The summer of 2010 brought hot weather and one severe storm after the next. As water warmed rapidly during early summer, muskie fishing was good and the summer peak action from late June through mid July was explosive at times. The dog days of summer hit hard after that, bringing high water temperatures and severe weather which made fishing on many muskie waters tough. Heavy precipitation in Minnesota and Wisconsin brought rivers and streams to the highest levels in several years. Unstable conditions in these rivers caused mostly poor action since late June. Many lakes in Minnesota and Wisconsin had surface temperatures consistently reaching the low-to-mid 80s and often developed heavy algae blooms. These conditions are not conducive to muskie activity and feeding in the least, as the hot water and low oxygen levels are physically dangerous for them.
In my experience, the hotter the summer conditions, the better fishing will be when the water begins to cool in September. Therefore, I remain very hopeful in spite of the poor action I had late this summer. I am sure many anglers did better than me, though most of the reports I heard were quite dismal. As the days shorten in September; the water will cool, algae blooms will begin to die, dissolved oxygen levels in the water will increase, and muskies that had been laying low most of the time will become active and very hungry. If the severe weather and heavy precipitation subsides, muskie rivers will stabilize and be in very good shape, due to the recent abundance of fresh water. If conditions improve, muskies in these waters will come on as well.
To find the lakes and flowages that are coming on first, scout a few out as the nights begin to cool. Look for decreases in water temperature and increases in water clarity. Marked increases in action will occur at 72-74 F water surface temperature, and the bite will improve further as the temperatures approach the mid 60s F. Usual locations and presentations will work the best. Action can often be tremendous, as some populations of muskies feed very little during stressful summer conditions. Once they feel comfortable enough to come out, they come out hungry. In rivers, look for decreases in current and water levels and increases in water clarity. As this happens, muskies will move into classic locations and will be catchable on usual presentations. Use the U.S. Geological Survey (www.usgs.gov) website to check streamflow data from home to save time and money.
In lakes, action will remain good until turnover, which occurs when water in the upper layer of stratified lakes cools until it reaches the temperature of the water in the lower layer. At this point, they mix and make for unstable conditions and poor fishing. This will most likely not occur in September on most lakes this year as the surface water needs to cool to about 50-60 F depending on the lake. However, if turnover does occur, look for muskies in very shallow water that is not experiencing the instability of the turnover process.
In early September, Summer tactics will work very well. As the water cools into late September, more fall-like tactics may produce better. It just depends on how fast the water cools. If the water cools rapidly, slower presentation will usually work best. If it stays warm, keeping the speed will allow for more water to be covered. Pay close attention to aquatic conditions, and let the muskies dictate the presentation.
Adam fishes the PMTT, is a field editor with MUSKIE Mag. See his website at www.honestmusky.com.
Alternative Summer Muskie Tactics
By Adam M. Glickman
I was picking apart the shallow structure off a rocky reef when I heard the splash behind me. It was too large for I loon, but I waited for one to come up in the area any way. When no loon showed itself, I was confident it had been a large feeding muskie, as the lake had no carp. I went straight for the area of the massive boil casting my shallow presentation over 22’ of water. As I completed my circle of the area, my lure was slammed 10’ from the boat 1’ beneath the surface. I landed the four foot muskie, and was intrigued but not surprised by what had occurred.
Summer time muskies are usually as active as they will be all season, but they can also be very tricky to catch. Their moods are often finicky and fishing and boating pressure is at its highest as well, making for even tougher conditions. Trying different tactics is often a good route to success. Fishing for suspended muskies, muskies in the slop, and targeting river muskies are excellent ways to find fish when the bite gets tough.
Fishing for suspended muskies is not as daunting a task as one might think. Summer muskies (especially those in MN) love to be shallow. Look for suspended muskies off of structure likely or known to be holding muskies. Areas 10-50 yards off of shallow structural edges over 10’-40’ of water are often best. Use the same lures that the muskies like on the nearby structure. They will still be shallow and high in the water column.
The scenario mentioned in the outset of this article is not the only time I have seen this happen. Early last season, my brother in law Justin and I were fishing a lake with lots of carp activity. Carp were surfacing all around us, but we heard and saw a boil that Justin didn’t think was a carp. He began casting away from the structure at the boil. Thinking this was low percentage due to the amount of carp, I kept at the structural edge. I think I even made a smart remark or two. Justin proved himself right on his second cast to the area by sticking and landing the muskie. I love being proved wrong.
However, these are not strictly oddball occurrences. I have had success on numerous occasions by casting to these areas exclusively. If muskies don’t seem to be home on the shallow structure, it is absolutely worth a shot looking for them suspended over nearby deeper water.
Finding summer muskies in slop pockets and on slop edges is also another productive and fun tactic. Muskies will move into these areas for seclusion from boaters and anglers, for the large amounts of forage using them, and for the abundance of shade and oxygen provided by the vegetation. Fish the areas through fast with topwaters and/or spinnerbaits. Muskies in these areas usually like fast presentations best. If a muskie blows up, but will not strike; cast a buoyant twitchbait into the area and violently twitch it, allowing it to rise to the surface in between twitches. This will keep it from fouling in weeds and in the strike zone as long as possible. Swap treble hooks on lures for weedless hooks if fouling in weeds becomes a problem. Strikes and battles in the slop are often spectacular.
One of the trends in muskie fishing these days is big fancy boats, but to find truly unpressured muskies it is often necessary to abandon the comfort of these rigs and look for muskies in rivers. The smaller and harder to navigate the river is, the less pressured its muskies will be. Boats 14’ and under, canoes, and even fishing on foot are the most successful options. Any favorite muskie presentation will work, and action can be tremendous. Both numbers of muskies and big individuals can be caught.
Great care needs to be taken with muskies in warm summer water and hot weather. Keep muskies out of the water no more than 20 seconds and be prepared for the release process. For more details on successful release strategies, refer to the article “For the Love of Muskies” in the May issue of Outdoors Weekly.
Muskie anglers tend to follow trends, and for good reason. Many of them often lead to great success. However, when trends fail, try doing something different or getting away from everyone all together.
Adam fishes the PMTT, is a field editor with MUSKIE Mag. See his website at www.honestmusky.com.
Catch & Release Lessons from a Toothy-Critter Master
By Ted Pilgrim with Pete Maina
Pete Maina has in his day handled thousands of big muskies. Ex-guide, lure inventor, TV personality, angler extraordinaire, Maina has worn many hats. Today, while he remains a zealous hunter of the big green fish, his real crusade is a message of placing fisheries first.
“No one is handling more muskies each and every day than we, the anglers,” states Maina from his home in the muskie-rich region of Hayward, Wisconsin. “Not biologists, not lakeshore associations, tackle salesmen or legislators. Fishermen play such a huge role in actively determining the health of our muskie waters—in essence, we’re the real managers of the fishery.
Maina continues: “If it’s good for the fish, it’s good for the fisherman. What’s happening with our muskie waters is proof enough. We really owe ourselves a collective pat on the back. Attitudes on catch-and-release have vastly improved. Our muskie fisheries are largely in great shape. In many waters record-class fish aren’t just a dream, they’re a realistic goal for any hardcore angler. That’s because catching and releasing muskies properly works; if it didn’t, fishing wouldn’t be nearly so good today.”
Still, despite great strides in catch-and-release fishing, Maina believes anglers continue ignoring two essential practices for safe, healthy releases. “Preparation, along with the use of proper release tools are key. Most of us labor for hours studying the things that help us catch fish. We’ll spend big money on rods, reels, electronics and lures, but neglect buying the proper release tools.
“Just as important,” Maina offers, “is the planning and execution of a solid muskie release plan; a premeditated strategy that helps you safely, quickly return muskies to their habitat. Doing this throughout the season goes far toward sustaining a healthy muskie fishery. That means more and bigger fish available for everyone to catch.”
The first part of a release plan, Maina says, is assembling a “conservation kit”—a collection of tools that ease the unhooking and release process, while also assuring the health of the fish. “Start with a premium fish landing device. I don’t think there’s a better net for landing and releasing muskies than Frabill’s Kwik Kradle. It’s really a net-cradle hybrid—an intelligently crafted design—that simplifies the landing process, as well as facilitating easy unhooking and measuring of fish.”
The Kwik Kradle, a completely original concept in large landing nets, couples a unique “open” hoop design with a specialized padded, knotless netting material. “The soft, treated netting offers the most tangle-free solution I’ve seen—it’s easy on fish, prevents them from rolling in the netting, and it seems to last forever. Plus, the net is easy to use if you’re fishing alone.”
While this all sounds good, Maina mostly judges a net’s merits by fish pictures. “I see a lot of photos of muskies with net damage. Some nets tend to scrape and cut the skin of muskies; this is usually caused by rough mesh material or nets that let fish thrash and roll. During the years we’ve used the Kwik Kradle, I have yet to see net damage on fish in our photographs.”
Maina also likes the fact that the net acts like a muskie ‘holding pen.’ “My first priority is to separate the fish from the lure, then to be certain that the fish’s head is in the water and breathing properly. I’ve got all the necessary tools at arm’s length. Slip the fish into the cupped hoop, and let her relax inside. Its weight is fully supported by the Kwik Kradle’s flat bottom panel. I can easily reach in with a longnose pliers and grab a hook, or use a Knipex to cut deeply imbedded hooks or hooks planted in sensitive areas (eyes, gills.) For inside-the-mouth hooks, I’ll employ a good set of jaw spreaders, too, which can save your hands, your lure and the fish. A set of split-ring pliers can come in handy to replace cut hooks on lures.”
Hook removal aside, he cautions that two of the biggest stressors for muskies are warm water temperatures and big waves. “Hot water contributes greatly to delayed mortality of fish that are already stressed from fighting and release. When surface waters exceed 70-degrees, fish handling should be minimized. Meanwhile, big waves stress fish further because it’s harder for them to maintain their equilibrium at the surface. Time spent photographing and measuring fish in these scenarios should be kept short.”
Although the current trend in gauging muskie and pike size is to measure length and girth, Maina offers a compelling alternative. “In Europe, where giant pike are repeatedly caught-and-released, the standard procedure has long involved weighing fish in a ‘weigh sling.’ The benchmark for sizing European pike—even for released fish—isn’t length, but weight. It’s the most accurate measurement of true size we have.
“Same thing should apply to muskies. It’s popular now to take length and girth measurements, plug them into a formula, and estimate the fish’s weight. But why? Doing all the things necessary to take accurate length and girth measurements takes time and effort; often requiring the fish to be out of the water and handled extensively; this where a lot of damage is done to fish.”
“Nowadays, some of the better anglers I know aren’t so worried about the exact size of the fish. A safe release is more important. Still, if you’ve got a fish that’s tickling record size, consider a method by my friend, Georgian Bay guide Johnny Dodson. He uses a cradle to weigh fish with a handheld scale. It’s faster, much easier on the fish and infinitely more accurate.” With the fish safely inside the mesh, you can even hang a scale right on the landing net’s hoop and weigh everything (ultimately subtracting net weight). Or you can quickly transfer the fish from the net into a damp Frabill Musky Cradle. Attach a scale to the middle of both poles, and weigh. The Musky Cradle even includes a built-in 60-inch measuring stick, if a quick in-water release is desired.
Maina offers a few additional comments on preventing damage and assuring safe releases. “Right now, for instance, we’re developing a new series of big game hooks for Mustad that feature reduced barbs. By reducing the barb size on large single or treble hooks, you can minimize potential damage to the fish. Reduced barbs hold just as well, yet make boatside unhooking chores easier. Simply file a three-sided knife-edge from barb to hook point, shaving down barb size by half or more.” It’s another positive move in the name of fisheries first.
“Something retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Chief of Fisheries Lee Kernen once told me sort of puts things in perspective. Kernen said, ‘There simply aren't enough trophy muskies alive for each angler to keep one as a personal trophy.’ I’ll take this one step further, and say that even if only 1 in 100 muskie fishers wanted to keep one, there still wouldn’t be enough big ones swimming out there.
“Muskies can be one of the meanest freshwater predators swimming—it’s part of why we cherish catching them. But once they’ve been caught, they become one of the wimpiest, most fragile fish. Getting people excited about fish health should be the goal of the next generation. Because the bottom line is, you can’t catch fish that aren’t there. Lucky for me,” Maina jests with a grin, “I know a lake or two where the fish and I are on a first name basis.”
Weed Muskies: They’re in There Somewhere, but Where?
Ted Takasaki holds up a huge weed musky for a quick photo. Follow the formula and find your own weed monsters this fall!
By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson
It’s not enough to know that giant, hungry muskies haunt weeds in fall. We all know they’re in the green stuff somewhere. Living weeds give off oxygen, cover and shade, and provide muskies with ambush points to snare baitfish hiding among the plants.
But, anyone who fishes places like Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, or Cass Lake knows weed beds can be gigantic. They literally cover miles and miles.
The critical question: which weeds are best? We need to know how to dissect the huge aquatic gardens, cut them down to manageable size, and pinpoint the places that are home to muskies. Knowing how to focus efforts on the most productive areas and narrow our search quickly is even more important during these days of expensive gasoline and precious few free hours to fish due to pressures at work and at home.
We’re busy people. We must be as efficient as we can.
Taking time to study a lake map to single out likely fish-holding vegetation can cut the learning curve. Once on the water, a visual inspection helps spot key features that indicate a particular weed bed is worth a closer look. The process is simple once armed with a few guidelines.
Start by identifying the weed beds on structures that provide both shallow areas and access to deeper water nearby. Locations like those let muskies move quickly from places they feel secure to shallow feeding areas and back again without burning too much of the energy they desperately need to fatten for the winter to come. Look for points and humps that aren’t totally isolated (away from other features). But, they also shouldn’t be overwhelmed by too many structures close by that give muskies too many choices on where to be. There can be too much of a good thing.
The best weed beds are the ones with ‘character,’ meaning lots of features. Flat, shapeless patches with one variety of plant are unlikely to hold many muskies.
Look for something different. Uneven weed lines, such as turns on the outside and inside edges and changes in depth on the top, increase the odds. They provide muskies with places to conceal themselves along the pathways that baitfish travel. Is there a long straight stretch of weed line that leads to a solitary point? Fish it. Is there a place where weeds rise above the surface from a weed bed of shorter plants, or a depression where the tops of weeds don’t reach as high as the surrounding ones? Fish those, too.
Muskies also position themselves along the edges of pockets deep inside the vegetation. Look for places with two or more kinds of vegetation. More plant species in an area can signal a diversity of bottom content, which means it could be home to a range of aquatic critters, which means there could be a variety of potential muskie food swimming around in the area. Places like that provide a smorgasbord. For that reason, pay particular attention to transition areas where one type of weed meets another.
Add rocks or boulders to the scene and you’ll want to be certain to give the spot a closer look. Check the lake map. The rock piles with “Xs” are shallow enough to be navigation hazards. Target the ones featuring weeds, for sure. There have been autumn days when concentrating solely on those places put several fish in the net and produced several more heart-thumping follows.
Wind is another plus. A breeze ignites the food chain by drifting microscopic plankton to the area, which, in turn, attracts baitfish. But too much wind can make a weed bed a tangled mess that predators will avoid, and strong winds can make boat control an issue. In that case, toss a drift sock overboard to slow boat speed, and use the electric trolling motor to steer.
When you do see or boat a muskie, take note of the kind of weeds that are present. Sometimes they’ll favor coontail, sometimes cabbage, sometimes bulrushes or something else. Are the plants fresh and green or are they starting to turn brown? Details like that help piece together a pattern for the day.
Before moving on, study the lake map, find similar spots, and try them.
Good electronics narrow the search even more. A GPS with a mapping chip that shows the outline of structure and the relative depth of surrounding water are tremendous aids. Use polarized sunglasses and motor along the weed edges, both inside and out. Watch their shape appear on the GPS screen. Pinpoint the twists and turns and visualize where hungry muskies might wait in ambush.
Side imaging sonar, exclusive to Humminbird, can identify other features that don’t appear on the maps, like downed trees, isolated boulders, or rock piles concealed among the vegetation. They create the spot-on-the-spot you want.
View the outline of the edges relative to the shape of the structure. Where do the drop offs and weed lines intersect? They could be critical contact points.
Good Weed Lures
Choosing a bait to target weeds is simple. Bucktails, with their treble hooks, may snag too often. But spinnerbaits like the M/G Muskie Tandem by Lindy are virtually snag-proof. If they temporarily snag, a quick snap can pop them free–which can also trigger a strike.
Spinnerbaits can be buzzed over the top of weeds, then stopped at the right moment to flutter down through a gap in the canopy where the sun reaches the darkness below. Bet on the fact that weed muskies keep their eyes on that shaft of light for signs of activity.
Cast along weed edges, paying strict attention to the twists and turns in the edges where a muskie might lurk.
Depth and speed are primary triggers, so vary both. Start fast and slow down if you must. The key is to cover as much water as fast as possible.
Large plastics can be rigged weedless and pitched into holes in the cover or used as a throw-back bait at followers. Try a Jackpot or other surface bait over pockets and along the edges.
A follow from a tentative muskie is an invitation to change some part of your tactic. Switch baits or simply use the rod tip to quickly change the direction of the same lure you’re using. Always figure 8 at boatside. If the muskie still won’t grab the lure, mark the spot on the GPS and leave for a while. Play the odds, and return when odds are in your favor. Try later in the day, or when the wind changes speed or direction, or when a storm approaches.
If a muskie finally does explode on your bait, you’ll know you’re learning the most important lesson there is in any kind of fishing–the ability to analyze a body of water to find the 10 percent that holds most of the fish.
After all, everyone knows the fish are in there somewhere.
© 2011 OutdoorsWeekly.com
