I was running out of time. It was to be my last trip of the year and my last chance to catch my first big musky (48-inches plus and/or 30-pounds). I had a $100 bet with my buddy’s wife that I’d catch one that year after she taunted me earlier about my lack of big fish success. I was determined to win that bet, no matter what it cost me!
The very nature of Fall is that of fluctuation and transition, shifting weather patterns are expected but can wreak havoc on our fall musky plans. Cold fronts, heavy rains, and a litany of other fall factors can slow that big bite, so it’s smart to have a backup plan in place. Keep in mind overcoming tough fall conditions isn’t always as simple as changing baits, it takes changing tactics and often a little creativity to put a musky in the net. So, let’s look at an “outside the box” trolling tactic that I turn to when fall conditions are less than stellar.
So many of today's Midwestern musky anglers are diehard casters. Some even consider trolling taboo, but that certainly wouldn’t be me. My fishing education background is principally centered around the foundations of Buck Perry, stressing the basic fact that "the fish are either deep, shallow, or somewhere in between".
Just a few short weeks after the musky opener, the excitement of the early season can turn into frustration for many anglers. As the water temperatures start to increase so will the amount of boating traffic. Those peaceful afternoons on the water are quickly gone leaving behind an aquatic hellscape as every imaginable terror of the deep descends on our pristine musky lakes. Morons on jet skis, pontoons loaded with scantily clad geriatrics and pleasure boats with screaming children in tow are just a taste of the horrors that await.
It has been written by many that experience is the best teacher, and I admit that I refer to past experiences quite often. No matter how much you glean from books, seminars and videos, nothing beats first-hand knowledge in any endeavor. When the subject is late fall muskies specifically, this simple aspect of practical experience can never be overstated.
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “fall musky fishing”? Trophy musky hunts? Cold hands? Dragging suckers? During this colorful season and transition between summer and winter, we’ve experienced some of our most action-packed days on the water, but we’ve also been a part of several extremely tough bites. Recently, we uploaded a video to our Burnin Eights YouTube channel that showcased some hot and heavy fall musky action and it proved why autumn can truly provide some of the best fishing of the entire musky season.
One of the most exciting and explosive musky bites is upon us! The dog days of August are beginning to transition into early fall. Each passing day gets shorter and the water starts to cool off. With decreasing daylight and cooler water temps muskie attitudes start getting a even more aggresive as thier need to feed increases.
By late summer aquatic vegetation begins to take over the shorelines, points, and bays of many musky lakes. Once easily fishable weed lines and beds have now become tangled jungles that many musky anglers find too frustrating to target. Though these dense weed beds and mats are prime shallow water locations for late summer muskies as they provide shade and forage for both predators and prey; targeting these dense cover muskies takes some extra patience, presentation adjustments and a few mods to get your lures through the weedy jungle.
The Canadian federal government will extend the Canada-U.S. land border closure for another 30 days until Sept. 21, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said Friday.
When A Musky Follows, What Should I Do Next?
How many times have we all left the water after a tough muskie hunt thinking, “wow… I couldn’t even raise a single fish to the boat!” The answer to that question is MANY TIMES! It is the nature of our sport and the fact that we are chasing the most challenging freshwater fish to catch in the world. But, with the advent of Side Imaging technology, all of this is now changing in incredible ways! I no longer count the total number of muskie follows by just the ones I saw PHYSICALLY chase a lure to the boat but instead I now include the ones I see on the computer screen too! And these “SI” follows, as I call them, are just as valuable as seeing one with your own eyes.