FACT: No matter how many lures you own, it matters little if you don’t learn WHEN to snap the right one on, and then master how to work it. I am certain that many of the most successful anglers out there today fish with a very limited selection of baits. While they might own quite a few lures, they actually use only a select handful of them successfully. Some of this is confidence driven, while some of it is also conditions correlated.
PREPARATION
ROCK & ROLL MUSKIES!
Musky IQ: Analyze & Execute
I could go on about stories from my fishing career, and there are plenty to tell. Perhaps some day I’ll even write a book about all of these crazy experiences. But, I have to admit that this particular story ranks right up there with the best musky stories of them all. Thank goodness I have this crazy encounter recorded on camera because it truly is hard to believe
The Hunt For Goliath!
Rat-L-Traps and a variety of other lures that fall into the class of lipless crank baits have been a post spawn staple for savvy muskie anglers for many decades. It is common knowledge that muskies gravitate to smaller presentations during the post spawn period and rattle baits fit this profile to a tee. While rattle lures are relatively simple in their design, a hollow plastic body jam packed with bb’s, their versatility can’t be denied.
Musky Spring Musky Fishing Rattle traps, small gliders and diminutive bucktails are the proven early season producers that most musky anglers rely on. These down-sized presentations are right on target for the majority of season opener and are well suited to trigger strikes from post-spawn muskies.
Sun baked shallow flats and highrising underwater points can be among the best early season musky producers. In fact, numerous lakes are completely void of classic bays, coves and canals yet are bound to contain shallow flat or two. Without these other attractive locations, flats that are shallow enough and situated on a sun exposed portion of the lake are often main musky hangouts. Of course, the same food chain correlation again applies here.
The long awaited musky season is something we all look forward to, yet many start the season out unproductively for a number of reasons. One of the simplest reasons for a lack of spring success has to do with a lack of understanding of how a lake, river or reservoir lays out, and consequently how all the fish inside a given body of water react accordingly. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a singular key thing to consider in an early season musky gameplan.
BEASTS OF THE BULRUSHES
The adage that a tool is only as good as the hand that wields it is just as true in a workshop as it is on the water. In my mind, musky lures are not magical, mythical, or particularly mysterious. They are simply tools with an intended purpose and specific capabilities. Learning to understand those capabilities, and knowing when and how to apply them properly, is one of the biggest leaps forward a musky angler can make.
Every retail fishing tackle store in North America is sure to be adorned with a wall of catchy looking lure colors. But, the term “catchy” here begs the question — what are they (retailers) truly catching? You! Does a hot looking super natural color pattern automatically catch more fish? Maybe, but without question — it catches more impulsive buys from anglers. While I am certainly in the camp of believers in color preferences with muskies at times, I argue it should never the primary thing to focus on. In fact, I would also contend color ranks way down the list of priorities.
As a lure designer, I am constantly at odds with my instincts as an angler and guide and the expectations of the mass market. The battleground is rarely something superficial like cosmetics. It almost always comes down to weighting.
Execute The Perfect Comeback
How Muskies Hunt
Musky battle tactics and the actual sequence of rod movements one should execute during a musky battle are rarely discussed inside the pages of an article even though this often has a bearing on both keeping the fish hooked as well as getting it in easy net range.
Southern Muskies and Cold Water
The term “hang-time” has been used in the sport of football most often, and it usually refers to how long a punt or kick hangs in the air from the moment the player kicks or punts the ball until a receiver catches it. Generally speaking, a longer hang time is preferable to kickers/punters because it allows defenders ample time to run down field to intercept the ball carrier before he has had a chance to advance very far. The same term applies to angling, but is used in a different fashion.
Most hard-bait muskie lures are fish catchers right out of the box, but there are going to be certain times and situations where some simple minor tweaks make them far more effective for specific applications. Let’s focus on one of them here — reducing buoyancy to create more “hang time” and even attain neutral buoyancy suspension.
Winter Musky Fishing Rivers