PREPARATION
Preparation for any fishing trip always starts way before the boat is launched. Preparing your vehicle, boat, trailer and fishing tackle are all critical to success on the water. Make sure all preventative maintenance is done before every trip no matter whether it is a local shot or a prolonged excursion. I like to think that developing a habit and attitude of preparation in many ways leads to more success on the water.
Once you hit the water, be prepared for a strike at any moment no matter what the cast, the spot, the weather or the situation. A big musky is just as likely to strike early in the morning, when you’re fresh from a good night’s sleep and a big breakfast, as it is at the very end of the day, when you’re tired and hungry. The fish of a lifetime could show up on the very first spot you fish at the very beginning of your trip, or just as easily on the absolute last cast you make at the end of a grueling week of intense casting. In the same breath, it might also pounce on your bait moments after the reel is engaged, but just as many big fish smash your lure right at boatside. You have to be ready at all times. Preparation is key.
METICULOUS
The word meticulous comes to mind quite often throughout life and it relates to so many instances in the world of musky angling. Meticulous maintenance all of your gear on a regular basis is essential to success with any big gamefish. The more meticulous you become, generally the more successful you will be. Big trophy class fish test your gear and your skills to the max on every encounter. Rarely does a big one simply “fall into your lap”. Taking every possible precaution to keep yourself prepared from the beginning of the day until the end of the trip is sure to result in a lot more fish, and is essential anytime you encounter the fish of a lifetime . Meticulous maintenance of all your gear – lines, leaders, knots, sharp hooks, landing nets, trolling motors, sonar units, outboard motors, battery charging, trailer hauling – it is all important. It all requires a meticulous mentality.
ROUTINE
Discipline yourself to establish a rock solid ROUTINE throughout your entire approach to musky fishing. This often helps stay organized and ready no matter what is thrown at you. It also often eliminates problems before they ever start. . What you’re trying to accomplish here is developing a pattern with everything you do so as many factors are in your favor as possible. Going through simple steps at the beginning and end of each day to ready your boat for a day of fishing is one such example. Nothing kills a great day of fishing like being low on gas or battery power. Less obvious are possible problems with sonars and trolling motors on trips, but they do occur and if you are not prepared, it can really put a damper on your mojo. I keep a spare sonar, transducer, trolling motor prop, outboard prop, and outboard oil in boat storage just in case. In my truck storage, I even carry an extra trolling motor. I’d suggest you do the same. Not having these items, when a break down occurs on past trips, has taught me to plan for the worst.
Another classic example of routine is line, leader and knot inspection. Let’s face it, owning a high dollar boat rig does little good in actual catching of fish unless you pay attention to the little things at the business end. Keep a constant watch over your line for fray and wear. Be aware of leader fatigue after prolonged usage. One of the best ways to accomplish this is with routine knot — retie. This puts your eyes up close and focused on that crucial area on a regular basis. Quite honestly, the routine of retie simply avoids the potential of line/leader/knot failure.
BASICS
Never overlook the simple BASICS. Nothing else is as important. For example, setting the drag on your reel is one of the most common of all mistakes in fishing. Drags cease up after hours, days, and weeks of neglect. While having a “winch tight” drag rarely costs one a smaller sized fish, it can be devastating on a big trophy musky hookup at boatside. The raw power of a giant can be astounding in this situation. The only way you survive it is with a properly working drag mechanism. In fact, this is the epitome of how important the simple basics are in this sport. Nothing else matters if you and your gear don’t perform at the critical moment.
Few big fish opportunities come your way on any given trip. The bigger the fish, the less overall chances you will get. Even the biggest names in fishing today will be the first to tell you that trophy class fish are never a regularity. Take advantage of those rare opportunities by being prepared as you can be. At the end of the day, these are the five things that are likely to make the biggest difference in any fishing outing.
Joe Bucher
