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Learn to Use those LURES
A BIG secret – that doesn’t involve a “secret” lure; rather, increasing significantly, the capability of your favorite lures – to become secret weapons – as compared to other folks’ lures of the exact same kind. And actually, it’s a great off-season project for folks who chase muskie and pike where the water stays hard and/or have a closed season to fish for the species. What’s the big secret? Simply use all your favorite lures in a clear water situation, lots … without any concern for trying to catch a fish – try everything possible until you learn everything that can be learned about what looks best – and the limits of the lure (i.e. depth, speed, ect.).
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Posted in Articles
Tagged Tactics, Techniques
Adjusting Boat Control
Efficiency is a very key element in muskie fishing. The lower the density of a fish species, the more you need to optimize your time on the water. Adjusting boat position on structures as patterns emerge can really save time, increasing water coverage of the effective zone and ultimately resulting in more strikes.
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Head in the Water
When we talk of practicing effective release for muskie and northern pike, we commonly hear of the importance of having the right tools – and this is absolutely essential. If you don’t have the long-nose pliers, quality hook cutters, spreaders, split-ring pliers and spare hooks – you shouldn’t go. Additionally though, while the initial response may be giggles from some – there is never enough stress on the simple fact that the head of the fish is the part that breathes.
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Posted in Articles
Tagged Fish Management, Safety
Catch & Release Basics for Toothy Critters
As esox anglers, we all know the importance of catch and release to the future of our sport. Good intentions alone don’t make for successful releases. If the esox doesn’t survive the release, wasted effort and fish flesh is the result. There is no complete substitute for experience. No doubt, the more fish you handle, the more efficient you’ll be at it. However, even beginners that have a plan can be successful releasers. Sacred as these fish are to some of us, they’re just fish. Realistically, it’s not entirely necessary that the release be “pretty” as long as it’s effective.
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Posted in Articles
Tagged Fish Management, Safety
Fight ‘Em Right
I’ve spent many seasons now as a muskie angler and guide (to the point where I’d rather not get specific). As a result, I’ve endured many a muskie story. Of course, the bulk of these are of “the one that got away” variety (specimens cited in the telling are of extreme proportions). I’ve watched many a muskie shake-off, not-get-hooked and even skillfully avoided as potential captors managed to whisk-away their offering before snapping jaws could close around them. It’s as though they want to save their respective purchases from the wear and tear that coincides with such vicious, toothy attacks (which I’ve never quite understood, since they’re usually paying me money to catch one of the silly things).
Posted in Articles
Tagged Fish Handling, Fish Management, Safety
Finding Pike Through The Ice
To me, when it comes to the hard water season, northern pike are my favorite target for a lot of reasons. First, they are bigger fish that have teeth. And they pull hard and move fast. And another real neat thing to me, is that they are generally pretty easy to target on waters with a decent population. Good action can usually be found, and the best part of all-for someone who’s never been too keen on rising early, is that midday hours are generally best. You normally don’t need to start early or stay late into the dark.
If you really want to be most effective in targeting pike (or realistically any species for that matter), the first move is to make some phone calls and line up friends to go along. And that’s the neat thing about ice. A boat limits those who can all go along. It’s pretty much unlimited on the ice. Round up some folks, because the more holes or sets you are allowed to use, the quicker you should be able to pattern pike.
Posted in Articles
Tagged Ice Fishing, Pike, Tactics, Techniques
Lure Colors and Muskies
You’ve all seen the smiley tackle manufacturer or rep at the sports show, graciously offering info on their line of product; also counsel on the myriad of colors available. I’ve been there myself many times; on both sides of the fence. Once an angler is convinced they can’t possibly live without a particular lure type, the inevitable question is what color. It’s a tough one really. My standard reply as a manufacturer, of course, is-one of each.
I know, there’s plenty of moms, wives and non-fishers related or other-wise attached to esox nuts out there who can’t seem to understand why multiple overstuffed tackle boxes are a absolute necessity to pursue these fish; and considering monetary outlays, it’s a legit concern. We can get a little carried away with the “just-gotta-haves.” But in defense of lure junkies everywhere, I will unequivocally state that there is “some” validity in all of this. Colors do make a difference; sometimes it’s huge!
Posted in Articles
Tagged Lure Color, Tactics, Techniques
Fishing with Live Bait
Many anglers have never even tried live bait for any species. Where I come from in northwestern Wisconsin, live bait use for musky is a tradition as old as the sport itself. Generally, live bait use is common in the spring, and almost standard procedure for most muskie seekers in the fall. There are those that are either disinterested in live bait use, or simply prefer other tactics. There are also those within the muskie community that are “dead-set” against live bait use.
These folks won’t use it and, they don’t feel anyone else should be using live bait either. I’ve been in the presence of, and once in a while involved in, boisterous discussions on the “do’s, don’ts and whys” on the use of live bait. While I certainly don’t agree that live bait should never be used under any circumstances, or that the use of live bait is, “unfair, unsporting and only for ‘lazy’ people”, one of the concerns anti-live-baiters will offer is legit. That the use of live bait kills musky. Unfortunately, I can’t argue that point. They’re dead right!
Posted in Articles
Tagged Live Bait, Tactics, Techniques
What’s Next for Our Muskie Fisheries?
All you muskie fishers out there-give yourself a pat on the back. Let’s look at what’s happened in muskie fishing over the last couple decades. About twenty-three years ago I started to release muskies myself, and encourage my guiding clients to do the same. As a teenager, so rabid about fishing that I started guiding others regularly at the age of 14 during the summer, I’d gotten a wake-up call.
I had just started to dabble in the business side of fishing when I heard something I’d honestly never even pondered. You see, I’d been brought up with the mentality that when you fish-you try real real hard to catch ‘em-and you keep and eat your legal limit. Simple, and this included muskies.
Posted in Articles
Tagged Fish Management
Live Bait Basics
As many of you may already know, live baits can work great for muskie and pike. In Wisconsin, the use of live bait (usually in addition to artificial presentations) is very popular, especially in the fall, for muskies. It can work well in the spring too. In a nutshell, it works best and is most efficient in cool water ranges. Many nice fish are taken; big pike are often a surprise bonus at times too.
To cover a good general time frame for effectiveness, I’d recommend bait use from the start of the season (where there is no closed season it should work all winter) to the upper-sixty degree range of surface temperatures. However, I may cheat, occasionally, after I’ve officially given up hope of success on artificials when a nasty cold front comes in. But, once temperatures are in the 70′s for good, I’m done. I bring it back into play around turnover time, usually about the 60-degree mark for surface temperatures. There will be on and off periods, but once past turnover, bait will be effective to ice up.
Posted in Articles
Tagged Live Bait, Tactics, Techniques
