Crankbaits are classic muskie baits, and the Musky Mania Jake Crankbait has long been a leader in this realm. When reeling this lure back to the boat, its motion is unrivaled.
How do you catch muskie on topwater?
Hesitate after the lure splashes down and then start reeling slowly so the lure tracks just beneath the surface. About halfway through your retrieve, raise your rod tip and start reeling faster to bring the lure to the surface. A muskie will often hit just as the blades begin to the break the surface of the water.
Do musky hit topwater lures?
” Muskies don’t miss topwater lures by mistake ,” he says. “It’s never an accident. So, if you’re seeing fish, or having them boil on your bait, it’s because you’re doing something they don’t want you to do. Usually it’s the speed of your retrieve.
What
color lure
is best for musky?
The most popular choices were natural, stealthy colors that match the hatch of the muskies’ forage in most waters. Black, white (or silver), and gold are all colors of fish that are on the musky’s menu, including: suckers.
How old is a 50
inch muskie
?
Growth and ultimate size can vary among bodies of water, depending on factors such as lake productivity, forage and genetics. Depending on the body of water, muskellunge in Minnesota could take 13 to 21 years to reach 50 inches.
What is the best time of day to fish for muskie?
The best time of day to catch muskies is around dawn and dusk during the
warmer months
and around mid-afternoon during the winter You can catch muskies during the day and even at night but the fishing will usually be a lot slower.
Can you catch muskie from shore?
While you can use most baits from the shore or from a boat, some baits will serve you better for bank-busting muskies than others.
How do you target a musky?
Try heavy action rods from seven to nine feet long Pair a muskie rod with a large bait-casting reel, preferably in a fast gear ratio, to allow “catching up” to fast-moving fish. Heavy action rods have the backbone to not only fight such a large fish, but also to cast the jumbo-sized lures used to target muskies.
What line do you use for muskie?
The line you use should be based on the size of the fishing rod you use. In open water with a light-to-medium action rod, many people use 10 to 12-pound test line In areas where there are thicker weeds, 12 to 15-pound test can be used.
What do you need for muskie fishing?
Tackle Needs A stiff, and relatively short, rod is standard, with at least 25- to 40-pound line , though many diehard muskie anglers use thin-diameter microfilament lines from 50- to 80-pound strength. It’s hard to set the hook well into a large muskie, so multiple hooksetting and a low-stretch line can be advantageous.
Can you catch muskie at night?
The musky is a predatory fish that hunts and feeds both during day- and nighttime. What is this? It is, therefore, possible to catch them in the dark and, especially during the warmer months of the year, nighttime fishing can actually yield better results than fishing during the day.
Can northern pike see color?
When a pike looks towards the surface, all colours look the same against the sky They only see a black silhouette! The only colour thing that does pop out on the surface is reflective material.
Where do muskies hang out?
Muskies spawn at around 55 degrees so ideal spawning sites are located in shallow, flat, marshy areas usually lees than 3 feet in depth Protection from wind and colder main lake water temperatures make isolated bays, islands and small creek inlets all good spawning sites.
Do muskies eat bass?
Burri said the Wisconsin diet study indicated that 98 percent of a muskie’s diet, by volume, was comprised of fish. The other two percent, he said, included crayfish, insects, mudpuppies, tadpoles and one mouse. Walleye, bass and northern pike ranked low in the muskie diet.
What water temp is best for musky fishing?
Biologists classify muskies as “cool-water” fish. They are most comfortable at water temperatures between 63 and 67 degrees In that temperature range, and in even colder water, there’s enough oxygen in the water that a muskie can exert itself without lasting effects.
Why do muskies surface?
Musky like to be well acquainted with their surroundings and are surfacing to get a “better look around.” Muskellunge have also been seem “basking” and occasionally “porpoising” with their backs out of the water.
Are muskies hard to catch?
Because of this, they’re prized game fish throughout their range. Muskie are also famously hard to hook , hence the nickname “fish of a thousand casts.” They’re difficult to trick and impossible to predict. Even so, there are a few go-to tactics for both species.
Where do muskies live in lakes?
Muskellunge thrive in lakes that range widely in depths and have large aquatic plant beds such as bulrushes, pickerelweed, water lilies, and arrowleaf. Muskellunge live in both medium and large lakes that have
deep pools
and areas of slow-moving water The larger lakes tend to hold large muskies.
Does pike hit topwater?
With that event in mind, he set about laying the foundation for a reliable topwater plan for river-run pike. “From mid-June into the weeds start to die off in September, pike feed on top when hordes of dragonflies start cruising just above the surface ,” he says.
What colors do pike see best?
The ability of slower retrieve along with a softer underwater tone gives you the injured fish action northern pike prey upon. Best pike lure colors: Red/Black or White (sunny days), Chartreuse/Blue (cloudy days).
What is the largest muskie ever caught?
For muskies, the world records for length and weight are held by two different fish. The maximum documented length is 72.04 inches (183 cm) , and the heaviest documented weight is 70.10 pounds (31.8 kg), according to FishBase.
How fast should you troll for muskie?
The optimal trolling speed for muskies is around 3 to 4 mph usually. Now there will always be examples and times where they want it real slow, and really fast; but this is the norm. Considering this trip it was in the 55-65 degree range, we trolled around the 3 mph range and that worked out well.
What month is best for muskie fishing?
Some of the highest catch rates for muskies are during the summer months when the water is warm and the fish are most active. Fall fishing can also be very productive at times, and many of the largest muskies are caught during the fall.
Are muskie good eating?
People who love eating muskies will tell you that muskie tastes quite similar to bass. Others believe it tastes more like pike. Either way, muskie is more of a bland fish with not as much flavor as other fish species, like salmon or tuna Much of the taste of the fish depends on how you cook it.
Where is the best muskie fishing?
The three best big-water producers of giant muskies are Green Bay, Lake St. Clair, and the
ottawa river
/St. Lawrence River systems Anglers have a legitimate shot at a 50- to 56-inch muskie nearly any day of the season there and it’s possible a record fish swims in at least two of these fisheries.
Where do river muskies go in the winter?
Areas adjacent to spawning grounds in mid-depths can be broken down as creek arms, breaks adjacent to main lake flats, and deep timber flats. The most productive areas during winter are complex creek arms with standing timber, laydowns, and sufficient depth of 20 feet or more.
Why are muskie harder to catch than pike?
Pike only have a maximum of 6 pores on their lower jaw, but most commonly only 4 to 5. Muskies will have at least 7 pores on each side This will demand a closer look at your catch and can often take a little while, which is why it is important to handle the fish the right way, both for its and for your own sake.
Where do you find muskie in a river?
Another key take away is how a musky will relate in and out of deep holes, moving in and out to feed. Anywhere deep water starts shelving up, you will find fish that move up onto the shelves, up on the flats and shallower banks to feed Muskie use the deep holes as a place to chill out.
Where do muskie live in rivers?
Muskellunge are found in oligotrophic and mesotrophic lakes and large rivers from northern Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and northern Minnesota through the Great Lakes region, Chautauqua Lake in western New York, north into Canada, throughout most of the St Lawrence River drainage, and northward throughout the upper.
Where do musky spawn in rivers?
Muskie spawning occurs as water temperatures hit the mid- to upper-50-degree range. They are broadcast spawners, laying their eggs in shallow, soft-bottomed areas, generally bays (especially those with inlet flow), some shoreline areas and upstream (off-current shallows) in rivers.
How deep are muskie in the summer?
MUSKIE MOVEMENT In northern climates, where water temperature does not rise into the oppressively hot range, muskies may move into 12 or 15 feet of water to find their ideal temperature range. In southern climates, where water temperatures commonly reach the 80s, they may go much deeper.
How many casts does it take to catch a muskie?
Muskellunge, also known as muskie or the fish of 10,000 casts is the largest pike in North America. They are notoriously difficult to catch, but often reach over 20 pounds and occasionally grow longer than 50 inches. Muskies are opportunistic feeders.
References