In my opinion, there isn’t any freshwater fish that compares to the unpredictable and uncanny abilities of a musky. Secrets, theories, and much trial and error have been put to the test in musky water territories, but here’s a few definite tactics that won’t break your line or slip the hook!
The Window of Opportunity
If I were to describe musky behavior, I’d categorize them with whitetail. If there’s one semi-predictable occurrence in your abilities to hook a musky, it is weather and their response to it.
As whitetail addicts know, hunting before and after a storm front can offer some of your best opportunities at striking big. Fishing is no different! I fished extremely hard for 5 days with a local friend and fishing guide. We tallied zero explosions, zero follow-ups, and zero sightings after the 5th day. The 6th day happened to be a totally different experience. As we fished, we began to see amazing cloud formations and a variation of colors. It was truly an incredible view, but the most astounding part was the fishing! We caught 3 musky and 2 giant northern in no more than 3 hours of fishing. It was an angler’s dream!
The window of opportunity may only last for minutes, but if you happen to be in the right spot, using the right bait, things will go crazy. I was just fortunate enough to have all the variables come together.
The Loopy-8
When people talk about musky, they often bring up the infamous “figure-8.” I never fully understood why it was so essential making that silly figure-8 with your lure before swinging it into your boat, until now.
Often times, musky, but also many other game fish, will follow your bait several yards before chomping into it. This is a common trait in the musky world. Sometimes it’s the erratic movement, swift turn, or circle that will ultimately convince the fish to trigger its mouth. Many times, careless fisherman will lose on countless opportunities because of pulling their bait out of the water too soon!
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I caught my second musky ever on a full-fledged follow up from only feet away from the boat. I watched as he slumped his back, which jutted out of the water like a shark-fin and eased only inches away from my bait. It wasn’t until I made my first turn in the figure-8 before he engulfed my buck-tail. I’ve also witnessed many other musky anglers slam on this technique.
The Puncture
If you ever have the chance to feel how rugged and tough the mouth of a musky is, please do. I promise you that you’ll be stunned by how hard their mouth is. Now considering that their mouth is difficult to pierce, we must come to an assumption that we need to use razor sharp fishing hooks.
Fish, sand, seaweed, underwater tree falls, and rocks will dull your fishing hooks in a hurry. It doesn’t take too much or too long before they turn into “practice hooks.” It’s no different than going archery hunting with a dull broad head. Sure, a dull point may kill the animal you shoot, but I’m not going to take that chance. There’s already enough chance involved in hunting and fishing. I like to improve my odds and control any simple variables I can.
Hooks are often overlooked. Whether it’s bass, walleye, or any other game fish, it’s critical to sport sharp hooks. The finely honed hook will jab into the lip far more quickly and easier than a dull one. This seems super obvious, but so many anglers forget to take out the sharpener and fine-tune their hooks. It only takes a few minutes but, truly, those extra minutes will make the difference in a successful hook-set.
The Lures
Baits and lures come in an array of different colors, shapes, sizes, and forms of movement. Some float, while others sink and so on and so forth. There truly is bait for each and every day of musky fishing. That is why it’s so important to have a showcase of different kinds of tackle to choose from.
Your typical top-water bait is one that can be used any time. The ‘top-raider’ has a swirling tail that flutters water and makes a tiny wake behind it. Or, you can try the infamous “suick”, which floats but, when used, angles back-and-forth in and out of the water. Everyone is familiar with your buck-tail baits that have a spinning spoon attached to it. These are all different forms of lures that can be used at different times of the year, and periods of the day.
Color is by far one of the most significant factors involved in catching a fish. There’s really no telling what day is matched with what color, but the nice thing is that you have the ability to fling the entire rainbow if you wanted. An entire spectrum of colors in your tackle box will ultimately give you an edge when fishing.
These are just a few tips that you’ll need to know before you wet your line! |