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| Mike Davis with a 44-inch De Pere, WI Muskie. |
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DOG “DAZE” MUSKIE
By Bob Chochola
MUSKIE Magazine, August 2009
Midwest Outdoors, Summer 2009
The “fish of ten-thousand casts” can be very elusive during the hot summer months. Boredom and fatigue can put any muskie hunter into a daze. But if you spend enough quality time on the water you will have success; you will likely beat that big number of casts and the time it takes to make them by a mile.
Anywhere between the Fourth of July and the first really cold snap in the fall is a good time to slip-away from business as usual to spend some time casting. When it gets hot and sticky, the black flies are throwing a party by day and mosquitoes are munching everything in sight in the evening, you should be just as determined to cast.
If there’s but one proof-positive that the “fish of ten-thousand casts” is but a myth, then it is the fact that if you use time on the water effectively it will equal more rapid success. But you can strategically target the object of your affection – muskie – without blindly casting for thirteen straight hours on areas that may (or may not) hold a muskie. Be determined; be persistent. Be smart!
There are three times of day to cast through the hot months with the greatest potential for success. There are also three such locations (or structures) to fish and three condition changes to look out for too. And without a doubt there are three lures best suited for all of this.
Okay! There are more than three – let’s call these the “top” three then.
Time of Day…
Without rival, one hour before sunset until one hour after sunset is the best time of day to fish for muskies. Check out the photos in all your favorite muskie periodicals and you will see that’s true of many of the big fish you see posted. Those are not pretty sunset photographer backdrops or computer effects to make a sunny background black. Folks, the fact is, many muskies are caught during “prime time” and that is the two evening hours with sunset parked smack in the middle.
It is no coincidence that light conditions change here and lots of flying insects stir small (and tasty if you happen to be a Ski) fish, not to mention forage moves around and can be found near fishable structure during this time too.
Another change also occurs; a lake surface calms down (or “lays down”) as winds die during the evening hours until complete calm just prior to sunset. (I said typically, didn’t I?)
Conversely two hours right in the middle of the afternoon provide a good window to be “determined and persistent.” On a day bluebird skies and lots of direct sunlight seem to make catching (or even raising) a fish impossible, it can be noted that the opposite of evening lake surface calming will typically occur (there’s that “T” word again). As wind picks up in the late afternoon, so too does the surface chop and this causes another great often overlooked condition change.
The dramatic effect below the suds, as increased wave activity cuts light, can and will kick a muskie into gear. When most folks get hot, tired, and bored, that’s an opportunity to find available hot spots to explore. You may not hook-up, but it’s almost guaranteed you will raise a few. Mark those areas where you find active fish and come back at dark.
You may have guessed the third time of day best suited to catch a muskie is at dawn’s early light. No! Although dawn provides light change and surface chop will certainly (typically?) increase, something else will also happen at this time of day that can make fishing unpleasant – pressure!
Everyone and their brother will be on the water for the morning bite and more than likely pounding your spots, so let’s avoid the kiddies for our purposes here, shall we?
If you guessed “night bite” as the third best time of day then you are correct; take twenty bucks out of petty cash!
This awesome widow of opportunity can (and often does) happen in tandem to the sunset window; action can simply keep on going after dark for hours. But things can also shut-down and then pick back up later.
If you have never experienced a strike at boat side at two in the morning, then you have not lived. It is an incredible experience to not see the strike coming and then: Bam! You’re hooked-up with a foot of line out and white water splashing everywhere.
Be safe here though; take lots of light (particularly head lamps) along for the adventure. You will be glad you did.
Location, Location, Location!
First on the list is a nice thick weed bed with plenty of cabbage and preferably a weed-to-rock transition (where possible). But cabbage weeds alone will do. You will find no better spot on the lake than a deep weed edge. This means transition from shallow thick (and often exposed on the surface) weeds, to deep weeds.
The whole food chain will do the hang there and any muskie worth a lick will be there too. They will patrol with precision and “wolf pack” attack too. It is common to see them break surface in the calm evening hours and to actually hear them in the dark of night.
Second prime location would be a narrows or neck-down area. Weeds and/or rocks will provide cover, but often in these areas bottom contours will be steep and erratic providing plenty of holding places for muskie. Current often picks up in a narrows and large amounts of water push through a tiny space. This is a good thing, as it attracts the food chain much the same way a deep weed edge will.
Saddles are a kind of neck down too. A saddle between two islands can be one of the best spots on the lake, as it will provide a natural current flow with the wind blowing through. Look for weed beds and drop-offs close to the saddle.
Last, but not least, is deep water trolling off points, rock walls, and reefs. Casting at night can be difficult; trolling is a simple answer to a complicated question. Hold on tight!
Roll with the Changes!
A good muskie hunter will be able to recognize condition changes as they occur and jump right on the opportunity.
Some of these changes have already been discussed, such as light. Let’s go a bit deeper though.
Any light change is good; no light to sunlight, sunlight to low light, and even total blackout to strong moonlight (as can happen when cloud cover leaves at night during a full moon phase) are all triggers for a muskie. Light conditions change as the sun sets and rises, as wind shifts or when it picks up in the afternoon, and during a storm front.
The storm front, however, is a triple trigger, if you will. Storms will change light and wind conditions dramatically. They are also accompanied by a barometric pressure change, which can send active fish into a complete feeding frenzy. Do not ignore these times, but remember to get off the water when the lightning fires.
So, here we have our top three conditions: light, wind, and barometer. Be there!
Last, but Not Least: Lures!
Lure selection can be a completely subjective topic and many who recommend a specific lure, do so because they have invented it. It may work just fine, but there may also be a hundred other similar lures that work as well, or even better.
The purpose here is to find a “type” of bait that works; you can figure out what brand name to buy.
Summertime is bucktail time. No doubt about it, bucktails are the number one choice among muskie hunters all summer long. No need to shift gears here, the bucktail is indeed a great choice. The bigger the better!
You can (and should) try different tactics when you are out on the water, as there are a variety of options that can trigger a following fish to strike. For example, if you are using a big slow-moving bucktail with a big Colorado blade and see only lazy following fish, try switching to a smaller lure with a willow blade and “burn” it over the weed tops. The fast movement often changes curiosity to action – a “reaction” strike.
The opposite also holds true. Switch from small and fast bait to a larger slow target if you miss a few fish. Give ‘em a chance to zero-in on it.
Back to the evening bite… when the lake lays-down and the sun begins to set grab a surface bait and hold on tight. A “walk-the-dog” action is deadly and any lure that makes a lot of noise and throws a bunch of water works well too. But don’t get too excited and set the hooks too soon. Wait to feel the fish before you react. It’s all about finesse and patience with a surface lure; if you react too quickly you can miss the fish of a lifetime.
Last, but not least, would be some kind of large profile crank bait or jerk bait. Find one that wobbles a lot for vibration, or one with a long slow erratic glides-and-stop motion. Many of the large plastics will work too.
A Final Word…
There’s no need to cast until your arms are about to fall off if you want to catch a muskie. It is true that the more time you invest the better chance you have for success. But quality is better than quantity. You are on vacation. It’s well earned time away from the grind. You don’t want to head back to the real world more tired than when you left.
Use your time wisely and you will be able to squeeze-in a few naps and some cold brew in between fifty-inchers. Enjoy the setting and eat a chili dog…
Go Fish!
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