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It is here, the great time to be on the water,,,,
Well fall has officially started, the live bait bite really took off last thursday. Cold nights with the temperatures in the 30's and frost in many areas got the muskies going pretty hot on suckers. The fish were mostly caught in 10 feet of water and less. i personally talked to several anglers that boated 45, 45, 46 47, and 48 inch fish on Friday and Saturday. The best fish was a 52 incher caught by Abe Lang on Labor Day monday morning. The fish followed a topraider to the boat and drilled the sucker on the other side of the boat. Abe was alone and had his hands full but managed to net the fish and flag another boat over to take the photo!
The suckers in the 12 inch range are working the best on a quickstrike rig. Phantoms, bulldawgs, minnow baits and some Number 10 bladed bucktails are getting some good results also. Don't give up on those surface baits yet either, they can move fish for a while yet.
The short of it is this,,,,,,,,,,,,from here on out don't forget to pick up a sucker or two, it may make the day for you!
My time for guiding is soon approaching, it is no secret Ranger Rick loves muskie fishing in October and November, and I hope to see some big girls before the ice comes on!
If you can sneak up to the northwoods one more time this fall stop in at Guides Choice Pro Shop, I'm sure there will be some good tales to be shared,,,,,,,this is the best time of the year to be on the water!
Hope to see you up north,
"Ranger" Rick
I never caught a muskie in October on topwater,,,
The fall is the time of year I enjoy guiding. For over 30 years my customers and I have boated muskies in October and November until ice up. The lakes are empty and the fish are willing for the most part. As far as fishing topwater in the fall, I don't do it. Will it work? Occasionally. Any bait an angler throws has the potential of getting eaten. I know some guys that throw a topraider in water that is 50 degrees and every once in a great while will catch a fish. I don't do it.
Why don't I do it? Percentages are against you. In late September and early October the fish are shallow in the weeds. This changes after the transition period which happen from 58 to 55 degrees. At 54 degrees the lakes begin to clear and the muskies "step out" to the hard bottom outside of the weeds and summer food shelves.
Your time will be spent much more wisely by throwing baits erratically of any sort, minnow baits, walk the dog style baits, Eddie baits, crankbaits ripped and stopped or bulldawgs and suzy suckers retrieved in erratic swim retrieve.
I spend a good amount of time during October and November on the Three Lakes Chain, ,,,as a matter of fact, several years ago I made a late fall video filmed entirely on the Three Lakes Chain. It is on sale at the sport shop. We fished 22 days and caught 38 muskies on film. One of my favorite lures on that chain is a suzy sucker. Eighteen of the 38 fish ate that bait.
I surmise you don't have unlimited time when you are up here in October, If I were you I wouldn't be throwing a surface bait.......and whatever you do, be sure to use some suckers.
Ranger Rick
