Muskies on the Move! - 9/21/10

Musky fishing in the Three Lakes and Eagle River area has been excellent. Water temps are in the low 60’s to upper 50’s and conditions have been overcast and windy the past few days. Air temps are really beginning to cool down with highs in the 55-60 degree range and night temps beginning to drop into the 40’s. We are catching and moving lots good size muskies on bucktails, regular bull dawgs and shallow magnum bull dawgs with many hits in the figure-8. Weighted 9 inch Suicks have also been producing well too with a nice pause in between your pulls. Interestingly the most productive bucktails have been the bigger double bladed models such as Musky Mayhem’s Double Cowgirl. The best retrieve has been working the bucktail back to the boat fast mixed with a pumping action throughout the entire retrieve that is done by gunning the reel. Most of the fish we have been catching have been related to some type of weed structure and we have been covering water quickly. Mid-lake humps with good weed structure and nearby deep water have been very productive although not all the mid-lake humps need weed cover in order to be producers. Lately my most productive spots have had some type of weed cover present but it is not necessary. More important than anything is finding the schools of walleye and perch which will usually lead you right to the muskies. The sucker bite is beginning to pickup but because the weed bite has been so strong and I have been running the boat quickly I have not been fishing them yet. I would predict that the sucker bite is really going to turn on within the next two weeks.

The night bite is still going strong although it is more difficult mentally to stay out after the sun goes down at this time of year but believe me…the results are worth it!!! And especially on gin clear waters that received heavy boating and fishing pressure over the summer months. These lake systems are on fire at night even as the evening temps cool down. The muskies don’t stop feeding at night even though it is cold out. During the evening I have been picking just one or two spots (a small area) and working them over thoroughly with a deep-diving jointed crankbait such as Bucher’s Depth Raider in Night Shiner pattern.

Also, check out this awesome picture we got while netting a muskie on a small crankbait!!! Nothing like an action shot to get that heart pumping!

Good luck and fish hard!

Chas Martin

http://www.muskymastery.com

I just thought I would mention this because looking at the boatside action photo reminded me of an important netting tip.

Now I am sure you muskie nuts out there already know this but again, it is worth mentioning because I'm sure it will help someone this fall... Looking at the picture of me netting my client's fish - notice the location of my left hand - it is not only guiding the net into position to net the fish but I am also holding the giant Frabil bag out of the way of the angry muskie.

This is important because if the muskie suddenly dives or makes a move toward the boat I will be able to pick the frame of the net up quickly and the entire net will move up too. The idea is to not have lots of things in the water that can easily become hazardous to netting a fish successfully...(you don't want the entire bag drifting around in the water while netting fish because you can get it stuck to the lure that is in the musky's mouth or just as bad...a boat cleat).

Release the bag as you net the fish....it's a feel game and you will surely get the feel for it after a fish or two!

Good luck and fish hard!

Chas Martin

http://www.muskymastery.com