This fall's muskie bite...
It has been some time since I have been able to get time to sit at this computer!
After spending many, many days guiding this fall, I can honestly say this has been the most inconsistant fall muskie bite I have ever experienced! The hammer was dropped on us when late September and the first part of October brought upper 70 and low 80 degree sunny weather for two solid weeks. Till that point the water temperatures were going down nicely and had gotten in the mid to low 50's on many lakes with normally rolling and clearing begining to take place. The worst part was the fact the nights which were getting longerand normally helped in the cooling process,,, also stayed unseasonably warm. Suddenly the lakes began to warm until they got back up in the lower 60 degree range. The bite slowed dramatically, the live sucker bite was virtually none existant. The lakes went through another group of algae blooms turning lakes like Kentuck, Eagle Chain, Muskellunge and Boot to pea green soup.
Finally the colder weather came,,,,,, unfortunately the damage was done. The muskies not really wanting the warmer water tempertures went deep. I had reports of muskies being caught at 25 to 52 feet deep when they did finally eat a sucker. On the "green lakes" some of the muskies went into the very shallow water, 1 to 3 feet. The water temps finally hit the "wonderful 40's" and those fisherman that know what that can bring were horrible disappointed. The sucker bite still did not start. It is very difficult to fish a sucker in 1 to 3 feet of water and not get it all weeded up on a bobber. Those of us that fish the edge were not seeing fish on suckers or artificial, except the artificial bite was a little better than the live bait bite in temperatures of 49 degrees down to 44 degrees. Totally backwards of what we normally expect to see at that water temperature.
The water temperatures are now 43 to 38 degrees here in the northwoods,,,THE SUCKER BITE IS FINALLY STARTING! We are getting at least one fish a day grabbing the live bait, artificails are still moving some fish. Suckers in the 12 to 14 inch range are working the best. Some of the fish are now using the "hard bottom outside of the good weeded food shelves. Some are deep. On the lakes that are still exhibiting "green water" because of the strong late algae blooms are still seeing muskies going "tighter to the weeds" on the hard bottom.
I'm still out there, and resuming guiding tomorrow, trying hard for my clients. Hopefully the muskie bite will continue to get better until it freezes up or November 30th, whichever comes first. As usual, there aren't alot of fisherman on the lakes, the weekends being a little busier.
The artificials that are moving fish for us are 6 inch Ernies, Depthraiders, Suzy Suckers, Bulldawgs and Fuzzy Duzzits. Phantoms, Hellhounds and the Cabbage Ghost are also moving fish.
We have some nice suckers here at Guides Choice Pro Shop, so if you are thinking of one more late fall shot at a trophy, come on up. The sucker bite is better now than it has been all fall!
Ranger Rick
