Summer Muskies

I know that most muskie fishermen hang up the rods during the summer months for the fear of stressing fish after a long battle and during the unhooking process, but what about releasing them boatside quickly? Just curious with all the smartweed growth that we had before the lake jumped up has created some awesome habitat and distinct "weedlines" on Shelbyville. So my question is has anyone been muskie fishing? I have been out once this year and that was at Ridge Lake. We have been stocking muskie out there for the last four years and starting to hold a good population but most fish are small. No shad. Got seven but the biggest was 30" but we have sampled larger out there.

I apologize to you guys that I have not been posting this year. Sampling on Pierce produce lots of 40" fish with one being a fat 48". Mingo has gone down hill. Last two years of high water is believed to push a lot of fish out and over the spillway. Sam Dale is holding a good population of fish but most are 30-39". We shocked Shelby once for muskie diets. One night produced 5 fish. Don't remember size. Mounce has once again stocked a bunch of 2"ers and I believe is getting another load of 4-5"ers and of course the 10-12"ers in Sept.

As for myself my wife and I had our first baby at the beginning of May, so I got my fix of fishing from March 1 till May 1 on the Kaskaskia before work. WOW is all I can say. Ended up catching 1200 fish including lots of keeper walleyes but mostly crappie and white bass. The lake in May was burning up with the walleye bit. Lots of limits with fish up to 24". Right now the white bass are going nuts. Fishing on this lake has been awesome for crappie 14"+ fish, walleye limits, tons of white bass, and I am praying that the trend will continue with one hell of a muskie bite!!! Nick Nigro and I talked that since the lake was high the last two years and the outflow has been year round that maybe a normal year would make a difference, but it needs to stop raining!

My .02 is leave them be for now.
We have no closed season here in Illinois to protect the muskies, so why not give 'em a break during the HOT Summer months or month and a half until the water cools.

I hear the white bass & walleye are biting well on Shelbyville. Go after them for now.

Again, this is just my opinion and my choice of what I do when the water hits 80+ degrees. - Whomever has a valid Illinois fishing license can make their own choice on this matter. :)

I totally agree with you. I personally don't fish but afew times in early May and wait till September. Shelbyville got a bunch of 4-5in fish yesterday from Jake Wolf. Fish were stocked at Coon Creek and Wolf. Talk about stress. We have done stocking mortality studies on other species but stocking muskies in 84F water cant be good on them. The lake is like a bath tub.