The modern musky angler has at their disposal a vast and diverse repertoire to utilize in the pursuit of the king of freshwater. From vertical jigging to trolling, from casting crankbaits for suspended fish to running live bait offerings in the fall, a host of tactics and techniques remain applicable given the time of year, water and weather conditions and other factors. Although effective give the appropriate conditions in early season or autumn, top water lures often excel during the warm weather of summer here in the upper Midwest.

As of late surface baits have indeed been the “hot” ticket for musky action here in Wisconsin. Prop-style offerings such as Lake X Lure’s “Dr. Evil”, “Fat Bastard” and “Cannonball Jr.” have been extremely productive in producing fish from stained and clear water situations alike over the past couple of weeks. That being said there is more to putting big ol’ muskies in the Frabill than just casting randomly and reeling aimlessly in, even if a blind pig does occasionally find an acorn!

As with so many aspects of fishing, location is imperative to success; simply put, you cannot catch what is not there. Where weeds such as cabbage and coontail are present, the deep edge has definitely been a key to finding fish; as such, boat control and casting angles are critical factors. Quality electronics play a major part in determining the correct location of deep weed edges regardless of depth of water. The use of side and down imaging in conjunction with GPS on units such as Humminbirds allows anglers to eliminate dead water and establish “milk runs” that aids anglers in ensuring they’re fishing the best locales on a given body of water. Finding the “spot on a spot” such as inside turns of the weed edge, weed fingers that extend out and other irregularities is more often than not the decisive factor in finding the largest muskies on a particular lake, river or reservoir.

With location determined, presentation now becomes decisive in sealing the deal. When fishing any musky lures, especially top water baits, it’s critical that anglers be at the ready as soon as the offering splashes down in the water. I have had fish blow up and inhale my bait on impact with the water and many others do the same within the first couple cranks of the reel handle. If a musky does not strike right away, imparting a twitch or speed up of the bait intermittently during the retrieve will often trigger a strike from a following fish. As the bait nears the boat, sweep your rod tip so that the lure makes a drastic change in direction, another strike provoking maneuver, prior to plunging your rod tip down into the water and executing a sub-surface figure-eight.

While there is no magic formula for catching muskies, taking the time to scour the most likely fish holding spots and then doing so in an efficient and technique-sound manner certainly tips the odds in your favor. Enjoy the excitement of the excellent top water bite right now! I’ll see you on the water…

Tight lines,