Chas Martin
11-24-2009, 10:36 AM
Musky fishing in the Three Lakes and Eagle River area has been excellent. We are having one of the mildest Novembers on record which has made fishing very comfortable in what is usually a frigid month. Winds have been light and mostly blowing out of the SW but have now changed to the E-NE. Cooler weather is predicted soon which may change the current fishing pattern. There are only 7 days left of the 2009 muskie season so get out there and take advantage of this weather and great fishing.
Over the last few days I have seen a shift in muskie and baitfish location. In weeks prior, we were taking most of our fish in deeper water areas but now with the mild weather, the more active fish have been staging right on the primary breaklines in depths of 8 to 25 feet. Pay close attention at the boat launch and look around the shallows before heading out. Check for minnows and other types of baitfish that could be using the weedy cover and if they are present it could be a shallow bite. It is more important than ever to continue to utilize both casting and live bait techniques as the fish will change their preference for either on a daily basis. Just look to the fish activity and focus your efforts accordingly – if the fish are on suckers, make sure you get more than one sucker rig out there in order to take advantage.
Areas that have been producing the best seem to be small flats located adjacent to deep trenches and pockets. These flats usually have some weed growth remaining and also drop off quickly toward the main basin. Keep an eye on your electronics and look for any bait clouds in order to set your suckers to the right depth. One other reminder is to make sure to check your “hot spots” numerous times during the day. Even if you caught a fish off a certain spot, keep checking it. Muskies at this time of the year are desperate to eat a nice sucker drifted right in front of their face. Even a fish that you hooked and lost earlier will likely go after a sucker.
We have limited time so make sure to go the extra mile and stay the extra hour if needed to bag that monster. Night fishing during the fall is just as deadly as it is during the summer if you can bear the cold. Congratulations
Matt on your first muskie, a 34 incher!!!
Good luck and fish hard!
Chas Martin
www.muskymastery.com
Over the last few days I have seen a shift in muskie and baitfish location. In weeks prior, we were taking most of our fish in deeper water areas but now with the mild weather, the more active fish have been staging right on the primary breaklines in depths of 8 to 25 feet. Pay close attention at the boat launch and look around the shallows before heading out. Check for minnows and other types of baitfish that could be using the weedy cover and if they are present it could be a shallow bite. It is more important than ever to continue to utilize both casting and live bait techniques as the fish will change their preference for either on a daily basis. Just look to the fish activity and focus your efforts accordingly – if the fish are on suckers, make sure you get more than one sucker rig out there in order to take advantage.
Areas that have been producing the best seem to be small flats located adjacent to deep trenches and pockets. These flats usually have some weed growth remaining and also drop off quickly toward the main basin. Keep an eye on your electronics and look for any bait clouds in order to set your suckers to the right depth. One other reminder is to make sure to check your “hot spots” numerous times during the day. Even if you caught a fish off a certain spot, keep checking it. Muskies at this time of the year are desperate to eat a nice sucker drifted right in front of their face. Even a fish that you hooked and lost earlier will likely go after a sucker.
We have limited time so make sure to go the extra mile and stay the extra hour if needed to bag that monster. Night fishing during the fall is just as deadly as it is during the summer if you can bear the cold. Congratulations
Matt on your first muskie, a 34 incher!!!
Good luck and fish hard!
Chas Martin
www.muskymastery.com