Nighttime is the Right Time... for Muskies!

Sticky. Sizzling. Sweltering. July’s arrival here in North-Central Wisconsin could certainly be accurately described with any of the aforementioned adjectives. While the above-average temperatures tend to throw anglers a bit of a curve-ball, they also initiate some exciting new opportunities. One of these patterns to emerge in full-force during the heat of summer is an often torrid bite after dark for the king of freshwater – the mighty musky.

One of my favorite bands, Iron Maiden has a song entitled “Fear of the Dark.” Near the beginning of the song lead singer Bruce Dickinson can be heard singing, “When the light begins to change, I sometimes feel a little strange, A little anxious when it's dark.” Any musky fisherman who has embraced the challenge and exhilaration of hunting the alpha-male of the esox family can relate; nighttime musky fishing is intense, productive, and even a bit scary at times.
Having a well laid out and organized boat is important no matter when you fish, but it becomes exponentially more so after dark. Keep only on the deck of your boat what you are using at the moment meaning that extra lures, clothing, etc. should be properly stored to help eliminate the chance of a trip and fall. In addition to having an assortment of light sources such as flashlights and spotlights on board and easily accessible, each angler should be equipped with a headlamp.

Quality release tools including hook cutters, jaw spreaders, long-nosed pliers, and the like should be readily accessible. Once a fish is hooked, a large quality net like the Frabill Big Kahuna is worth its weight in gold for netting and subsequently unhooking a big musky in less than ideal light conditions; don’t go night-fishing for muskies without the proper release tools and net – you’ll be doing yourself and the fish a huge disservice.

While I frequently fish fast during the summer months in daylight to cover water and ultimately elicit reaction strikes, it’s quite the opposite when fishing at night. The erratic cadences of daytime hours are replaced by slower and more methodical retrieves once the sun sets. In addition to fishing slower, I prefer to throw larger lures at night as they cast larger silhouettes and displace more water, subsequently making them easier for fish to key in on.
When it comes to lure selection, surface lures are certainly one of my favorites for muskies, especially at night. While I carry a selection of styles, sizes, and colors at all times, I have done very well over the years with prop baits such as the Tyrant Crusader and Sennett Tackle Pacemaker, as well as slower moving creeper-style lure like the Tyrant Dictator and Sennett Tackle Creeptonite. I prefer the prop-style baits when slowing searching for fish while the ultra-slow creeper style lures are most productive when fished in an area or on a specific piece of structure known to be holding a fish.

Buck tails are unfortunately an often under-used lure at night by many musky anglers. Lures such as the Esox Edge Lucky 7, Musky Armor DC-8, and Mepps Magnum Musky Killer and H210 are not only productive and easy to use, but will produce fish all summer long. A steady retrieve finished with a well-executed figure-eight will produce musky action at night well into autumn for fishermen willing to work blades under the cover of darkness.

In addition to topwater baits and bucktails, I throw a great deal of jointed crankbaits when fishing at night. My preference for jointed baits is due to the ability of their multiple body sections to produce extra noise and vibration for muskies to target. Excellent options for nighttime crankbaits include Musky Armor’s Krisco and Krisco Jr., and both jointed Stalkers and Believers produced by Drifter Tackle. Again, as with any musky presentation, be sure to figure eight after each cast; you’ll be surprised at the number of boat side strikes during the nighttime hours.

When looking for spots to target at night, begin by checking out weed beds which you can fish over the tops of; this is a great place for a bucktail or surface bait. I’ve caught muskies, some very big muskies, in water as shallow as only a foot or two at night so don’t be afraid to work baits in “skinny” water. Having worked the weed tops, proceed by casting parallel to the weed edges with a lure such as a jointed crankbait. I prefer to fish parallel as it keeps my lure in the strike zone longer and allows me to “feel” my way along a particular edge. Keep your casts shorter whether fishing the edge or on top to help avoid wasting a cast by fouling your lure. While weeds are an excellent option at night, so are rocks. “Rocks” can consist of humps, bars, points, even wing dams depending on what body of water you’re referring to – they’ll all hold fish. When working a sub-surface lure in a rocky area I like to make contact on occasion with my lure and the structure; this is a great triggering mechanism for turning a following musky into a biting musky.

Should you choose to embark on a musky adventure after dark, remember to be safe and fish hard – you’re only the next cast away from getting bit. I’ll see you on the water…

Tight lines,