Handy Tips on Musky Fishing

Wednesday, 04 April 2007

Short for muskellunge, the musky is one of the largest and most elusive fish around. It usually feasts on fish, ducklings and sometimes even small muskrats. It lies waiting in weed beds and then leaps forward onto its hapless prey, gulping down the victim head first. They are light colored and often have dark stripes running down their bodies. The hybrid of the muskie is the tiger muskie. It is usually infertile and possesses the characteristics of both parents. It has distinct bars on light background, which are similar to the coloration pattern of some muskies.

One of the myths surrounding musky catching concerns the test line. Although you can indeed catch Musky with heavy lines, you can catch much more if use an 8-10 pound test line. You should also use medium-sized lures with colors in fire-tiger, orange or chartreuse. Along with these, you’ll need a heavy bait-casting rod, a substantial level-wind reel and a wide array of artificial live bait or lures to catch muskies. You must also possess patience, as the large fish usually aren’t very active and are difficult to land. Catching muskies can take more than an hour, and not without a fierce fight. Muskies leap, bend the hook, and wrap the line around the stump or perform other crazy antics.

Choose fishing spots based on factors such as water depth, water temperature and vegetative cover. Be mindful of these locations during different times of the year, as muskies have a tendency to move to cooler areas in the summer from warmer areas in the fall and spring. Muskies usually feed in shallow depths, although some anglers have reported catching muskies at depths of about 35 feet, especially during summertime.

Surface lures should be kept moving and should be retrieved with much erratic movements. When muskies bite, anglers should set the hook as soon as quickly and firmly as possible, keeping a taut line at the same time.

Tiger sharks don’t usually grow as large as their parent muskies, but they are known to be more aggressive. Because of their smaller stature, musky lures or large bass bait may be more effective.

Anglers should also remember that muskies are sensitive to human smells as well as chemicals such as gasoline. Use fish scent on the lure and be careful not to get gas on your hands. An effective trick is to use salt on your fish scent. Muskies are also sensitive to motor sounds, so anglers should have at least 70 yards of line out when they are trolling.

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