TROPHY MUSKIES IN FALL

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One of the questions most often asked by my guide clients when booking a guide date is, "When is the best time of the year to catch a big musky?"

My answer to that question is the fall period of the year for catching a trophy musky. From September to when the lakes freeze over is the time of year that we are talking about. The fish are at their heaviest after feeding all summer. The fish are also feeding more because they are building spawn for the next spring. Cooling water temperatures and shorter days are signals for these big fish to start to feed.

The fish become less cautious and move to the shallow weed edges when feeding. I start my fishing anywhere from 8-12 foot weed edges in September and early October. Later in October and November after the shallow weed beds have died off I look for green weeds in deeper water say 16-18 feet and rock points that lead to the deepest water in the lake.

For bait, I like to use live suckers and quick set rigs while casting the weed edges with a large Crankbait, usually a Depth Raider or Cisco Kid. If a musky follows the Crankbait and sees the sucker it will sometimes hit that sucker and with the quick set rig you can set the hook right away. There is no waiting for the fish to swallow the hook. Also, the fish is hooked in the mouth and makes it easy to get the hooks out. In late fall, like November, the big rubber baits have been working well. Bulldogs, Big Jo's, and Twin Fins are only a few that have put some big fish in my boat for my clients. They are easy to use. You just cast them out, let them sink to the depth you want and crank them back slowly or you can use them like a Jerk Bait with a "pull and crank up the slack" type of retrieve.

These are only a few of the methods that I use to boat trophy muskies. Try them and they might just work for you, too. Remember to practice CPR. Catch, Photo, Release of that big fish.

Hope You Catch a Big One!

Elmer

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