Muskie opener tactics.

[Jigger]

Muskie season opens this weekend and I can't be more pumped. Just as a tool to maybe help some guys keep an eye out for certain spots that they may not fish otherwise. I though the muskie guys here could share their opening day tactics. What lures have you found to be effective this time of year? What do you look for as far as structure goes? That sort of thing.

 

Me, I have good luck on one lake that I'll be fishing on using a #4 BlueFox vibrax at creek inlets. Its modified a little with a single Mr.Twister keeper hook instead of a treble. Its extremely weedless and has pulled some really good fish out of reedy sandbars at the mouth of spawning bays. Otherwise, you'll probably see me tossing an 1.5oz Spinnerbait in similar conditions.

 

This year's been a little cooler so far. How are you going to approach the opener?

 

[bucktail]

Probably start similar to you with a #5 vibrax, also going to be throwing jerks and cranks with neutral weighting.

I am thinking this cold water this year you may need a pause to trigger them. Last weekend in Muskoka the pike were very sluggish and only neutrally boyant baits would trigger them in the 52 degree water. the muskie maybe in that mode as well.

[lew]

I was cruising around the lakes a bit this weeking having a look at things and noticed a definate absence of weeds that are normally well started by this time of year, but alot of the shallow water pencil reeds in the sand are doing well, so that's where I'll be heading to start the day.

 

I'll be on the water about 4:30 AM and will be throwing large spinner baits waaaaay back into the reeds and working them back to the boat. Once it gets light enuff to see what I'm doing, I'll switch over to a bucktail if the spinnerbaits haven't produced.

 

I'll work all the very shallow spots....under 4'.....until the sun gets high & bright, then I'll start working the deeper water with jerks and see what happens, then switch up depending on the conditions.

 

My best day ever was opening day 2001 when I boated 9 muskies in 2 1/2 hours including a fish on the very 1st cast of the season. They all came on a yellow bucktail with a chartreuse blade in shallow water over sand.

 

Days like that don't happen often, but they're alot of fun when they do

 

Best of luck to everyone who's lookin to get slimed this Saturday !!

Edited June 2, 2008 by lew

[jediangler]

I'll be throwing a bucktail over the first weed growth next to shallow dark bottom areas. Good luck to all.

[Garry2Rs]

Sounds like a good plan Lew!

I will be a little farther north, on a small rocky lake.

In other years when we have had a late Spring, I found my fish in the shallows, in the sun, next to docks and boat houses and around rocks and emerging weeds etc. Often they were in those famous Black Bottom Bays, that are always mentioned in Spring fishing articles.

There might barely be enough water to cover the fishes back. Initially, I will be making long casts into very shallow water, or even right onto the shore, using a small 3/8 ounce spinner-bait. Bigger baits might cause too big a splash, or be out of place in such shallow water.

The forage fish in the shallows are pretty small at this time of year too.

I will also check the spots along my mid-season milk-run to see if there's anybody home...

The first fish will help determine if my strategy is correct and I can adjust if necessary.

Garry2R's

[carcham333]

hi folks, being mostly a muskie fisherman (Peterborough area) i did not have the occasion to post very often since i became a member of this board but things might change fast soon with the season opening next weekend. Lew, did you notice what the water temps were? If the water is still under 60 the spawn might not be completely over. Transitions areas between spawning sites and summer location with emerging weeds would be the logical spots to start with. BTW, i also got a 38" on my first cast of the first day of the season back in 99 (on a modified reef hawg) like a hole in one in golf.

 

Best season to all

 

Chris

[Squid]

If there is one guy to pay attention to it would be Lew. Start shallow in the morning and work out toward deeper water in the afternoon. Spinnerbaits, suciks and whatever else you have will work. If the fish are biting they will hit anything. Good luck to all, I am already bouncing around!!

[bucktail]

They were spawning last weekend in the haliburtons, should be just finished.

[MoriaRiverMan]

Johnny green!!!

 

Be working the shores with him

[BillM]

As my first official muskie season, I am taking notes The French doesn't have an abundant amount of shallow water weedy backbays, so whatever I find *should* hold something. I just wish there were better maps of the area, trying to make up a game plan has been a pain in the ass so far.

 

But the presentation will be smaller and slow for sure.

[glen]

I hope they will hit topwater.

[MoriaRiverMan]

pick up one of the lucky strike johnny green lures.

 

Not a musky pro ..........but picked up one musky on weekend and lots of pike on it.

 

Edited June 2, 2008 by MoiraRiverMan

[BillM]

A topwater bite would be awesome. I have a new TopRaider some Magnum Spooks and soon to be Doc's (thanks for the advice Lew) that I'd love to try out this weekend.

Edited June 2, 2008 by BillM

[GBW]

I'll be testing out some new (new to me) toys.

 

 

I guess trolling with these larger ones is best?

Edited June 2, 2008 by Geoff W

[BillM]

Fish are most likely going to be shallow. You might do well with a jointed Believer crawled slowly along the surface.

 

Also, you might wanna use smaller baits in the spring as it will match the hatch a bit better, especially if the fish are stacked up in the shallows.

[Squid]

First things first, find the fish!

[GBW]

Thanks BillM. I wasn't sure how I should use this one.

I'll be missing the opener anyway as I have other commitments.

Great thread for us NEW Musky folk too.

[Stoty]

If the water is still under 60 the spawn might not be completely over.

 

I have been on Stoney the past 3/4 weekends, and the water is warming up ever so slowly.

On the 28th it was 60, so it should be about 62ish now.

[Sinker]

I haven't had good luck with early season musky. This year I have a new game plan......shallow. I do very good mid-late summer in the deeper summer spots, but I don't fish shallow too often, thats my downfall. I was out today for a few hours scouting around to see whats going, and where the fish are. Listen to what Lew said......he's bang on from what I saw today.

 

BTW, the water was 59-62 on the surface, but the weeds are lacking still. Not too bad shallow, but on the deeper weed lines, its hard to find a real edge yet.

 

I'll be fishing shallow, with my lucky spinnerbait. Its already on my rod ready to go

 

Did I mention I'm fricken PUMPED!!!

 

Sinker

[Jigger]

Some awesome advice for any level of muskie hunter, guys! Keep 'em coming! Listening to what Bucktail said about the water temps(I'll be in Haliburton this weekend) makes me think "fish shallow,fish deep and fish in-between". If the rains' a warm one and we get some decent warmth this week, it could push them to feed better.

[Handlebarz]

Well here in the trolling world we will be running 5" and 6 1/4" woodies on LSC I know I will have a special pearch on its a amazing color for me and many others along with some browns and other green color lures small is usually better this time of year but you have to let the fish tell ya what they want last season I had 50.25 hours in for the season before I banged one out and she was my PB 50 1/4".

 

Starting shallow maybe 8' here and working to 12' maybe 14' if we dont contact anything we will be looking for new weeds that are holding pearch and other bait fish. Its key on a big lake like this with little structure to find the bait if you do you will find the musky are not far behind.

 

We will be running the lures up high in the morning on the boards and hope to contact some fish to let us know where they are. This time of year on the big open water is tricky last year we found out they were late with the spawn by 2 weeks for most fish here on LSC I dont think they are that late this year. If I did not have a boat full I would be casting some spots I have marked out and trying there but I think they might be holding late spawners so I will give it another week or two depending how the reports are from what I have heard they have been catching some big girls all spawned out and males still milking so that is a good sigh that the big girls are done lets just hope.

[smbhunter]

With this being my first official muskie hunting season, this thread is very beneficial and an excellent idea. Of all the muskie I've caught, only 1 has been actually fishing for them, so this is going to be quite different and exciting for me. I've booked off the weekend from work well in advance so I could take part in my first muskie opener, and with the great information provided from this thread, I can't wait to get out there and catch some skies. I will post a report and hopefully some pics.

 

Thanks guys.

[mikeh]

in the kawarthas I will be starting shallow, during spring crappie fishing I saw some musky cruising in 2-3 feet of water , sure will be nice to see one nail the bait in water that shallow. I am heading to Pigeon , good luck to everyone going.

[Pigeontroller]

Good to see lots of enthusiasm for the upcoming Muskie season! I just hope everyone handles these very delicate fish with the utmost care! They may look big,mean and tuff, but they are very suseptible to post-release mortality if handled poorly! Please keep out of water time to a minimum! This is where these big nets really shine, after netting the fish leave the net IN the WATER! Get the hooks out, and the Muskie is now resting comfortably in the net, after its had a few minutes to recover, QUICKLY and safely lift it out of the water for a QUICK picture. Remember to hold the fish with 2 hands!!! Holding a big fish, Muskie or otherwise vertically by the gill plate ain't good for it!

 

Having the proper release tools is essentail! My last fish of 2007 was a nice 45"er from the French river area and it had a 13" Gramma hooked badly under its jaw, NO way I coulda released that fish unharmed without hook cutters! You can buy a pair of mini-bolt cutters at Canadian Tire for $20, these and a pair of long nose pliers are a MUST HAVE!

 

Last but not least be careful! As much as I don't want to see a Muskie harmed, our safety is more important!

[Pigeontroller]

 

 

BTW, it wasn't hard to find this stuff as my boat is packed and ready to leave for the north country on Friday!!!

Edited June 2, 2008 by Pigeontroller