How to Fish for Muskies
Muskies are a popular game fish and among the most challenging of all freshwater fish to catch. Muskies, known as the "Fish of 10,000 Casts," can grow to longer than 50 inches and weigh more than 50 pounds. However, anglers who know where the look for muskies, and what lures to throw at them, can increase their chances of hooking one. To learn how to fish for muskies, read on.
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Instructions
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How to Fish for Muskies
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Select the proper equipment. Heavy-duty fishing rods and reels are a must, as is line that is 20-pound test or heavier. Tie a steel leader onto the end of the line. The lure you choose should be attached to the leader, which helps prevent muskies from biting through the line with their sharp teeth.
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Choose some muskie lures. Some of the most effective ones are bucktails, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater baits. Choose a smaller lure during the spring, then increase the size through the summer and fall. Keep in mind that baits 12 inches or longer are not too long for muskies.
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Check a map of the lake on which you plan to fish. Muskies occupy a variety of locations, but weed beds, sharp drop-offs, edges of main-lake reefs and humps, and points are prime places to begin the search.
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Begin fishing likely areas. Cast a black bucktail or troll a crankbait around those areas. These lures will help you cover water and locate areas in which muskies live. While it is more common for a muskie to follow the lure to the boat than to hit a lure, once you have seen a muskie, you know where it lives. Make a note of these areas, and hit them at prime times such as dawn and dusk.
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Experiment with lures. Muskies might hit anything you throw at them or only one bait in your tackle box. It is impossible to know what they will hit on a given day, so keep trying different lures until you connect.
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Experiment with retrieve styles. Slowly retrieved lures often are best for muskies, but the fish will, for example, hit a bucktail that is burned along the surface of the water. Changing the pace of your lures--reeling them fast, then slow, then fast, for example--can help entice a following muskie to hit the lure.
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Perform a figure eight once the lure is beside the boat. This is done by plunging your rod tip into the water and moving it in the shape of the number 8. Muskies often follow lures back to the boat without hitting them, and a figure eight could change their mind.
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Tips & Warnings
Carry a large net or cradle to help you handle a muskie after you catch it. Keep a journal of when and where you see and catch muskies. This can help you establish patterns, which can be beneficial on future trips.
Ensure you have the proper licensing before fishing for muskies. Treat muskies with care. Though they are large and aggressive fish, they can be injured easily. Some anglers never take a muskie out of the water; instead, they remove the hooks while the fish is in the water.
