Improve Your Skills For More Muskies
The plain truth is -- no matter how good the body of water is and no matter how good they’rebiting – you won’t catch muskies, if you can’t perform the basic skills of casting proficiently and working your lures properly.
I have witnessed so many fishing scenarios over the course of 35 years or so where anglers are on top of hot, active muskies in the absolute primest conditions, yet their own ineptness prevented them from any kind of success at all. This is as true to a point in the panfish, bass and walleye world as well, but it’s absolutely crucial in the big game musky business. Sadly, there are still far too many anglers out there who blame the guide, the weather, and the water for their lack of success. This is one sport where money doesn’t buy success. It must be earned. While time on the water is certainly a big factor, it still takes a back seat to the basics of mastering skills.
Just like a golfer must practice often with a variety of clubs, taking a wide range of shots on a vast array of terrains, so must the musky angler withhis or her rod & reel as well as a selection of lures. First and foremost on the skill list is mastering the simplest art of casting large baitcast gear. Still today, I am amazed how many musky anglers have terrible casting form. With all the great gear that’s out there today, you’d think that the basics of baitcasting would truly be mastered by the masses. Yet, I still see plenty of bad casting form and lots of backlashes. It doesn’t matter how much that rod & reel costs, you still have to learn how to actually use it.
The next thing you can do to really up your musky score is to pick a productive local lake and really learn it well. In fact, I’d suggest totally dedicating yourself to one local lake, river or reservoir until you know it well enough to drive around it in complete darkness. Granted, this may take years to learn it that well, but it is worth it.
Not only does it take time on the water to learn a lake intimately, it also requires research from other avenues, as well. Keep tabs on this local lake from as many angles as you can. Keep your ears and eyes open for evidence of recent catches from this lake. Also, watch other anglers while you are out there doing your thing. You will often learn as much by watching as you will by fishing. This includes not only musky hunters, but walleye, bass and panfish anglers, as well. The location of all of these other fish is nearly always related to musky whereabouts.
Make it a point to learn everything you can about the underwater terrain along with paying close attention to where muskies seem to hang out on a regular basis. Never over estimate how much you think you know about this lake. There is always more to learn. This is where quality maps and good electronics can indeed make a difference. However, even the best maps rarely have the real details marked on them. You have to learn these secrets thru hard work and a watchful eye on both the sonar, other anglers, and your surroundings.
Today’s modern electronics have made it far easier to learn water quickly. The learning curve has been shortened a great deal. The advent of GPS has made a huge difference in the angler’s ability to precisely mark the exact location of the best fishing spots. If you haven’t made an investment in a sonar system with GPS, I’d suggest you do so. Also, load it with the very latest in after-market map card technology. This provides you with great contour map readouts right alongside your sonar display. When you raise a big musky, or simply find a really good looking spot, it can be quickly marked on your map with a simple push of the waypoint save button. You can then return to that exact spot time and time again.
Side-scanning sonar also enables one to locate both isolated off-shore structures as well as roaming schools of open water baitfish. Once you master this new technology, you will be able to find spots that other anglers do not know about. In a tournament of the size and magnitude of the one about to take place this weekend in the Eagle River area, an advantage like this can make a huge difference since it offers a chance to target muskies no one else is casting to.
While I did not have this technology to rely on throughout most of my fishing career, I am totally sold on its effectiveness. It is particularly efficient for the musky angler because we cover so much more water than most. The run & gun casting style of most musky maniacs is tailor-made for the use of high quality sonar and GPS. Purchase the best unit you can afford, and really learn how to use it. You won’t regret it.
Finally, always watch for patterns to emerge. Every great angler I’ve met thinks in this realm. Once you’ve seen several muskies follow, try to analyze and collect as many variables as you can from these sightings. What kind of terrain were they in? How deep were they? What lure were they most apt to chase? What time of the day were these fish most active? Ask as many questions as you can, and try to find as many common denominators as possible. Then, try to duplicate that in every possible location. Eventually, a clear cut pattern will emerge.
Summarily, I like to keep things simple and I believe it is one of the keys to success with muskies. If you discipline yourself to master the basic arts of casting, working lures, and performing good figure eights along with mastering boat control skills you are bound to be way more productive. Instead of running from lake to lake, lock-in on one body of water and learn it intimately. Challenge yourself to learn it better than you ever thought possible. This too, will result in more opportunities at muskies.
Joe Bucher