Stop Chasing Musky Mojo

Musky anglers are always looking for an advantage. Some kind of edge that will separate them from the pack and put more fish in the net. Most of the time, that edge is something they saw tied to another angler’s success, a lure in a social media post, a bait featured in a YouTube video, or a custom color touted as a “game changer.” Somewhere along the line, many anglers convince themselves that success is attached to a specific lure possessing some kind of mystical mojo that changes everything.

How to Beat Musky Pressure : Season Opener Strategy

I was about as excited as a 12-year old on “opening day”. I hadn’t caught a musky in almost 7 months, and here I was on an amazing lake during a prime time period. I’ve been getting mentally and physically ready for several weeks. I had plan A, B and C ingrained in my head. It wasn’t a matter of if I was going to catch a big one, it was how many of them will be boated. To say I was cranked up would be an understatement.

Ready to Rock: A Basic Musky Season Opener Check List

Ready to Rock: A Musky Opener Check List

Maximizing Lipless Cranks During the Early Season

Rat-L-Traps and a variety of other lures that fall into the class of lipless crank baits have been a post spawn staple for savvy muskie anglers for many decades. It is common knowledge that muskies gravitate to smaller presentations during the post spawn period and rattle baits fit this profile to a tee. While rattle lures are relatively simple in their design, a hollow plastic body jam packed with bb’s, their versatility can’t be denied.

Dial-in On Simplicity for More Muskies

FACT: No matter how many lures you own, it matters little if you don’t learn WHEN to snap the right one on, and then master how to work it. I am certain that many of the most successful anglers out there today fish with a very limited selection of baits. While they might own quite a few lures, they actually use only a select handful of them successfully. Some of this is confidence driven, while some of it is also conditions correlated.

The MIND GAME of Musky Success

PREPARATION

Rock & Roll Muskies

ROCK & ROLL MUSKIES!

Musky IQ: Analyze & Execute by Steven Paul

Musky IQ: Analyze & Execute

EVER CATCH A MUSKY WITHOUT MAKING A CAST?

I could go on about stories from my fishing career, and there are plenty to tell. Perhaps some day I’ll even write a book about all of these crazy experiences. But, I have to admit that this particular story ranks right up there with the best musky stories of them all. Thank goodness I have this crazy encounter recorded on camera because it truly is hard to believe

Joe Bucher: The Hunt For Goliath

The Hunt For Goliath!

Double Down on Downsizing for Early Season Muskies

Musky Spring Musky Fishing Rattle traps, small gliders and diminutive bucktails are the proven early season producers that most musky anglers rely on. These down-sized presentations are right on target for the majority of season opener and are well suited to trigger strikes from post-spawn muskies.

EARLY SEASON FLATS MUSKIES

Sun baked shallow flats and highrising underwater points can be among the best early season musky producers. In fact, numerous lakes are completely void of classic bays, coves and canals yet are bound to contain shallow flat or two. Without these other attractive locations, flats that are shallow enough and situated on a sun exposed portion of the lake are often main musky hangouts. Of course, the same food chain correlation again applies here.

EARLY SEASON MUSKY MAGNETS The North Shore Rule

The long awaited musky season is something we all look forward to, yet many start the season out unproductively for a number of reasons. One of the simplest reasons for a lack of spring success has to do with a lack of understanding of how a lake, river or reservoir lays out, and consequently how all the fish inside a given body of water react accordingly. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a singular key thing to consider in an early season musky gameplan.

BEASTS OF THE BULRUSHES

BEASTS OF THE BULRUSHES

Know Your Tools: Unlocking the Hidden Potential Already in Your Musky Tackle Box

The adage that a tool is only as good as the hand that wields it is just as true in a workshop as it is on the water. In my mind, musky lures are not magical, mythical, or particularly mysterious. They are simply tools with an intended purpose and specific capabilities. Learning to understand those capabilities, and knowing when and how to apply them properly, is one of the biggest leaps forward a musky angler can make.

Musky Success: What Matters Most?

Every retail fishing tackle store in North America is sure to be adorned with a wall of catchy looking lure colors. But, the term “catchy” here begs the question — what are they (retailers) truly catching? You! Does a hot looking super natural color pattern automatically catch more fish? Maybe, but without question — it catches more impulsive buys from anglers. While I am certainly in the camp of believers in color preferences with muskies at times, I argue it should never the primary thing to focus on. In fact, I would also contend color ranks way down the list of priorities.

MUSKY 360 PODCAST | Muskie Science with Dr. Bob & Massive App Upgrades

The Critter: Steve’s Mods from Factory Deadly to Guide Dialed

As a lure designer, I am constantly at odds with my instincts as an angler and guide and the expectations of the mass market. The battleground is rarely something superficial like cosmetics. It almost always comes down to weighting.

Execute The Perfect | Comeback When A Musky Follows, What Should I Do Next?

Execute The Perfect Comeback

How Muskie Hunt

How Muskies Hunt

Magic Minnow Baits

MUSKY 360 PODCAST | Plowing Through Winter Q+A

Big Fish Battle Tactics

Musky battle tactics and the actual sequence of rod movements one should execute during a musky battle are rarely discussed inside the pages of an article even though this often has a bearing on both keeping the fish hooked as well as getting it in easy net range.

Southern Muskies and Cold Water January and February Muskie Fishing

Southern Muskies and Cold Water