Wisconsin special musky fishing regulations

Make sure when you are out there fighting that next brute that you are in compliance with some special regs for some muskie lakes in Wisconsin. Here they are, courtesy of the DNR.

Muskellunge
Wisconsin has about 775 lakes and streams with thriving musky populations. In an effort to bring back the trophy muskellunge that the state is clearly capable of producing, special fishing regulations are in effect on the following waters:

Areas with a 40-inch minimum length limits:

All musky waters of Barron, Burnett, Polk, St. Croix and Washburn Counties
All Wisconsin Michigan boundary waters
All Wisconsin Minnesota boundary waters
Individual waterbodies with a 40-inch minimum length limit:

Allequash Lake (Vilas County)
Allouez Bay (Douglas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Anderson Lake (Oconto County)
Arbutus Canal (Jackson)
Arbutus Lake (Clark & Jackson Counties)
Archibald Lake (Oconto County)
Big Green Lake (Green Lake County)
Big Lake ~ T42N R6E S04 (Vilas County)
Big Lake ~ T43N R08E S13 (Vilas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Big Muskellunge Lake (Vilas County)
Black River, including East Fork (Clark & Jackson Counties)
Black River Flowage (Jackson County)
Bony Lake (Bayfield County)
Bridge Lake (Lincoln & Oneida Counties)
Brunet River, from State Highway 70 Bridge downstream to the Chippewa River, including Lake Winter (Sawyer County)
Buckskin Lake (Oneida County)
Catherine Lake (Iron County)
Cedar Lake (Iron County)
Cloverleaf Lakes, including Pine, Grass and Round Lakes (Shawano County)
Chippewa River, from the Winter Dam downstream to and including Radisson Flowage (Sawyer County)
Chippewa River from the Holcombe Flowage to County Hwy D (Chippewa County)
Crab Lake (Vilas County)
Dairyland Flowage, upstream to Big Falls Dam (Rusk County)
Deer Lake (Lincoln County)
Delavan Lake (Walworth County)
Eau Claire Lake, Upper (Bayfield County)
Eau Claire Lake, Middle (Bayfield County)
Eau Claire Lake, Lower (Douglas County)
Fisher Lake (Iron County)
Galilee Lake (Ashland County)
Gile Flowage (Iron County)
Holcombe Flowage and the Chippewa River to County Hwy D, Main Creek to State Hwy 194, and the Jump River to County Hwy G. (Chippewa County)
Julia Lake ~ T38N R11E S12 (Forest & Oneida County)
Katherine Lake (Oneida County)
Kentuck Lake (Vilas County)
Kimballs Bay (Douglas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Lac Vieux Desert (Vilas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Little Pokegema Bay (Douglas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Little Presque Isle Lake (Vilas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Long Lake (Iron County)
Mamie Lake (Vilas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Mead Lake (Clark County)
Menominee River (Wisconsin Michigan boundary water)
Mercer Lake (Iron County)
Mississippi River below Prescott, WI (Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary water)
Moose Lake (Iron County)
Moose Lake (Sawyer County)
Morrison Creek (Jackson County)
Nemadji River (Douglas County)
Nokomis Lake (Lincoln County)
Nokimis Lake, upstream to Prairie Rapids Road (Oneida County)
Papoose Lake (Vilas County)
Park Lake (Columbia County)
Pine Lake (Iron County)
Pike Lake Chain, includes Buskey Bay, Millicent, Hart, Twin Bear, Eagle, Flynn and McCarry Lakes (Bayfield County)
Pokegema Bay (Douglas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Potato Lake (Rusk County)
Potter Flowage (Jackson County)
Radisson Flowage (Sawyer County)
Rainbow Flowage (Oneida County)
Red Lake, Lower (Shawano County)
Red Lake, Upper (Shawano County)
Redstone Lake (Sauk County)
Rice River Flowage (Oneida & Lincoln Counties)
Riley Lake (Forest County)
Roberts Lake (Forest County)
Rock Dam Lake (Clark County)
Shawano Lake (Shawano County)
Silver Lake (Columbia County)
Sissabagama Lake (Sawyer County)
Smoky Lake (Vilas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Sparkling Lake (Vilas County)
Spring Lake (Columbia County)
Springstead Lake, Lower (Iron County)
Springstead Lake, Upper (Iron County)
St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary water)
St. Louis River Estuary and bays (Douglas County) Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary water
Stella Lake (Oneida County)
Swan Lake (Columbia County)
Tenderfoot Lake (Vilas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Trude Lake (Iron County)
Turtle/Flambeau Flowage (Iron County)
Twin Valley Lake (Iowa County)
Two Sisters Lake (Oneida County)
Wabikon Lake (Forest County)
Washington Lake (Shawano County)
West Bay Lake (Vilas County) Wisconsin Michigan boundary water
Wilson Lake (Iron County)
Wingra Lake (Dane County)
Winter Lake (Sawyer County)
Wolf River Pond, upstream of the Shawano Paper Mill Dam to the Wisconsin Power and Light (Balsam Row) Dam and the Shawano Lake outlet upstream to the Shawano County Highway HHH bridge (Shawano County)
Wisconsin River from Wausau Hydro Dam (Marathon County) upstream to Merrill Hydro Dam (Lincoln County)
40 inch minimum length limit in Lac du Flambeau Reservation Waters:

Minimum length limits in these waters are based on an annual agreement between the State of Wisconsin and the Lac du Flambeau Tribe. Please check at the landings for the most current regulations.

Big Crooked Lake ~ T41 R05E S15 (Vilas County)
Black Lake (Iron County)
Bolton Lake (Vilas County)
Broken Bow (Vilas County)
Crawling Stone Lake (Vilas County)
Ellerson Lake, West (Vilas County)
Fat Lake (Iron County)
Fence Lake (Vilas County)
Flambeau Lake (Vilas County)
Gunlock Lake (Vilas County)
Haskell Lake (Vilas County)
Ike Walton Lake (Vilas County)
Little Crawling Stone Lake (Vilas County)
Little Sand Lake (Vilas County)
Little Sugarbush Lake (Deer) (Vilas County)
Little Trout Lake (Vilas County)
Long Interlaken Lake (a.k.a. "Long Lake") (Vilas County)
Minnette Lake (Vilas County)
Moss Lake (a.k.a. "Little Mud Lake") (Vilas County)
Muskesin Lake (a.k.a. "Big Bass Lake") Vilas County
Placid Twin Lake, North (Vilas County)
Placid Twin Lake, South (Vilas County)
Plummer Lake (Vilas County)
Poupart Lake (Vilas County)
Statenaker Lake (Vilas County)
Stearns Lake (Vilas County)
Sugarbush Lake, Lower (Vilas County)
Sugarbush Lake, Middle (Vilas County)
Sugarbush Lake, Upper (Vilas County)
Sunfish Lake (Vilas County)
Tippecanoe Lake (a.k.a "Island Lake") (Vilas County)
White Sand Lake ~ T41N R05E S22 (Vilas County)
Whitefish Lake (Vilas County)
45 inch minimum length

Chippewa Flowage (Sawyer County)
Little St. Germain (Vilas County)
Trout Lake (Vilas County)
50 inch minimum length limit:

Clear Lake ~ T39N R7E S16 (Oneida County)
Grindstone Lake (Sawyer County)
Lac Court Oreilles (Sawyer County)
Lake Michigan waters north of Waldo Boulevard, Manitowoc, WI; Green Bay, and their tributary streams (Marinette, Oconto, Brown, Kewaunee, Door & Manitowoc Counties)
Namekagon Lake (Bayfield County)
Catch and Release Only:

Yellowstone Lake, including the Yellowstone River from the lake upstream to Co. Hwy F (Lafayette County)

Hunting Michigan's Trophy Pike

Lunker northerns are getting harder to find, but if you target these eight great waters, you could be in for a big surprise. (March 2006)

By Jeff Kutcha

When it comes to big fish, pike can be tough to catch in areas with a lot of fishing pressure. Michigan anglers average about 19 million days of fishing a year, which is strong evidence our northerns get plenty of pressure.

Fortunately, Michigan boasts a lot of water and some great pike habitat that disperses angling efforts and provides protection for big northerns. The most consistent trophy systems are big waters connected to the Great Lakes, where fish can reproduce in shallow water and grow unmolested in the deep green void far from shore. But there also are smaller producers: quiet bays and flowages endowed with the habitat, forage and lack of angling pressure -- or religious practice of catch-and-release -- to support sizeable Esox.

Here's an overview of eight of the most dependable trophy-pike systems Michigan has to offer.

ST. MARYS RIVER
Local pike and muskie guide Bert Rimer feels strongly about the quality of fishing on the St. Marys.

"The St. Marys River holds what is in my opinion the best pike fishing in the state of Michigan," said Rimer. "Good pike fishing for big northerns can be found in many areas, including Raber, Eller, Fowler and Munuscong bays. And because of the size of this water, I recommend a 16-foot boat minimum, with 18-foot or longer boats being even better."

When asked why the St. Marys River consistently produces such big northern pike, Department of Natural Resources management unit supervisor Dave Borgeson points to the sheer size of the system.

"A lot of it has to do with the St. Marys being such a huge body of water," he said. "Northerns are susceptible to angling, particularly on Michigan's small lakes. But the larger systems hold better fish because these predators have better opportunities to find optimal prey items like perch, smelt, lake herring and, surprisingly, crayfish. Here, pike generally survive longer, so they get bigger."

According to Rimer, rocks, reeds and weeds make up the majority of pike cover in the St. Marys, and 8 to 12 feet of water produces the most fish. Look specifically for those areas where the reddish clay-stained water mixes with the green water of the St. Marys River. For big pike, he works the edge of the red water by casting a red-and-white or a five-of-diamonds Dardevle. Or else he'll slow-roll white spinnerbaits. Rimer locates scattered fish by trolling Bomber Long A's or the Long A Magnums at 2 to 2.5 mph.

Good launches to access the river are located in Raber, De Tour Village and at the mouth of the Little Munuscong River. For general news on fishing conditions or lodging, contact Bert Rimer at the Little Munuscong River Resort, just northeast of Pickford, at (906) 647-2024, or check out his Web site at www.musky-guide-resort.com. For more tourism info, call the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce at (906) 632-3301.

VAN ETTEN LAKE
This Iosco County gem represents a unique trophy-pike contrast to our typically vast, weedy systems.

A small 1,300-acre impoundment of the Pine River, Van Etten Lake receives substantial turbidity from the inflowing stream, algae blooms and persistent wave action against clay substrates. This keeps weed growth to a minimum, rarely reaching past 10 feet. The basin ranges from 20 to 24 feet, including a few slightly deeper holes, which is rather shallow for big-pike production. Though it doesn't sound like the prototypical pike lake, fish from 10 to 12 pounds are common, with monsters pushing 20 pounds available. Stewards do well to release their trophy catch on Van Etten, because the lake is closed off from the Great Lakes' replenishing stocks by a small, impassable dam.

In Van Etten, a band of success runs along the sharp and sinuous primary breakline. During most of the summer, the top of this drop is visible as a spotty weedline running parallel to shore in anywhere from 6 to 10 feet of water. Whereas smaller fish will be scattered in shallower weedy areas, most of the adult northerns cruise this ledge during feeding time.

Your best bet is to troll the breakline, using a variety of lures in an attempt to strain the lip from top to bottom. This is exclusively crankbait territory, so begin by working the top edge near the weeds with shallow-running crankbaits. Storm ThunderSticks and F-13 Rapalas are good choices for covering water down to about 6 feet. This shallow, fish will actively pursue anything that resembles potential cuisine, so don't worry about presenting the lure off bottom.

Deeper work requires more careful attention to lure placement. For midrange depths to about 12 feet, go to Shad Raps, jointed J-18 Rapalas and Lil' Ernies to stay in the zone. Depth Raiders and 700 series Spoonplugs will easily reach the lower edge of the breakline around 18 feet. Due to the turbidity, the key to big-pike success in the deeper water is staying close to bottom.

Just north of Oscoda, Van Etten Lake sports a concrete launch with good parking on the lake's south shore off State Road F-41. Call the Oscoda Chamber of Commerce at (989) 739-7322 for more area information. Contact the DNR Gaylord office at (989) 732-3541 with additional fishing questions.

ST. CLAIR RIVER
Although metro Detroit's Lake St. Clair is typically noted for world-class muskie fishing, its northern population is sensational as well.

Pike nearing 20 pounds are taken regularly, and in 2000, one lucky angler reported a 51-inch monster that pushed the scales over 27 pounds. The difficulty is that at over 450 square miles, St. Clair northerns have a lot of room to spread out. That makes isolating productive cover particularly challenging.

Beat the odds by getting off the lake and working structure in the lower sections of the St. Clair River. Pike anglers do well to stay near the cool waters of the various canals that wind through vast, shallow flats. A quick look at the river delta shows acres of shallow rushes and emergent weeds, which are important elements for attracting baitfish, providing cover and holding big pike. All channels hold good numbers and big fish, but pay particular attention to river sections around the Middle Channel and Strawberry Island in the U.S., as well as the entirety of Walpole Island and Mitchell's Bay in Canada, where you'll need a license purchased in that country.

In lowlight hours, check the skinny water from the edge of the rushes out to the channel drop by casting high-running lures like bucktails or jerkbaits. As the sun moves higher, switch over to precision trolling runs with crankbaits along the deep weed edge, making both upstream and downstream passes. Because of the high water clarity, it's easiest to use both electronics and visual inspection to keep the trolling pass on track.

Good DNR launch facilities for the St. Clair River exist in Algonac and farther west off Anchor Bay Drive. For more information on area accommodations, call the Anchor Bay Chamber of Commerce at (586) 725-5148. Direct additional fishing questions to the DNR's Livonia office at (734) 953-0241.

MICHIGAN CENTER CHAIN
In the low rolling hills of southern Michigan flows a small, quiet, yet significant pike fishery.

At over 1,500 acres, the Michigan Center Chain of lakes near Jackson plays home to a strong population of surprisingly large fish. Northerns from 8 to 12 pounds are common. They range loosely throughout this winding maze of swamps and basins. Most anglers elect to release big fish because of the small, closed nature of the system.

The chain comprises nine major basins. At the western end, the Michigan Center impoundment is wide and shallow, with large weedflats and few scattered holes. Big and Little Olcott lakes hold deeper waters, less weed mass and more silted bottoms. Big and Little Wolf lakes are the deepest lakes in the system and feature substantial weedy breaklines with numerous hard-bottomed points and cuts. The real beauty here is that because good pike thrive throughout the system, anglers can use any presentation to score. Simply match your fishing style to a specific lake.

Spinnerbaiters do well by working the weeds in Michigan Center. Stay with 3/8- or 1/2-ounce heads with large willow-style blades. Use a fast retrieve to keep lures thumping just above the vegetation. Large, single-hook spoons work well here, too. Try Johnson's Silver Minnows, or doctored Dardevles whose trebles have been replaced with a single heavy hook. These tactics work well in the smaller middle lakes of the Michigan Center Chain as well. But because of the deeper waters, heavier lures with smaller blades become necessary to push baits down into the strike zone.

Because of the larger size of Big and Little Wolf lakes, trolling crankbaits is crucial for finding big northerns, and getting down deep is the key. Starting at around 12 feet, work the base of the weedline by using electronics to keep your boat just off the maddening salad. Work progressively deeper with large-profile baits, like Bucher Depth Raiders and the Storm Stretch Plus series, to tempt big fish in the darkest hiding spots.

The best access points for the chain are on Michigan Center Lake proper. There is a gravel launch on the west end with good parking off Fifth Street, and a well-maintained DNR-paved ramp on the lake's west end, accessible from Napoleon Road. For fishing information, call The Minnow Bucket in Jackson at (517) 764-1909; and for tourism guidance, try the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce at (517) 782-8221.

MUSKEGON RIVER
Typical discussions of western Michigan trophy-pike waters usually focus on drowned river-mouth lakes like Manistee, Mona and Macatawa, but there is a less conspicuous system that quietly produces respectable numbers of big fish.

A quick look at DNR Master Angler Award data shows that Newaygo County's Muskegon River and its impoundments consistently produce some of Michigan's largest pike of the year, and they're all locked into a relatively small area. According to DNR fisheries biologist Rich O'Neil, part of the reason such good fish result from that area is due to the large amount of water in Croton Pond (1,380 acres), Hardy Pond (3,971 acres) and the Muskegon River.

"Neither lake holds the abundant aquatic vegetation that pike prefer, but I think the large size of these systems makes a big difference," said O'Neil. "Although pressure is fair and pike populations are not dense, the lakes do produce some big fish. Forage in the impoundments is good, with abundant yellow perch and minnow species, and the river is full of soft-rayed fishes like white and redhorse suckers, so there is plenty of food to grow large predators."

By launching on Croton Pond just west of the dam on Croton Road or at Hardy Pond's Newaygo County Park near the dam off Elm Avenue, anglers will see that the abundant zebra mussels have created moderately clear water. Patchy weed growth reaches about 25 feet in some locations. Short, sandy shelves extend to the breaklines, which fall quickly into the deep water of the old river channel and comprise a major fish-attracting feature in both impoundments.

Use electronics to find deep weeds, woody cover or steep breaks on the outside bends of the river channel for best chances. Start fishing near bottom in about 20 feet of water and work progressively deeper. Because of the clarity of the water, natural bait presentations account for the majority of big catches. Five- or 6-inch suckers or shiners fished under large slip-bobbers or pinned to quick-strike rigs and worked along bottom make good monster-pike treats in these systems. When that trophy finally comes to net, remember that the pike population in the Muskegon River is at low density, so catch-and-release greatly improves the future of the resource.

For more information, contact the DNR Muskegon office at (231) 788-6798; or for general tourism-related questions, call the Newaygo Chamber of Commerce at (231) 652-3068.

HOUGHTON LAKE
For the uninitiated, Houghton Lake can be highly intimidating. At 22,000 acres, this traditionally weedy, shallow basin forms the headwaters of the Muskegon River. Before the dawn of the logging industry, it must have acted as a crucial spawning grounds and nursery for northern pike from Lake Michigan to Roscommon County. Today, the many dams on the Muskegon River prevent access to Houghton from the lower sections, but big northerns continue to show up in the Master Angler Award data.

Although Houghton is our state's largest lake, the fish really can't hide from intelligent anglers. With relatively little basin area exceeding 18 feet -- and with recent chemical treatments designed to destroy the thick mats of milfoil -- predator and prey are squeezed into relatively small cover zones.

Start efforts in the expanse of weed clumps known as the Middle Grounds or in any of the remaining stands of thick cabbage and grass. Fishing for big northerns here is more like bass tactics than anything else. Either drift over the jungle, or use an electric trolling motor for propulsion and sight-fish into the holes between the clumps of weeds. Most times, pike hold tight near bottom in this type of structure, so a heavy lure does a better job of keeping temptation in the strike zone. Make short casts or vertical jig oversized plastic salamanders on 1/2-ounce leadheads or chunky spinnerbaits with small blades for relatively weed-free fishing. Heavy casting gear with 20-pound-test black Berkley FireLine is smart muscle to pull heavy fish free of deep weeds.

Access points around Houghton Lake abound, with concrete launches found in Prudenville and just west of the high school along M-55. For tourism info, call the Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce at (989) 366-5644. Fishing advice can be had at Lyman's on the Lake Resort at (989) 422-3231.

THE BAYS DE NOC
"They get some nice fish out there, and the high point for pike fishing in the Bays de Noc is that they're quite underexploited fisheries," said DNR unit supervisor Mike Herman. "Most anglers working this area focus on the strong walleye population, so the northerns remain relatively untouched. The key is finding the weeds that pike frequent, which isn't that difficult because the zebra mussels have cleared the water enough to make weed patches stand out."

Veteran Delta County pike guide Ken Lee also knows that weeds are essential to big-pike location.

"Little Bay de Noc is basically a deep trough surrounded by shallow flats, with weedbeds all along the edge of the dropoff," said Lee. "Big Bay is just as good, but it's a little different because the water is clearer, and both the weeds and fish seem to hold deeper as a result. Clear water means spooky fish, and the winding contours make trolling tough, so my attack plan entails pretty much all casting tactics.

"We're throwing into the cabbage weeds and thick coontail, which can really foul baits with multiple treble hooks, so we use a lot of spinnerbaits for tempting pike," Lee continued. "My favorite is Northland's 3/8-ounce Reed Runner in orange sunrise or chartreuse sunrise. We just get right on the break and drift, or use the trolling motor to stay just off the deep side of the weeds. It seems that the biggest fish come from the deep weedline in 10 to 14 feet, though on cloudy days the fish can be up much higher in the water column."

Access to Little Bay de Noc is in Gladstone, Rapid River and on Hunter's Point. In Big Bay, there's the mouth of Garden Creek and Fayette State Park. For fishing pointers, contact Lee at (906) 474-6918 or www.baydenoccharters.com. For area information, try the Delta County Area Chamber of Commerce at (906) 786-2192.

PORTAGE LAKE
A quick look at DNR Master Angler Award data shows that Houghton County's Portage Lake is a consistent producer of giant northerns. Basically an inland extension of Lake Superior, Portage's deep, cool waters attract and hold monsters year-round. And according to DNR Fisheries Division technician supervisor Ed Pearce, the fishery is becoming more popular for a variety of reasons.

"Even though most of the attention from popular press and tournaments in Portage focuses on walleyes, the resulting pressure brings to light the outstanding pike potential," said Pearce. "Anglers are traveling here more frequently, and when they do, they become aware of the quality of the pike fishing.

"The potential here is easy to understand," Pearce continued. "There's quite a bit of spawning habitat in Pike Bay and the south entry channel. Some fish even make a mating run through the Sturgeon River into Otter Lake. And Portage Lake is big (nearly 10,000 acres), with ample forage in the form of spot-tailed shiners and common white suckers, so it has all the necessary ingredients of a great pike producer."

Some of Portage's best pike fishing occurs out from the launch just off U.S. Highway 41 in Chassell's Pike Bay. Good cabbage beds run from the outlet of Pike Bay, both north and south. Improving on the area is the multitude of bars and cuts jutting out from the marshy backside of Pike Bay. There's also good fishing in the north canal, which features mainly sand flats with sharp drops. Big pike cruise at varying depths along these breaks, so employ trolling patterns with large crankbaits to cover water and contact fish.

For dining and lodging information, contact the Keweenaw Peninsula Chamber of Commerce at (906) 482-5240. Call the DNR's Western Lake Superior office for more fishing information at (906) 353-6651.

Muskie Trolling Must Haves

Gary Parsons helps get your walleye fishing season off right with his check list of trolling "Must Haves".

Early spring is normally not a time when walleye anglers think about trolling … or is it? We’d bet our favorite crankbaits that there is a sizeable group of anglers that are spending a vast amount of time these days pouring over their arsenal of trolling lures, line, rods, reels, ands boards wondering what’s going to be the magic formula that will put numbers of fish in the boat for them this season. We’re sure this is the case because of the number of trolling related questions that have been getting tossed our way at sport shows, filling our email boxes and swelling the internet forums on our web site. Trollers are getting anxious and they want to know what its going to take to have the best season ever.

One of the many questions that get brought up again and again is about how we set-up our Off Shore OR-12 Side Planer boards. From the factory, these are the best boards going … their tough and perfectly ballasted so they ride upright in the water under most any wave conditions and work well at virtually any trolling speed. One of our modifications however, is to remove the OR-14 Releases (the black ones) and replace them with stronger OR-16 (red) Releases. We remove the release hardware from the back of the board and mount both releases on the board’s main arm. Another option is to use a single OR-18 Snapper Release on the main arm of the board. The advantages to this "Pro Set-Up" are that it makes the boards easier to read because they will "tip back" more noticeably when a fish is on. This set up also makes removing the boards easier, especially when you’re fishing like a lone wolf, fighting in the fish and clearing the board all by yourself.

As you prepare your equipment for the upcoming season, be sure to check your boards for things like loose or broken brackets, broken releases, flags, or worn out floatation in the back of the board. During the pre-season, Off Shore Tackle offers several "Off Shore Tackle Board Tune-Up Clinics" at local tackle shops and sport shows around the upper Midwest. This is a great way to extend the life of your OR-12 Side Planers and learn more about the care and maintenance of them. Ask around your area …if there’s a clinic planned near you it won’t be that tough to find out about it.

Now’s also a good time to take inventory of your arsenal of trolling rods and reels. Walleye trolling rods should have a few key features: They should be long … 7 feet 6 inches to 8 feet 6 inches is a good range. The should have a strong backbone for handling such trolling accessories as boards, weights, and diving planers, but yet have a soft tip section to aid in fighting big fish. The Walleye Angler Signatures Trolling Rods which we designed for Bass Pro Shops feature all these characteristics, and are a great value.

When it comes to reels for trolling, nothing beats line counter reels for allowing anglers to duplicate successful trolling patterns effectively. Reels like the Bass Pro Shops Gold Cup Line Counter Reel model GC2000LC are ideal for most walleye trolling applications, with the exception of lead core line trolling tactics which require the larger spool capacity of a reel like the Gold Cup model GC4000LCB. Ideally it’s great to have all your trolling rods and reels be the same models … that way it is easy to duplicate productive trolling sets precisely without having to make concessions for varying reels and line capacities. That’s not to say that if you’re just getting started in the walleye trolling game you need to go out and buy six new trolling outfits (although if you can we encourage it), but it’s a goal to work toward.

Of course you’re going to need good line to fill those trolling reels and this is one area where the choices can muddle the mind. It’s tough to go wrong with the old stand by Berkley Trilene XT in ten pound test. This line has great abrasion resistance, just enough stretch to act as a good "shock absorber" when fighting big fish, and let’s be honest … its very cost effective for filling a number of large capacity trolling reels. For those situations where you’re trolling crankbaits in deep water and are looking to get your lures deeper than they can go on monofilament, ten pound test Berkley FireLine is tough to beat. This is a no-stretch "super line" with the diameter of four pound test mono, which allows lures to dive as much 30% deeper than they would on monofilament. A new line that is sure to get a lot of attention among trollers this upcoming season (us included) is Berkley’s Vanish Transition Fluorocarbon line. This new-age fluorocarbon offers not only the underwater "invisibility" and low-stretch characteristics of conventional fluorocarbon, but becomes highly visible above the water, a trait that trollers are growing to appreciate because it helps in viewing their trolling spreads (to keep lines from getting tangled), finding boards let well out to the sides of the boat, and better visibility when bringing a fish in to the net (especially helpful for those of us that have celebrated more than one 49th birthday.

Of course we all know there is never a magic lure, mystical tactic or even a "sure thing" body of water when it comes to walleye fishing success. But the factor we can all control is to be prepared to have the best fishing season ever … to be geared up and ready to take on anything the walleye Gods want to throw our way. Whether you’re an experienced troller, or a "newbie", you do not want to start the season off without having gone through a thorough check list of your trolling gear and stock your arsenal to the hilt, ready, willing and able to meet the walleye trolling challenges ahead.

Handling Techniques and Survival of Released Muskellunge

by Rod Ramsell

The catch and release of harvestable-size muskellunge has been instrumental in perpetuating populations of this highly prized sport fish throughout its range. The importance of this practice is magnified by two basic occurrences that face today’s fisheries managers. First, muskellunge are a low-density predator even in the best of North America’s waters; and second, the targeted angling pressure for this species is higher than is has ever been, and it is increasing at an alarming rate. As the popularity of muskellunge fishing continues to grow, the practice of catch and release will become even more critical in maintaining populations of this magnificent animal.

Unfortunately, in the 20-plus years that I have been involved in the production and management of this fish, one thing that has become painfully obvious to me is that the survival rate of angler caught and released muskellunge is not as high as we all would like to think. During this time period, I have seen Minnesota’s muskellunge resource rise to levels that have generated international attention. As a result, I’ve come to appreciate the significance of a line from one of my favorite movies, "If you build it, they will come." The "they" in this case are muskie anglers of all skill and experience levels, both resident and non-resident. While the growth of this fishery has generated many new recreational and economic opportunities in this state, it has come with a price. I have personally recovered and autopsied hundreds of dead muskellunge and hybrid muskies from the waters in this part of the State. While the recovery of these fish has provided some valuable information, it has also shown the effects of poor handling of fish that have been caught and subsequently released by anglers. In many cases, it was easy to determine exactly where the fish had been held firmly and how the angler’s hands were oriented by the bruising of tissue resulting from pooling of blood from ruptured vascularization and the damage to skeletal structures of the body and gills. A synthesis of some of the injury observations resulting from autopsies of these recovered angling mortalities form the basis for many of the potential handling problems discussed in this article. In one of the state’s muskellunge brood lakes, I had tagged the fish from the earliest stocked year classes and monitored them during their adult life span. While I had the opportunity to handle these fish and collect their gametes for multiple years, one alarming fact has stood out during this time. I have yet to recapture a single tagged fish whose number has been reported as being caught and released by local anglers! While I am a firm believer in the value of catch and release, one can’t help but be concerned as a result of observations such as this.

We all have to keep this practice in perspective. If we turn back the clock to the 1960’s and before, almost every legal size muskellunge that was caught was harvested. The angling mortality rate was virtually 100 percent during those times. Today, many of us can cite examples from our own experiences of angled and released fish that we know have survived and have been caught or seen again. We know that catch and release can work. But, we must also accept that not every released fish survives. Even if catch and release survival is only 10 percent, it is still better than the days that no harvestable size fish were released!

Don’t misunderstand my point here; I’m not saying that today’s survival rates are only 10 percent, when in fact they are significantly higher than that. How high are they? Well, I’m not going to try to come up with a definite number, when in fact the survival rate for released muskellunge hinges on several variables. These variables can differ from lake to lake and geographic area to geographic area. These variables can include seasonal climates, daily weather conditions, the physical properties and characteristics of water (temperature, oxygenation, etc), physical condition of the individual fish, the location and severity of the hooking injury, and the degree of physiological stress that a muskellunge is subjected to. Other important variables that play critical roles in a fish’s survival are the handling techniques, experience, skill, and confidence of each angler who practices the release of their catch. The point that I do want to emphasize is that the survival rate of released muskellunge is not as high as we would like to believe!

How can we improve the survival of the muskellunge that we release? As one who handles hundreds of adult muskellunge every year, both on and off the job, the answer is quite easy: when handling caught fish, the welfare of the fish must come first. That means we, as anglers, have to "check our egos at the dock," and minimize the stress that we subject these fish to. One of the most important ways to do that is for every angler to improve their fish handling methods.

There are dozens of stressors that fish are faced with and endure every day of their lives. Angling is an unnatural stress event that they are subjected to as a result of we, as anglers, partaking in the pursuit of a sport that we enjoy. I would hope that it is intuitively obvious to all muskellunge anglers that the best way to maximize the survival of angled fish that they intend to release is to keep them in the water! Unlike us, fish are unable to utilize oxygen from the air for respiration. They need to be in water to respire dissolved oxygen. When fish are removed from the water, they are unable to breathe and become significantly stressed in much the same way we would be stressed if our heads were submerged under water. With this in mind, it should now be clear to all anglers, regardless of experience level, that the best release practice to maximize your catch’s survival is to keep your fish in the water while it is in your possession. By doing this, you will minimize the recovery time required for that fish to return its body chemistry to equilibrium levels. Also, the gill lamellae on the gill filaments are very fragile tissues. When removed from the water, they tend to collapse and are vulnerable to temperature extremes that can result in the dehydration or freezing of these delicate structures. Damage to these tissues can inhibit a fish’s ability to respire efficiently upon release. To avoid injury to these structures, an angler’s conquest can still be documented by taking a photo of the fish in the water as it being released. If you want to impress the better muskie anglers in this world, show them a good photo of a water release!

If you haven’t graduated to the level of total water release yet and still need to hold that fish up to impress your friends, then you should at least be conscious of minimizing the time that you have that fish our of water. Remember, you have just subjected that fish to exhaustive exercise while it was on the end of your line. That exhaustive exercise has resulted in an oxygen deficit in its circulatory system. The cells in its body that have been doing all the work to attempt escape are demanding oxygen at increased levels. The only way the fish can get that oxygen is from the water. Get the picture? If you are having trouble visualizing the problem, then let’s try using you as a comparison. Run around the block 3 times, and when crossing the finish line, have your best friend dunk your head under water as you are gasping for breath. How many pictures do you want me to take to commemorate this event for you? The physiological stress that your catch is being subjected to is similar...

If you are angling during the summer months, the recovery of fish subjected to exhaustive exercise is complicated by an inverse physical relationship between water temperature and dissolved oxygen. The higher the water temperature, the less dissolved oxygen water is able to hold in solution. Fish, being cold-blooded animals, have metabolic rates that increase as water temperature increases, thus increasing their demand for dissolved oxygen. Now let’s take these thermally stressed summer fish and examine the effect of the exhaustive exercise it has been subjected to on the end of your line. Your angled fish is now demanding oxygen at an even higher rate than normal, but the warm water has less dissolved oxygen available to that fish for its recovery. The end result is, it will take much longer for that fish to intake the level of dissolved oxygen needed for recovery than it would in cooler water conditions. To put this in perspective in our human example, this would be a similar effect to our runner going around the block three times while on top of Pikes Peak in the Colorado Rockies during the summer. The air available for the runner to recover from exhaustive exercise at that altitude is also greatly reduced, and his recovery time will also be increased significantly. If you take your mid summer fish out of the water, let’s not forget the "head-dunking" that awaits you from our previous example. How many more pictures would you like me to take for you now?

Beyond oxygen deprivation, removing fish from the water can have other hazards for successful release. If your fish must be removed from the water, then its body should be supported as much as possible. It comes from a medium that is denser that the air in which we live. The water medium of a fish’s world provides support for its body. Without that support a fish becomes susceptible to other physiological stressors.

Quite simply, the worst type of out-of-water handling is the vertical hold. A vertical hold exerts a significant amount of stress on the fish’s mechanical physiology.

For the average healthy muskellunge, approximately 5 to12 percent of its weight is in the skull. The remaining 88 to 95 percent of the weight is comprised of the trunk musculature, trunk skeleton, skin, and the viscera. The larger the fish, the higher the percentage of non-skull body weight within that range. This is due to the fact that, at a certain point in their life (approximately 42 inches in length), adult muskellunge tend to increase in size proportionately more in girth than in length.

The primary supportive connection of all this body mass is the muscle and ligament connection of the first cervical vertebrae with the base of the skull. Very little support is provided by the connective tissue on the underside of the head in the vicinity of the isthmus. As a result, a fish held (or hung) vertically has a tremendous amount of gravitational stress upon its mechanical physiology. This can best be seen by the amount of stretch of a fish’s length when it is held vertically. A 39-inch muskellunge, measured laying flat on a measuring board, will measure between 40 and 40.5 inches when held vertically; a 48 inch muskellunge will measure between 50.5 and 51 inches under the same conditions. This increase in length results from the stretching of connective tissues between some of the more anterior vertebrae and the articulation of some of the weakly "hinged" areas and skeletal structures within the skull (see figure A). Using gill net mortalities or recently deceased angling release mortalities that I have recovered, I have demonstrated this physiological effect on Esocids to several student interns and new employees that I have been assigned to train over the years. By showing them this physiological effect first hand, I feel it has helped all of them to become better handlers of the fish they will be working with during their professional careers.

While a brief vertical hold of a muskellunge may not be lethal in all instances, the longer a fish is in this position, the more likely it becomes that damage to the spinal column or its connection to the base of the skull will occur. Muscles in the critical areas will resist the pull of gravity on a fish’s mass briefly, but fatigue quickly causes those muscles to relax and put excessive strain on vulnerable connective tissues. Should a fish struggle or start to shake while in this vertical position, than permanent damage that will result in mortality of that fish becomes virtually guaranteed. The vertical hang is akin to the effects of hanging a "rustler" in the Old West. Whether it was on a gallows or on horseback, once the support for the victim’s body was removed, the end result was the same. If the human body, whose head-to-trunk weight proportions are similar to those of Esocids, can’t take this vertical hanging stress, how can we as sportsmen expect a muskellunge we intend to release to fare any better?

The amount of pull on the muscles and fragile bones of the operculum (gill cover) can also be a concern on vertically held fish. Injury to these mechanical structures can have negative effects on a fish’s ability to feed and respire normally. As mentioned previously, gill lamellae are extremely sensitive structures involved in the acquisition of dissolved oxygen from the water for respiration. When I see an angler with a hand inserted into this delicate area to hold a fish up, it gives me cause for much concern. This area of a fish’s body did not evolve as a "grab handle" for sportsmen. Very few anglers have enough of an understanding of the structure and physiology of this area to go around sticking their "paws" in the gill aperture. If your hands or fingers frequently get scrapped or cut grasping a fish in this area, then guess what…you’re doing it wrong! Some anglers wear a glove to protect their hands from these annoying little nicks. Anybody care to guess what’s wrong with this picture? Yep, you just increased the "bulk" of the hand you are inserting into this area of fragile structures and limited space. I’ve seen many dead muskellunge with damaged gill arches and clubbed and necrotic gill filaments and lamellae as a result of poor handling by their captors.

As far as damage to the internal organs on vertically held fish, this is usually not a life-threatening situation, due to the elasticity of the organ tissues. While the organs may be displaced temporarily by gravity, generally the only damage that is likely to occur internally is the possible tearing of some of the supportive mesentery.

The potential for damage to internal organs becomes more of a consideration on horizontally held fish.

Horizontally held muskellunge have less potential for permanent debilitating or lethal injury-if held properly. Don’t consider this my giving you the "go-ahead" to hold fish this way. It is just a case of the lesser of two evils if a fish absolutely has to be removed from the water for that ego photo. Fish held horizontally and supported improperly will exhibit an oblique change of the natural line of the fish. This is usually evident when one hand has a hold in the head area and the other hand in pressed against the belly of the fish in the area of the pelvic fins. This position leaves a lot of the posterior 30 to 40 percent of the fish’s length unsupported and affected by gravitational pull. The supporting hand in the area of the pelvic fins functions as a fulcrum, with a significant amount of focused pressure exerted at that point. The more horizontal the fish is held, or the longer the duration of such a hold, the greater the potential is for damage to the mechanical physiology of the muskie.

Not only can this result in spinal damage, but damage to internal organs as well.

As mentioned previously, most of the organs are very elastic in nature. However, organs such as the liver, spleen, gall bladder and the swim bladder are more fragile and can be bruised or ruptured as a result of this focused pressure. Elasticity does not imply durability. To illustrate this, let’s use the example of a balloon. If you put focused pressure in one spot in the middle of the balloon, the air inside is displaced to the volume available on either side of the pressure. But if you put enough pressure at that point, there is not enough space for the air to be displaced to-something will eventually give. In a fish, that could be a ruptured swim bladder. Even before that occurs, there is likely to be internal bruising or hemorrhaging of some of the soft tissues of critical organs. If the fish is held slightly more vertical and rotated such that the supporting hand is more on the fish’s flank, then there is less chance for injury to the internal organs. The point pressure of the supporting hand is against the dense musculature on the side of the fish, rather than against softer viscera. The best way to support the mass of a muskellunge using a horizontal hold is to use your entire supporting arm as a "cradle" (much the same way you would cradle an infant) while the control hand has a grip in the vicinity of the side of the head. Again, this is not my endorsement for you to hold a fish this way, but it is the lesser of the evil options.

In all out-of-water handling options, the loss of the protective mucus layer that protects fish from waterborne bacterial and viral infection is an additional concern. This is especially true during the warmer water temperature months when the populations of these organisms are at their peak. So, if you really want to impress me with a photo of your catch, then minimize your handling and show me that fish in the water!

I hope this article gives you all-novice and veteran muskie anglers alike-some food for thought. I’m not going to try to force anybody into changing their methods, or point a finger at specific angler’s photos saying "John Q. Muskie Angler is doing it all wrong." After reading this article, look at some of your own photos and be your own judge and jury. If all of you really care about the welfare and survival of the fish we all love to pursue, then your common sense, conscience and devotion to this magnificent animal will do the convincing for me. Some of you will have to go through what I have often referred to as the evolution of an angler and experience some of the learning steps along the way first hand. It is human nature to show off one’s achievements to our peers in an attempt to see who is the best or who’s is the biggest.

Nobody has ever been perfect in their fish handling careers, not even those of us with a biologist’s background. I know that in the over 40 years I’ve been handling muskellunge, I made my share of mistakes during the early years, too. I’ve learned from these experiences and make a point to not pay for the same real estate twice. No matter how hard we all try, muskellunge anglers as a group will never achieve 100 percent survival of every angled fish that we try to release. Each fish has it’s own different stress tolerance or will to survive. Smaller muskellunge tend to be more resilient to handling than larger ones. And sometimes, an older or a diseased fish that is in its twilight days may have just expended it’s last ounce of energy to catch a meal, only to find it has a hook attached to it. No matter how much time you spend, or how hard you try, using the best handling technique in the world will not revive a fish in poor health or condition.

As a group, muskie anglers have room for significant improvement in their fish handling techniques. If we really care about these fish as much as we claim, then let’s do it right.

"Muskie" Rod Ramsell is a Fisheries Specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Section of Fisheries. Rod has handled well over ten thousand adult muskellunge in his angling and professional career. He has also "fathered" over a million muskellunge that have been stocked in Minnesota as well as other parts of the United States and Canada.

Stealth Tackle Flurocarbon Leaders for Muskies

Muskie First
Published April 24, 2006

Stealth Tackle - Fluorocarbon Leaders
reviewed by: Michael "lambeau" Winther

John Bette has been perfecting his fluorocarbon leader building
technique over the past 5 years, getting input from a number of notable
fishermen and guides who spend as much or more time on the water as
anyone out there.

He describes being uncomfortable with the quality of retail "fluoro", so
started to make his own, experimenting with a couple of different brands
and styles. He now sticks exclusively to Seaguar and Climax, as he has
found these to be the highest quality available, even if it does cost
slightly more than some other kinds. John's leaders have boated fish up
to 50", and he notes using one leader for 20 fish without problem before
he "retired" it! The hardware is top-shelf as well, Stringease staylok
snaps or Berkley crosslok snaps, saltwater quality ball-bearing swivels
and solid rings.

In my opinion, the key feature that distinguishes Stealth Tackle leaders
from some other brands is the knot and crimping. All Stealth leaders have
hand-tied nail knots, are glued after tying, and also have a 200# crimp
on the tag end. I tested one of the sample leaders in a hand-crank, and
once enough pressure was applied (a LOT of pressure), and the leader
finally snapped: the knot and crimp did not give or slip, maintaining
full leader strength! In my own experience with fluorocarbon leaders,
the attachments are always the weak point, and these leaders passed the
toughest test I could dream up.
In limited early-season fishing, all of the hardware also performed
flawlessly. Most important to me was consistently free-spinning bearings
in the swivels.

Stealth Tackle leaders are available mainly in 12" lengths of 100# or
130# test. Custom lengths or type of fluoro or mono leaders are
available upon request.
Leaders are priced at $12.00 for a 2-pack, quite affordable by most
standards. Bulk dealer rates are also available.
Available direct: John Bette, muskihntr@sbcglobal.net, (708) 466-5066 or
through Mike Gregg, mrgmuskies.com

Anglers getting hooked on Fort Kent International Muskie derby

FORT KENT - The ice has run off the St. John River and most of its tributaries and although there are still some four months before the third annual Fort Kent International Muskie Fishing Derby, organizers are off and running.

Last year, nearly 21/2 times as many anglers hit Fort Kent and the 225 miles of St. John River muskie habitat for the weekend fishing classic as they did the first year in 2004. Some 206 fisherman signed up, compared to 87 in 2004, for the weekend bringing in 31 muskies, the largest being Gerald Jandreau's 391/4-inch and 15-pound, 15-ounce fish.

That earned him the $2,500 grand prize.

The purse for the Aug. 12-13 derby is at $10,000 and climbing.

Muskellunge, the muskie, is not native to the St. John River watershed. It was introduced in Lac Frontiere, Quebec, in 1970 and now it has been in the St. Francis and St. John rivers for years.

After years of bemoaning the loss of the landlocked salmon and trout fisheries, folks in Fort Kent decided it was time to make bait and fish two years ago. Muskie fishing has also become a winter ice fishing bonanza for anglers fishing on Glazier and Beau lakes on the St. Francis River.

Organizers are saying that muskie fishing is catching on in northern Maine and is considered one of the great freshwater sports fishing challenges.

The first year of the derby, the weather was awful. Rain and rain-swollen rivers met anglers. Last year it was a low water year, but anglers were all over the river. There is room for more, organizers say.

During the derby, some of the fish is cooked on site at Bee-Jays Tavern. An outside kitchen and eating area is set up for enthusiasts.

Last year they had anglers from all over Maine, New Brunswick, and Quebec, along with people from Missouri, North Dakota, Tennessee, Louisiana, California, Alaska, and even Australia.

There are several cash prizes for the competition. The value of the prizes may increase between now and competition weekend. At the present time, along with the top prize of $3,500 for the longest muskie, there is $1,000 for second place.

Organizers may also have a major prize for catching a tagged fish. That is in the works at this time.

In the youth competition, the top prize is a $1,000 savings bond and second prize is $500 of fishing gear. There is also a $500 prize for the angler who travels the farthest.

Fishing starts at 9 a.m. on Aug. 12 and the competition ends at 5 p.m. on Aug. 13. Weighing and registrations the weekend of the derby are handled at Bee-Jay's Tavern on Main Street.

Registrations can be done by mail at Fort Kent Muskie International Fishing Derby, 416 West Main Street, Fort Kent, ME 04743, or by telephone at 207-834-3090.

Row Trolling for Muskies

Row Trolling
Bringing Back a Classic Fishing Technique (93 minutes) - with your guide Patricia Strutz

by Michael "lambeau" Winther

row - ('rO) verb - To propel a boat by means of oars.
troll - ('trOl) noun - To pull through the water from a moving boat.

Sun dappling on the water. The rhythmic swish and drip of the oars pulling through the water. You can almost imagine yourself rowing around the lake as you watch this enjoyable video about an increasingly popular way to fish for muskies "old-school" style.

Patricia Strutz has been fishing for most of her life, and has added row trolling to her long list of expertise in the last 12 years. In this video she guides you through: Advantages of this method of fishing; History of the tactics and boats used by "old-time" guides; How to set-up a row trolling boat and make use of time-proven techniques; and Getting you ready to buy or build and equip a row trolling boat.


This is not your typical muskie fishing video full of hook-sets, fish poses, and the predictably testosterone-filled dialog. Instead, this video focuses on the art, history, and style of row trolling, including interviews and helpful "how-to" demonstrations. It's more of an instructional video with some very entertaining discussions, explanations, and story-telling. I particularly enjoyed the interviews about restoring old boats, and stories about the old-time guides rowing clients around northwoods lakes.

And the boats, the beautiful wooden row trolling boats! Patricia Strutz shares her appreciation and love for the building, restoring, and use of traditional wooden boats.

The last time that I row trolled for muskies was over nine years ago, and watching this video made me want to get back out there and pull the oars - this time with a better understanding of how to go about it based on tips in the video. Whether you've been rowing up muskies for years, or are just intriqued by the idea but have never tried it before, this video will both entertain and guide you to a traditional fishing technique with a modern application!

"Row Trolling: Bringing Back a Classic Fishing Technique" is available for around $25:
Guide's Choice Pro Shop, Eagle River WI, www.guideschoiceproshop.com (715) 477-2248
Smokey's Muskellunge Shop, Pewaukee WI, www.smokeysmuskieshop.com (262) 691-9659
Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop, Minocqua WI, www.muskyshop.com (715) 356-6011

SPRINGTIME, Now's the Time for GIANT PIKE!

by Jack Penny

Pike anglers love spring, and as Jack Penny explains ... Spring is Big Pike Time!

Giant Pike! And lots of them! And there ain't no better time than spring to catch that "once in a lifetime" fish. Spring is easily my favorite time for big pike and the reason why is just as easy. Big fish that are predictable.

The first pattern to emerge is right at ice out. By ice out, I'm referring to the period from first open water until surface temperatures reach mid to upper 40's.

Biologically, pike are programmed to eat dead fish when the ice starts to thin. They are getting ready for or recouperating from the rigors of spawning and are feeding on fish killed by the onset of winter and frozen in the ice. As rivers and streams freeze, a lot of fish are trapped and frozen to be washed downstream during the thaw. This provides the pike with a source of food that is high in calories, yet doesn't require any effort to catch. They just cruise along and pig out. Immediately after ice out, dead bait is the best key to success.

At this time, there are three good options for location. Long, flat shallow bays, rivers/streams and sandy beaches. The best bays will have a dark bottom and a small stream or river running into the back of it. If you can find a creek or small river leading to a backwater, weedy area, you're in luck. This backwater area is the pike's "nursery" and they'll cruise in and out of here using the creek or river as a highway. Another choice spot is the "washout hole" where a river runs into a bay. In larger rivers, motor in about a hundred yards from the mouth and look for a hole to set up your ambush. Additionally, in areas where suckers are forage, they make a run in early spring and will be found in rivers and especially sandy beaches.

In Europe, where baitfishing is the norm rather than the exception, they have dozens of rigs to cover the seasons and conditions. I've found I can narrow this down to just a few and cover ice out nicely. The three rigs pictured here are the ones I use almost exclusively. I am using big rubber shad baits to illustrate how I hook them up. Usually, my dead baits will be at least as big as these. All these rigs work on the "quick strike" principal. That is, you don't let the pike swim off and swallow the bait before setting the hook. As soon as the pike picks up the bait and starts to move off, Hit 'em Hard! The hook-up ratio will be very high and almost all fish will be hooked in the corner of the mouth making a successful release easy.

The first rig pictured is fished on the bottom using a slip sinker set up. It has a fixed treble on the rear of the rig with another treble attached to a loop. The purpose of the loop is to allow length adjustments to fit the size of the bait being used. I use a leader connector to hold the loop. Once the desired length is determined, I pull on the ends of the rig and tighten the loop up. This then becomes a fixed treble. I like to use this one in areas of slight current like backwaters in a river.

The second rig is simply a large (7/8 inch) floating jig with two fixed trebles. This not only brings the bait off the bottom, but adds a bit of color for an attractor. While it seems strange to me, there are times when pike will show a color preference using this rig. I always start with chartreuse and try orange or pink next. Notice the bevel on the front bottom of the jighead. This provides assistance in lifting the bait up off the bottom in heavier current areas. Again, I use one of the slip sinkers shown with this rig.

The last rig is a bit different and is the one I use with the float. It is basically the same rig as the first one with the length adjustable loop. When using this setup I like my bait to hang horizontal if possible. Once I figure out how long it needs to be to keep the bait hanging even, I pull those ends tight and place the first treble just behind the head and the other one near the tail where it will hold the bait even. The rubbercore sinker pictured is the one I use with this rig. The large float is the one I prefer to use. It's 11 inches long, unweighted, and made by Float-Hi. This float will hold up a good sized bait with a half ounce sinker and still lay flat on the waters surface. This allows easy detection when a pike picks up the bait.

As the water begins to warm, metabolic rates begin to rise. At the beginning of this period, pike are still slow to chase anything very far, but will instead slash out at anything that gets too close. Now is the time to hit the dead reeds. Before I get into this very far, let me advise a couple of things. Alot of your success will depend on stealth. That is, you must be very quiet in your approach. Pike, like all gamefish, have a lateral line running down their sides that act as a pike's ears. A big pike will have a big lateral line, so as you can imagine, it has big ears! If you bang a spoon on the side of the boat or drop something in it, your chances for a success are diminished. When anchoring, place it in the drink as quietly as possible and pay out some line. Also, a good pair of polarized sunglasses are vital for success.

The pike will now be lying back in last year's dead reeds. If the wind is blowing back into the bays, all the better. Quietly drift through the shallows, looking for targets in the sparse weed growth. These fish will be holding in water that's 7 feet or less and oftentimes the biggest fish will be in 3 feet or less. The best lure for this scenario is undoubtably the jig or a weedless spoon. I like a standup jig of about 1/2 to 3/4 of an ounce. A bass jig with a rubber skirt works well also. Tip them with a Power Grub or Tube. Cast past your target and slowly swim it past her nose. Only about 1 in 5 will take it , but here's a little trick to try. Bring the jig in and stop it about 5 feet in front of her. Just let it sit motionless for a minute or two. At times they will jump on it and other times, they'll just move up slowly and suck it in. If the fish hasn't moved toward your offering after awhile, try shaking your rod. Try not to move the jig, just shake your rod trying to make the jig quiver. Not all of them will fall for this, but enough will to make it worthwhile. There will also be some big fish holding in the yellowed reeds up next to shore. The weedless spoon shines in this spot. Cast a weedless spoon with a scented trailer back into the tangled reeds and hop it on the surface back through letting it flutter down in open pockets. It's amazing that fish of this size hold in that tangled mess but they are there and are catchable.

Want a real thrill? Try stalking these pike! A bit of warning is warranted here. This is not for the faint of heart! As you drift through the shallows looking for targets, make a mental note of their location and keep moving. Once you've spotted a good one, let the boat drift a ways and either beach it or set out an anchor. Donning a pair of warm waders, slip into the water and very slowly work your way into casting distance. If you are good with a fly rod, a Dahlberg Mega-Diver or a large streamer can be a super presentation in this situation. Otherwise, the jig works as well as anything. Once you hook a fish while wading, the fun really begins! If it swims through the reeds, follow it, keeping a tight line. As long as the fish doesn't swim for deeper water (they rarely do), you can follow it anywhere it decides to go. At times you may have a pike swim through your legs during the fight. I don't know of a quick remedy for this! Just wait until you have a pike in the mid 20's slap your leg while trying to escape. Feels like somebody kicked you. Whoosh! This will make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight out!

About four to six weeks after ice-out, the shiners will spawn in shallow wind swept bays. The wind sweeps schools of shiners towards shore and they are followed by perch and walleyes, who are followed by big pike. The pike are much more active now and are starting to chase down their prey. Spoons, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, they all work well now. Also, at times, a short topwater bait can provide the best topwater action of the year. Keep in mind that at this time of year, smaller baits will produce best. Look to those same dead reeds in the back of the bays. Some will still be back in the reeds and some will be just outside of them, but all will be much more active and willing to bite. If you hit this right, it can be the hottest bite of the year! If you happen to notice shiners jumping out of the water, quick turn and fire a few casts behind you into more open water. Those shiners are being attacked by perch or walleyes and this can trigger a chain reaction. The pike will go on a rampage if they're around.

When the shiner spawn begins to taper off, usually 1 to 2 weeks, the pike will migrate to the points outside the bays and the river mouths. These can be points of the weedbeds or points of land. I like casting spoons or possibly a spinnerbait now.

Depending on how late or early of spring it is and how far North you are, this should be anywhere from the 1st of June to the 1st of July, and pike will begin their summer patterns.

Good luck out there this spring and if you find that fish of a lifetime, please handle her gently, take a couple of pictures (and send one in to Esox Angler and to www.thenextbite.com), then put her back to fight again. The future of our sport depends on it.

Modern Day Muskellunge World Record Keeping

Larry Ramsell
Published April 2, 2006

Modern Day Muskellunge World Record Keeping Program

We are beginning a new chapter in muskellunge history; that of establishing
a highly verified International program for keeping muskellunge, and tiger
hybrid muskellunge, modern day world records. Due to problems with regard
to historical muskellunge records, and due also to the fact that some
current record keeping rules preclude several legal, legitimate and often
used methods of angling employed by todays muskellunge anglers. It has
been decided to begin a Modern Day Muskellunge World Record Keeping
Program. This is in no way intended to be derogatory to the other record
keeping programs, but rather a program designed for todays muskellunge
anglers, by todays muskellunge anglers, to keep verified, credible and
obtainable records for our favorite species and hybrid.

An old angling cliché says; There is no faster way to be called a liar than
to claim you just caught a record fish; and that is certainly true, for the
history of fish records is replete with false claims, distortions, lots of
unverified assumptions and indeed even some fraud.

All-tackle records for top game fish like muskellunge, smallmouth bass,
walleye and largemouth bass have at one time or another been under a cloud
of suspicion. Some have even been repudiated and disqualified. In the case
of many old record fish, photos and mounts themselves, never did, or no
longer exist. Also, the scales used usually were not verified by todays
standards. Even testimonies about the catch by other individuals regarding
the length, girth, weight, etc. can be under suspecion.

The problem of these old or even some more recent day records is that none
have been tested utilizing the great technology available to us today. For
example electrofloresis can tell you many things about the origins of the
fish. DNA also is a tool that didn’t exist that many years ago. All this
being said, does not make any or all of these old records false. The
problem is that many can not be verified by modern technology, and that is
the crux of the problem.

By establishing a new set of standards which are verifiable, all questions,
problems and arguments that arise because of the lack of verification
evaporate

These old unverified records need not be lost to posterity. They indeed can go into a special category of Historical and Legendary fish.

Many very high profile and well respected members of the muskellunge
community, from both sides of the United States and Canadian border, have
signed on to be a part of the Committee that has developed and will oversee
this program. The Committee will consist of both a Working Group and an
Advisory Review Group. All will review potential record applications.

Our Committee consists of:

Peter J. Barber, Treasurer, Muskies, Inc. International
Joe Bucher, Editor Emeritus Musky Hunter Magazine & Legendary Hall of Fame
Muskie Angler

Steve Budnik, Past President and Research Committee Chairman, Muskie’s, Inc.International

Jim Bunch, Chairman, Muskie’s, Inc. Members Only Fishing Contest & Muskie
magazine Lunge Log Editor

John Casselman, Ph. d., Adjunct Professor, Queen’s University, Department of Biology, Senior Scientist Emeritus Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Applied Research and Development Branch, Member Muskie’s, Inc. & Muskies Canada

Rich Delaney, President World Record Muskie Alliance & Member Muskie’s,
Inc.

Terrie DuBe, Muskies, Inc. International Secretary & Professional Muskie
Tournament Angler

Brad Latvaitis, American Fisheries Society (AFS) Fisheries Professional
Emeritus Owner, Environmental Solution Professionals; Enshrined, Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame 2006, Muskie Historian & Researcher,Contributing Editor Musky Hunter magazine

Mike Lazarus, Member Muskies Canada & Ontario and Quebec Muskie Guide

Ron Lindner, Publisher Emeritus In-Fisherman Communications Network & Hall
of Fame Angler

Pete Maina, General Manager/Co-owner Esox Angler magazine; Contributor Wisconsin Sportsman magazine & member Muskie’s, Inc.

Diana Mindar, Member Muskie’s, Inc. International Board of Directors &
Professional Muskie Tournament Angler

Jerry Newman, Founder World Record Muskie Alliance, Member Muskie’s, Inc,
Muskies Canada & The International Game Fish Association (IGFA)

Steve Pallo, Management Programs Section Head Illinois Department of Natural Resources-Fisheries, American Fisheries Society (AFS), Certified Fisheries Scientist, Past Director-Research Muskies, Inc. International, Past Chair AFS Esocid Technical Committee, Life Member of Muskie’s, Inc, Co-Chair of Fisheries Habitat Committee Muskie’s, Inc

Gord Pyzer, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Ret.) Kenora, Fishing
Editor, Outdoor Canada Magazine, Field Editor, In-Fisherman Magazine and Television Co-Host, The Real Fishing Radio Show, President, Canadian Angling Adventures Ltd. & Outdoor Editor/Columnist, the Kenora Daily Miner and News, the Fort Frances Times, Just Fishing and Grainews

Larry Ramsell, Research Editor Musky Hunter magazine, Muskie Historian, Dual Hall of Fame Muskie Angler, Past President, Muskies, Inc International, Former Representative International Game Fish Association (IGFA), Former World Secretary National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame (NFWFHF) & Former World Record Advisor NFWFHF

Jim Saric, Editor/Owner Musky Hunter magazine, Contributing Editor Fishing
Facts magazine,Contributing Editor, MidWest Outdoors magazine

Steve Sarley, Host of CLTV's The Great Outdoors television program - 2002
to 2005, Host of The Outdoors Experience radio program on Chicagos NewsTalk 560 AM WIND 2003 to present, Weekly columnist for Shaw Newspaper's Northwest Herald, Kane County Chronicle and other Shaw daily newspapers, Monthly columnist for MidWest Outdoors magazine - 1996 to present

Tim Simonson, Fisheries/Lake Sampling Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources (WDNR) Spokesman & Co-chair State Musky Committee, Wisconsin DNR

Marc Thorpe, Past President Muskies Canada & Ontario and Quebec Muskie
Guide

Steve Worrall, Owner Mukie First Internet Website & Member Muskie’s, Inc.

The bar has been set at 60 pounds (27.22 kilograms) minimum for initial
muskellunge application, to prevent numbers of large muskellunge from being
kept just to set a record. Hybrid minimum for application is 40 pounds
(18.14 kilograms), since the two largest verified hybrids caught in the past 55 years were 40 pounds and 40 pounds 2 ounces. With these weight criteria, few fish will be ever be kept for record purposes. This new beginning will constitute a highly credible “International” program with realistic and obtainable minimums as a starting point, and very credible, but attainable records once they are established.

After a presentation to the International Board of Director’s of Muskie's,
Inc. on April 1, the Muskie’s, Inc. International Board of Director’s voted
overwhelmingly to endorse and support this program.

The committee will proceed based on the overwhelming International support
that we now have, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank
everyone in advance for their support and cooperation in the establishment
of this great new muskellunge world record program. We sincerely believe
that its time has come, and that with this great International mix of
committee members from both the angling and scientific world of the
muskellunge, it will be welcomed and accepted by the world’s muskellunge
anglers!

For more information, Contact: Larry Ramsell, Committee Chairman, 10907 N.
County Road S, Hayward, WI 54843. Phone: 715-462-9880 or email:
larryramsell@hotmail.com

Wells, Schneider Win PMTT Shootout on The Cave

Professional Muskie Tournament Trail
Published April 11, 2006

Quietly nestled in the rustically beautiful mountains of eastern Kentucky's Daniel Boone National Forest, Cave Run Lake ."Musky Capital of the South", saw a near record 130 team field gathered here from across North America the weekend of April 8th & 9th for the much anticipated opening of the Professional Musky Tournament Trails exciting eighth season and the first of four national qualifiers . "The Southern Shootout", that will determine the 2006 Ranger / PMTT World Championship field of 50, Top Gun points winner and ultimate owner of an awesome first place prize package that includes the keys to a new 2007 619 Fisherman - Ranger Trail Trailer - 150 hp Mercury Optimax. and cash totaling near $45,000! Fairly steady weather with highs near 80 had many here anticipating a `hot bite' and sunscreen, until Saturday's dark, `bone-chillingly-cold' morning weather; replete with sleet, wind and on-again-off-again rain, served ominous notice of things to come as a brutal cold front, bain of all tourney anglers, put this prolific Spring Musky fishery on virtual `lock-down' status for most of the more than 250 anglers attending this popular venue . with only 12 teams registering 13 Musky on day one . and 6 legal fish released on a frosty, blue-bird skied Sunday, putting these already elusive "Monarchs of Freshwater" at an even higher premium than is usual !

But as the old adage goes, "When the going gets tough . the tough get going", and this weekend, none were tougher than James Wells of Florence, KY and partner Russell Schnieder of Harrison, OH. who utilized a combination of casting and slow-trolling tactics that they have refined from years of working this and other systems around the country, enabling them to register a quality fish each day, a 39-« inch specimen Saturday around 1:30 and then hammering a second fish about 11:00 on Sunday within 100 yards of when they decided to switch over to a trolling pattern that had been working pre-fishing for the winning 37-incher . scoring a huge lead in the 2006 TOP GUN Standings and a whopping $16,930 check for their yeoman-like efforts !!!

Super Shad Raps were their primary weapon of choice as they plied creek channels along deeper breaks and tree lines with a very slow stop-and-go, zigzagging attack. "Throwing the 115 Mercury into and out of gear to impart the desired presentation is a key", said Wells. Adding, "Slow is the deal, with stop-and-go direction changes mixed in to sweeten it up a bit, you use the boat sort of like your rod when working a cast crankbait and though it flies in the face of a growing trend to use speed as a trigger when using trolling tactics . it works . especially in tougher conditions". Schnieder expressed his feelings about James' netting ability when he shared a near disaster at boat side Sunday that saw the net slip from the yoke and flip as the fish went under the motor, leaving the bait in the netting as the fish attempted a Houdini-like escape. "He almost dove into the water, grabbed the bag and rolled it back around the now free swimming Musky and somehow got all of it . fish included, into the boat. Best damn net man in the business right here folks . and no slouch controlling the boat either", he laughingly ended.

These sentiments are similar to those shared by the amazingly consistent, current TOP GUNS, Kirk Allen & Brad Swenson who employ risky long-line spinner bait trolling tactics in these hard times. "We do this a lot on our home waters when it gets tough, just get the Rad Dogs back about 100 feet and work the outside edges of weeds like what we found around the Zilpo Flats area and hang on", said Swenson. "We lose a lot of baits like this", added partner Allen, "But we catch a lot of fish as well". Attesting to the success of this tactic was the Saturday & Event $500 'Big Fish Award', a very healthy 43 inch beauty that held up to take 2nd Place and $4,734 . plus setting them up for a run at repeating as Top Gun. Keep an eye on these two, they have registered fish in 5 of their last 6 PMT outings and are proving themselves the team to beat.

James Bowling of Cincinnati, Oh and Dave Everhart of nearby Fairfield scored Sunday's $500 `Big Fish Award', a 42 release, that fell for a downsized chartreuse bucktail in Beaver Creek for 3rd Place and a total of $3,464 in just their first time out against the Trail Pros. While Minoqua, WI's. Bob Elsner & Dave Boreman also registered a nice 42 incher on day one that had a taste for trolled Grandmas that put $2,160 in their pockets and 4th Place.

Another conspicuously consistent duo, Tom "Terrific" Olson & Seamus Hanley from the Chicagoland area, made yet another amazing Top Ten finish when they were the only team able to double on day one with fish of 33 & 31 inches.

Unable to get that much needed third fish to go on day two, Olson cited conditions and additional pressure on his spots as factors that limited them to a final 5th Place finish and a check for $1,694.

Other notables were the $1,000 Ranger Cup Award winning efforts of Neenah, WI angler Kevin Hofensperger as he and partner Bill Burroughs of Appleton, WI also doubled up with a 33-« on day one and a 30-¬ Sunday to finish in 6th Place overall and as the top placing registered Ranger Boat owner for a total payout of $2,270. Kevin and Bill are hopeful that this finish wills quite some of the guys back home who have been giving them the business about competing at this level. "They didn't give us a chance back home", said Kevin, "Man, I can't wait to tell them!" Team Carlson, Jim Sr & Jr, also no strangers to top ten finishes, slipped from 5th to 8th Place, taking home $1,100 when they could not get that second bite to hang on after bagging 5 fish on Shad Raps day one, of which only a 36-incher registered.

"We had plenty of opportunity . just didn't get the size we needed win it", informed Jim Sr. "So close, just not meant to be. this time anyway".

Though an awfully tough bite brought on by a brutal cold front passage Friday evening and the ensuing post-frontal conditions faced Sunday . as always is the case with these top anglers . somebody gets it figured out! If you look to the final results you will see that a very slim percentage of the teams in attendance scored the 19 Musky registered - 13 on a brutal Saturday, and but a meager 6 on blue-bird Sunday, and not by accident. Local experts, present Top Gun Team, past Qualifier Winners, Ranger Musky World Champ, a couple of teams with about a dozen years combined Trail experience and two that utilized almost identical strategies got bit. Hats off to these quick thinking, intuitive Musky Hunters. Their actions this past weekend, including downsized, slower presentations, in one of the tougher bites I have ever seen, have shown us some keys for success when facing just such adverse conditions: Let the fish dictate your approach - Work through the options - Pay attention to the signs/clues Mother Nature & Fish give you - Crack the code and you to will reap the rewards.. regardless conditions.

PMTT Director Tim Widlacki jokingly jibed that he was a little disappointed about not getting his traditional sunburn this time around to the Cave, while leading a huge round of applause for those hardy souls manning the Judge Boats through some very extreme conditions during this two day event.

He also had kudos for Terri Cline, Director of the Morehead Tourism Commission, our hosts and primary site sponsor, while adding that without the much unheralded behind the scenes promotion and extra effort by Crash & Gina Mullins of Crash's Landing & Outfitters . "I really do not know if we could have made it through the first couple of years as we began this wonderful journey to were we are now. thanks Crash". Tim added that while thanking those who have helped us get to this record-breaking point in our eight year history, "I would be remiss to not thank each and every one of our Site, Contributing and Associate Sponsors . including Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Musky Hunter Magazine, Heckel's Marine, Crash's Landing, Extreme Muskie Expo's, Keyes Outdoors Television, Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, The Village of Antioch Illinois, Morehead Tourism Commission and our next hosts, the Wisconsin Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. Please let these fine folks know that you appreciate their efforts in support of freshwaters most challenging, exciting, only national Pro Musky Trail . and the mighty Muskellunge!

Be a part of the action ... Learn from the Pros ... Fish top waters at peak times ...Share the camaraderie . become a better angler and have Great Fun in the process. It is not just about this amazing fish or big money, it's folks just like you sharing a unique passion, educating by example while helping to bring positive focus and growth to this potentially fragile resource. Anyone can join the PMTT and enter this fast-growing and addictively exciting competition and everybody is warmly invited to come out and join the fun.

To register or obtain more information on the 2006 PMTT, any Qualifier or to view event photo album, please visit them on the Web @ www.promusky.com or call PMTT Director, Tim Widlacki @ 815-264-3228 *space is limited; Trail Team and single event reservations are being taken now.

130 Teams participated - safely releasing a total of 19 fish - 13 Sat. & 6 Sun - up to 43-1/4-inches

WATER TEMPS AVG 51 DEGREES / AIR TEMPS HI 50 LOW 28 / POST COLD FRONT / STAINED - MUDDY

The Finer Points of Muskie Lures

Muskie anglers are constantly changing baits. But do you really know when to use what lure?

by Pete Maina

It's funny how people are these days. Everybody seems to be just a little busier, and everyone is looking for shortcuts. Folks who choose to fish for muskies are even more apt to look for shortcuts than are anglers seeking other species, and they are usually quicker to try another method or "angle" to fool their quarry.

It's interesting to note really, but many folks are content to fish for crappies all day with a hook, sinker, bobber and minnow. Many will also use a simple jig-and-minnow or a favorite crankbait for walleyes all day. Muskie fishers, however, seem to be completely incapable of going all day with one presentation, or even for an hour for that matter. Some of the severely addicted have trouble adhering to the challenge of 15-minute usage periods - anything longer can trigger convulsions.

Technically, we muskie anglers should be more patient, more willing to wait it out with a favorite lure. We are fully aware that we are fishing for the lowest-density critter in the system. There simply aren't many around. So we should be content, really, with using the same bait all day, since by muskie standards one fish a day is pretty good.

This reality has the opposite effect, though. Because muskies are so tough to catch, folks tend to be even more frantic about finding that "magic" bait or method. Show me one regular muskie angler who has not accumulated more paraphernalia than he or she could possibly use on any given day - bought with the honest intention of giving the angler the ultimate edge in triggering responses from toothy fish.

We all tend to look for "magic" to aid us in our fishing. Applying the basics, though, is what equates to being a more consistent angler who can boast (truthfully) of more consistent catches. Boring stuff like knowing structure, seasonal location preferences, boat control, and "when and how" to use your "tools" is what really makes the difference. "Tools" are your lures - those shiny, hook-laden wallet-lighteners that your significant other regularly reminds you that you have too many of.

LURE TYPES
There are four basic lure types for muskie anglers. They are surface baits, jerkbaits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits, which include in-line spinners and overhead spinners. There are different styles of the four main types, which we'll get into later. One additional type worth mentioning is big jigs. Even though these could technically fall into the jerkbait category, they deserve separate mention.

Let's start with the most exciting lure type of all and the most confusing to describe. A common question I get from my clients about surface baits is "What do muskies think that thing is?" Folks like to say the fish thinks it's a duck or a squirrel or something. I think it looks like something they can see, something that moves, something they can catch - and eat. They are triggered by something that is very easy to catch. Overhead is easy to see.

There are three basic styles of surface lures, and they are a little hard to describe. One category I'll just call "slow movers." These are the ultimate in-your-face presentation. They move slow, wiggle and wobble, and generally look like they are really struggling to get where they're going. Two of the more popular types of this style are the Hawg Wobbler and the Creeper. A Hawg Wobbler is a jointed lure with a lip in front that creates an exaggerated wiggle at low speeds, while the Creeper types have side wings that cause a drastic back-and-forth wobble (a good visual would be a first-time swimmer trying the freestyle stroke).

Of course, there are more variations, but the key is drastic, struggling movement at slow speeds. It triggers a response from muskies because it's right above the fish, looking so helpless and making such a fuss, and it seems like it's just not getting anywhere. These baits are generally best in calmer water and when the general activity level seems to be low. They can trigger fish when faster stuff doesn't.

Another style we'll call the "blade" baits. Generally, these include a body of wood with a wire shaft running through. Some popular lures include the Globe and the Cisco Kid. Either fore or aft (or both) on the body are a variety of blades that rotate on the wire shaft. Offshoots of this have no solid body, but rather hair or rubber; more popularly they are known as buzzbaits (they aren't just for bass!).

The buzzbait style, lacking a buoyant body, is basically restricted to medium- or high-speed retrieve. The others, as long as the blades easily spin, can be used at any speed. These are really the most versatile of the surface lures, since speed can vary, as well as the retrieve type. They can be jerked, twitched, or ripped and stopped, too. Everyone seems to have a preference, but both erratic and straight retrieves will work.

Generally, these baits are used with a medium retrieve rate, but what's neat is that they speed up so well. It's great for triggering "follows." Those who have used surface lures know of muskies' propensity to follow or show themselves before striking. Often, just speeding up one of these lures as a muskie closes in will be enough to trigger a strike. There are so many types and variables here, but generally these baits are best in calm to medium wave action.

We also have the prop-style lures, the two most popular being the Mud Puppy and the Tallywacker. I don't think any style is more commonly copied, and for good reason. They work well, and each seems to have its own sound, which can make all the difference. With these baits, we again have a wood/plastic body and a shaft. But rather than just a blade rotating on the shaft, there is a separate section of body with a prop attached. This whole piece (or section) rotates, creating a lot of splash and extra vibration, too.

Most have a single section behind the main body, but some have them in front, too. Some have both fore and aft, and some have a double-aft. As mentioned, these (and especially the double ones) really create a disturbance: water flying, the blade sound, and the vibration from the rotation of the whole body section. These baits seem to work best at a medium to medium-fast clip, and they generally work well in medium to high wave action.

Finally, we have "walk-the-dog" types. Basically, these are oversized versions of a Zara Spook. They have a side-to-side action on top when twitched and will trigger fish when nothing else will. Problem is, the overall hooking percentage is the poorest of all types, but they are something that will produce and at the very least "locate" fish when nothing else is working.

This brings me to my first point on surface lure use. These are not just for calm water, folks. Many people will tell you that, but I've seen muskies crush surface baits in 5-foot rollers. The prop style is most effective, but I've seen the slow movers work in big waves, too. Generally, surface lures are more effective in warmer water temperatures and shallower water ranges. They are great over weeds and shallower wood areas. They are, however, pretty poor in the slop (where weeds stick out on the surface). Most surface baits are easily fouled by even a tiny piece of weed, so they aren't suggested for emergent vegetation. The exception here is single-hook buzzbaits.

Jerkbaits are a little less complicated. There are just two basic types of these. They are the one lure type that requires the angler to "get involved," because without jerks or twitches, these baits do nothing. With jerks and twitches, they have an erratic, wounded look to them.

First, we have the glider-style baits. These lures travel mainly in a horizontal plane. Most are neutrally buoyant, but some sink to varying degrees. When twitched, they travel from side to side in wide sweeps. They are best used over some type of structure where there is "room" for them to operate at their running depth. It's nearly impossible to control or alter the depth range with these baits.

The other type is the "up/down" style. Some popular names include the Suick and Bobbie Bait. These are almost always buoyant baits, with a nose design that drives them down on a jerk or pull, and then they rise on the pause (generally backing up). This creates that very erratic look with the addition of the ability to control depth. Of course, the bait can only achieve a limited depth, but when desired - like when a shallow patch of weeds is encountered - the lure can be allowed to rise up and over obstructions.

Most gliders run best with shorter jerks or twitches, while the up/down types work better with a pull/stop action. Of course, there are some baits that are a little in between, like the Burt Bait, which goes down and to the side on a jerk and backs up on the rise and seems to work best with twitches. And this brings up the point of "learning" with each lure, which is especially important with jerkbaits. To really master using them, and to get the most from them, it takes time and attention to what you can make them do.

Jigs are technically sinking jerkbaits. They do nothing on a straight retrieve and offer the same type of depth control as the buoyant baits - but in reverse. They are the ultimate for precise control when working breaks and edges in the deeper ranges. They can be worked by feel, making contact and then popping them up. Single-hook jigs hook well, hold well and are generally very efficient for structure contact. They are often the top producers during coldwater temperature periods and tough conditions like cold fronts.

Crankbaits are pretty simple, too. They are "body" baits with a lip that gives them a side-to-side wobble on a straight retrieve. They can also be trolled very effectively. They basically just imitate a fish doing its thing, swimming along. They are likely the most versatile of all, though, considering that they can be cast with a straight retrieve and with an erratic retrieve to achieve a "wounded" action, as well as trolled at a variety of levels and speeds.

In reality, there is only one type of crankbait: a lure with a lip. Most folks would say there are deep divers and shallow runners, and basically that's true, but cranks run in a huge variety of ranges simply due to lip design. So I'm apt these days to just say crankbaits, being uncertain where the line is crossed from deep to shallow. Different lips produce differing actions. Some cause wider wobbles and some cause tighter wobbles.

The basics, though, are that the sharper the angle of the lip, the deeper the bait will go; more length to the lip adds to the running depth. So the shallow runners have a lip that appears nearly perpendicular to the belly of the lure, and as that angle increases, the baits go deeper.

Choose crankbaits based on the structure you are working. If you're serious, you'll need a selection of cranks to cover the different levels. Know where they run and keep the bait close to structure. I mentioned earlier that muskies like it when something is easy to catch. So if your weeds come to within six feet of the surface on average, pick a crank that runs at five feet. If you want to work the edge of a weed break that happens at 13 feet, find a crank that gets to or near that level. Also learn how you can control the depth of different baits with twitches and pauses.

Spinners are pretty simple, too. We have the in-line variety, which have been affectionately called "bucktails" by muskie hunters for years since most were made of deer hair. These days, it's not just deer hair used anymore. We now have squirrel hair, skunk hair, marabou feathers and "living rubber," just to name a few. This style is a simple straight shaft with a spinner or two in the front and a body and hook in the rear. Then we have the "overhead" spinner style popularized by bass anglers, in which the spinner is above and a little in front of the body.

The basics remain the same, though. There's a very flashy, high-vibration blade that draws fish in - often triggering them to attack - and a body behind or below it that offers the target when they close in. Spinners are, in essence, the most efficient lure type. They can be cast out and retrieved straight back to the boat, covering water quickly. They are generally very good hooking lures that muskies find hard to shake. Also, spinners can be trolled effectively, where legal. This is an underrated method and works best with the overhead variety, but it works quite well over large expanses of weeds, simply being more efficient than casting.


SEASONAL USE AND TENDENCIES
There are no set rules in muskie fishing, or any type of fishing for that matter. These are nothing more than general guidelines to follow. Don't be guilty of getting caught in a rut. Be willing to go against common knowledge when nothing else is working.

I'd say that the most effective presentation overall is smaller crankbaits. Lures that most accurately imitate smaller forage will produce action most consistently. Also, smaller spinners with medium retrieves can produce well. Larger crankbaits and jerkbaits seem to do well on "warming" days earlier in the year. Conversely, during cold-front (water cooling) periods, a slow in-their-face presentation like that produced by a jig or a neutrally buoyant glider-style jerkbait (accentuate on the pauses) may be best. The early-season sleeper bait would easily be the surface lure - most folks figure summer only. On those warming days, don't forget to try topwaters.

During the warmwater period, spinners really come into their own. With higher metabolisms due to higher body temperatures, muskies seem to be readily willing to chase and are really turned on by the flash, vibration and speed of spinners. Overall, they are the most consistent producers in temps of 65 degrees and above. Likely, they should be the first on the list of things to try. In a partner scenario, one angler should be using spinners the majority of the time.

Surface lures can also be very effective in the summer. Their effectiveness is just one of those "quirky" day-to-day question marks. I've seen plenty of times when topwater baits are just deadly and at times the only thing working. But days that look great for topwaters offer zero reaction to them at times, too. Generally, give me steady, muggy weather and it'll be a great day to use surface lures.

Crankbaits and jerkbaits work well in summer, too, and they have their moments all season. Usually the more erratic baits - used with faster retrieves - are most effective during the warmwater period. Again, it's a simple matter of trying different things to try to gauge the mood of the fish. Jigs are generally a "last choice" for me in warm water, because they cover water slowly. Take some along, though, and try them on the days when nothing else works, like during severe cold fronts.

In fall, the jerks, cranks and jigs really start to take over. Again, anything can work, and if I get a strong warming trend in the fall I'll get out the spinners and topwaters (I've caught muskies on both styles as late as early November). But crankbaits and jerkbaits chosen to run at the proper level (more on that later) for the situation will be the most productive. Jigs can be very good at this time, too, and as the water cools below the 40-degree range, they may be the most effective overall. In fall, add sonar-type jigs - to be used with a vertical presentation near the bottom - to the top of the list for tactics. A Fuzzy Duzzit is great in the fall.

In general, slower retrieves with accentuated pauses and precise placement become very important. That's why when things are really tough, the ultimate in precise control works well (vertical jigging).

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BAIT
When I said earlier to choose the baits to run at the proper level, I really said a lot. This is what separates the exceptional anglers from those who catch muskies once in awhile.

All lure types (with the obvious exception of topwaters) offer variances in the depth levels they run at. When working structure, whether it be over the top or probing edges, it's important for triggering strikes to get close. There are way too many individual lures to possibly cover here, but serious fishers will get a very good grip on the depth range of the lures they intend to use.

Even spinners can vary quite dramatically in the depth ranges they run well at. Heavier blades, weight systems and simple blade style can make a big difference. Taking things a step further, learning the little nuances of each lure will pay dividends, too. Good examples are the jerkbaits and crankbaits. A suggestion to all muskie anglers is to get to clear, calm water (a great off-season project by a pool) and learn exactly how the baits react to variety of rod movements and different speeds. I'll guarantee you will learn things about each lure that will give you more control and more confidence (huge in this game) and result in more release photos.