Those who fish, know that there is always some fish that seem to be elusive. For those who fish for pike or even bass, they know that this can be somewhat challenging. But, if you are looking for a big challenge…the musky is the fish that you need to be fishing for. However, it is not as easy as just casting your line and reeling this in. There are tons of myths surrounding the musky, also known by its full name muskellunge. For starters, most people think that in order to catch this huge fish, you must have a huge lure. That is not always the case. And secondly, remember this, you are going to find great game in the Great Lakes region or Canada when it comes to the musky fish. So, how can you ensure that you do catch the big one? We have a few tips that can help!
Tip 1: Know the Best Season
For those experienced fishermen, they can catch a musky in whatever season they fish. However, there are seasons in which the musky is most active, meaning that you increase your chances of catching this. For those who are looking to find the bigger musky’s, they are going to find that these are often caught in the Spring. However, be prepared to wait these fish out. You may go out for days during the Spring before you catch one of the record setting catches. For those who are just looking to catch a medium size musky they will find that mid-summer and late fall is a great time. These fish are relatively active, and you may spend less time trying to catch these during this season.
Tip 2: Note the Time of Day
One of the biggest fishing tips out there is to wait until the perfect time of the day to get the fish biting. However, with the musky you are going to find that the time of day may not matter. The good news is that you are going to find that time of the day doesn’t really matter according to most professional fisherman. There are a few who recommend going during a day that is cloudy or when the weather has been steady for several days with the same type of conditions.
Tip 3: Have the Right Accessories
What you normally use, such as your bait and rod, are not going to cut it with the musky. Remember, this is a huge fish by most fisherman standards. Thus, you need to ensure that you have the accessories that you need to catch this elusive, but sizeable fish. A few tips:
- More fisherman are using rods that are between six and a half to 7 feet in length.
- More fisherman are using braided super lines to thread their rod with.
Find the rod that you are comfortable with. You may want to avoid super heavy rods, as remember you may be out there all-day casting this. The more weight that you cast, once you do catch that super big catch, your arms may be giving out later!
Tip 4: Have the Right Lure
The lure is important as this is what attracts the musky to your line in the first place. Since musky fishing is something that is sporadic as to what works, there are several tips that you can use to select the lure that is going to be best for the time of season and day that you are fishing:
- If you are fishing during the Summer, try to go for lures that are unnatural colors than what you would find in the water. For example, Fire Tiger, Red and Chartreuse are some that people find work great.
- During the Fall, be sure to use more natural colors since the water is going to be clear. Try to stick with green, yellow or golds and browns for the best results.
Tip 5: Trolling your Line
Remember, that how you troll when casting is a vital component of catching a musky. Here are trolling tips to remember when going for the musky:
- During the summer you may find it best to give your line big jerks at some points to catch their attention, and reel in as fast you can for 30 feet or so.
- During the summer, most people troll at around 6 to 8 mph.
- During the Fall troll at around 4 to 6 mph and be sure to lower the drag as musky are often on the bottom of the lake.
Remember, the Musky is a smart fish. There are going to be times that they are biting like crazy, other times you may not get a bite all day. The key is to have patience and use these tips to get the best scenario possible for catching these!
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