Early Season Muskies – In-Fisherman

June 01, 2015
By Dan Johnson

Goals of battling behemoth muskies usually give attention to warm-weather patterns of the Summer season Peak and later. In consequence, anglers might miss some nice motion within the early season. From ice-out into the Postspawn Interval, productive patterns prolong from excessive shallows to open waters out over the abyss.

The place closed seasons shield spawning fish, early season usually begins after the spawn. However in states like Indiana, the place stocking sustains populations and open season runs year-round, prespawn fish are truthful sport. The motion might be intense regardless of the chilly situations.

Jerkbait Patterns

Half a decade in the past, veteran Hoosier Information Vince Weirick first shared with me his cold-cranking methods for muskies cruising shallow flats at water temperatures of 32°F to 46°F. Fan-casting 4- to 6-inch, neutrally buoyant minnowbaits, Weirick scored spectacular catches on 774-acre Webster Lake, and his lead continues to be price following for prespawn fish elsewhere.

Commercial

Sweetened by rising weedgrowth comparable to curly-leaf pondweed, 6-foot flats adjoining to breaks resulting in deeper water are preferrred. The place reservoir water ranges restrict vegetation, shallow coves and creek arms brushed with tributary inflows supply promise.

Mild deal with, like a 7-foot medium-power spinning combo with 30-pound braid, is greatest with these lures. Weirick beneficial a 24- to 36-inch chief of 60-pound fluorocarbon, capped with a cut up ring, which he hyperlinks to the lure’s cut up ring, explaining that two rings yield higher motion than one.

Make an extended solid over the flat, reel the lure right down to the specified depth, and execute a pull-pause retrieve comprised of subdued 3-foot sweeps, punctuated by pauses simply lengthy sufficient so that you can soak up slack from the sweep. If fish observe however do not strike, throw a quick pull into the combo right here and there to spice issues up. Together with hardbaits, Weirick wields custom-tied, 4-inch-long deer- and rabbit-hair streamers, fished on a 9-foot, 10-weight flyrod on weighted line.

Attempt to land muskies quick, as a number of fish usually prowl the identical space. Catch one and your odds of hooking one other are good if you happen to shortly get your lure again within the space of the strike. The clock is ticking on this sample, because it falls aside as soon as water temperatures heat into the mid-40°F vary and muskies transfer towards spawning areas.

Postspawn Particulars

Information Jeff Andersen, of Leisure Outside Adventures, targets early-season muskies on Minnesota scorching spots like Leech Lake and Lake of the Woods. “The early-June opener usually finds some fish hanging round shallow spawning areas,” he says. “Muskies spawn when water temperatures attain 50°F to 60°F and usually there is a second spherical of spawning exercise about two weeks later.”

Andersen’s postspawn looking grounds embrace fast-warming, sandy or soft-bottomed bays—notably these blessed with heat inflows. “Watch your temp gauge as a result of a number of levels could make an enormous distinction,” he says. Whereas the sample is strong, he notes that few giants are caught this time of 12 months. “Many of the fish you run into are bucks 45 inches or much less,” he says. “Nevertheless it’s nonetheless lots of enjoyable.” In sight-fishing mode, Andersen glides quietly by way of seemingly areas—both on a drift or together with his trolling motor—taking care to keep away from spooking fish. “It is difficult as a result of they’re spooky and never extraordinarily hungry or aggressive,” he says.

Upon recognizing a muskie, he fires a jig tipped with a soft-plastic swimbait previous the fish. “If the fish is transferring, solid forward so the jig strikes towards it,” he says. “Experiment with velocity and motion. Typically the fish want a gentle, bottom-grinding method. Different occasions, erratic popping motions are higher.” In both case, do not maintain out for rod-jarring strikes, as most fish merely decide the jig off backside.

Legendary muskie professional Pete Maina performs the shallow sport early on lakes within the Hayward, Wisconsin, space and throughout the Higher Midwest into Canada. “I usually lean towards deep, clear lakes with restricted spawning habitat, because the fish are concentrated within the few appropriate areas,” he says. “For instance, as much as 80 % of the shoreline in a fertile, fast-warming lake may supply potential spawning sites—which scatters muskies—whereas a deep, clear lake could be restricted to 3 or 4 prime areas.”

Like Andersen, Maina seems for soft-bottom bays with inlets, favoring these with a little bit of rising greenery. “The thickest, freshest cabbage is greatest,” he says, noting that muskies usually tuck into the salad throughout chilly fronts and on unusually scorching spring days. He favors a 1/2- to three/8-ounce, single-hook leadhead tipped with a large softbait like a 6-inch Berkley Gulp! Grub or 8-inch PowerBait Grub, which might be fished alongside the deep edge or dipped into the vegetation to tempt bites. “Do not be afraid to get in there, particularly on a tricky day,” he says. “For those who reel a jig over the cover with out ticking the weedtops, you make a mistake.”

To deal with the salad, Maina gears up with 65- to 80-pound Trilene Braid mainline with a 12-inch wire chief. “While you cling up, snap the jig to tear it free,” he advises, noting that such maneuvers usually draw strikes.

In steady situations, Maina would not overlook shallow spots together with inside cabbage edges and fledgling lily pad beds. “Excessive shallow water is a sleeper,” he says. “Folks do not realize muskies aren’t afraid to push into 6 to 12 inches of water to solar themselves on warming days.” To focus on them, he makes lengthy casts with a 6- to 7-inch walking-style topwater, with lure sizes rising towards noon.

Shallow Approaches

One other high early program in fast-warming, shallow bays entails slinging small stickbaits. Longtime In-Fisherman collaborator and adorned Esox Information Invoice Rosner plies the sample on his residence waters of Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion, nevertheless it works wherever ‘skis slide shallow to feed and bask. His early-season system hinges on slender, 3½- to 7-inch floating minnowbaits. Selections embrace the Bomber Lengthy A, Rapala BX Minnow, Authentic Floating Rapala, Smithwick Floating Tremendous Rogue Jr., and Livetarget BaitBall Glass Minnow.

The retrieve is erratic. Rosner calls it a “herky-jerky” mixture of twitches, pauses, sweeps, and repetitive cranks that makes the slender baits wobble, glide, and roll. Like Weirick, he retains deal with on the sunshine aspect, favoring a 7-foot 3-inch baitcasting combo, 20- to 40-pound braid, and a 30-pound fluoro or light-wire chief. Productive areas are simply 2 to five ft deep, and Rosner notes that the chew is greatest within the afternoon, as soon as the solar has warmed the water a number of levels.

Excessive Riders

Each Maina and Andersen usually flip their backs on the financial institution in the hunt for massive feminine muskies, which frequently maintain over adjoining deep water. “Fish your method out of a spawning bay, off the primary break, and out over the deep basin and you discover them,” says Andersen, noting that fish usually droop 5 to fifteen ft down over a lot deeper water.

“I like listening to stories that the early season muskie fishing is bitter on a selected lake,” Maina admits, “as a result of it means the fish have moved from vegetation and different hard-hit postspawn areas into open water.” There, Maina focuses on the highest 12 ft. “It would not matter whether or not you are over 30 or 100 ft of water, purpose excessive,” he says. “A few of my greatest success this time of 12 months has come twitching crankbaits three ft down. Topwater strolling baits are additionally an underused possibility in open water. Folks assume it’s important to anticipate the ducklings to hatch to start out throwing them, however that is not true.”

Spoons are one other favourite. “Their flash is lethal in open water,” Maina says. “Huskie Devles and different heavy steel choices are high picks, together with a wide range of skinny, flutter-style spoons. Silvers and golds are nice, however the 5 of Diamonds sample works properly in darker water.” For added bulk, scent, and motion, he usually suggestions the treble with the tail sections of varied PowerBait and Gulp! our bodies. “Relying on the scale of the trailer, both tip one tine or take away the treble and thread it on the shank, then reattach the hook.”

Maina fishes spoons with all the things from straight retrieves to animated sweep-stall-flutter theatrics. When the lure nears the boat, he usually provides a beneficiant flutter to set off following fish. “You possibly can figure-eight and even vertically jig the spoon, however an extended flutter and fast uptake usually does the trick,” he says.

Andersen favors a small double-bladed bucktail like Bigtooth Deal with’s 9-inch, 1½-ounce Mini 8 Juice. White or brown-and-yellow tails with gold blades are high choices. “Save the burning retrieves for later within the season,” he provides. “A medium tempo works greatest early.”

Andersen additionally fishes 6- to 7½-inch suspending twitchbaits, in walleye, perch, and cisco patterns. Deal with consists of an 8½-foot Abu Garcia Risky casting rod paired with a low-profile Revo Toro NaCl reel spooled with 80-pound Spiderwire Stealth braid, with a 12- to 14-inch fluoro chief. “There is not any flawed technique to work the bait,” he says. “Experiment with straight retrieves, pull-pauses, and twitch-twitch-twitch-long pause cadences till the fish let you understand what they need.” After each solid, Andersen executes a full figure-eight. “A number of suspended basin fish cease 10 ft down the place you may’t see them,” he explains.

Andersen’s offshore arsenal additionally consists of a wide range of softbaits comparable to Bull Dawgs and Medussas, together with twin-tailed grubs. “You do not have to do a lot with these baits, simply reel them in with occasional brief pauses and surges to vary velocity and route,” he says.

Whereas focusing on muskies suspended in open water can really feel like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack, each Andersen and Maina encourage anglers to have religion. “Few folks believe on this sample, nevertheless it works,” says Maina. “Begin working a grid over deep water adjoining to spawning areas and you discover them.

“Do not fret if you happen to do not mark fish on sonar. They’re so excessive within the water column, and your cone angle is so slender, you will not mark most muskies or baitfish except you’ve side-scanning sonar,” he says. “Loons, nevertheless, are clue. For those who see a loon dive and pop again up in a few seconds, you understand baitfish are near the floor. Muskies will not be distant.”

*Dan Johnson of Harris, Minnesota, is a frequent contributor to In-Fisherman publications and director of All Creation Outside Media and the Final Bass Problem. Information contacts: Jeff Andersen, leisureoutdooradventures.com, 218/766-8048; Invoice Rosner, Wild Nation Information Service, vermilionguide.com, 218/666-2880; Vince Weirick, 574/551-0214.