Hot Water - Dead Muskies

In the sport of muskie fishing there are two things that don't mix.  Hot water temperatures and big fish.  As an avidly obsessive muskie angler, I find nothing more gut wrenching than to come across my favorite fish floating on the surface.  Sadly, this has been an all too common occurance as of late.  My home waters in the metro have reached surface temps in the 80's.  A number that I have vowed as being too high to fish.  I have put the big rods away, and until things cool down, they won't come back out.  As a fellow musky fisherman, I am asking for you to do the same.

I know that there are no laws being broken and I have no right to do this, but I ask this anyway.  In a growing sport that has more anglers than fish, I think it is only fair for us to consider the resource before our very needs.  The fact that my livelihood has been put on hold and I have cancelled all of my muskie guide trips until it cools down should tell you where I stand on this issue.  If we think that we have no effect on the overall resource of our lakes, then we are wrong.  The truth is that we are recycling the fish with proper catch and release, and the current water conditions are making this a tough task to correctly do.

Here are a few things to consider when it comes to hot water and muskie fishing.  A muskie will battle to death when they are hooked.  This is no secret.  Having a good gameplan ensures that they are quickly put in the net, unhooked, measured and released before they fight too long.  When a muskie goes into battle they give it their all.  Similar to a human going from a resting position to running a 2 mile sprint.  Consider this anaology in that at the end of the 2 mile sprint, someone dunks your head under the water for 45 seconds.  While this might seem dramatic, it might be a fair comparison to what takes place when we battle a muskie.  Now consider doing this exercise in extremely hot temperatures.  I think you get my point.

Some other things to consider is the oxygen level in hot water.  I'm not a biologist, but research has shown that oxygen levels decrease as the temperature rises.  When we catch a muskie, they need time to recover.  This usually occurs boatside and on the surface, which is the hottest water in the lake, with the least amount of oxygen.  During a battle, muskies build up lactic acid in their bodies, and if the conditions don't allow them to appropriately recover it ends in death.  The hardest fact to consider in this equation is that it doesn't always occur immediately.  Studies have shown that muskies caught in hot water have been released only to die days later.  A sad fate for a fish that we cherish.

While I have put an end to my muskie fishing until the temps drop, there are some things to consider if you still plan on fishing.  First, plan your trips during cooler periods.  Night fishing can cool the surface slightly.  If you do choose to fish for muskies, come extra prepared and know exactly what you will do once a fish is hooked.  Time is of the essence.  Limit the amount of time you handle the fish.  A dozen pictures with your trophy will likely result in a dead trophy - even if you watch it swim away.  If you must take a pic in hot water, then a shot of the fish in the water is the best choice.  Leaving the fish in the water is by far the best option. 

Next, fish with a friend.  I don't want to step on any toes here, but if you plan on fishing solo, I would strongly encourage you to wait a few weeks until it cools down.  Another set of hands can make a huge difference in getting the fish back in the water and on its way to a speedy release.  Plus, if a picture is what you are after, trying to do it solo is a tough chore with a struggling fish.

This should apply all year long, but especially now - once you catch and release a fish, wait around for a while to make sure the fish is doing okay.  I can't tell you how many times I have seen fish swim away and resurface a short while later.  They need time to recover and we owe it to the fish to make sure they get back on track.

Lastly, become an educator.  If you are a musky fisherman that has the opportunity to be an influence on your friends or other anglers, then you should take the time and be the difference.  Become a positive mentor for another angler who simply might not know right from wrong or proper techniques.  You would be surprised at how a few technques and ideas can positively influence an angler that has never handled a 35, 40 or even 50 inch fish.  Positive encouragement goes a long way to preserve our resources.

On a positive note, this can be the best time of the year to head north.  All reports and personal experiences have indicated a good bite happening on big time muskie lakes up north.  I'm not saying you need to spend a bunch of money, but lets be honest here.  A tank of gas is the same as 2 muskie lures and we all have way too many of them in our box to let money get in the way of our passion. 

Whatever your plan, please consider that we are responsible for the state of our muskie fishing.  I am just one of the many muskie addicts that have taken the stance to wait until the water cools down.  I think I speak for many when I ask for you to do the same.  Besides, the wait will be over before we know it and the fishing will only get better.  Until the temps cool, catch a bass, a bluegill or a catfish, just keep on livin' your dream!

Persistence Pays...

Sometimes they come easy...and then there are the others.  In  muskie fishing, it's often the latter.  I usually don't like to talk about the "ones that got away," but this story has a happy ending so it's worthy of sharing.

To make a long story short and get to the good parts, I'll recap and get to the point.  I've been craving Mille Lacs muskies for the past two weeks.  Hot water temps in the metro have limited my muskie desire around home to nil.  With big fish on the brain, I've had three opportunities at the big girls on the big pond.  The first time came a few weeks back with first time Mille Lacs muskie junkies, Ben Brettingen and Eric Wolf.  The action came fast and occured often, but after 4 hours of fishing, we found ourselves with 8 encounters and nothing in the net.  A night outing and a short morning before a storm revealed 4 fish that missed our topwater, 3 intense figure "8" opportunities and 1 hot follow that simply vanished.  A fun outing, but nothing to show for our efforts.

With all the action I was eager to return.  Fast forward to the 4th of July weekend and two new guests named Mike Ernst and Matt Hennen.  On our journey north to a Brainerd area cabin, we couldn't resist the chance to toss a few muskie baits.  Knowing we only had a short amount of time, we went right for the juggular and hit some "prime spots" that have produced countless times over the years.  Once again the action was there, and once again we had fish miss wildly on our topwater offerings.  Four to be exact.  Our 2 fishless hours on the water set things up perfectly for the climax of the story - Friday night.

It seems every time I am lucky enough to have Todd "Muskie" Mosher in the boat, good things happen.  This past friday was no exception.  Joining us was my other lucky charm, Matt Hennen for his second shot at the slimy Mille Lacs beasts.  This time we weren't on a time schedule, and this time we were going to fish until the muskies were ready to do the darn thing.  With two extremely lucky anglers in my boat, I was confident that my persistence would finally pay off.

As the sun started to fade, the conditions set themselves up for an epic night on the water.  You could feel the intensity with each cast, and for the first time in a while, I could sense that my "Muskie Mojo" had finally returned.  Todd was the first to thrash the surface with a ski.  Shortly after the lights went out, a muskie grabbed his bait boatside and took him for a wild ride.  Fortunately, for the fish, Todd was not on the winning end of the tug-o-war. 

A few moments later came our first monster sighting.  A giant appeared like a ghost in the darkness and chased Matt around the boat several times.  The fish brought the game to a whole new level.  Knowing that we were in the presence of a giant, we were all on high alert.

With the increase in activity we knew that it was only a matter of time.  A few casts after the monster appeared I was throttled on my "8".  This time the muskie ran full steam into my rod while trying to T-bone my bait.  I assure you that I was more startled than the fish, and afterwards I had to check my shorts to make sure I was still clean. 

Was it the big one?  That, I didn't know.  As I started to wonder that very thought, Todd stole the show when he hooked a beast.  A boatside strike that sent the water churning in every direction.  It was absolute chaos!  The monster threw water in every direction, and just when I thought that we had finally done it, she came unhooked and swam away.  Heartbreak was an understatement and I thought Todd was going to cry.  Deep down, I think I was too.  She was "the one" and all Todd was left with was a mangled bait.

Still, we pushed on.  Hopeful for another opportunity.  After all, it had only been an hour into the night.  As we circled our pod for another chance, I started to count up the number of fish that had recently won the battle.  In my head I was up to 16.  An astronomical amount over the last three outings.  Luckily, Matt was determined to win the boatside battle and make sure that the number didn't reach 17.  As luck would have it, we didn't have to wait very long. 

A quiet grunt and a whisper revealed a muskie beneath our feet yet again.  I guess that was his cue that he was hooked up.  This time Matt was ready for the boatside game and this time he took the bull by the horns.  As I turned my headlamp on, I was surprised to see a dandy being drug around the boat like a dog on a leash.  A tactic that I was hoping to see when a big one ate boatside.  This textbook maneauver resulted in chaos at the boat, but also Matt's first night muskie and his first one on the figure '8.'  Not to mention the end to a horrific streak of "the ones that got away."  The second the fish hit the net we exploded with excitement.  It was like a 500 lb weight had just been lifted off our shoulders.  The skunk was gone, the jinx was broken, and we had finally taken back our spot as the top predator on the food chain.  

The picture will forever retain that memory, but words cannot explain the moment the three of us shared.  As Matt released the fish back into the darkness, I patted him on the back and said "thank you for bringing my mojo back!"  Our evening ended shortly after and as we drove across the dark water I thanked the big guy up above for such an incredible opportunity to fish, persevere and succeed.  In the muskie world, persistence does pay off.  Until the next monster strikes, keep on livin' your dream!

Everything But a Muskie...

This post might make a few of you muskie guys think less of me.  Regardless of the negative perception, I will share what I've been up to because it is what I do.  Lately, I've been taking a step back from the muskie madness and focusing on other fish.  This is typical for me each year during the heat of the summer.  I don't know what it is, but my muskie mojo seems to fade and I find interest in the "other fish" for a few days.  It's usually short-lived and I get the mojo back, but while on my muskie break I try my best to give the others a run for their money.

Monday night found myself and good friend Mike Ernst down at the WCCO studio for our Live radio show.  It's a program that I've been lucky enough to co-host numerous times each year as part of my job with Ron Schara Productions.  I was honored to have my fishing pal Mike join me in the studio and Bob Turgeon made a guest appearance to talk muskies too.  Keeping it local, I also had Jeff Byrne from Cabin Fever share some mid-summer thoughts.  Click below if you'd like to listen in...

   

After the show, I quickly fled home and readied myself for some river action.  The object of my affection was the fish we quoted as "the sexiest fish in the river," also known as the flathead catfish.  On a typical year we would have had numerous big cats in the boat by now.  2010 has been slightly off kilter for my group and only a handful have been boated thus far.  The reason?  The high water is causing havoc on our gameplan.  Our attempts have been few and far in between since the water cannot decide what it wants to do.  Monday night was the first time that I have ever launched a boat in the parking lot.  The water was so high that we literally had zero slope and pushed the boat off the trailer in the parking lot 35 feet short of the ramp.  As we drove out we were eye level with many of the tree branches that we normally look up to see.  When we drove over a mid-river sandbar that is typically 2 feet out of the water in June, the graph said 18 feet.  If that wasn't enough reason to leave the river, when we returned to our launch, our truck tires were only a couple of feet from the water.  Hmmm, I think there was a reason we were the only ones out there that night.  Needless to say, the gushing waters kept us from our haunts and the cats remained untouched.

Tuesday night my fishin' buddy, Matt Hennen and I went on a mission to catch whatever would bite our jigs.  The weather was spectacular, and in preparation for several upcoming multi-specie guide trips, I thought I would see what the fish were up to.  In our short time on the water we had a blast catching everything lake Waconia had to offer.  Everything except a muskie that is.  We caught bass like it was our job.  Several panfish took our baits too, and the always willing sheephead battled us like crazy. I even managed to land a nice pike before Matt caught the first walleye of the evening.  It reminded me of fishing as a kid.  You know, the fishing trips where you just go for "whatever bites." 

With our national holiday fast approaching I can't say when my muskie mojo will return.  It might be tomorrow or maybe next week.  I know many of you are thinking that I may have turned soft.  I guess it's true.  Or, maybe I'm just not that mad at the muskies right now.   As I look at my calendar I have to wonder when I'll get the attitude back.  Tonight I venture to Tonka for a bass bonanza with a father and son. Tomorrow I'm heading to Mille Lacs.  Maybe the big pond will spark my muskie interest?  Or, maybe not.  If there is one lake that can get me jacked up, it is that big piece of water so I've got my fingers crossed.  Until the mojo returns, keep on livin' your dream!

Bucktail Basics and Beyond...

I've never tried to claim an "expert" title in my fishing career.  All that I know is that I have a huge passion for the sport and I've been lucky enough to do it a lot more than the average fisherman.  With that said, I've been asked many times to explain in detail a little more about what works for me.  This is just my opinion, you can take it or leave it.

For more reasons than I can fit on this page, I'll start with a bucktail.  It's easily the best muskie lure ever invented and accounts for a large majority of the muskies in my boat each year.  I'll just go ahead and jump to the obvious bucktail of choice.  It's a Cowgirl.  Since it's creation this lure has boated more 50 inch muskies than probably any lure on the market.  It simply catches fish, and big ones at that.

There are several versions of this lure and all are worthy of a place in your tackle box.  They are the Cowgirl, Cowgirl Jr, Siligirl, Showgirl and the Super Model.  How, where and when to use these lures will determine your luck with them.  I tend to use just the original Cowgirl, the Showgirl and the Super Model the most and here's why.

For confidence I throw the original.  It can be fished slow, fast and anywhere in between.  One of the biggest factors that determine how I use it is the fact that every angler on the water has 'em and throws 'em.  If I am shallow I will try to burn it in.  It hurts the arms, but moves tons of water and triggers a strike.  If I'm fishing an outside weed edge or deep water, I'll consider the super fast retrieve or the super slow retrieve.  If you watch almost any angler on the water, they are likely reeling the same middle ground speed at all times.  Fish catch on to this consistency and can shy away from another bucktail cruising 3 feet below the surface.  Burn 'em or slow roll 'em.  I've given up on the in-between stuff.  When I say slow, I mean so slow that it is painful to reel it in.  Try to catch a weed with each cast, you just might hook a ski.  Also, you'll want to make sure you have this baby with at night.  It's a must.

Next on my list is the showgirl.  This lil' fella has boated some monster fish for me in the past.  I choose to use this lure when I want to work my upper arm muscles before a hot date.  Just kidding on the date part, but serious about the upper body strength.  If you can't burn it, you might as well leave it at home.  The best reaction strikes you will ever witness can come from this lure.  There is no such thing as too fast.  Depending on the lake, I'll burn it over shallow sand, rock or weeds.  There is something about the speed this lure kicks out that make the fish eat.  I'll be honest here, the Showgirl is just one of a few bucktails that I use this technique on.  The orignal mepps muskie killer is another great choice, or something similar.  Despite popular belief, I've caught muskies all year long on this technique.  The speed triggers the reaction strike and it's not always about their attitude.  With that said, the warmer water does tend to trigger more fish and I'll catch more in August than June.  If you can withstand the pain of screaming the lure in, odds are that you will get bit.  You can't outrun a muskie.

The Super Model is quickly becoming another popular choice.  If there is one bait that moves water and calls muskies to the dinner table, this just might be the best yet.  The large profile seems to give muskies the dinner they want.  In my opinion there is no such thing as too big.  Like the original cowgirl, this can be fished fast or slow.  I prefer to just creep this bait in, but sometimes it calls for a high-speed retrieve.  Again, I choose one or the other, but seldom the mid-range stuff that others seem to throw.  The best rule is to try both and let the fish tell you what they want.  Every day can change, and sometimes it will change during the day.  Night time is the right time for this one too.  The noise and water displacement this bait puts out will give you a great chance to score after the lights go off.

While the Musky Mayhem series of bucktails are top choices, there are others that will consistently produce.  I went old school last year and was blown away by the reaction the fish gave me.  It seems that they forgot about some of the old tricks.  It was worth noting that I didn't need two blades on my bait.  Once again my top producer was slowly creeping the bucktail along the bottom.  This may or not be a method you use already, but its worth trying.  The key element to this technique will be your boatside maneuvers.  I'd say 75% of my fish came on the figure '8' during this slow procedure.  The lure creeping along the bottom followed by the dramatic straight up to the surface directional change almost forced the fish to eat.  Once they commit they are yours.  You'll either see a pointed nose under your bait, or an open mouth.  It's a rare sight to get a musky vertical, but if you can pull it off, they almost always eat.  I have to thank my fishing partner Mike Tengwall for teaching me this method and pounding it in my brain.  "If it aint absolutely vertical when you bring it up to the surface, then you are reeling it too fast.  Slow down, Travis," he'd say.  I'll just say that he is right.

Of all the bucktails and their presentations, the most important aspect to putting it all together becomes your figure'8'.  It's more important than almost anything you do.  Regardless of how you retrieve your lure, you'll want to make sure you give the fish enough room to eat.  Long, wide sweeping turns are best.  Long rods help make this easier.  I've fallen in love with a new 9 footer.  As the bait approaches the boat, I'll start to make it dive.  This diverts the fish's attention downward instead of staring straight at me and the boat.  Once I get a muskie to commit on the turn, then I raise the lure in the water column on the turn.  I'f the fish doesn't strike on the turn, then I'll bring it back down deep and raise it back near the surface for the next turn.  I've found great success by changing speeds while doing this maneuver as well.  The rise, fall, speed up, slow down and directional changes are all good triggers.  Work on it all the time and make sure to do it every cast when fishing dark or lowlight periods.  It can increase your catch by double or triple.  Not only is it good to catch a few extra, it's an exciting moment when she eats under your feet.

I've been talking to a few of my muskie buddies lately and we've all agreed on the following.  Trolling is the next big thing.  These pressured fish have seen it all.  They've been casted over and pounded in the head so many times that they will often move out into the middle of nowhere and abandon the ideal structure.  That, and the abundance of forage that roam main lake basins are reason enough to start learning how to troll.  There are many great options like crankbaits, swimbaits and more, but I still like to use the bucktails if possible.  The best part about this technique is you have so much flexibility with speed and variations of it.  Do not overlook a Cowgirl, Super Model or even Showgirl for any of your trolling runs.  It's the newest thing and it's quickly takin fish by storm.

Lastly, to dispell another myth, bucktails work all year long.  Spring, summer, fall and winter.  My last muskie came late November last year and it was on a Cowgirl.  The critics would have said my lure choice was no good.  Luckily for me, the muskies don't always follow our rules.

So, now I hope you have a few ideas for your next bucktail outing.  It's possible that you've read this before or used them yourself.  If not, I hope you put them into the water and strike gold on your next trip.  I think we'll talk topwater or rubber next time.  Any suggestions?  Until then, keep on chasing your dream!

This One's For The Girls...

This title is from a country music song written by Martina McBride.  I find it fitting because last night I was joined by another country music star.  The lovely and talented Jenn Bostic made her debut in my boat last night.  Jenn lives in Nashville, TN and her passion lies in writing and singing music. For myself and her boyfriend Mike, our passion lies in catching huge fish.  She wanted to jump in the boat to see what all this muskie fuss was about.  This evening was intended to be all about her.

As any trip with a newcomer, you always wish for the best.  You wish for a huge fish to strike, but more importantly you wish for it to strike their line.  This was our goal last night, and as we set out just before the sun hit the trees, we had hopes that Jenn would see her first muskie.  It was a short stint to say the least, but it was better than nothing.   We skipped the introductory lessons to muskie fishing and started immediately with the fishing.  Not a typical approach, but when you only have an hour you just get down to business.

As the sun hit the trees and the darkness started to set in, Jenn's boyfriend Mike let out the most beautiful words in the entire world.  "Got one!"  A few screams from Jenn and a surfacing muskie revealed that he was correct.  As I reached for the net I was reminded that I left it at home.  Ooops.  It was a hand to hand combat to the fullest extent.  Mike got the fish close and I stuck the ol' mitt in the water.  A few seconds later we posed for our catch and the fish was on its way.  It wasn't until the dust settled that Mike and I turned to each other and realized that we totally hogged the show.  During the chaos of the battle, lack of net and a few other factors, Jenn was all but taken out of the equation.  She was happy to take the pictures, but we wanted that fish to be hers.  I guess it now makes this title a little ironic, huh?  Sorry Jenn.  If anything it means that we get to try it over again.  It was an unforgettable night on the water with two of my favorite people.  Short, but oh so sweet.  Until next time, keep on chasing your dream!