How to Get Out of a Summer Muskie Drought: Part 4 of 6: Topwater Presentations

This is part four of a quick six-pack of fishing solutions that often work for myself and others. Part three touched on fishing muskie in open water. Check out the links to the other five fishing solutions at the end of each segment at the bottom of this article.

TOPWATER PRESENTATIONS:

Good friends Dick Pearson and Dan Craven both said it first (to my ears, anyway): “The surface is an edge.” This is a big thing to keep in mind for summer muskies – and they are especially susceptible in the warm water period.

Topwater presentations are overall underutilized, and especially so in the waves discussed. There is no such thing as waves too big for a surface lure to be effective in attracting potential strikes, as long as the lure will ride the waves.

In fact, when muskies find topwaters in bigger waves, they almost never mess around by following. They just strike. Many folks think of topwaters as calm-water-only presentations; and they do work in calm conditions. But I almost think the opposite these days (especially during the day).

The edge: Predators learn that pushing prey against an edge can work. Prey often runs away – up! Once prey hits the surface, its ability to continue “up” is gone … as muskies get bigger they continue to learn that they often “close the deal” when the elevator hits the top floor.

Part 1: Summer Muskie Drought: Night Fishing

Part 2: Summer Muskie Drought: Windy Conditions

Part 3: Summer Muskie Drought: Fishing the Open Water

Part 5: Summer Muskie Drought: Speed Trolling

Part 6: Summer Muskie Drought: Fishing Lures