Muskie

by Pros4- 1Source

Muskies are probably one of the least understood game fish for particularly good reason- they constantly seem to intentionally disprove what we are sure we as anglers think we ‘know’ about them. One of the absolute sureties in the world of muskie  fishing is coming into it’s prime season; the absolute rush of topwater fishing for Esox Masquiongy.

by Pros4- 1Source's Steve Worrall

The figure eight is a fishing technique used by muskie anglers. This retrieve maneuver is nothing new in the muskie world, yet few anglers have truly mastered this incredible retrieve technique. When done correctly, it can be super effective because it was developed due to the nature of the muskie's hunting style.

Muskie expert Pete Maina is a master at targeting monster muskies during the fall when he sets his casting rods aside to troll for trophy fish.  One thing is for certain ... Pete knows how to fish muskie and he's got ten tips for the surest way to catch fish consistently.

From Labor Day until freeze up is when muskies put on the feedbag. Any angler worthy of the name “muskie hunter” knows if he or she is ever going to catch  “50” – inches or pounds—this is when it’s going happen! Before you head into the autumn lair of the muskellunge, test your knowledge here to see if you are truly prepared or... should you stick to sunfish?

Dominic Hoyos of Stillwater, Minn. and Dean Block of Ramsay, Minn. are hardcore muskie anglers. This pair hardly pursues muskies until the middle of the summer and then truly focuses on big fish when many anglers have packed away their gear in favor of slaying a deer.

Sometimes muskie fishermen seem to spend as much time in bait shops as they do on the water. Muskie hunters seem to need all the latest and greatest baits in order to catch that one fish of ten thousand casts.

I fished a bass tournament on Barbee Chain of Lakes in Warsaw, Ind. It was May -- chilly, about 65 degrees and sunny. We set out for a day of bass fishing but soon found things would quickly change. As we were motoring to our spot, which looked like it should hold some fish, I took notice to the several fisherman surrounding one area.

It may surprise you to learn that the fabled toothy monster of the Far North, the muskellunge, occurs in a growing number of lakes and rivers throughout Dixie.

I’ll take a muskie any way I can get one – whatever the method, if it results in a successful catch and release of a nice muskie, I’m all for it.