Understanding The Movements Of Other Species Will Help You In Your Musky Pursuits

Fishing for and understanding the movements of other species during the musky off-season can benefit you when it’s time to chase long, green, toothy things

- Jeff Van Remortel

In many areas of the muskyrange, there is a closed season, or at least a period of time during which the elusive green critters are largely inaccessible due to bad weather or ice. These times offer a chance to broaden your horizons chasing other species, but most importantly add knowledge to your musky database.

I firmly believe those who fish only for muskies will never truly reach their full potential. Muskies, after all, are a low-density apex predator, and are only part of the equation when it comes to mastering the waters they inhabit. Though other species are not targeted during musky season, spending time on the ice/soft water after walleyes, panfish, bass and pike can give a fresh perspective. Increasing your understanding of all the scaly inhabitants that swim in your favorite waters will put you at the top of your game when toothy “greens” are back on the hit list.

The main focus here will be connecting the dots between data collected during the musky season and the legwork of chasing other species, particularly during the ice fishing and early open water seasons. There is no substitute for time on the water, but the best curve breakers are modern electronics and mapping technology. The most efficient approach is to side image key structures during the open water months and transfer that data to a unit affixed to your snowmobile, ATV or truck. Key points of interest are main lake points, weed edges, humps, rock bars, cribs/brush, river channel edges, deep holes, deep grass beds and mud flats. Exploring these areas during the closed season or winter months for other gamefish and panfish will help dial in the most productive areas, also known as the “spot on the spot.”

Main lake structure