DANCE WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST FISH OF THE YEAR ON THE VERGE OF FALL
Morning fog enveloped the lake as we looked down on it from our cabin’s window. The thermometer on the deck read 40 degrees, less than half of the air temperature of the day before when I’d caught two big muskies in about 15 minutes. Yesterday we’d fished in shorts and T-shirts, but this morning we’d be pulling on all the clothes we’d brought with us.
A cold front had hit like a sledgehammer, but conditions couldn’t have been more perfect.
Before the day was out, my friend Charlie Buhler had boated a monster musky. And the day after that, we raised one of those legendary fish that instantly tells you that you’ll be back to try for it again next year ... same time, same place.
The pre-turnover period is rapidly becoming my favorite time for fishing muskies. No matter how tough I think the season has been to that point, muskies always seem to bite during late summer and early fall. It’s a dream pattern for someone like me who prefers to cast when musky fishing, and many of the biggest fish in the lake are shallow. What’s not to like?
The Backstory
During summer, muskies tend to be spread out throughout a lake system, and literally are shallow, deep and somewhere in between. Many suspend over deep water, and exactly how deep depends on baitfish, water temperature and the thermocline. They can be hard to reach.
But as summer turns to fall, water temperatures begin to cool. You can sense it when overnight temperatures are not as warm or humid as they were just weeks earlier. Fog often greets anglers in the morning and dew is heavy on the grass at the boat landing as well as the window of your truck. Usually you can still fish in shorts and a T-shirt during the day, but mornings and evenings call for jeans and at least a hoodie or maybe even a light jacket.
Denne historien er fra August/September 2019-utgaven av Musky Hunter.
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Denne historien er fra August/September 2019-utgaven av Musky Hunter.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What can Current Do For You?
WATER FLOW IN LAKES IS SUBTLE AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED. BUT MUSKIES USE IT, SO WHY SHOULDN’T YOU?
Mountain State Muskies In Spring
CATCH MUSKIES DURING TIMES WHEN NOTHING IS PREDICTABLE
Winter Presentations For Southern Rivers
Winter has arrived, yet in the South it’s still mild enough to keep fishing with the exception of maybe a week or two of an Arctic front.
Tune Up For The Season Ahead
Have you started making your plans for the upcoming fishing year?
Rob Manthei
Guide Rob Manthei’s love for the Vilas/Oneida County region of northern Wisconsin is deeply rooted. His father and grandfather started taking him there on fishing trips when he was just two years old, and he began guiding full-time at the age of 25.
Find The Right Structure In Deep, Clear Water
With breathtaking scenery, vast amounts of water, and complex and diverse structure, clear water Canadian Shield lakes offer some of the most sought-after musky fishing in the world. A bucket-list destination for the passionate and determined angler, there’s something truly special about being in the sanctuary of the great Canadian Shield lakes.
Multi-Species Or Bay Boat ... You Make The Choice
Is there really such a thing as a perfect musky boat? There are so many variables to choose from in the market today. Do I want a casting or trolling boat? Aluminum or fiberglass? Welded or riveted? Do I want a tiller, side console, dual console, or full windshield?
Region To Region
Region To Region
Genetic Study Yields Answers
STUDY SUGGESTS LEECH STRAIN IS NOT THE ‘SILVER BULLET’ FOR WISCONSIN MUSKY WATERS
Crawling Crankbaits To Catch Cold Water Muskies
Crankbaits catch plenty of muskies during spring, summer and fall, but the key to catching ’skies in the very early cold water season on these lures involves some special tricks.