Location Location Location

[jlong]

We've been hashing out the presentation aspect of things for a long time. How about we talk about the most important part of catching muskies. Finding them.

How do YOU figure out where the skis are?

jlong

[Steve @ G & S]

I look for the baitfish. In many of the lakes that I fish, it's panfish that are the main forage base. So I look for the people fishing for bluegills and perch.

It sounds overly simplistic, but it works.

Steve @ G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods. http://www.herefishyfishy.com

[JEM]

On the first day of a long trip to big water I start with checking shallow weeds, then deep weeds, then shallow rocks, then deep rocks and finally open water, all predicated on wind. Most of the time you will get an idea of what the fish are using that way.

On a one day trip on smaller water, I just fish all over. Entire small lakes can be covered more than once in a day. Play the wind and if that fails, do something nobody else has done.

I would pound spots that have put up fish in similar conditions if I had been on the lake before. Good spots usually take a long time to go sour.

[Waterwolf]

The first spots that I always check, are large food shelves with access to deep water, also windward side of lake looking for schooling baitfish.
Have a good one!
The Wolf

[jerryb]

By checking all depths and all speeds on migratory routes.

[ToddM]

I look for baitfish when I am trolling. If I am casting I find the weedline and fish it moving up on and back off of it to find fish.

[fishpoop]

I look at a map and try to get an image of what the lake bottom would look like with all the water drained out. I want to know two basic things. 1.Where is the primary breakline (dropoff to deep water) and what is it's shape? Are there inside turns, points, fingers, humps, reefs, bars, etc. 2. Where is and at what depth is the weedline? Does it relate to the breakline?

Determing the weedline depth will tell me about the water clarity and thus what weather patterns might be good, what color baits to throw, time of day that should be good. Clear water with deep weeds; fish early and late in the day, overcast skies, maybe night, natural color baits; dirty water fish midday, sunny days, fish shallower, bright baits

These are my two basic starting points or questions that I want to answer. From there I try to figure out bottom composition, sand, muck, gravel, rock, etc.

This can take many trips to the same lake with a lot of time put in. I try to learn new things about the lake everytime I'm out.

If the lake is huge,such as LOTW. I still start with the map and try to identify the main structures and how they relate to big open water areas. From there it's more of a run and gun approch as there isn't enough time in a lifetime to learn the entire lake bottom. So I use the map and look for the same things and go out and start fishing, hopeing that some follows or a fish in the boat will give me some idea of the types of structure the fish are using. If I can figure that out, it's a big IF, then I will concentrate on areas that are similar.

I come from the old Buck Perry school of structure fishing. I now know that fish don't need structure to live or " migration routes" to follow as I know the fish will suspend and move over open water. But all fish have to eat and spawn, and hide from predators and these basic needs are provided by the lakes bottom,i.e. structure. So that is what I use to guide me in learning a lake and trying to find the fish.

[kmon]

Fishing a river I find the bass are usually on the shore that the wind is blowing into and the musky are on the other side, where the wind blows over and off. This was my big discovery for the year and I share it here gratis, free, and without regard for reward. H-h-happy new year, hic!

[X-man]

Lake X,of course! :+

[John Skarie]

I find my locations to be more of a seasonal pattern than day to day.

This is of course limited to lakes that I can fish throughout the season on a weekly basis.

My season typically goes like this, shallow new weed beds, open water trolling, breakline weeds, shallow flats next to deep water, then a mixed bag in the fall of trolling and breakline weeds.

There are exceptions to this, but it generally holds as a pattern.

I don't fish lakes with rocks to speak of, unless I migrate to Canada.

JS

[jlong]

O.K. so you studied the map, hit all the primo spots, and still haven't scored. Now what? Head to the tavern? Hit the spots again with a different presentation? Try radically different spots?

What observations did you make sure to make while you were scoring a big ZERO while executing Plan A so your Plan B is more effective?

What can you learn from a follow?
What things in the water do you look for (weed development, baitfish, etc.)
Are you confident those spots you just hit are NOT holding fish?

Dick Pearson has a "think card" to help him sort things out when it appears catching a musky is futile. What do you do?

jlong

[HerbB]

After I hit all my spots and theres nothing doing and I still have time to fish, I usually head out to the deeper water areas right off the spots. I have found that many times the fish are holding in deep water not that far from the best spots. I usually either cast or troll something like a Cisco Kid or Depth Raider back and forth and it often pays off. On several occasions last summer when I had to go in, I told another Muskie fishermen about what I had seen and suggested the deep water locations. The first time he went out and caught a 42 incher on the first cast and the second time he caught a 44 incher on the fourth cast and both in 30 ft of water just out from the spots. After that I didn't ask how he did anymore, but I saw him smiling. Yeah, if only I had more time to fish.:)

[VMS]

If I at least get a follow or two, I will go back to those fish. They are there and you know it. I will usually try to come back with some type of condition change whether it be wind, light, etc.

Something got those fish to at least follow, so I will either use something a bit slower, or smaller depending on how the fish reacted the first time. If it has been a long time since I was at the spot, I may throw the same lure...but if it only follows, I will quickly try a change up lure and make only a couple of casts, and move on.

If nothing at all shows, and depending on season, I may go shallower or deeper, but in the same general areas. The seasonal patterns that these fish have does not radically change, so they have to at least be close. This is especially easy if you have kept a log of your fish...

Will I radically change spots...not likely. The fish are there, I just need to find out what will trigger them into following.

Steve

[jlong]

Since I believe LOCATION is the #1 factor for catching muskies (any fish for that matter) I am amazed that this thread so quickly fell off the first page.

Do most musky fisherman take location for granted? If they strike out on there best spots.... then the fish must not be active and its just a matter of coming back when the "conditions are right"? Seems that way by the limited number of responses. Let me tell ya, when you have as limited a schedule as me... waitin' around for the fish to cooperate is NOT an option.

jlong

[VMS]

I don't know if it is so much a condition change to go back for the fish. I don't stop fishing, but I will try different approaches in areas that are relatively the same in terms of structure and/or location. As stated, I might drop deeper (fish the next cast length out, or possibly cast shallow to deep along the same boat path). In no way do I just give up and come back later...I keep searching and going back at different times to see if the fish are "ready" or not...especially if there is no major cndition change in a long time (follow at say...10 am. I will not wait till dusk). Any sort of wind change...I move right away. but if it is flat calm all day, I go back every couple of hours or so..

To move to new spots, I feel is a mistake. If the fish are not moving, you have to work harder on the spots where you know there are fish holding.

Steve

[jlong]

How do you KNOW a fish is holding on a spot???

When you fish a time-proven spot and do not get a response..... do you think the fish are not there at the moment... or just not responding to your offerings? How do you know the difference?

If they are not there.... wouldn't the next best thing to do is figure out where they are? If there is a fish on the spot, is it better to look for DIFFERENT fish/locations that WILL respond to your offerings or is it better to just pound the spot to oblivion until the fish are "ready" or simply "give in" to your relentless pestering (fish by attrition)?

Its all about location, location, location and how does presentation help you figure that game out?

jlong

[dickp]

Hi buddy.See the latest issue of InFish.
Hateful but works.:)
Dick

[DanKlis]

Read as much as possible, and time on the water! Read Dick's book "Muskies on the Sheild," (also "Muskies and Northern Pike," EA, Musky Hunter, In-Fish) not only is it helpful for sheild lakes, but alot of it is applicable to the larger lakes in MN, Metro lakes and the lakes in Wis. Fish with good fisherman.

The only way to figure out where the muskies are is to find out where they aren't!!!


Dan

[DenigmaK]

[HerbB]

Things that help me pick a location.
1. Experience on the lake.
2. Wind direction (current and prevailing the past few days).
3. Time of year for what areas to check.
4. Weather conditions - sunny try deeper, cloudy try shallower.
5. Water clarity.
6. Depth of outer weed edge.
7. Turn on the fishfinder and drive around until baitfish are located.

I took my Dad out fishing a few years ago and we caught some nice Northerns, Sunfish, and Crappies. My brother asked my Dad where we caught them and he said "Over the side of the boat".:)

Good fishing.

[jlong]

Dan, my point exactly. But, HOW do you know they AREN'T there???

DickP, thanks for reminding us that In-Fisherman prints stuff about REAL fish once in awhile (ha ha). I'll make sure to check it out.

Herb, great checklist. Thanks for posting it.

jlong

[Cast-n-blast]

I start my hunt on paper in the living room. Maps can narrow down the search to a large degree. Butnot all maps are created equal either, so keep an open mind. Things to look for include the most obvious structure and food shelves. And if this is new water, I may hit these spots to begin with and then observe the fishing pressure in these areas during the time I'm there. If there is a lot of pressure, I will then go to locations that are secondary, or just off of those areas. If that fails to produce anything, I have found that going where you least expect these creatures to roam can also be interesting. OPEN WATER TROLLING MISSIONS!!! I believe too many people stick to "Proven Spots" and obvious structure where they may have had success only to find they are always sitting right on top of the fish and not contacting all the fish that could possible use that area. Sometimes even spooking and educating these fish. This has happened to me. Fishing Mille Lacs for example one finds an enormous amount of area that looks good, but there may not always be active fish in those area(WEEDS). Throwing in a change-up and working off the deeper edges of rock bars for example has proven to me for the short term, that maybe the approaches I am always comfortable with are not always what I should key in on. I guess all of what I have said doesn't really narrow things down much!?!?!

[esoxthinker]

I have a location question.

If you have only 4 days on a system like Cave Run, Kincaid, or Flambeau Chain (you've never been there before) with no guide. Would you see the whole system in that 4 days or only just a part of it?

esoxthinker

[Tim Donnelly]

Not sure about Kincaid and the Flambeau chain but you could cover Cave run lake in a 4 day period. I've fished it in the spring and fall for the last 3 years and usually hit most of the spots atleast once. There are the obvious spots on a map, creek arms and "The flats", but there are additional spots that are learned through time on the water.