What on a lake map defines a good spot for Muskie?

[ED in IL.]

What areas do think hold the most muskie on a lake map. A sharp breaking shoreline, shallow point, deep point, a deep flat, shallow flat, deep weed bed, shallow weed bed etc. And which combinations do you look for?

[fastbass]

I mostly fish for muskies in reservoirs, so my answer will be different from most, but I look for sharp points with a deep creek or river channel on one side and a shallow (8'-18') flat on the other.

[HerbB]

I have a few maps that have "N" for Northern, "B" for Bass, "W" for Walleye, and, of course "M" for Muskie. So I head right for the Ms.:)

Seriously, it depends a bit on the time of year and the lake, but mostly I look for food shelves near deep water, wind-swept points with weed beds or rocks, and sunken islands. Sometimes the deepest part of the lake can be good too because baitfish will often suspend there during the mid-summer months and the Muskies are right with them. But it seems the best spots are not always obvious on a map. Those are often small weed beds or rock piles that draw little fishing pressure. And sometimes the best spot on highly pressured lakes is just the area that noone has fished for a few hours.

Hope this helps.

[Mike Michalak]

I do the bulk of my muskie fishing in October-November and if I'm working unfamiliar areas, a little groundwork in the form of research helps. Checking with local sport shops and the like can help determine a pattern. If they're snapping around mid-lake humps, adjacent to weeds and deeper water, instead of trying to find them on the water, I'll reference them on the map, or on the mapping software, plot GPS points and head right to them after I launch the boat.

The map is a valuable tool for pre-planning. You can identify all those areas you discover through your research. Then, develop a game plan for all those spots that are "known" muskie locations. Now, adjusting for conditions, plan your route for the day.

Eliminating water in this fashion has proven itself time-and-again by putting people on fish faster.

[Musk rat]

Marc hook line and sinker.

[JEM]

Transition areas. Big water where it meets a confined channel to other big water. Deep water areas where they comes up against shallow water areas. Rock where it comes closest to weeds. Island clusters where they break off into the vast expanse of the basin area. Sand where it touches mud. Current where it hits flat water. You got the idea? Any big area of something that touches another big area of something completely different.

The more transitions that converge in the same area the better I like it. Baitfish can stay there longer and muskies will key in on them longer too. If I could find a shallow weedflat stretching for miles ending in a sharp deep cabbage covered inside turn to a boulder studded island near the deepest water in the lake right where a river dumps in, I would probably be shaking so bad I couldn't cast. But in reality if you find even three seperate elements converging in the same area it will probably be "hot" at some time of the year. If I'm new to the lake, that's how I prioritize spots.

[JoelTinker]

Ed,
I think some of the answers that you are looking for can be found in an article I wrote to help people out that have locational questions when it comes to finding fish. Click on the link below and see if it helps clear some of the fog. Feel free to e-mail with any questions. Hope it helps.

www.toptackle.com/musky_article3.htm

Joel Tinker
Top Tackle Guide Service
www.toptackle.com