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Posts: 28
| This is my second year chasing Muskie and still haven't had a bite. I think I am just in the wrong areas. I have fished for bass most of my life and I usually just pound the shore from my boat. I have tried the same approach with Muskie a little deeper but no luck. I see people say fish structure, rock points and weed lines. How do you find this submerged structure and weeds if you can't see it? |
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Posts: 548
Location: MN | A good map chip in your gps / fish finder will help tremendously.
Any good map really if you don't have the GPS.
I run side imaging and it really helps to find the deep weed edges or anything for that matter.
Before all my electronics I used the Hot Spot maps ( still love to look at them ) and seemed to find my way around no problem.
Keep at it, it will come.
Good Luck,
Nick
Edited by Nick59 7/9/2016 5:37 AM
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Posts: 1677
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | Spoonplugs |
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Posts: 20181
Location: oswego, il | Take a ride around th lake, use your electronics and find the drop-off. Looks for weeds. |
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Posts: 32802
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Where are you from? If you are ever in the Rhinelander area, I'd take you out for a few hours to get you going. |
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Posts: 759
Location: Ames, Iowa | First you have to think of the water you are in with a 3D mindset. I first heard that idea from one Steve Worrall over a salad with lemon juice. Most lakes have a definite depth where the deep weedline ends. On the lakes I fish one is 11 feet and the other is 14 feet- difference is clarity of the water and bottom substrate. Check online for any info on your lake. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | ^^^^^
This.
If you can find what depth the weeds stop in your lake, you can then keep your boat just off that and cast to the edge. In most lakes (that I fish anyway) the weeds stop at pretty much the same depth throughout the lake.
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Posts: 28
| Thanks for all the help, and sworral I greatly appreciate that offer. I live in midmichigan and sanford Lake is the lake I have been fishing. It is a 1200 river impoundment that gets about 20 ft deep. It is basically a winding river channel that has 5-10 ft flats where the river channel isn't. The water is also not the clearest. I figured that I would just have to put in the leg work and I am OK with that. I just bought a new side imaging humminbird and a lake master chip, just trying to figure it out. |
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Posts: 612
| Although I also rely on electronics as well, I'm in many ways still an old fashion fisherman and test the bottom with my baits. I generally seek the deepest point at which I can still drag up some greens. The bottom hugging (not thick surface weeds) that lie out in the deeper water generally hold the nicer fish with the exception of the fish that suspend.
The best spots are those that have thick weed bed beds with the sparser big fish holding deeper weeds lying just off the edge of these preferable near deeper water.
At least in the lakes I fish this is how it works.
Don't overlook rocks and sudden drop-offs either.
Edited by NPike 7/10/2016 2:25 AM
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Posts: 157
Location: West Central WI | You don't mention fishing with a partner or someone who fishes muskies in your area. If there's a local Muskies, Inc chapter in your area, join it and meet guys who will be happy to show you the basics. Muskie fishing is not bass fishing but then some days I want to throw bass baits to catch more muskies :-). Most muskie fishermen I know are delighted to take a newbe fishing and Steve Worrall's comment is a good example of the response you get if you ask. You can't beat the learning that will go on when you go with someone experienced in your local fishery. Last, or maybe first, hire a guide. They're in business to put you on fish. Your investment will pay off in tactics and general knowledge that will stay with you forever. Above all, stay with it. There's a learning curve. It always seems likes the other guys are catching a lot of fish, but all of us work hard for every catch we get. The more you learn, the better your results will be. Good luck! |
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Posts: 1000
| you got SI. figure out how deep the weeds run and set depth highlight for +/-2' of that depth |
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Posts: 1168
| Go ice fishing...or at least pay attention when the lakes you want to muskie fish are iced over and people are on them. Make note of what you see out in the middle of "nowhere." |
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Posts: 28
| I do fish with a buddy but he has no interest in musky. He will throw bass lures all day. There is a state wide musky group here in MI. I am not a member but I will consider joining. A guided trip may be the best route to gain some knowledge. |
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Posts: 386
| You probably won't have to join a club for someone to bring you out. Just show up at a meeting and express your interest. Most of us know after you have your first boat side experience you'll probably join anyways ?? |
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