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Posts: 69
Location: Royalton, MN | New musky angler. How fast are people moving when they're casting?
I'd been setting the troller at about 1mph and casting at about a 30-45 degree angle so the lure doesn't trail behind the boat when it comes time for a figure 8.
Sound about right? Too fast, too slow?
Thanks, Joe |
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Posts: 20254
Location: oswego, il | It's more about the baits you are throwing and the structure you are casting. You would run the boat slower for a glide bait vs a bucktail. If you are picking apart a weedbed or edge you will run the boat slower. Running and gunning vs fishing a small lake where you might make a lap around it, different speed. |
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Posts: 425
Location: MN | Good question. For me, it's probably 0.3 - 1.5 mph depending on circumstances, but 1 mph isn't a bad starting point. Generally,
Water temp (cold --> slower)
Water clarity (clear --> faster)
Light (night --> slower)
Fish activity (active --> faster)
Boat Partners (more people --> faster)
Presentation (slow --> slower)
I think 1 mph is about right for 2 guys fishing during the day June-Sept on water that's at least moderately clear, and during a time when you expect fish to be going but maybe haven't seen anything yet.
With 3 guys I'd bump it up a hair, like 1.1-1.2 mph. After getting bit or having a very hot follow I'd do the same. If conditions were poor I'd slow down to .5-.8 and really pile casts into known areas. If using slow presentations, I'd slow down to get reasonable spacing between casts. After dark I slow down a little - maybe 0.7-0.9 for 2 guys, closer to 0.7 for 1. If fishing a large spot, I'd slow down at the sweet spots and speed up between them. With water under 55 I slow everything down.
Not sure if that's optimal or not - just what I've settled into. Interested to hear what others do. |
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Posts: 3508
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Both of the above.. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I don't set a speed when I'm casting. I'll have the troller on 2 or 3, run up on a spot with it, stop and cast. Finish the cast, move up, cast again. That way the boat isn't under power if a fish comes along.
I've heard it recommended that if you are running the motor when a fish approaches, any sudden change like shutting it off could burn the fish. If you move 1 mph and work a fish on a figure 8, it may be more difficult to keep the fish following the bait.
Good luck with this. Best advice is to try different things and see what works best for you. After your first, oh, forty or fifty fish you'll start getting the hang of it. m |
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Location: Vilas | I want a bait landing every 8'-10'.... more ppl means I can go faster |
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Posts: 8834
| There are a lot of variables, as people have mentioned above. More people in the boat generally allows you to cover water a lot faster, also lure choice/speed dictates how fast you want to move. Also a matter of preference. some guys like to cover a lot of water. I'll do that sometimes, but more often than not I like to pick things apart and make sure we hit everything. I've lost track of how many fish we've caught where the third bait through got the fish throwing at the same spot that the first two anglers already covered. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Clear water vs. stained water can make a difference as well. I feel the strike zone is larger (means I can move faster) in clear water. |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Most people fishing with me running the boat think we are not moving at all. |
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Posts: 100
| I only fish areas I know hold the right ingredients to catch a muskie for the most part. Therefore I target .3 - .5 mph. I know I'm in a good area so I want to pick it apart. New water I might run a little faster, say .7 - .9 mph |
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Posts: 69
Location: Royalton, MN | Very good tips, guys. I'll keep these in mind next time out. There's a ton of good stuff here.
I'm usually fishing solo or with one or two other guys. All the water I've fished since picking up the hobby six weeks ago is rather clear (Alexander, Miltona, Mille Lacs, Vermilion), and it's all new water to me in terms of musky spots. So based on that, some of the advice is to speed up and some is to slow down. Might just have to stick to Mikie's advice and experiment.
And to think of it, I have disappeared quite a few fish by kicking off the troller when a follow approaches. Might have to keep it on the next few times and see what happens.
Edited by BassThumb 10/4/2019 9:31 AM
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Location: Contrarian Island | agree with others, depends on the structure, if solo or 2 or 3 lines, and activity of the fish.. I run as high as 1.7 or so if we are both burning bucktails on rocks.., or super slow if picking apart a weedbed |
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Posts: 983
| mikie - 10/3/2019 1:54 PM
I don't set a speed when I'm casting. I'll have the troller on 2 or 3, run up on a spot with it, stop and cast. Finish the cast, move up, cast again. That way the boat isn't under power if a fish comes along.
I've heard it recommended that if you are running the motor when a fish approaches, any sudden change like shutting it off could burn the fish. If you move 1 mph and work a fish on a figure 8, it may be more difficult to keep the fish following the bait.
Good luck with this. Best advice is to try different things and see what works best for you. After your first, oh, forty or fifty fish you'll start getting the hang of it. m
good advice buddy. Where you at piedmont on Sunday swore I saw you getting set up in main marina bay trolling then didn't see you again |
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Boat Speed When Casting