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| OK guys, share some muskie information.
Let's hear how you handle fishing in the middle of an EARLY season cold spell. Those times when normal steadly weather and temps get hit with a quick cold snap.
Where do you look for muskies?
How deep?
What lures?
How fast do you present your bait?
Let's hear from everybody, we all can learn something new.
Tony Grant
MuskieFirst Southern Field Editor
KYMUSKIE.COM
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| I often run see this and there are three main presentations I use. The fish that are more active seem to be on the rocks, so I concentrate on those areas.
1)Reef Hawg and Undertaker. I work them very slow...count to three between each side to side action...very deadly
2)Slammers, 5" ones twiched also very slow, make sure you use a dead rise during the retrieve.
3)Husky Jerks, a very neutral deadly weapon that can trick any negative fish into eating it for the heck of it. But you much work it SLOW.
My 2 cents worth. |
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| What size Reef Hawg and Husky Jerks do you use? |
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| 6" Reef Hawgs and 6" suspending Husky Jerks.
The trick is SlOW...if you think you are SLOW....go slower!!!![:bigsmile:] |
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| Great Question Tony. I generally will look for incoming feeder stream areas that contain a lot of cover, and hopefully a variety of cover.The stream water will usually be a few degrees warmer than the main water body temp.I use my own small glider type baits ( made of Tulipwood )for these conditions and work them slowly,bumping cover as often as possible.Ive found that it may take several casts into the same spot to produce a hit and it requires no small amount of patience, Different retrieve angles help also,as it helps to get a bait right in front of the fish. Interestingly- under these conditions they seem not to want to hit a lure that is thrown beyond them an worked over them.They want the bait to start in front of them for some reason.Ive watched that phenomenom many times over the years and it still holds up. I feel you should try to have the bait at the same depth as the Musky. Regardless of the cold front there will be a time of day when the temp is a little warmer and that is a key time to be out there. Its a challenge on those days,but also kind of a thrill to get a fish to hit under adverse conditions. Hope this adds a little to the discussion. HC Meyer Seven Island Guide Service Presque Isle Wi. |
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| The idea of the fish wanting the bait in front of them is an interesting one to me.
How about give some examples of fish that you have got like this and what kind of cover you are fishing, and I am assuming you are fishing cover since that would be the only way you know they are taking a bait that has landed in front of them, am I correct?
What baits seem most effective when doing the bait landing in front of the fish scenario?
And Tony, I note a severe cold front in the spring on KY lakes often develops into a shad kill of larger or smaller proportions. What is your preference when you note a large die off going on with the shad? |
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| I will concentrate on areas that will hold heat the longest and be the first to warm up even the slightest bit during light hours. Sandy beaches are one of the best as well as small rock flats. Fish anywhere from 1 to 5 feet of water. Slow roll bucktails and spinnerbaits. Slow twitch small (4 to 6 inch) crankbaits. Jig Spring Dawgs, Creatures and Reapers when fish are spotted or have followed and not hit. Run and gun these areas. Sooner or later fish will get more aggressive due to the increased water temperatures. |
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| The idea of Muskies,or other game fish, preferring to hit a bait that is placed in front of them under certain conditions such as cold fronts is well known by pro bass fishermen. After hearing of it some years ago I tried it and it was most definately a more effective presentation under these conditions. You are correct that I use this technique in front of visible or known,even if unseen structural elements.I use a 5" homemade glide bait made of nuetrally bouyant Tulipwood.It tends to have the neccesary action without a lot of fast forward motion.In other words it hangs out a little longer right in front of Their noses.The smaller size Suick or other commercial baits in that vein would probably work as good.As to why the fish dont like a bait coming over them,or from behind them, under cold front conditions im not sure. Perhaps they feel more vulnerable due to a slower metabolic rate and spook easier- or?? Your guess is as good as mine.I do know that the first cast towards the cover better be accurataly placed or its not going to produce a strike.A guide learns as much from His /her clients over the years as he teaches them. This is just one of a thousand little things Ive picked up over the years from people that seem to work.No one will ever figure it all out-and thats a good thing- HC Meyer Seven islands Guide Service Presque Isle Wi. |
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| I always do this when a cold front hits, and they hit lots of times on the LOTWs.
First if I really need to catch a fish (that's a given) I always work the areas where I've recently seen the most fish. What I'm hoping for is that at least one or two of the fish that where there are still there and if I'm lucky one of them will bite. Of course this mostly works because I've been on the water a lot and have recently located areas that have have fish. If you have to catch a fish cold fronts are not a good time to explore.
However, if you don't have to catch a fish, I think cold fronts are a good time to explore. If you happen to see or catch a fish then, I would feel pretty good about the spot.
Second, I fish areas that I think will warm the fastest. Usually this is on the lee side of things or on the lee shore. The typical cold front in NW Ontario will have high blue skies and strong NW winds, with a drop in air temps, and perhaps a 2-4 degree overnight drop in water temps. What I do is think of all the spots that I've seen fish at recently that are on the east side (out of the wind) and in the morning sunshine. I've seen a differance of several degree in water temp just by going to the sunny lee side of an island. The coupling of warming water temperatures, and recent fish encounters are about as good as I can do. Many times it's last afternoon before anything will happen.
I usually try all sort of lure things, but I really can't say that I've found any magic lure or retrive. Sometimes this works and then sometimes that works.
Cold fronts pretty much suck!
Doug Johnson |
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| Hey Tony,
Considering that we are in a pre-spawn period right now on these southern reservoirs, most of the fishing is going to be in and around the spawning areas. I have found that when we get the early cold snaps it pushes the fish deeper into the channels, rather than on the flats that they will be eventually spawning on. Back off and fish the creek channels that are in the immediate area. I usually troll the channels because you cover so much more water, or try casting some of the channel bends or where the channel swings in tight to the bank.
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Early season cold snaps