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Posts: 454
| Since I am in the field of education, each year I plan a fishing trip around Fall Break which is Oct.18-19, this Thursday and Friday.
So I have been anxiously watching the weather forecast for Central MN and I have continued to see the conditions get worse and worse as we get closer to our departure date.
The forecast for Thursday (the first day we can fish) is for 22 mph winds out of the NNW and snow and rain. I know that many of you muskie guys love the big winds, but I never seem to do nearly as well when things are really rolling. Give me 10-15, but over 20 and I just don't typically have much success. Add to the fact the we will be going from temps on Tuesday at 70 degrees to a high of 47 on Thursday.
So, I am in need of a little pick me up so I can hit the water with confidence on Thursday morning. Anyone want to share some tips or words of wisdom (I should be careful what I ask for here  ).
We will be on Lake Alexander if that makes a difference.
Tony | |
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| Dress warmly. | |
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Posts: 454
| Thanks Swan! That is the type of post I figured I would see....... | |
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| bigger the wave, bigger the fish | |
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| If you have a confidence bait start off throwing that. I know its easier said than done, but visualize a fish coming every cast. I know we get lazy after hours of nothing but that's when it happens. Just slow your boat down, slow the lure down and methodically puck apart your spots. Good luck! Stick a pig. | |
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| When i'm on the musky hunt i have the attitude/mindset of, this cast i'm making now on the lake is the cast that will catch a musky or a plethora of musky's. Don't over think the musky's or the musky hunt cause it will drive you even more bonkers if it already hasn't. If there's going to be a big wind, well find some windward/leeward structure or weeds/weedline and fish it, locate those baitfish on the locater, troll if need be with smaller and larger lures deep and shallow, and musky's won't mind a sucker hanging out on the side of the boat either. Big wind try a lure with lots of flash(holo silver skirt or mettalic blades). Find some remaining weeds or a distinct weedline and fish it dive and raise, glider, or slow roll a bucktail or maribou. Don't be relectunt to throw some topwaters in the fall, you'll be amazed at the monsters out there that love em'. Good Luck on the musky hunt! | |
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Posts: 8828
| Well, you've got the wind direction in your favor at least. The few days or warmth early in the week might screw things up a bit, but itby the weekend you should be fine. Won;t know until you fish! | |
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Posts: 619
| GREENANDBLUE - 10/15/2012 2:30 PM
When i'm on the musky hunt i have the attitude/mindset of, this cast i'm making now on the lake is the cast that will catch a musky or a plethora of musky's. Don't over think the musky's or the musky hunt cause it will drive you even more bonkers if it already hasn't. If there's going to be a big wind, well find some windward/leeward structure or weeds/weedline and fish it, locate those baitfish on the locater, troll if need be with smaller and larger lures deep and shallow, and musky's won't mind a sucker hanging out on the side of the boat either. Big wind try a lure with lots of flash(holo silver skirt or mettalic blades). Find some remaining weeds or a distinct weedline and fish it dive and raise, glider, or slow roll a bucktail or maribou. Don't be relectunt to throw some topwaters in the fall, you'll be amazed at the monsters out there that love em'. Good Luck on the musky hunt!
That kind of got me fired up to go fishing... its pretty good if you read it with enthusiasm.. | |
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Posts: 1220
| I would like it if I could thoroughly digest every single tidbit in Tom Gelb's new book and then pin-point exactly when to walk down my pier, get in my boat, and totally maximize my minutes on the water with all the factors that would suggest when "big girls" might be "positive" for my bait. But, while I am certainly giving that book a real hard study, I don't have a pier to walk down, a boat tied to it, or enough days off to pick and choose like that. I either have an odd day off, or a vacation planned, or a musky event that is scheduled far in advance and never by me. Like the guy with the vacation posted above, or most of us really, I fish when I can. Whatever it is that is out there, that's what I have to work with...cold, wet, miserable or sunny and warm (that can be more miserable for a bite!) Bring warm clothes, make sure your safety equipment is at the ready, don't go alone in rough seas, and keep a big sea anchor with a hundred feet of line on the deck. Remember your batteries drain more quickly when it's cold and then repeat the following: "This is the day that the Lord hath made, Rejoice and be glad in it!" Or, for the non-religious: "Yippee-I'm going musky fishing!!" | |
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Posts: 454
| Thanks everyone! My buddy and I will be out there battling mother nature regardless and was just hoping that some people would talk about they day they were out in 20mph+ winds, cold front weather and boated 5 muskie and had tons of action
It is easy to lose confidence and question your technique/strategy for the day when things are tough. We have a game plan and will just work hard and hopefully move a few fish early to solidify that we are working the right locations.
If anyone wants to talk Alexander I would love to chat......PM me if interested.
Tony | |
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Posts: 8828
| Another thing to consider is that your feeding windows are going to be shorter and fewer in between the later it gets in the season. During those times I think it's a lot more valuable to find spots that are likely to produce fish at some time during the day and camp out on those spots instead of running around trying to find active fish in less likely locations.
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Location: Wakefield, MI | toothycritter88 - 10/15/2012 2:08 PM
If you have a confidence bait start off throwing that. I know its easier said than done, but visualize a fish coming every cast. I know we get lazy after hours of nothing but that's when it happens. Just slow your boat down, slow the lure down and methodically puck apart your spots. Good luck! Stick a pig.
I missed a new PB 3 weeks ago because I got lazy. It was high 30's and raining,.out on the water for 6 hours, getting close to time to head home and I'm just going through the motions with a Suick. Sure enough that's when she hit, high 40" fish, got a terrible hook set at the beginning of the cast, one roll and she was gone.
So yeah, don't do that. Wear long underwear, bring a thermos of coffee, eat a good breakfast and keep the wind at your back if possible. Keep your mind off being cold and be ready for a hit at any moment.
Edited by milje 10/15/2012 5:00 PM
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Location: Chisholm, MN | Never know til ya go! | |
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| If I had to chose between super windy or flat calm... i would pick super windy any day....really need to concentrate on boat control ... the guy running the boat will need to be on his/her toes | |
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Posts: 567
| for me personally, the nastier the better. cant stand a bluebird day. throw alot of flashy baits and if its overcast i like firetiger/bright patterns as well. look at it as any other trip, just dress accordingly. i love fronts in the fall, especially windy ones.... | |
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Posts: 262
| just get out and fish. I was watching the weather and worring two weeks ago before we headed out on our fall trip. while it rained and snowed and was windy as hell most of the week and the bite was tough we still ended up with two fish over 30#'s that made it to the frabill. | |
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Location: Racine, Wi | I think the cold front will help better then the warm weather will. We tend to do really well when it's windy like that, but it takes a lot more concentration for good boat control. Also, if a spot looks good, don't be afraid to go through multple times to make sure you're covering it well given the difficulty of fishing in the wind. I think the reason many have problems in big wind is it's difficult to control and position your boat. Concentrate on that, and the fish will come. Good luck! | |
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Posts: 454
| Well, we hit the water Thursday and the wind was never really a factor. I think we got 10-12 mph winds at the most during our trip.
Weather seemed to be perfect, cloudy, misty, and water temps stabilized at about 51 degrees.
We hit the water Thursday at about 10:00 am with suckers ready to roll. My dad joined us on the water Thursday and was on sucker duty while my buddy and I casted. We fished hard all day and found one specific area to be holding at least 4 nice fish. The milfoil was still fairly green and all of our fish seemed to be holding in these spots.
I lost a 48" class fish that hit boatside on the 8. I knew she wasn't hooked well and the netman (dad) pulled the poll through the snap on the net and by the time he got there to net it she came unpinned on one of her headshakes and was gone. We moved another 7 fish on Thursday, but no eaters.
Friday came and we were again on the water by 10:00. Today we focussed on 4 areas and repeatedly hit them throughout the day as we knew fish lived there. We ended up boating a 44 and 46 on a 10" Hellhound and moved another 10 fish througout the day, but no other takers.
Ended up with 3 fish on the trip for the group with only one coming on a sucker. I talked to other guys who were having rips at their sucker, but for whatever reason we were not so successful.
All in all it was a great trip. Thanks for your advice! I hope to hit the water a few more times this year.
Tony | |
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Posts: 4266
| You can have mine. | |
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Confidence Needed