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Posts: 12
| Had some time to burn last night so I decided to wet a line at the nearby boat docks. Was fishing right at sunset until dark. On my third cast had a muskie follow hot and chase my lure through at least half a dozen figure 8s but not eat. About 15 minutes later I saw what appeared to be the same fish surface twice about 15 yds away, not really appearing to be chasing or eating. I went through a good assortment of lures as throwbacks trying to get this fish's attention again with no luck. Anyone ever have luck catching a fish that is rolling like this? If so any tips for future reference? Ive seen muskies roll in the past quite a bit but never put much thought into it.
On a side note that following muskie gave me a huge rush, as it was the first muskie I have had pursue a lure on the figure 8 that many times, being relatively new to dedicated muskie fishing. This is why I love these fish. |
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Posts: 84
| That's why we all love, and occasionally hate these fish |
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Posts: 134
| Have seen this many times. Close to the boat far away from the boat. I personally nor anyone in my group has ever had any success in catching one of these. Completely agree with "Imobley" that it's a Love/Hate relationship.
Edited by BBT 10/8/2013 2:55 PM
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Posts: 2389
Location: Chisholm, MN | When you see them surface, it probably means they just ate. So most of the time they won't bite. You still have to take a cast and try! I have had fish eat after rolling, but not very often. Just my opinion and its maybe not exactly true. |
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Posts: 115
| Exactly what kirby said. Always cast at them, its low percentage, but the one time you cast at em and he eats you'll be happy you did. This just happened to me for the first time today. I put about 20 casts around a fallen tree and was about to move on, but looked up and saw one rollin on top right next to the tree. I put one cast at it and wham fish on! |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Last year I saw a fish was rolling and said to my friend who was just getting into muskies that in over 20 years I had not caught one that was porposing. I cast in front of it and you know of course what happened.
Edited by horsehunter 10/9/2013 7:04 AM
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Weagle it.
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Posts: 21
| I used to think it was what these fish did on high pressure days and they would not eat. In the past 2 years we have put probably 7 or 8 in the net that we have seen roll. Mostly on larger bucktails, casting in the center of the ring where they rolled, not trying to throw in the direction we thought they were headed.
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Depends on the lake, it seems to me.....I put 8-10 in the net each year casting at porpoisers. Try lobbing a mag dawg repeatedly in the general area....slow pulls upward, reel down, repeat. May have to keep it up well into the dark, but don't leave, keep at it. Again, only certain lakes....look for porpoisers just before dark then lob mag dawgs into the night. |
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| If you fly fish, this is great way to cast to them or an unweighted tube. BR |
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Posts: 109
| I was told by a guuide one time if you see them doing this they are preparing to feed and to come back in a couple hours. Dont know if this is true or not. I have seen it in WV but always when it is hot at the same creek mouth that comes out really cold. The fish always stack right there in the dead of summer.
Edited by buckner 10/10/2013 11:44 AM
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Yes, mostly see this when very hot. I see most when water temps are warmest---higher, I think, than preferred by the fish. AND when air temps fall below the water temp...(usually right before dark or at dark). I think this behavior in these circumstances is an attempt to lower body temp by exposing the body to the air which is cooler than the water....then, once they are feelin' spunky and cool, they go on the prowel..... |
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Posts: 2389
Location: Chisholm, MN | Cowboyhannah - 10/10/2013 1:07 PM
Yes, mostly see this when very hot. I see most when water temps are warmest---higher, I think, than preferred by the fish. AND when air temps fall below the water temp...(usually right before dark or at dark). I think this behavior in these circumstances is an attempt to lower body temp by exposing the body to the air which is cooler than the water....then, once they are feelin' spunky and cool, they go on the prowel.....
That is a possibility. I don't think anyone can really know for sure what is happening. Personally, I feel its just because they have just eaten something and are trying to digest it or get it down their throat. I could be totally off here, but it explains why they are typically tough to catch when they roll. On the other hand, fish have been known to eat something while still having the tail of another fish sticking out of its throat...so who knows? Fish are mysterious...
I've seen it happen plenty in cool water also, so I don't think it would be to lower the body temperature in that circumstance. |
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Location: MN | This summer on a calm day I saw a muskie stick its head about 6 inches out of the water and hold it there for about 15 seconds. It wasn't really moving at all. It was a real big fish. I had joked with my buddies that it was probably taking a look around to see if there were any fisherman close by before it ate a big sucker. Strange fish. |
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Posts: 2389
Location: Chisholm, MN | I've seen it too. Very strange and people can only guess as to why they do it. |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | These are typically male muskies that are to proud to ask for directions. Do cast at them cause not far below is one peeed off female. |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | ToddM - 10/10/2013 4:06 PM
These are typically male muskies that are to proud to ask for directions. Do cast at them cause not far below is one peeed off female.
Funny stuff, Yeah nobody really knows with these fish, that's one thing I DO know. |
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Posts: 2026
| Todd may be onto something there. I have never seen them rolling on top, but can imagine they are looking for the next boat to do a lazy follow on so they can get a good laugh. |
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| The comments about not being successful casting to a rolling muskie reminded me of something that happened a couple years ago. I was checking boats at the landing on the chain where we have a cottage. Rainy, misty day,cool. I had told my wife the good thing was that the only boats I would see were fishermen. No pleasure boats, jet skis, etc. Most of the fishermen know the concerns about invasives, keep their boats clean, etc. and are normally very cooperative with the survey, etc. The first hour no one. I got bored, left the car and walked down on the dock to see if anyone was out fishing. While standing on the dock, I saw the lilly pads rock about 30 feet away, followed by a big musky rolling on the surface. It was mid to upper 40s, and had a huge girth.
A few minutes later, no more than 5, a couple pulled up and were going muskie fishing. I told them about the fish. They said, "never have any luck casting to rolling fish" thanked me and took off across the lake. They no more than started to pull away from the dock and two guys pulled up to put in their boat. Also looking for muskies. Told them about the fish, pointed right where it had been. They said thanks, but never have any luck casting to rolling muskies. I wished them luck and they drove all the way out of that lake headed for the next lake in the chain.
I couldn't help but think, wouldn't it have have been worth tossing a couple casts at that weed point before you took off? They were probably going to make hundreds of casts to where they hoped there might be a fish, but would not make one cast to where they knew there had been a fish within the last few minutes.
Not saying they were wrong and the couple are folks that I know catch muskies but it just kind of surprised me. |
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Posts: 28
| Crapshoot I think...caught a ton that I have seen porpoise and casted to no avail at just as many others. That being said I always pitch a few casts if I see one porpoise. To me, it's really no different than any other fish that is on the structure you are fishing but you just happen to see them...sometimes they eat, sometimes they don't. |
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Posts: 171
| The fish are getting used to the environment (shallow to deep, deep to the upper portion of the water column, going from warm water to cold water). This happens a lot in the fall when the temps start to go down. It also happens when you get a fish to follow from deep, cold water. If you have a cold water inflow coming into a warm river, the chance of porpoising is good. Not to mention they have eyes and like to check out whats going on around them - survival and predator instinct. They do and will eat.
Edited by bshep 10/13/2013 12:58 PM
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| Throw out a super-easy kill like a six inch minnow bait and twitch it on the retrieve. |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Personally, I think rolling a muskie is a waste of time. They don't carry anything of value. |
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Rolling muskies