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Posts: 251
| I just saw a spring forecast that predicts much colder than average temps for the month of March and to a much less degree April and May for the great lakes region (or what looks like most of the muskie fishing area).
For those of you who have more experience then I, How might this effect fishing?
I have a trip planned for the mid July peak on LOTW. Is it reasonable to say that the peak might be later this year or is it likely too far out to predict the effects? |
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Posts: 32955
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | This Winter is the coldest on record for Rhinelander WI, and that's saying something. If this continues through Srping, we could have the best Spring and Summer Muskie action in recent memory up here with water temps remaining in the lower 60's. |
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Posts: 8863
| Seems like the last several years warmed up too much too fast, to the detriment of the normal patterns we'd see in Spring going into Summer. It's hard to predict what the weather will bring over the next month or so, but I am expecting this to be a better year. I'm not if a cold/late spring effects the entire season, but I'll be happy if we don't see water temps up North pushing the 80 degree mark in July. |
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Posts: 87
Location: Wisconsin | Just curious if guys have generally done better with a cooler spring and summer with a lot of days with mid 60 degree water temps? I personally havent, but probably just a sign that I should adapt with how I fish. |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | I love late springs for musky fishing. You get to fish them through their whole progression of the seasons instead of jumping into a pre-summer pattern on the opener.
Spawning season/Spring concentrates the fish more than any other time of the year. The more concentrated the fish are the easier they are to find, the easier they are to find the more you can catch! |
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Posts: 98
| I know last year was a strange year up in Northern MN. The weeds took forever to come up and some guys I talked to said that kept more fish in open water over the course of the summer. Not sure how much truth there was to that or if it was just an excuse, but last year was tougher than average up here for myself and most guys I talked to. I'd favor a gradual warm-up from spring thru summer, even if it's colder, than the up and down weather we had last spring/summer. |
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Posts: 357
Location: Duluth, MN | Late spring last year, and I had one of my best years on some of Minnesotas toughest waters. Im ok with a repeat! |
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Posts: 371
Location: Dixon, IL | I am very sure that many shallow lakes, shallow ponds and shallow backwater of river get winter kill! Some place in Illinois get as much as 24 inch thick. Many between 18 and 20 inch thick! Plus lot of snow! I am worry about North Spring lake near Peroia in Illinois might have winterkill and muskie died. I hope not! Lake is shallow!
Edited by ILmuskie 3/6/2014 6:47 AM
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Posts: 125
| Im new but have had recent success so now obviously i am hooked. In wisconsin with the cold weather, this will most likely delay the spawn right? I have a trip planned for the opener which in northern wisconsin is the saturday before memorial day. Last year, i was fishing in the heat of the spawn. Do you think this year I will be fishing before it?
What are the tendencies before spawn? Keep it small and slow like I do post spawn? |
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Posts: 1202
Location: Money, PA | Its gonna be EPIC! |
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Posts: 243
| ILmuskie - 3/6/2014 6:45 AM
I am very sure that many shallow lakes, shallow ponds and shallow backwater of river get winter kill! Some place in Illinois get as much as 24 inch thick. Many between 18 and 20 inch thick! Plus lot of snow! I am worry about North Spring lake near Peroia in Illinois might have winterkill and muskie died. I hope not! Lake is shallow!
We are handle deep on the ice augers in the U.P. and NE Wisconsin. 24+ inches of ice is not uncommon. Winter kill does happen from time to time, but I'm always amazed how many shallow bodies of water maintain enough oxygen to get the fish population through the winter months. A couple of DNR fish techs from the U.P. were ice fishing a small lake with suckers a few years ago and their suckers died. They went back to test DO and the results appeared to be terminal. I actually left work the afternoon I found out and bellied up for a beverage because I thought all the muskies were dead in one of my favorite lakes. They made it  |
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Posts: 638
Location: S.W. WI | For me cool springs are tough, but cool summers are awesome. |
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Posts: 40
| I have generally done a lot worse with the cooler springs and cool starts to summer. Is there something that you guys who have done better change or do differently? Any help would be appreciated, these slow starts are growing increasingly frustrating with another cool spring scheduled for this year. |
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Spring weather effects