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| Sorry to even ask because I think this is a really basic question. I'm just wondering, at what water temp should I start to slow down my retrieve? I don't use live bait, only lures. I've also never fished for musky when it's as cold as it has been later (and so early this year) so I'm wondering what to do now that everyone seems to be switching over to suckers. Thanks for your veteran advice!
mclarkin777 |
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| Slow down your retrieve??Im sorry i dont slow down my retrieve just my pauses,i still like my retrieves fast and eratic in the fall just a long pause in between my motions. |
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| thanks MuskyE
Anyone else have an opinion?
mclarkin777 |
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| I really don't slow down my retrieve much at all either. One thing that I may do is use slower moving baits a little more after turnover. (Baits that require a slower presentation to work effectively) But I never really slow down my retrieve. I think speed can trigger strikes right up until the lakes freeze. |
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| I too, don't really slow my presentations down much where speed is concerned. It's my opinion that bait fish swim just as fast to escape during spring and fall as they do in summer, so I move my lures the same too. As already mentioned, on the pauses I let the lure hang just a bit longer as I think the speed sparks their interest and the hang-in-their-face triggers them strike.
Mike K. |
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Mclarkin-
Make these fish think with their stomachs instead of their brains. What I mean by that is if a bait is moving at a rapid pace it's an "eat me don't" situation ... but you'd better react quick or the bait will be gone. Like others have already said, speed sometimes triggers that "reaction" strike you're looking for.
I hope that makes sence. |
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| Vary your presintation. Sometimes slow will be better that eratic and fast. Change up from fast to slow thru out the fall and let the fish tell you what they want. |
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| Thanks everyone for you valued opinions.
mclarkin777 |
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| The perception that you need to fish slow when the water temperatures drop doesn't seen to be true. The speed that fish swin at in cold water doesn't seem to change much. The fish's metabolism (the amount of time it takes to digest a meal) may slow down some, but their swimming speed, and their ability to swim fast to catch prey doesn't change much.
I've caught many muskies in near freezing water temperatures at 4MPH+ while trolling. Some of the most spectacular casting strikes (the fish are going as fast as they can swim) that I've had are in late Oct with low water temps with a 10" believer reeling at the same speed I do all year.
I've watched many a northern pike (not muskies, I know) come into a spear house (legal for Minnesota residents) at what seems to be the speed of light and hit a decoy that I was working as fast as I could.
Water temperatures and swimming speed to catch prey don't seem to be related.
I wouldn't worry to much about trying to figure out what speed to try. I would guess that there are fish that will respond to speed and also fish that will respond the going slow. That will probably vary from day to day, hour to hour, and no doubt lake to lake. Experience on the lake you are fishing will sooner or later tell you what to do, there are no exact or easy answers.
Doug Johnson |
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| The perception that you need to fish slow when the water temperatures drop doesn't seen to be true. The speed that fish swin at in cold water doesn't seem to change much. The fish's metabolism (the amount of time it takes to digest a meal) may slow down some, but their swimming speed, and their ability to swim fast to catch prey doesn't change much.
I've caught many muskies in near freezing water temperatures at 4MPH+ while trolling. Some of the most spectacular casting strikes (the fish are going as fast as they can swim) that I've had are in late Oct with low water temps with a 10" believer reeling at the same speed I do all year.
I've watched many a northern pike (not muskies, I know) come into a spear house (legal for Minnesota residents) at what seems to be the speed of light and hit a decoy that I was working as fast as I could.
Water temperatures and swimming speed to catch prey don't seem to be related.
I wouldn't worry to much about trying to figure out what speed to try. I would guess that there are fish that will respond to speed and also fish that will respond the going slow. That will probably vary from day to day, hour to hour, and no doubt lake to lake. Experience on the lake you are fishing will sooner or later tell you what to do, there are no exact or easy answers.
Doug Johnson |
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