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Posts: 21
Location: NJ | After many years of bass fishing and thinking about starting to fish specifically for Muskies, I took the plunge and bought some equipment for the upcoming spring here in NJ. I have 4 rods. One nine-footer XXH rod, two 7'6 XH rods and a 7-foot heavy rod. I bought some regular and mag D swimbaits, a couple #8 and #10 double spinners and a few 9-inch nokken jerk baits. I have all Daiwa Tatula 300 size reels for each rod and I am going to spool all of them with 80-pound braid except for one which I will spool with 65-pound braid for the smaller lures. I have 130lb and 100lb fluorocarbon leaders as well as hook cutters, long pliers and a big landing net. I will be Muskie fishing at one place only in NJ which is a small 300-acre lake that I've been fishing for years and know like the back of my hand. However, this is based on my bass fishing experience and not specifically targeting Muskies. The lake has zero grass or weeds. The average depth is about 7 feet with the deepest part of the lake being around 20 feet. The only cover available is old wood and rocks. Can anyone give me some tips on how the approach this lake in March once the water temperature gets into the low 40's? Lures, what depth to fish and what to look for? Thanks Everyone! |
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Posts: 32785
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I'm guessing that if you know where the bass are the muskies will be there as well as both are probably eating the same prey. Sounds like you are getting rigged up well. I'd recommend you add a spinnerbait to the arsenal. Once the water begins to warm in the Spring you will find the fish on the breaks. |
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Posts: 21
Location: NJ | I've heard that Muskies move shallow well before the bass do in the spring. Is this true? I also heard that Muskies tend to be very shallow soon after ice out as they spawn once the water temps get in the low 40's. Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I'm on the right track. |
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Posts: 711
| Tigers or pure strain ?
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Posts: 71
| early spring is small bait time IMO. We catch most of our muskies in spring on bass and pike lures. In the case you don't have many weeds I'd suggest smaller crankbaits. Something with a good action even when slowed down. I like jointed super shad raps. Match the colors to the baitfish. |
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Posts: 2275
Location: Chisholm, MN | Muskies spawn in the mid 50s water temps in Minnesota. Don’t think it would be different anywhere else. But since the season is closed that early here, I don’t know where they live in that 40 degree range. My guess is they are not very shallow.
In a 300 acre lake it should not be difficult to find them. Check all over including the open water basin.
Also, ditch that 100lb leader. 130 minimum. |
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Posts: 480
Location: NW WI | Have you ever caught any there on your bass equipment? Just curious is all.
U probably already have one but just incase I'm going to recommend you get a hook file.
Also, when your throwing your rubbers and you get hit you wanna set the hook pretty darn hard. Similar to how you probably already do harder sets when your throwing hollow body frogs and Texas rigs for bass. Some guys even double set the hook. What can happen is they'll T-bone your bait inbetween hooks and their teeth+rubber makes em hang on tight and you'll actually battle with em for a bit before they drop it. Broken heart they call that lol. So set that baby hard enough to get that rubber to slide it their mouth, therefore hopefully engaging a hook or two. |
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Posts: 21
Location: NJ | I caught a few muskies over the years on bass equipment. The biggest i have caught was probably 42 inches. I actually landed a 36 inch muskie on a light spinning rod with 8lb test. This lake has both tiger and regular strain. Some one reccomend spinner baits what are some good spinner baits to get. |
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Posts: 1184
| KDogg14 - 12/4/2021 1:16 PM
I caught a few muskies over the years on bass equipment. The biggest i have caught was probably 42 inches. I actually landed a 36 inch muskie on a light spinning rod with 8lb test. This lake has both tiger and regular strain. Some one reccomend spinner baits what are some good spinner baits to get.
Anything two ounces, willow blade and a twister tail grub. |
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Posts: 480
Location: NW WI | I prefer either multiple smaller willows or 1 large #10-#13 hex Colorado blade. I don't know who makes it but Robinson Wholesale Inc. distributes someone's flashbou spinner that I absolutely love. Northland Tackles large profile (medium small by musky standard) spinner needs its stinger hook cut and re-done, just a heads up. I just got my first Musky Safari Hatchet Blade spinner at the end of this year, no luck with it but it performs at all speeds.
But dude, if your not trying to combat heavy vegetation and or timber by throwing single hooks or double singles- I'd stay off the spinner baits. Maybe consider diversifying a small bucktail collection first. Also Musky chatterbaits exist too, TNA Tackle and The Musky Shop both make a few Varieties. |
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Posts: 21
Location: NJ | Thanks. I throw a lot of swim jigs for bass. Do they make bigger size swim jigs for Muskies that can handle large 8 to 10 inch swimbaits as a trailer? What are some good muskie tackle shops online that you would recommend? |
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Posts: 21
Location: NJ | Kirby Budrow - 12/4/2021 9:19 AM
Muskies spawn in the mid 50s water temps in Minnesota. Don’t think it would be different anywhere else. But since the season is closed that early here, I don’t know where they live in that 40 degree range. My guess is they are not very shallow.
In a 300 acre lake it should not be difficult to find them. Check all over including the open water basin.
Also, ditch that 100lb leader. 130 minimum.
Thank you. May I ask why you recommend ditching the 100lb leader? I was going to use that for 2 rods which I will be throwing 3oz and less lures on. Also, I forget where I live compared to you guys up north with regards to water clarity. This lake is not clear at all. On a good day you have 2 feet of visibility if it matters. Can't wait till March! |
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Posts: 480
Location: NW WI | Violent Strike and Esox Cobra are the only two Jigs I'm familiar with.
And if your in dirty water you don't need to run Flouro at all, switch over to wire, i mean use what ya got certainly but I'd pick up some wire leaders when u order. Oh on that note: I also run full profile +8" hollow body paddle tails but I rig em on just a 12/0 Owner Beast Swimbait Hook. I go waitless and only throw em into slop that clears during the retrieve. But there are Bullet weighted leaders available too, so that combo could maybe fill your needs too. Also buying bulk wire and tying your own leaders is an option too, it's alot easier than you'd think.
Here's some shop links:
https://teamrhinooutdoors.com/
https://www.muskyshop.com/
https://www.muskytackleonline.com/
https://www.thornebros.com/
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Posts: 2275
Location: Chisholm, MN | KDogg14 - 12/4/2021 7:38 PM
Kirby Budrow - 12/4/2021 9:19 AM
Muskies spawn in the mid 50s water temps in Minnesota. Don’t think it would be different anywhere else. But since the season is closed that early here, I don’t know where they live in that 40 degree range. My guess is they are not very shallow.
In a 300 acre lake it should not be difficult to find them. Check all over including the open water basin.
Also, ditch that 100lb leader. 130 minimum.
Thank you. May I ask why you recommend ditching the 100lb leader? I was going to use that for 2 rods which I will be throwing 3oz and less lures on. Also, I forget where I live compared to you guys up north with regards to water clarity. This lake is not clear at all. On a good day you have 2 feet of visibility if it matters. Can't wait till March!
100 is just too light for muskie teeth. It can be easily cut through. I actually prefer more than 130lb. But if you’re using light baits you can just use wire leaders where you really don’t have to worry about break offs. Don’t worry about a fish seeing the leader or line. They don’t care. Use the right leader to make you’re specific baits work right.
Don’t skimp on leaders or snaps. I go through several leaders a year and I always keep extra stalock snaps in the boat and change them often. They don’t last forever. Every time someone gets in my boat I keep an eye on their leaders and usually their snaps or leaders are way too far gone. I change them out for them. The last thing you want is to break one off and more than likely kill the fish. I can’t stand when people are too cheap to change out their leaders. It’s the weakest link in the chain and pretty cheap to keep up to date.
Edited by Kirby Budrow 12/4/2021 9:28 PM
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Posts: 479
Location: Northern Illinois | 100# floro is not a good choice for leader material IMHO. I swore off floro when a muskie cut my 130# floro leader head hunting a twitch bait several years ago. It made me sick. I use solid wire for that application now. |
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Posts: 21
Location: NJ | What size LB and length should I get for wire leaders? I only need 3 or 4 for the time being. |
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Posts: 2275
Location: Chisholm, MN | I'd go with 174# single strand |
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Posts: 21
Location: NJ | Have a few 174# wire leaders ordered. I also bought a few of the 1 oz Esox swim jigs as well! I have a few 7-to-8-inch swimbaits that I can use for these as a trailer. Will they work? What is the biggest size trailer that you could use on this jig being it's an 8/0 hook? Thanks |
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Posts: 480
Location: NW WI | Ultimately your fish will answer that question. Anytime your running 1 single hook your landing % goes down some. Cover the bend of that one hook with any trailer and it drops a little more. Width of the swimbait will affect you because of that, idk what your running for a trailer but be open to hooking it so either your tip is coming through the back higher than normal so your trailer isn't sitting parallel or try hooking it super shallow along the swimbait in order to keep some or all of that bend open. If your wondering about short strikes...It's going to happen, you can always drop to 4-6" if it's constant. But you'll also get engulfed from behind and T-boned so 8" is fine than. Hey another thing man, I don't know jack about where you live, but when you say NJ I picture crowded pressured water. If that's the case u NEED to try night fishing, especially during hot summer, blades and topwaters are the staples for this but I promise you paddle tails work too. |
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Posts: 3774
| In the end you'll need to work thru a decision tree and be ready to choose....
1) surface, subsurface or deep
2) fast, slow, twitch or static
3) hair, wood/plastic, metal, rubber or live bait
In order to land on the perfect presentation for any given situation you'll need an inventory of rods, reels, line, leaders, lures, tackle storage, net/release tools and safety/first aid. The rods in your boat are just like golf clubs in a bag: choose based on what you're trying to accomplish given the conditions you're managing.
Me, I have these rods ready in the boat....
* Jig/creature rod
* Bucktail/Rubber/Spoon/Surface rod
* Suick rod (yes, a dedicated Suick rod)
* Heavy crankbait trolling rod
* Glider rod
* Sucker (live bait) rod
I make all my own leaders and over the years landed on using...
* 20" 30# braided wire for jig/creatures
* 9" 80# flouro for bucktails, surface baits, rubber, Suicks, twitch baits and cranks
* 9" 240# straight wire leader for gliders
* various length 40# braided wire for quick strike live suckers
You'll need some good snaps (Stringease), swivels and split rings. Leader parts are relatively expensive from fresh-water shops, but cheap as dirt from shops that cater to the salt-water guys.
Ok, there you go, hope that gives you some ideas to consider over the winter.
Edited by Ranger 12/11/2021 3:20 PM
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Posts: 426
| Ice out fish will take a large jerk bait (9 incurs)worked slowly. We get a lot along rocks and dam rip rap as well. Fish are sluggish but are very catchable before the spawn. Just work slowly and deliberately. Action is not fast but some real pigs are caught |
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