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Muskie Fishing -> General Discussion -> techniques for the cold next few weeks
 
Message Subject: techniques for the cold next few weeks
WiscoMusky
Posted 9/11/2014 1:30 PM (#729679)
Subject: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 397


Location: Wisconsin
I fish northern wisconsin, and we are having unseasonably cold weather for the next few weeks. I am just wondering what you guys do when you are faced with a cold front like this over a week or two span?

Edited by WiscoMusky 9/11/2014 1:31 PM
Schultz345
Posted 9/11/2014 1:37 PM (#729681 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 221


they should be moving towards the shallows.
curleytail
Posted 9/11/2014 1:54 PM (#729684 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 2687


Location: Hayward, WI
I agree to the above. There's probably always fish out suspended but I tend to move back to structure and fish weeds, rockbars, etc. Bucktails seem to catch a good share for me this time of year, but I think just about anything can work well (crankbaits, rubber, jerkbaits, etc). On shallower flowage type waters I've also had very good luck with topwater.

It's one of my favorite times of year. Seems like fish get pretty agressive and the push towards structure can mean multiple fish days more often for me than most other times of year.
Junkman
Posted 9/12/2014 7:40 AM (#729742 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 1220


I look forward to relief from guilt at my favorite Eagle River hotel, when I no longer "cheap out" by draining the ice-machine into my boat's cooler each morning. I am usually sitting there with my big garbage bag when some guy just can't help saying,"I wondered who was emptying the ice machine so I couldn't have some for my room" with the accompanying unmistakeable dirty look. The only bad part is that I just sort of switch to dirty looks from the nite-shift hotel guy who watches while I drain the free coffee into my giant thermos. That's the only difference for me---just tie on the same buck tail and cast it to the shore line!
BNelson
Posted 9/12/2014 10:32 AM (#729770 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Location: Contrarian Island
i have no clue what that means Junkman! ; ) shallow is a good bet this time of year....
Junkman
Posted 9/12/2014 11:01 AM (#729776 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 1220


Like all free advice...it's worth what you pay for it! But yea, I think it's time to rediscover the shorelines! The rest was just the meaningless meanderings of my mostly idle mind, "Fallnet!"
vegas492
Posted 9/12/2014 12:27 PM (#729789 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 1036


Up here now. Cold. 40 degree weather. rainy. Not much wind. With good action on skis so far. Slow and shallow.
btfish
Posted 9/12/2014 2:10 PM (#729813 - in reply to #729789)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 410


Location: With my son on the water
I have to ask and I hope someone can tell me from a scientific stand point.

Why do so many of you say they will go shallow during this big cold spell? Isn't the shallow water affected more by a drop in air tempuratures than deeper water? In the spring when we get a cold snap the gills move off the beds to deeper water. So why are many of you saying they will be shallow now? We have had water temps in the upper 60s and this cold spell will drive it down more. We will probably be in the beginning stages of turn over and many of the weeds will be dieing if they haven't already.

So why shallow now verus deeper? I am confused,

Have a good day.

Edited by btfish 9/12/2014 2:14 PM
BNelson
Posted 9/12/2014 2:12 PM (#729814 - in reply to #729813)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Location: Contrarian Island
not scientific but it might be from catching a lot of them shallow in the past... ie. real world experience...

we are no where near turnover in Sept in most parts of musky land...weeds hold fish til ice up....

Edited by BNelson 9/12/2014 2:19 PM
jonnysled
Posted 9/12/2014 2:16 PM (#729815 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 13688


Location: minocqua, wi.
who told you the weeds have died?
btfish
Posted 9/12/2014 2:26 PM (#729819 - in reply to #729814)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 410


Location: With my son on the water
BNelson

That's not the answer I was looking for. The past 3 weeks have been fantastic for us up here in the north (shallow) with many multiple fish days and several very large fish near 50 in my boat. (So I too have some experience)

Turnover starts at 59 Degrees and we have had several nights in the low 30s and the air temp during the day is not forcecasted to be above 59 much anymore so our water temps are crashing fast. Which means turn over is coming fast.

Yes the fish have been shallow but I just don't see how they will stay there with this big cold snap. That's why I am looking for a more scientific answer and am curious why people say they go shallow during a cold snap?

Have a good day
btfish
Posted 9/12/2014 2:32 PM (#729821 - in reply to #729819)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 410


Location: With my son on the water
Not all weeds die at the same time, it depends what type they are. Some weeds die in the August and other kinds die later on. So nobody told me, but I saw it.
jonnysled
Posted 9/12/2014 2:37 PM (#729823 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 13688


Location: minocqua, wi.
i get green weeds through the ice …

hint, if days are getting shorter, and the water is cooling, where is the warmest water …
jaultman
Posted 9/12/2014 3:16 PM (#729830 - in reply to #729823)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 1828


jonnysled - 9/12/2014 2:37 PM
hint, if days are getting shorter, and the water is cooling, where is the warmest water …

Deep.

But that's opposite of where people are saying to fish.
IAJustin
Posted 9/12/2014 3:40 PM (#729832 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 2015


Knock Knock...
esoxaddict
Posted 9/12/2014 4:03 PM (#729836 - in reply to #729823)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 8782


jonnysled - 9/12/2014 2:37 PM

i get green weeds through the ice …

hint, if days are getting shorter, and the water is cooling, where is the warmest water …


Down South??
teddy b
Posted 9/12/2014 4:23 PM (#729838 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 158


Who's there?
jonnysled
Posted 9/12/2014 4:27 PM (#729839 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 13688


Location: minocqua, wi.
shallow sand and weeds hold heat energy and water is warmer, bait use it and so do predators. fishing shallow in late september and october must be a well-kept secret.

after a cold front go into the matted up weeds and disturb them sometime and let me know what you find in there buried in it. it's not uncommon and it's not just muskies either.

crappies will start using wood pilings of dock structure pretty soon for the same reason … why? cuz it's september.

your are right jaultman … fish deep.

edit: … an excerpt from the most recent fishing report from Andy Meyer's Lodge on Eagle Lake which is ahead of us on cooling water …

"Some of the weed beds are now starting to deteriorate but many are still holding fish and as we move into pre turnover and cooling water do not be afraid to get up into and try what we call "froggy" water, brown tobacco cabbage and junk weeds up shallower than most would fish and it can even be the pattern of the day especially under sunny conditions."

call it feel, experience, science (yes, there is logic to it) … call it whatever you want … argue it, agree with it etc… it's a fun time to fish and fish get predictable = makes it fun.

Edited by jonnysled 9/12/2014 4:35 PM
esoxcpr
Posted 9/12/2014 5:02 PM (#729843 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: RE: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 149


"I am just wondering what you guys do when you are faced with a cold front like this over a week or two span?"

That's simple, if faced with those conditions in the late summer / early fall I fish as much as possible because those conditions generate the best and most predictable fishing of the year. You have your seasons mixed up if you think fall cold fronts negatively affect muskies...

Edited by esoxcpr 9/12/2014 5:05 PM
ARmuskyaddict
Posted 9/12/2014 7:32 PM (#729869 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 2024


"Sledspeak" can be hard to decipher, but there is lots to learn from it. He is saying fish shallow weedy areas with sand and all weeds do not die at the same time, there are always some green weeds. Weeds and sandy areas warm easier throughout the day. Sand is light color and will reflect the sunlight, thus warming the water faster and the dark weeds will hold that heat. Baitfish will push up onto shallow weedy areas, because the weeds and sand warm up faster. As always, not all fish go shallow. In my limited experience opinion it is easier to target shallow fish than the deep water ones pre-transition.

I just watched a video from Thornes about the Sept. bite. The guy gives a good summary of what Sled is talking about.
Pointerpride102
Posted 9/12/2014 7:41 PM (#729872 - in reply to #729869)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 16632


Location: The desert
I thought Sled layed it out pretty black and white, even before the edit.

His response should be pinned to the top every year at the end of August.
Southshore
Posted 9/12/2014 7:55 PM (#729873 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: RE: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 218


Light sand will reflect the heat and dark weeds will hold the heat????? What does that mean. Pointer...sarcasm...I hope as you are the self proclaimed master of the said art....
ARmuskyaddict
Posted 9/12/2014 8:12 PM (#729876 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 2024


I would suggest re-reading the posts before critiquing what was said. "Sand is light colored", not light sand. Light colors reflect more sunlight, so sand does not heat up as easily as dark colors. The reflected light warms the water, and the dark weeds absorb that warmth. Warmer water attracts the baitfish.

Watch the Thorne's video on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_XAryuOY9c
jonnysled
Posted 9/12/2014 8:13 PM (#729877 - in reply to #729873)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 13688


Location: minocqua, wi.
i learned it and many other things from people who wanted to make me think so that i could understand and solve the puzzle on my own vs. telling me outright what they learned over time. i forgot there is a new generation of southshores who need it all spoon-fed because they aren't willing to work hard enough to figure anything out on their own.

there is a ton of free information … take or leave it i guess.

double-talk … LOL … thanks superstar
IAJustin
Posted 9/12/2014 8:31 PM (#729880 - in reply to #729838)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 2015


teddy b - 9/12/2014 4:23 PM

Who's there?


Cash
Hunter4
Posted 9/12/2014 9:09 PM (#729882 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 720


Get ready to set the hook Justin!

Cash who?
IAJustin
Posted 9/12/2014 9:47 PM (#729885 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 2015


Just pointing out some people are "nuts" on this board

edit: good advice sled


Edited by IAJustin 9/12/2014 10:10 PM
curleytail
Posted 9/12/2014 10:24 PM (#729889 - in reply to #729679)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks




Posts: 2687


Location: Hayward, WI
Some of the whys of this can be hard to wrap your head around at first. If so, read what Sled wrote again, followed by a good point by point explanation from ARmusky addict, and try to think it through. Some of it might seem counter intuitive at first but think about what is going on this time of year, and how it might affect shallow vs deep water and a light bulb might come on.

If that still fails, maybe try some Google searches, or just be willing to accept that at this time of year lots of fish move shallower rather than deeper.

Oh yeah, and it's very true that not all weeds die this time of year. I pull up plenty of green weeds all winter long, into the spring, and summer. Some of the weeds that stay the greenest are also the deeper ones. Might seem counter intuitive too, but it's reality.

Sled was right on, he's just trying to provoke some thought, which is what it takes to catch these fish consistently (apparently I haven't been thinking too much this year).
Pointerpride102
Posted 9/12/2014 11:08 PM (#729891 - in reply to #729889)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks





Posts: 16632


Location: The desert
So plants can even start growing under the ice!

BenR
Posted 9/12/2014 11:20 PM (#729893 - in reply to #729891)
Subject: Re: techniques for the cold next few weeks


Pointerpride102 - 9/12/2014 11:08 PM

So plants can even start growing under the ice!



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