Fishing

Muskies are, by nature, a cool water fish, and most fishermen do not realize how early these fish will actually move into the shallows, especially big muskies.

The first sign of lengthening days in mid-January will activate the internal clock of a muskie. This change in daylight hours will trigger the big females to move very close to a favored spawning bay, positioning themselves in the creek channels just on the outside edges of a bay. As the water temperature warms up and climbs into the 45-degree range these big fish will move into the bays and lay in 2 to 8 feet of water. The main ingredients of a preferred spawning area will include a combination of: An incoming feeder creek or two, some dying, dark vegetation and a soft muck bottom. These darker areas inside a warming bay are what most fish are seeking out. One of the reasons this dark area holds more fish is because it will be 3-4 degrees warmer than the surrounding water. This is due to the thermal energy it has collected, especially after two or three days of sunshine. A muskie will prefer a dark bottom area made up of detritus (decaying leaf matter). The area second on the list will be last years aquatic vegetation. Muskies will remain shallow during the entire spawning cycle, which range, from 48 to 58 degrees. This early spring movement is very predictable. "The fish of 10,000 casts" had better watch out during this time frame, it is one of the few times that muskie location can be pinpointed.

One of the early season tactics commonly known to capture these heavy egg-laden fish is to utilize a smaller presentation. The idea of a small presentation is tough for the typical muskie angler to grasp. In the early spring one of the most effective presentations we have found on Midwest reservoirs is to toss the infamous Bill Lewis Rattletrap on the flats. I personally have had one of my best days ever in early April using this presentation on the flats. We put 11 muskies in the boat, ranging from 27 inches to 40 inches long, four fish lost and 2 follows, hard to believe, but true. This kind of action creates happy clients and a proud guide. The majority of muskie fishermen are used to the closed season up north. The northern waters cannot be fish for muskies until at least mid May. The way to get the season off to an early start is to use these tactics on Midwest reservoirs.

The rattletrap presentation for muskies is similar to any other. This tactic not only produces muskellunge but many clients have caught largemouth, smallmouth and white bass also. The idea of tossing rattletraps for muskies may seem a little far fetched to the veteran muskie hunter, but after 6 years of proving itself, rattlin' up spring muskies is just another tactic for the modern muskie hunter to utilize.

When you begin your "trappin' session", the first thing to do is put those baseball bat rods and that 100 lb. braided line back into the rod box. Pull out the softer tipped, bass flippin' stick. This type of rod has a strong enough backbone to tangle with a muskie. I use an Abu Garcia 5500 reel and spool it with Berkley Whiplash 30 pound test line in a moss green color. Finish off the "connection" with a 10-inch, 30 pound Berkley Sevenstrand leader. You can use the smaller diameter braided lines, but if it's too small in diameter, the powerful runs of a muskie will cause it to dig into the spool and can cause it to break. Set your drag according to your line preference. The leader is a main factor in your presentation. If you use a leader that is too large the rattletrap will not perform at it's prime capacity, it will not wiggle or rattle properly. Stay with a small flexible leader, mason mono works well and so does Berkleys' leader material. Tie it directly to the lure and attach it to your line with an albright knot. The pre-packaged #30 pound leader is a lot less hassle, and it works with all line types.

One of the things I love most about the lighter line and downsized tackle is the ability to play a big muskie. During most of the muskie season you horse a 12-16 pound muskie out of the timber and right into the net with heavy equipment. The lighter line associated with rattletraps involves more of a "sportfishing" attitude. You can truly comprehend how powerful the muskie is. It is exhilarating to hear the drag crying out and watching the rod throb from their power.

WHERE TO TRAP
As the days start to lengthen and the sun begins to generate its warming strength, most gamefish will move up in the water column. Muskies will generally be one of the first to make this movement, searching the rocky shoals for crayfish and other easy forage. Shallow points and slow tapering shorelines with a substrate of small gravel (ranging from a marble to a baseball in size) is where you will find most of the earliest spring muskies. After two or three warm, sunny days, crayfish will begin to emerge and forage in these small rocks. Cast a crayfish pattern Rattletrap on to these rocky areas and bounce the bottom every 8-10 feet or so. If you are digging into the bottom, lift your rod tip a little higher at the beginning of the retrieve and lower it as the lure comes to the boat.

Remember we are talking about muskie fishing so do a figure eight at boat-side. Too many times a muskie will appear like a lightning bolt and grab a lure. The rattletrap makes the same type of sound as a crayfish does when it becomes scared and darts about quickly. The body joints of a crayfish "click" together and you are mimicking this "fear" sound as you bounce it off the rocks and bottom. Muskies love to eat crayfish! A retrieval speed ranging from medium to quick is preferred. When you make contact with the bottom, feel for any debris you may pick up. If something doesn't feel right give your rod a quick snap or rip, this will usually clean it off. Most of what you pick up will be dead aquatic vegetation or decaying leaf matter. When you are retrieving a rattletrap, anything that feels like it touched the lure deserves one of these "snaps". It is still fairly early in the year and a lot of fish are soft biters. Sometimes this little "pull" will trigger strikes from a following muskie.
As the water starts to warm into the 49-50 degree range the muskie will move into the back of bays and begin their spawning rituals. Not all fish will move up at the same time, they will come up in groups of two or three, generally with two smaller males along with one big female. They will move along, cruising the most gradual tapered shoreline of the bay, and can be found as far back as the feeder creeks. During this early season period they are munching on a smorgasbord of forage. Gizzard and threadfin shad, small minnows and crayfish are abundant in the warm, fresh running water. The rattletrap imitates most of these baitfish to a certain extent, especially the threadfin shad. The best color pattern to use this time of year includes: Black back and silver sides, blue back/silver, Tennessee shad and crayfish. The size of the lure depends on depth and how much vegetation encountered. With areas of heavy vegetation, opt for the ¾ ounce rattletrap, but for the majority of muskie fishing use the one-ounce version. The one-ounce rattletrap has larger split rings and bigger hooks, which makes it more adaptable for muskie fishing. Move them along a little quicker which allows you to cover more water. When you position your boat in very shallow water, attach the ¾ ounce model and use a high rod tip, lowering it as the lure comes closer to the boat, always keeping it in a good position for the hookset and finishing up each retrieve with a figure eight. The ¾ ounce rattletrap can also be fished a little slower.

As the water temperature climbs into the mid-fifties, muskies will be scattered throughout the bay, from the first break all the way to the very back. This is the optimum spawning temperature. Some fish have spawned, some are spawning and some of them are just reaching the shallows to spawn. This is the peak of rattletrap season and it will only last until the water temperature climbs into the mid 60's. When fishing this peak you will generally want to keep your boat hovering over eight feet of water and toss lures towards the shore. You need to watch the water for any type of movement as these noisy rattletraps will cause baitfish to flee and skitter on the surface. Sometimes you will notice large schools of shad running just in front of the lure. When you see this type of forage movement you can bet you are on the right spot. A fast retrieve combined with warming trends will set the plot for big numbers of muskies to be captured. This time of year does not produce the huge fish that fall is known for, but the quantity of fish is well worth the effort.