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 Early season musky fishing requires long casts with slow
retrieves. Cold-water means musky are lethargic and in the shallows
where they find warmer water. Keeping your distance is necessary as
these shallow-water fish spook easily. Mepps Musky Killers or the
Mepps Marabou will trigger strikes.
Muskies will also hit smaller lures at this time. Mepps Aglias and
Aglia longs are good choices for early-season musky fishing. Try
fishing either a #3 or a #4 Aglia with a silver or gold blade. A
dressed or even a plain #4 Aglia Long with a goldbo or rainbow scale
blade can also be very effective at this time. Fishing with
down-sized spinners is common among seasoned musky fishermen during
early season, but fishing plain spinners is not that common and it's
smaller profile just could be your ticket to success.
Use top-quality light-weight leaders with ball-bearing swivels.
Ten-14-pound-test line is best. The heavier line used later in the
season is okay for fishing Mepps Giant Killers but a poor choice for
smaller lures. Take the time to play the fish. With the spring
oxygen levels high you'll have no problem releasing your catch
safely.
 End of June and throughout July
- Use Mepps
Musky Killers and the Mepps Marabou to work weed bed edges adjacent
to deep water, especially weeds growing on under water points and
sunken islands. The best times to fish are sunup to 8 a.m. and from
6 p.m. until dark. This should have you fishing when the lake isn't
"busy," and the fish are on the feed.
Whenever
possible, do not use your boat motor. If the area you're going
to fish is within rowing distance, then row. If not use an electric
trolling motor. If you must run your outboard shut it off two
hundred yards from the area you want to fish, drifting into the
area, rowing or using your trolling motor. You could be the only
fisherman on the water so remaining as quiet as possible is the key
to being undetected by active prowling fish.
White bucktails with silver blades fished in the first hour of
morning daylight and last hour in the evening can be deadly. The
genuine silver plating on Mepps blades will flash bright white even
in low light. The second hour after daylight in the morning and two
hours before dark try hot colors. At mid-day, fish gold blade with a
black or brown tail, they provide a good silhouette for the fish to
see in both direct and indirect sun light.
During the summer, on shallow lakes with an algae bloom, water
clarity is reduced. Under these conditions use bright blades with
black tails. Hot colored blades can be extremely effective.
Late summer and early fall, when the heaviest fish are most
active, it's time to break out the "big guns." This is the time for
fishing large tandem bucktails, the Mepps Magnum Musky Killer and the Musky Marabou. It's time to
fish deep lakes that develop a thermocline in July or August. The
thermocline forms during summer when three layers of water with
different temperatures and oxygen contents develop. The top layer is
formed by warm surface water, the middle layer is cooler with the
most oxygen (thermocline), while the bottom layer accommodates the
least oxygen and is the coolest.
Its the oxygen-abundant middle layer that holds active fish from
late summer to early fall. However,
reaching even this middle layer can require a deep presentation.
Tandem Giant Killers, Magnum Musky
Killers or the Mepps Musky Marabou are perfect for these waters. A
good color combination for deep, clear-water fishing is a silver or
hot chartreuse blade with a dark tail. Hot firetiger is also an
excellent choice.
 September and early October means a progressive lowering of
overnight temperatures creating lake turnover. One week prior to
this turn over, action can be furious. Once the three layers have
blended fishing can become tough. Continue fishing tandem Giant
Killers, Magnum Musky Killers and Mepps Musky Marabou's. Work weed
bed edges, shallow rock & gravel bars, break lines, and point drop
offs. These areas hold active fish. Finding green weeds in October
can be the key to your success.
November is a time many musky anglers switch to fishing live
bait... large 12-20" suckers. These trophy fish, however, are also
quick to
chase down a Mepps Giant Killer Tandem,
Magnum Musky Killer
or Mepps Musky Marabou, as these large-profile spinners are very
easily seen.
Vary your Retrieve - No matter what the season, when you see
a fish following your lure, slowly speed up your retrieve and work
the rod tip to alter the lure's direction. Try taking it away from
the fish. Modify your retrieve. Give three fast cranks on the reel,
then one or two slower cranks. The pulsing retrieve will cause the
shape of the bucktail or marabou tail to change. The tail will be
more filled out during the slow retrieve stage and narrowed down on
the fast cranks. This tactic repeatedly triggers fish to strike, and
is usually more effective than figure eights. Besides, it is always
better the have a fish hit your lure away from the boat rather than
next to it. 
Terminal Tackle
- Always fish with top quality terminal tackle, especially line and
leaders. Premium ball bearing swivels are a must. 7-Strand wire
leader works well. Long leaders are not necessary. Ten-to-twelve
inch leaders will do the trick. Keep your hooks sharp, but be
careful sharpening them. Never file them below the barb. Filing a
hook below the barb can weaken weaken it, causing it to break when
stressed. The best way to sharpen any hook is with a Mister Twister
Cone Hone hook sharpener.
After 20 to 30 minutes of
casting cut off about two feet of line and re-tie your lure. The
casting of any heavy lure creates abrasion. These tips can help you
connect with the fish of a lifetime. When you do, remember to practice catch and release.
For more information on Mepps Musky
lures check out the following links:
Mepps
Musky Killer
Mepps
Magnum Musky Killer
Mepps
Giant Killer
Mepps Marabou
Mepps Musky Marabou |
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