Fishing ‘Incorrectly' Leads To Great Crankbait Pattern

Four years ago when I started musky fishing in Kentucky and West Virginia, I was overwhelmed with the giant selection and size of the musky lures.

An Uncertain 2020, But An Exciting Future In Minnesota

As I write this article, Minnesota is in the middle of our stay-at-home order resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Secret To Setting Your Reel's Drag Perfectly

Setting the drag properly is one of musky fishing’s most misunderstood and overlooked necessities.

Plan To Relax So You Can Continue Fishing

There are many equipment options that can help an aging angler stay on the water longer. The first, suggested by a Musky Hunter subscriber who likes this column, is the bike seat.

Giving A Great Spot Time To Produce Pays Off

Late last summer, my good friend Chris Button and I took our annual vacation to get away from guiding for a few days and enjoy some great fishing, make some memories, and relax for a bit.

Understanding Muskies In Transition

The transition from summer to fall is one of the most important and productive musky times of the year. Water temperatures are falling and muskies begin making predictable transitions. This is a great time to catch some really big fish in some pretty fun ways.

To Grip Or Not To Grip

RESEARCH WITH OTHER SPECIES INDICATES LIP-GRIPPING TOOLS ARE INJURIOUS TO FISH

Keep It Clean, Keep It Inexpensive, Keep It Simple

It wasn’t much of a wave but as soon as we hit it, I noticed the foam coffee cup sitting next to my client shoot upward and arc gracefully into a back summersault before nosediving into the floor of the boat, distributing all of its contents onto the carpet. Even though the carpet had been treated with Scotchguard, I knew I had to wash it as soon as we stopped to fish.

Hot Bites During Cool-Down

MUSKY FISHING CAN BE GREAT AS WATERS COOL IN EARLY FALL

From The Back of The Room

THERE’S A LOT TO LEARN FROM ENTERING MUSKY TOURNAMENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE ELSE IS CASHING A CHECK

Sticking It Out In Prime Conditions Yields A Giant

Memorable catches stay with you, and I can think of a few, like the Immaculate Reception. Or pretty much every catch I made in high school and college. And of course, one particularly memorable musky catch.

The Lowdown On Wire Line Trolling For Muskies

There are many things that I love about musky fishing — the chase, the challenge of trying to catch them everyday, and the multitude of patterns and tactics that can be applied to catch these crazy fish. One of them is wire line trolling.

Picking The Perfect Boat For Midwest River Fishing

In Minnesota, the “Land of 10,000 “Lakes,” much of the population seems not to know the state has some of the finest musky rivers in the central United States.

Shed (Lure) Hunting

CAN FISH SURVIVE IF PARTS OF HOOKS AND/OR LURES ARE LEFT IN THEM?

Cast Control In Modern Baitcasting Reels

We see a lot of reels coming into our shop with cast-control issues, which is when the cast con-trol cap over the spool is tight but the spool continues to spin freely.

Motion Without Movement In Early Summer

There is nothing wrong with a few more muskies a year.

Leaders For Short-Line Trolling With Shad Baits

We often talk about how different leaders can affect the action of different lures. In most cases, we are talking about this in regard to casting, but it can also apply to trolling. Early in the year, short-line trolling can be very effective and is a lot of fun.

Early Season Muskies Of The Upper French River

The French River is a large watershed over 110 kilometers long with a 19,100-kilometer basin that flows from Lake Nipissing west to Georgian Bay in central Ontario.

Consider Taking Breaks With A ‘Resting Rod'

Welcome to the second installment of the Aging Angler series. We began with a modified approach to reduce stress and injury when casting heavy musky combos.

Basin Brutes

CRACK THE CODE OF OPEN WATER BEASTS

THE SHIELD

Pre-Season Plan To Catch Muskies After Season Opens

Scratch The Itch & Get Bit

THOUGHTS ON EARLY SEASON MUSKY FISHING IN THE UPPER MIDWEST

Rhythm of Rubber

WHEN FISHING SOFT PLASTIC BAITS, CADENCE & RHYTHM ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN TYPE, COLOR OR SIZE

RESERVOIR DOGS

Unlocking The Reservoir Pattern Code

Net Results

STUDY INDICATES TYPE OF NETTING USED MAY AFFECT SURVIVAL OF FISH

MUSKIES ON THE FLY

Fly Fishing’s Effectiveness — Post Birds & Bees

LADIES FIRST

Comparing Midwest Muskies To Southern Fish

BUCHER TALES

My Favorite Spring Musky Pattern

Stay In Your Lane: Canoe Control Is A Key To Rivers

The author caught this late season musky from the current break in the background. He and his partner steered the canoe through the rapids and then approached the targeted area from downstream.

Southern Winter Musky Options

TRAVEL SOUTH TO WHERE THE SEASON NEVER CLOSES AND GIANTS AWAIT