Small Feeding Windows Are Often The Norm

Joe Bucher goes toe-to-toe at boatside with a big musky that slammed his lipless crankbait.

Make No Mistakes While Getting Kids Involved

The author and his sons take a break from casting for a team photo.

2019 In Review

Four Top Guides Reveal What Worked And What Didn’t During Last Season

On The Hunt With Soft Plastics (a.k.a. ‘Rubber')

Go steep & deep

Small Boats Can Work To A Musky Angler's Advantage

My boat is perfect for me. She’s the ideal craft for the northern Wisconsin lakes region I fish. My favorite lakes tend to be off the beaten path with tough access.

Stay Comfortable When Fishing In The Cold

As many of us musky fishing women know, fall fishing can be one of the most rewarding times because it’s when the “big girls” bite. The rewards of heavy hawgs of fall come with a price — cold, wet and windy weather.

Increase Your Hang Time & Catch More Fall Muskies

A prolonged pause by Joe with his GlideRaider over a sunken tree was the hang time needed to draw a response from the cover-tight fall musky.

Chasing Giants With Kids In Fall

When the leaves turn in Octo-ber and the water temperature drops below 60 degrees, it’s the right time to get my kids out and put them on a few muskies. Just like adults, kids can catch lots of muskies while casting baits and utilizing suckers with quick-set rigs. Sucker fishing has been a traditional tactic for many musky anglers in Wisconsin.

Add A Fly Rod To Your Fall Arsenal

When you start transitioning your gear to fall baits, heavier rods, sucker rigs and trolling gear, one thing you don’t want to leave behind is a fly rod. Interest in musky fly fishing has skyrocketed in recent years. You can go all-in and fly fish the entire day, or you can use it as a tool when you find an active fish that just won’t commit.

Cheap Musky Gear Costs More In The Long Run

“Muskies on a Budget” might seem like an oxy-moron. We know that musky fishing requires more investment than many sports. Nevertheless, there are options to avoid breaking the bank (or losing your mind).

Clearly A Time For Livebait

Livebait may be your best bet to catch a finicky giant from ultra-clear water.

Flow. Fall. Fish.

It’s upon us, that much anticipated turn of the calendar that cues the end of the season for paddleboarders and wakesurfers alike. That time of year when outdoorsmen are rewarded for months sharing woods and water. The days get shorter, the leaves oblige, and the muskies get hungrier. It’s fall in musky county.

Picking The Brain Of Andrew Gardner Of Melosh Lures

During the recent ICAST show I was able to catch up with one of the best (in my opinion) bait builders in the world, Andrew Gardner. I am betting that a lot of you have not heard much about Andrew, who is the mastermind behind Melosh Fishing Lures. Do yourself a favor and Google that right now ... you’ll be stoked you did!

Fall Fishing On Kentucky's Cave Run Lake

Football is in full swing and basketball is just around the corner. The beautiful oaks, poplars and other hardwoods are showing off their robust colors and muskies are on the prowl at Cave Run Lake. It’s fall in the Bluegrass State.

Cold Weather Considerations

Musky hunting in the fall is some of the best and most exciting fishing that exists. Although the temperatures are dropping, the potential for catching a true giant are not. For anglers, there is a bit of an adjustment period, coming from a summer of comfortable fishing in tolerable temperatures. The reality is the weather is what you make of it. Being prepared for all weather conditions is paramount to being able to stay on the water for that next cast.

The Dirt On Trolling

TROLLING HAS BEEN HOTLY DEBATED IN WISCONSIN FOR YEARS. RECENT CREEL CENSUS INTERVIEWS REVEAL NO DIFFERENCE IN CATCH RATES BETWEEN MUSKY TROLLERS AND CASTERS.

The Fall Of Giants

BE READY FOR THE FALL WEATHER ROLLERCOASTER ON LAKE ST. CLAIR AND YOU MAY CATCH A MONSTER OF YOUR OWN.

Chaos Tackle Continues Expanding Product Lineup

It’s the long, wiggling tails which muskies find hard to resist that give the Medussa its name.

Pushing Late Season Limits On Lac Seul

The allure of pursuing late season giants on northwest-ern Ontario’s Lac Seul has a unique risk to reward fac-tor. This sprawling lake is vast and remote. Cell service is gone before you even reach the Deception Bay boat launch.

Habitat

Researchers learn what types of woody cover muskies prefer.

Post-Spawn Patterns

The post-spawn period may not be the easiest time to fish for muskies, but with a few slight adjustments you can still succeed.

Monster At Moonrise

A reminder from a friend results in Joe’s largest fish of 2016.

3 Hot Summer Patterns

Bucktails, rubber & night fishing are as reliable of patterns as you will find during the heat of summer.

Last Chance Muskies

Winter is coming ... now is the time to hunt for a Great Lakes giant.

Consumption Vs. Trophy Fishing Can They Coexist?

Researchers try to answer if trophy musky fisheries can be developed where harvest occurs

A Case For Downsizing

A smaller lure may be the trick to get reluctant muskies to commit

The Weakest Link In Your Musky Set-up

Have you ever watched an autorace in which a driver seems tobe on his way to a sure victory but with a few laps to go his car breaks down and he’s out of the race? When they ask the driver what happened, you often hear him say something to the effect of “a 50-cent part cost us a sure victory.”

Off the Deep End for Giant Muskies

The northeastern United States is blessed with a hit list of big, deep-flowing rivers that connect all of the Great Lakes. Each one of these rivers is unique but they all have three things in common — deep water, current and good populations of trophy muskies.

Musky Casting Techniques For Kids

If I could be anywhere in the world, there’s no doubt I’d be on a boat with a musky rod in my hands. I’ve pretty much been fishing ever since I could balance on my own two legs.

The Flowage Advantage

Flowages, a.k.a. reservoirs, have beautiful shorelines and, usually, lots of big muskies. What’s not to like?