Early season

[no_bod]

I'm curious to know some early season tactics to increase my odds of boating a fish. Are these fish going to be suspended over deeper water chasing tullies, cruising shallows..?? What types of baits should I use? During this time of year, what kinds of structures should I key in on? I'm a newbie, any information at all would be greatly appreciated! Good luck to you guys and I look forward to any information provided, thanks.

[DHanson]

The only way you are going to find out is by going out there and trying it all. I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but it is the honest to god truth. Every year is different. This year it has been very cold compared to the average year. Try shallow first and if you are not seeing anything, try deep. Change lures constantly and see if you can find a pattern. Cold water usually means slow presentation. Good luck!

[Tim_Anderson]

A couple of good early season tactics are to try near or adjacent to their spawning areas, and to try the open water.

There will be some fish hanging near the shallow mucky bays where they spawn. Look for warmer water, and good early weed growth. I like to use smaller bucktails and spinnerbaits for this. Sometimes they're even in the really thick slop, and you can roust one out by using jigs or soft plastics fluttered down in the weed pockets.

Other fish will be in transition, and sometimes you can find them out in the open water. Smaller crankbaits are fine...8" jake for instance, but don't be afraid to try some bigger stuff as well.

Good Luck,

[porterhouse]

I always look for new weed growth first. I start out with small bucktails and gliders/ twitch baits. If that doesn't work I head out to open water. When I'm fishing open water at this time of the year I love throwing WTD lures. The muskies are mostly suspended high in the water so topwaters and shallow running baits are the

ticker here.

And if that doesn't work I go to my tackle boxes and try out my new baits I bought over the winter and play with those.

Brian

[RK]

Hiya -

Some good posts already...

Especially this year with a relatively cool spring, early season can really be a [PoorWordUsage] shoot. You can have fish up very very shallow, over sand or mud, fish on new weedbeds that are just starting to come up, plus, suspended fish chasing ciscoes or last year's perch and bluegill fingerlings. You really have to keep an open mind, and try a lot of different options. I fish fairly quickly, with something I can cast a LONG ways, and just hop from one potential pattern to the next throughout the day. One important thing is to keep checking back in on likely looking areas throughout the day, even if it was the dead sea earlier in the day or the day before. With water temps changing throughout the day as the water warms, you can have an area that's dead in the morning and rotten with fish in the afternoon...

As far as lures go, I usually don't downsize early on most years, but this year may be an exception with the late spring. Large bass-sized spinnerbaits, jigs, small bucktails and small twitch baits may be the order of the day...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[JRedig]

I think it has A LOT to do with the water your fishing and it's composition. Clear water vs dark water etc. This combined with the size of the lake will have a dramatic affect on the temperature of the lake, which is what I pay attention too. Out chasing eye's already this year, i've been on two lakes within 3 miles of each other that have a 10 degree difference in water temp on the same day.

HTH

Jeff

[no_bod]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for all the useful information. Good luck to all of you.

[Esox_Magnum]

Our season opened this past Wensday, while only 1 sub 30" boated we have had dozens follow. While the norms slow and small we have done the opposite and are thowing DCG's Super cowgirls, Mag Dawgs ect. For the most part not doing much slow working baits somewhat fast and hard. Water temps in the low 50's, gin clear water and throwing big loud baits, is it right? I don't know but its moving fish so we are sticking with it. Some have been moved out of deeper water some in the shallows. A hellhounds the smallest bait we have had a follow on, and we have tried small stuff.

[trimbelle22]

For the WI opener this last weekend we threw smaller bucktails and jerkbaits and we boated a few fish. Later in the morning I wanted to switch it up, so I threw a DCG and had a really hot follow from a 40+" fish, which is pretty big for the water I was fishing. So switch it up and see what fish are reacting to. Another thing is to try spots that aren't getting pressure. One shoreline had the sun warming it and the wind blowing in during the morning, but there were five or more boats that had already floated through it. So we went to the other side and boated three of our four fish.