Muskies on Shamineau

[Muskyman88]

I need some help! I am going to Shamineau this weekend with a bunch of guys for short trip. Some of us will fish muskies and others will fish for whatever they can. I have fished Alexander numerous times and have two 43 inchers in 2 trips this year. Never fished Shamineau before and I could use a couple of tips and/or general locations to get me started! Thanks fellow muskie hunters!

[shamalex72]

The reeds on the west end, the Bible Camp area, and around the big island are good places to try. But, this is coming from a guy who has yet to catch one out there this year

[CaptainMusky]

The Hay Days of Shamineau musky fishing is long over. Contacting fish out there is much harder than it was 10 years ago.

But, they are much nicer fish now.

Like ShamAlex said the whole area around the island is good. The West side of it has a large flat with steep drop that runs perpendicular to the island. There are weeds on the edge of this drop. Its a good spot.

I would try the reeds on the West end, but go right up in them and cast spinnerbaits. Or bulge bucktails through the reeds. This works well as the water temp starts dropping.

Otherwise, its much like Alex with its super clear water, but there is nowhere near the structure that Alex has. Pretty much a weedline scenario on this lake, but there is lots of nice cabbage out there.

[Muskyman88]

Thanks for the tips! Regardless of catching fish or not, we will be having fun! There are 11 of us staying on the church camp island. Mostly young adults with a couple of dads. Will let you know how it goes.

[Muskyman88]

Thanks Captain! I'll let you know how it goes!

[Musky Buck]

Good lake, last 2 years actually last 15 years we've taken many pictures out there, but there are tricks to that lake, meaning when fish are up and active that's when we all want to be on the water, but schedules and etc. force us to fish when we can, glad I've fished that lake for 23 years, that helps a lot. Thing is, this time of year weather related but there's usually a feeding window or 2 during the day and it may not correlate to anything with moon or whatever, all of a sudden you have a half hour to stick as many as possible, don't admire the first fish you get too long, get back casting asap. The only sad note, a lakeshore owner claims last year he found more dead muskies on his lakefront than he'd seen in the previous 10 combined why or what happened who knows. Maybe just wind direction I don't know. It is fair to think with the quadrupling of pressure that more fish might not make it, but there's plenty left and he said it was in the 15-20 dead fish range, good luck fishing ! I'll be folding honkers !

[CaptainMusky]

I think water temps had a big impact on mortality of released fish this year.

Sept is really the best time on Shamineau in my experience. Several multiple fish days in Sept even recent years.

Top waters and spinnerbaits dropped through the tall cabbage produced for me.

Walk the dog topwaters have been better than prop style baits. Lots of jackpot and viper fish out of there.

I plan to be out there on Sept 27th which is the highest activity based on lunar tables in over a month. I love the new moon, get moonrise/moonset to correspond to sunrise/sunset and you have a special day.