Heat

[RK]

Hiya -

Just a thought I wanted to pass on after talking to a couple guides I know today...

With the heat wave coming, and already high water temps, it's time to be extra careful about handling fish if you're planning on muskie fishing this weekend. One guide I spoke with had two releases today that were trouble - both fish took quite a while to go, and he's worried one of them flat out might not make it. Both of these fish were in water releases, no photo, no time out of the water. He's cancelling his guide trips for this weekend because of the heat.

Muskies seem like big, tough fish, but the reality is they're pretty wimpy when it comes to high water temps. With very high surface temps, releases can be a real problem. It's a high stress deal for the fish, and release stress is cumulative. Take high heat, add in unhooking and then a photo session on top of it...can end up in an unsuccessful release. I speak from experience...never again.

So consider that if you're after them this weekend. If you fish, please consider only in-water releases, and skip the out of water photo session. If you can, seriously consider putting off muskie fishing till the heat wave passes. I was planning on muskie fishing this weekend, but after talking to these guys today, I may fish bass instead (I know, sad deal, but...)

I'm not telling anyone not to fish, and I hope I'm not sounding preachy (these are the kinds of issues where I earn my 'elitist' label I get slapped with sometimes I suppose) but release in extreme heat can be really tough on fish, so all I'm asking is be aware of the high surface temps, and act accordingly. The idea is to have them swim off safe and sound...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[cliffy]

Perfect..that is the excuse I will use this weekend when I talk with my buddies. "Nah, I didn’t catch any muskies...wasn’t even trying due to the heat". But seriously, that is good advise......Thanks.

[RK]

Cliffy -

Hehehe..never thought of it that way. Funny thing is I was thinking of coming across the road to your lake to fish smallies

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[cliffy]

That might be a plan. I am going to be checking my trailer bearings and getting my stuff together...for my week long trip to Lake Vermilion. I probably will use the same excuse up there as well.....nothing better then camping when its 100 degrees outside.....here comes the swassssssss

[Pistol Pete]

RK is right, find something else to do. Crow season opens saturday, thats what I'm doing. Then walleyes Sunday. Muskies get the summer off till it cools down. Remember a 40 inch floater can't grow any bigger.

[RuKiddingMe]

Right on RK you "elitest" you... haha That cracks me up how people think that way when someone with a name speaks out about a resource that is special to them.

Good luck with the bait fish this weekend guys.

RU

[markkstanley]

My rule is over 76 no trolling over 80 no musky fishing at all. Go catch green carp. They aren't as affected by the heat. Or break out the ultralight and chase panfish. This weekend's heat may shut down my musky fishing until Sept but that's OK. The fish will still be there come fall

[38poundbeauty]

With water temperatures expected to climb fast this weekend, I would like to start targeting Northerns a little more....I live near Prior Lake and from what I've seen on here, its an okay Northern fishery??? Are there any other close lakes that would be worth fishing them?

[buzzsaw]

I have my planned out trip to Mille Lacs taking place this Friday and Saturday... Muskies are one of the species we are targeting... I'll have to take water temps and be real careful. Atleast the Walleyes and Smallmouth are abundant up there.

[cjac]

Wise man speaks........... dumb guy listens!!

Well said and well received Rob, thanks for the advice, and the muskies thank you. I'll keep the muskie rods in the rack and try flippin' some docks for bass.

[RK]

Hiya -

Just an update...water temps are REALLY high right now. I was out over the weekend and found 79-82 degree water pretty much all over. Ciscoes were dying off on the lake my cabin's on - first cisco die-off I've seen there since the late 1980s. Tells you something about what the water temps are like down there. Also talked to a couple guys I know (Walker area) and both reported anglers that had fish die on them - one on Portage Bay and one on Walker Bay of Leech. Another angler I know had a fish take a LONG time to swim off even with a water release on Friday night.

Until we get some cooler weather it's really past the gray line now where it's too hot to fish muskies, for me anyhow. I'm done muskie fishing till it cools off. Only time you'll hear me say it, but...everyone pray for a cold front.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[buzzsaw]

Was on Mille Lacs Friday and Saturday and it was 75.9 on the Lowrance LMS 332c. Didn't see any floaters.........

[38poundbeauty]

76 degrees wouldn't suggest that there SHOULD be any floaters. The lakes around here are 80 or better. That's when it gets dangerous to fish.

[WMRP Member]

RK has some good advice with temps where they are at right now.

[cliffy]

Just got back from a week on Vermilion...water temps were between 73-78 degrees...but I heard they were at 80 degrees the day before I arrived. I didn’t catch any muskies...but there were a lot of boats on the water...I think some type of muskie tournament was going on.....too many people for me..... Any ways, I saw one floater on Friday....big boy belly up. Sorta sad.

[cliffy]

I fished Big DL this morning and afternoon...water temp at 80 degrees. I saw two mid 40s ski floating belly up...very sad.....decided to go home...no need to stress out the remaining fish in these temps....

[BrianLucky13]

I was at DL all yesterday. I know for a fact that there was at least 9 skis that were caught. 3 I saw caught and 6 were caught by the league boys. One was caught about 50 yards from me and I went over there to see if they needed help and they said no(I could tell they didnt know what was going on.) Then I watched them have the fish out of the water for at least 10 min. I got mad and yelled at them after about the 20th piture at all different angles and all that stuff. So they tried releasing it and I left to go pick someone up at the dock and I went back about 45 minutes later and they were still trying to revive it. I am 100% sure that fish didnt make it!!!! It was also mid 40's!!! I almost cried!!

[solbes]

That is pretty sad. I don't usually fish for ski's, and I know I'd be pretty excited if I caught a nice one. But still you have to have some common sense about these things. Especially with the heat.