When do you back off?

[Scoot]

Question for you guys and gals out there who chase muskies: when do you back off the structure and get a little further out from the break? Also, when you back off, what lures/presentations do you use?

On a lake I spend a lot of time on, I tend to spend a good deal of time with my boat in about 18 feet of water casting to about four feet of water. When should I back out and have my boat in 28 feet of water and cast to 10 or 12 feet of water? When I do that, what lures should I be using and how deep should I be trying to find fish at?

[AWH]

Scoot,

The same lures you're using in shallow water will work over deep water, even top water. When to try deeper? Not to make it overly simple, but, when you're not contacting fish I would definitely look to deeper water in the scenario you've laid out. Another thing to try is to simply turn around and cast from 18 feet and out to deeper water. A good way to gain confidence in fishing deeper water is to fish just as you have been...casting from 18 up to 4...and then simply making a cast in the opposite direction every so often. Every other cast, every 5, whatever you need to do. I don't think there's a time of year when you won't have fish in that deeper water.

Aaron

[cjac]

Aaron makes a great yet simple point, there are fish out the other side of the boat too.

On days I'm lucky enough to move a few, I key on what depth they're relating to then go parallel if there is a consistent pattern. Last time out 11-12 fow was key, so we found that and threw more parallel along that depth range. Not sure-fire, but you can get a general feel if they're moving more off deeper or shallower water. If no rhyme or reason, I keep on working the depth ranges.

Jigs, plastics (Dawgs), and spinnerbaits help to cover various depths. Don't overlook sticks and cranks, they can be twitched across shallow and cranked a few times will get down deeper. Suicks, with their dive 'n' rise movement and tail/eyelet modifications can also be used to work the water collumn. Had fun playing with the suick and a pliers last time out too.

Chris

[10,000 Casts]

Scoot,

I guess there are alot of different factors to how I work a shoreline break so I will ramble a bit here. I think that the typical 8-14 fow "Muskie Zone" is over fished. On the lake that I think that you are talking about, it is easy to find yourself running the T Motor at a constant 14-18 feet and all the way around the (Contact Us Please) thing and casting in. On alot of days, I like running off the edge a ways and casting in. On bright sunny high pressure calm days, the fish have to be somewhere if they aren't up shallow... If the area is really getting pounded I like to run out deep. Midlake humps and Rockpiles, I will always work out deeper first and make my way in, then if we move fish on the shallow rock piles I like to work off the edges say 100 feet out again before I leave the spot. A like a couple deep saddles on your lake and if you are striking out on the main break, they are worth a look. I like to throw Bulldawgs #1, because the sink and they look like a tasty cisco and they are easy to reel. I had alot of luck on Cyco Spinners this year in 20-30 fow casting from 8-14 fow. 2-3 oz Spinner Baits in general are great, ERC makes a 5oz Grinder that will get ya down there, 5oz and a willow blade will really get ya down there. I am not much of a crankbait guy but I do like jointed depth raiders. Cowgirls can run deep and they have been know to catch a fish or two, they really don't have to run that deep. In my boat, when working off the break, I will be throwing a Bull or Helli Dawg and the guy in the back will be throwing a Cowgirl. There is a guy that trolls Cowgirls all over your lake and thats all he does and rumor has it that he puts 30-40 fish in the boat a year. Pretty boring to me but whatever works.

To sum up my rambling, I think that the "Muskie Zone" is over fished. On spots that have been getting pounded, its a good idea to move out a bit. The more I think I know about Muskies and the weather, something proves me wrong and I think that anytime can be a good time to move out and work deeper.

[RK]

Hiya -

OK so I finally have time to sit back and think about this a little (Deer hunting, hockey practice, magazine deadlines, holiday stuff, fishing...gah. It's a wonder I find time to go to work )

I back off when:

- Fish have been moving pretty good but a cold front shuts them down. Cast out from the break, or move off a cast length and cast in. Sometimes it's like they want to be in on the weedline and up on the flat so bad they can't stay away, but conditions are bad enough that they slide out into nearby open water a little.

- Intense pressure pushes fish out off of popular spots. Kind of the same phenomenon as above. They want to be on the spot on the spot, but get harassed out of it. They either go inside, or outside.

- early evenings when fish are moving in to shallow spots. Have shallow spots where fish just 'appear' at prime time? Guess where they are the rest of the time.

- Early season when baitfish like swarms of bluegills are suspended off the weedline.

- Still, early mornings when it's been hot during the day. Dark phase of photosynthesis depletes oxygen on the flats maybe? Whatever it is, if fish aren't where you put them to bed, look outside the breaks (or shallow on sand - heh).

- When conditions are good but the fish aren't where they're supposed to be.

What's interesting about fish moving out to nearby open water is they suspend at about the level of the tops of the weeds, just like crappies do, even if they're anywhere form 30-100 yards off the break. Real easy to fish below them.

When I think fish are doing this, more often than not, out come the planer boards... Run stuff 3' down, 10' behind the board.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm