Musky Habit Questions

[bonefish]

I just came back from a weekend at Lake vermillion, and witnessed something I've never seen before. We had 2 groups of Musky around the dock all weekend. One had 2 fish (one was mid 30's other was easily over 40" ) and another group with 3 (I didn't see this group myself, so I don't know the size). These fish were nearly beaching themselves on and off all day. In fact, they were so shallow, that their backs were typically out of the water. Just sitting side by side, actually touching each other, in less than a foot of water. I'm assuming that they were there for the warmth since the sun was out, and were probably preparing to spawn - although this area didn't seem like a good spot for that with minimal structure or weeds in the area.

I thought Musky traveled alone. Is it common for them to travel together pre spawn?

Do males follow females around just waiting for them to deposit their eggs? I'm assuming the larger was a female, and it looked like nothing was going to get the smaller one to break away from it's side.

[BigGrassBass]

Actually muskies will congregate around the same area if there is a reason to be there. I wouldn't call it "schooling" like panfish but they do hang out in lose groups. Many people think they are loners because they usually have low population density's and it only seems like they are loners. I've seen it quite a few times in lakes like Vermillion that have decent populations.

I'm sure they were shallow because of the spawn but finding them in lose groups throughout the year is not that uncommon.

[DHanson]

They are preparing to spawn. Let them be.

[lucy1205]

probably just sunning, not spawning. and d hanson says leave em alone, untill june seventh and then pound em.

[JRedig]

Man, i'd love to watch that. I was out on metro water early this year and consistently trying to find spawning fish, but didn't see any.

Any idea on those water temps on Vermillion?

[bonefish]

Any idea on those water temps on Vermillion?

Water temps in Big Bay was upper 40's. In the bay where these musky were, it was low 50's while the sun was shining.

[RK]

Hiya -

The certainly do group together, throughout the season. It can vary from a few fish using the same areas, to loose schools around baitfish. Sometimes, it can be a LOT of fish in one area.

A number of years ago - almost 20 - I was guiding some walleye fishermen on a lake near Bemidji. It was May and we'd just had a wicked cold front. We were jigging walleyes on an inside turn off a big flat, and one of my clients stood up to stretch. The he said "wow, there's a heck of a log pile up there isn't there?" I said "Ahh, no...it's all weeds," then stood up to see what he was looking at. Up in the corner of the inside turn, right at the lip of the break (which went from 7 to about 18 feet) was a swarm of muskies, just laying there. We drifted over it, and our best guess was between 30 and 40 fish that ranged from 10 to what looked like 35 pounds. My only guess is they had just moved up into the shallows and were chased off by the cold front, and just retreated back to the break to wait for the weather to sort out. It was really something to see.

As to why they were running up to shore, who knows? Muskies are weird...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[cjac]

Here's a pic from a couple years ago sent by muskiedanno, taken on Mille Lacs. Still one of my favorite pics.......

bonefish: Look similar to what you saw this past weekend?

[PDXFisher]

You guys think muskies are weird? We just had a ball of sturgeon some 60,000 strong (conservative estimate) with fish up to 14' long not far from where I live. It was below the dam on the Columbia, from sonar they thought the earth under the dam was eroding into a huge debris pile. Nope, it was a mass of sturgeon.

[bonefish]

Yep, that looks EXACTLY like what I saw. I think we got some pics too. I'll post if we do.

[BigGrassBass]

cjac:

That is one cool pic! I've now got it as the backround on all 8 computers I use at work!

Thanks man!

[Dances with Walleye]

I just came back from a weekend at Lake vermillion, and witnessed something I've never seen before. We had 2 groups of Musky around the dock all weekend. One had 2 fish (one was mid 30's other was easily over 40" ) and another group with 3 (I didn't see this group myself, so I don't know the size). These fish were nearly beaching themselves on and off all day. In fact, they were so shallow, that their backs were typically out of the water. Just sitting side by side, actually touching each other, in less than a foot of water. I'm assuming that they were there for the warmth since the sun was out, and were probably preparing to spawn - although this area didn't seem like a good spot for that with minimal structure or weeds in the area.

I thought Musky traveled alone. Is it common for them to travel together pre spawn?

Do males follow females around just waiting for them to deposit their eggs? I'm assuming the larger was a female, and it looked like nothing was going to get the smaller one to break away from it's side.

Outside of Pre-Spawn, Musky will make what I call "Wolf Packs" on certain hot structures at certain times...

But I rarely see this...

In the spring...

A Male and a Female are almost always attached to each other...

In fact last year I was pan fishing during the Musky Prespawn, in their spawning area on one of my secret Musky lakes...

We saw a pair... Male bumping the female like crazy...

So after watching them in sill silence for a couple of minutes we picked up to leave them alone... And ended up spooking them.

WOW do they move fast!!!

As we were heading out of the bay, something hit the bow mount trolling motor... There's a splash... I look and there's a dazed male on my starboard side and a female streaking away to port...

Sure enough as we were coming out the Muskies were coming back in...

With the boat in his face, the Male Chose to stay by the female and he bounced off the head unit of my trolling motor. I mean they say Musky aren't afraid of boats... But Holy Cripes I didn't think it was that serious!

Happily the male was only mildly momentarily stunned and shot right back in the direction of the female.