opener's tactics.

[ole matty]

was wonderin what's will be everyone's tactics/stragey of fishin for opener this wknd? i had done some reading books, mags, fm.com its seem everyone have different opinions of fishin for muskie in early season. as for my questions which part i shld hit first to search for muskie? open water, weedlines, breakline, shallows to check for spawn muskie or postspawn.. and methods. fish really slow or run n gun with trusty bucktail n/ or propeller baits? or swimbaits/jigs combo??? sorry for to much questions. although i wld love to hear yours opinions.....

[DUCKJ]

Ill be starting on the outside weed line fishing med size bucktails trying to find some active fish. If I do find some and no takers. Ill go back over with small to med size twich/cranks to see if that will work. If no fish ill try shallow and repeat. If no fish ill venture out into open water and either pull or toss some larger baits. Its a run and gun but working much slower. Picking apart every spot on the spot. Every year is diffrent so you got to be willing to change your game plan as needed. Top water will probably get thrown a time or two as well.

Duck

[JRedig]

I think i'm gonna go fishing, good tactic! :-D

[PDXFisher]

Well, I'm starting out around Hayward and have had a heck of a time the past few days. Weather has been pretty poor. I've had two follows and two strikes, though I'm not sure what. The follows were on a Lily Tail and a Mepps 5. Strikes were on a Jig/reaper and chatterbait. I'm trying to fish as slow as possible, which I'm pretty bad at.

I'd like to troll more as a search method, but that's not easy in Wisconsin. Two of the lakes that allow trolling (LCO and Grindstone) probably aren't as turned on as the other lakes since they're so clear and colder. I've heard the fish are up way shallow, but I haven't really found them there. I got the follows on deep weed edges just outside of bays, near a point.

Still trying to decide if I want to come back to MN for opener or keep grinding it out in Wisconsin. I must say, it's much harder to take a lack of success when you know the majority of fish that are snubbing your efforts are so much smaller than you're used to. I mean, I'm working this hard for fish in lakes where they average 26 inches? Blecch. That said, I'd take anything at this point, that's why I gotta try "numbers" lakes for once. I'm not shaving till the Big Kahuna gets its first slime. I'm way past Don Johnson. If I get to ZZ Top, somebody just put me out of my misery.

[MuskieSlayer]

I think i'm gonna go fishing, good tactic! :-D

Yeah, that's a good plan. I've been too busy to fish this year, but that will change this weekend.

I plan to spend more time on the water than I usually do. Like others, I also plan to cover some water with small to medium sized bucktails. I'll also be slowly working plastics and glides over my hot spots that should be holding fish now. A little luck would be nice too.

Good luck to everyone this weekend.

[MUSKY18]

I will start off in the shallower to mid range depths, more than likely looking around the points and other spots that are adjacent to typical spawning areas. Try to catch the fish that are still hanging around these areas after the spawn. Most productive lure that I have found on opener has been a Blue Fox Musky Buck #5 (black hair/silver blade). If I can find some fish (follows), I will probably do similar to Duck and come back at them with a Shallow Invader twitched. Also will throw some jerkbaits and work them slowly. Suicks and Bobbies are great for this as you can work them down and then let them float back up almost to the surface before working them back down.

[ole matty]

Thanks for response I think I ll start out in shallows then work back to weedlines... good luck everyone don't forget to charge yur battery, fill up boat with gas, recheck the spools n etc...and last thng of all. Have fun!

[Rebel9921]

Other good tactic to try would be to have the boat in the shallow by the dropoffs and cast out towards the deep water... Thats what I would have done...

JRedig definitely got a good tactic there

[ole matty]

Oh really cast into deep? Wow never know abt that till now!....... thanks larry!.....

[BigGrassBass]

Don't forget about the inside weedline in 1'-3' of water! The bass and panfish are spawning right now and the muskies can pick off an easy meal up there!!!!!

[JRedig]

Don't forget about the inside weedline in 1'-3' of water! The bass and panfish are spawning right now and the muskies can pick off an easy meal up there!!!!!

You do realize that is completely lake dependent...

[BigGrassBass]

Or Independant (hint, hint)

[50inchpig]

LOL BG, good stuff. I'm starting shallow, then going deep, and letting everyone else pound it inbetween! I'm committed to my 3 hours of open water fishing and will probably stretch it longer if it's a zoo out there.

[Rebel9921]

Oh really cast into deep? Wow never know abt that till now!....... thanks larry!.....

You're very welcome, Matty...

[BID2]

ARGH!!!!!

Lets start this thing already!!!!!

Less than 2 DAYS!!!

[setterguy]

The more I think I learn about muskies, the more i realize I don't know diddily squat. When I think they should be shallow we see them on deep drops, when I think they should be on weedlines I find them on rocks. I'm going out Sunday morning, usually a little quieter out there, and see what we can see. Good luck everyone heading out tomorrow.

[MUSKYMAN1011]

I'm fishing real shallow and then going a little deeper and then going even deeper.

The fish should be in shallow or deeper water or somewhere in between. I'll work the 2 foot to 50 foot break lines, looking for the best tactics to use...;-)

Best of luck !

Brian

[BigGrassBass]

I'm going bass fishing. It never fails!

I always do this on 'Ski opener. I'll pound the traditional Muskie areas for the first half of the day and then, when I get frustrated and just want to catch something, I'll go shallow water bass fishing. Of course, while I'm bass fishing, I'll hook into a 'Ski. It's been going exactly that way for 3 years in a row and I've boated a 'Ski every year with my 6' MH rod, 12lb mono, and a 7" texas rigged black power worm.

You should try it...

[cjac]

I think I'm going to change things up a bit.......

Windy and rain in the forecast, so I'm going to one of the smaller metro tiger lakes and bringing the bass gear too. With the water temps, late spring, opener traffic, and another unstable weather pattern I'm not going at it too hard this weekend.

At least that's my game plan right now, it may change again in the next 12 hours!

[JRedig]

Welp, my plans are shot. Boat has had a massive wiring failure, no bow or stern lights. I'm torn between making it work for tonight or doing it right and ripping all the previous owners wiring out. (he did a TERRIBLE job of it)

Gah, timing is everything, maybe it'll fix itself while i'm at work today....or maybe i'll just have to wait till first light in the morning. Stupid equipment.

-JR

[BigGrassBass]

Go to Wallyworld and buy a set of those battery operated clamp on lights. Then later you can re wire the whole boat but you have these as a back up plan! Pick up a headlamp if you need one and you're good to go!

[JRedig]

Go to Wallyworld and buy a set of those battery operated clamp on lights. Then later you can re wire the whole boat but you have these as a back up plan! Pick up a headlamp if you need one and you're good to go!

Too funny, great advice! I found some of those lights at lunch today and got them. Onward with the important stuff, i'll rewire the boat next winter!!

-Jeff

[BigGrassBass]

Jeff,

Your welcome! I've been fishing on a tight budget for over 20 years. It's amazing what you can come up with!

"It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to work."