Where to find Muskies
For someone new to Muskie hunting or even seasoned veterans, it may be frustrating to locate a Muskie hangout. Muskies are very moody creatures and even if you find them, it doesn't mean you'll catch one! I'm going to discuss my best method of finding Muskies to help your odds of getting one on the business end of your line.
FIND THE BAIT-FISH!!! Muskies are simple in the fact that they swim, eat, and make baby Muskies. Find the food, find the Muskie! With a simple inexpensive depth/fish finder you can locate schools of bait-fish. There are many brands of depth finders available. I prefer Lowrance. It's just what I'm used to. For those who don't have or can't afford a depth/fish finder, often you will find them around some type of structure or cover such as, docks, stumps, weeds, etc.. It is possible to locate them a little deeper in the water column around break lines where shallow water drops into deeper areas. This is a classic spot that Muskies will suspend deeper under the schools of bait-fish, waiting to ambush their next meal.
Think of it like this. Muskies can be patterned just like a whitetail deer. When you find a deer in the woods, visiting a feeding spot, you will often be able to return and find them there again. Muskies are not very different. Even though you may not see the exact same fish, there are factors in play that caused that Muskie to be in that location. Mark that spot as a way-point, make a note on a map, or if you have the ability, make a mental note. Return to that spot later, and you will likely catch one. To consistently find Muskies a good pattern must be established. This can only be done from spending time on the water trying to find them. You can cut your time down by looking at a map before you get to that body of water. Studying these maps will give you an idea of places you want to check. A website I use is Navionics. They have maps of many lakes and rivers, a lot of them have depth and structure markings which is a really good advantage when preparing for the hunt!
If you put these things together and apply it with regular outings you will be able to "stay on top of the Muskies". There are other pattern tips I will discuss in a later blog. For now, I feel that this is a good start. Seasonal patterns, storm fronts, moon rise/set, water temperatures and a myriad of other things all play an important role in Muskie moods/patterns. This blog can't possible discuss all of these at once, so please check back for more information.
Keep that lure in the water!
-Muskie Kid
