Category Archives: Muskie and Northern Pike

EARLY SUMMER MUSKY STRATEGIES

St Croix Rod Pros Offer EARLY SUMMER MUSKY STRATEGIES

June 13, 2023

Early-Summer Musky Strategies

Top musky sticks share tips on finding and hooking more fish during June and July

While anglers in states like Indiana and West Virginia have been targeting Esox masquinongy since ice out, others in key musky states like Wisconsin and Minnesota have been anxiously awaiting their season openers. Musky season opens June 3 in Minnesota and between May 6 and June 1 in Wisconsin, depending on location. 

St. Croix pros Rob Manthei of Wisconsin, Brad Hoppe of Minnesota, and Chase Gibson of West Virginia all make a living chasing muskies. We asked each of them to share their insights and strategies for finding and hooking muskies during the months of June and July.

Rob Manthei, Northern Wisconsin

St. Croix Pro Staff Rob Manthei

Rob Manthei has fished the fabled musky waters of Vilas, Oneida, and Iron Counties in Northern Wisconsin all of his life and has guided clients there for 28 years. He says specific strategies at season open depend on the weather and water temperatures. 

“Every musky angler in Wisconsin is at the mercy of our May weather patterns,” Manthei says. “In a normal year we’ll often have a mid-May spawn here in Northern Wisconsin, but it’s been a late spring so I’m expecting we may still have some spawning going on into early June.” 

Muskies are broadcast spawners, meaning they pair up, spawn, and lay their eggs in shallow, soft-bottomed areas when water temperatures reach the mid-to-upper-50-degree range. “During a late spring like we’ve had this year, everything with the spawn tends to happen more quickly once it starts,” Manthei says. “The spawn will last from five days to two weeks, then the fish move out of the shallow spawning bays and into adjacent key transition areas. I’ll be looking around those shallow spawning bays for any emerging weed growth, wood, or boulders along the shoreline.” 

Manthei says the general rule is smaller presentations for post-spawn muskies, but he regularly bucks that trend. “I let the fish tell me what they want,” he says. “If I see muskies grabbing my 13”-15” walleyes prior to the opener, that tells me I can come out of the gate with a bigger presentation. Generally, though, I’m sticking to 6”-7” minnow baits and smaller ¾-ounce to 1-1/2-ounce single-blade bucktails. I really like twitching small minnow baits and small gliders in the early days of the season.” 

Manthei says an 8’ or 9’ medium-heavy power rod like the St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky LMTSC90MHF GRINDER or LMTSC80MHF TOP-N-TAIL excels in these smaller-bait presentations. “These Legend Tournament models are well balanced and cast even a ¾-ounce bait a mile,” says Manthei, who completes his downsized bait system with a 6.4:1 reel spooled with 65-pound or 80-pound Seaguar Threadlock braid. 

“By late June, I’ll typically also start looking to bigger lakes with healthy cisco populations,” Manthei says. “A lot of muskies will move out after the spawn and suspend, fattening up on ciscoes. I use side imaging or Active Target on my Lowrance to look for the suspended bait and predators in the first open basins adjacent to the spawning bays. “They’re easy to find with electronics, but if you don’t have them, just focus on the top ten feet of the water column,” Manthei advises. “Most times the bait will only be 5’-9’ down, and it may push even closer to the surface in the evening.”

Some of the baits Manthei regularly employs in such situations include a Musky Innovations Magnum Swimmin’ Dawg swim bait or a suspending, diving crank like the Drifter Triple D or Livingston Rachel. 

“You’re basically just using an open-water retrieve with the swimbait; just count it down to your target depth and start cranking steady with some occasional brief bursts with the reel handle,” Manthei says. “With the lipped diving baits, you just want to crank it down to depth, then give it a big twitch and pause. Make the bait appear injured.” For these open-water presentations with full-sized baits, Manthei casts a heavy power Legend Tournament Musky LMTSC86HF SLING BLADE or LMTSC90HF BIG NASTY rod.

He says the suspended basin bite on the lakes he fishes remains strong through mid-July, although the fish may push deeper depending on temperatures and the thermocline. 

Weed flats and edges also come into play for Manthei by the end of June and the start of July. “The cabbage beds have matured on most of my favorite lakes by then,” he says. “I always fish the 7’-to-12’ green cabbage beds first, but the coontail will hold a lot of fish once it matures as well.” Manthei studies the composition and contours of each bed, looking for prime, predator-holding ambush spots like inside turns, points, and pockets. He may fish big bucktails, large jerk baits, glide baits, or other offerings in and around the weeds, depending on the situation at hand.

Brad Hoppe, Minnesota

St. Croix Pro Staff Brad Hoppe

Brad Hoppe has owned and operated Musky Mayhem Guide Service in the waters of West-Central Minnesota for the past 23 years and owns Musky Mayhem Tackle with his wife, Carrie. He also hosts Mayhems 10K Casts TV on KOTV, Roku, and YouTube along with co-host Chase Gibson. 

“Musky season opens the first Saturday of June in Minnesota,” the St. Croix pro says. “This year, that’s June 3, and the spawn should have happened by then. When we get this late but rapid warm-up, spawning usually only lasts for 7 or10 days, so even if it’s still happening during the opener, chances are it won’t last long.” 

Hoppe says he typically looks for two things in the month of June. “As fish wrap up spawning, I’m looking for transition areas close to those shallow spawning grounds,” he says. “Those first breaks towards deeper water, early cabbage lines, sand and gravel… stuff like that.” 

Like Manthei, Hoppe says he often cuts against the grain of conventional early-season musky thinking and opts to cast big baits. “Right after the spawn, those fish haven’t eaten,” he says. “So, I’ll go big and slow down to offer them a really big and easy meal.” 

Hoppe most often finds himself casting giant spinnerbaits like Musky Mayhem Double Cowgirls and Detonators, as well as large rubber baits on a St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky 9’6” heavy power BLADEMASTER II rod (LMTFC96HFT). “I’ll slow the retrieve way down on the blade baits and minimize speed and action on the rubber lures as well… really just small hops on a slow retrieve,” he says, adding that the full cork and EVA handle and GRASP reel seat on the BLADEMASTER II help to alleviate the fatigue that can otherwise limit efficiency when casting and retrieving such large, water-resistant lures. “This rod is incredibly light in the hand for such a big, powerful stick,” he says. “And the ergonomics of the GRASP reel seat and hybrid full-handle design only add to its unique capabilities.”

St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky Rod

The second thing Hoppe looks for in June is suspended fish. “I always look forward to this, especially with some of my older clients who have trouble casting for long periods of time,” he says. “Open-water trolling is very effective in lakes with whitefish and cisco populations during the early summer. The muskies push out after spawning and set up around the schools of suspended bait.”  Hoppe says a variety of lures are effective for open-water trolling and often chooses baits based on forage species and the depth where they’re located. “We’re usually dragging bigger plugs like 10” and 12” Supernatural Headlocks and Matlocks, 13” Grandmas, or 10” Phantom Hex on St. Croix Mojo Musky Trolling rods. These heavy and extra-heavy power moderate action rods are crafted from a hybrid of SCII carbon and linear s-glass, so they are incredibly durable, which is what you need when a big musky crashes a giant plug that’s already got the rod loaded up. I’ll run the shorter 7’ rods as down rods and the longer ones on the planer boards.” 

Hoppe says the thermocline starts to develop in many of the lakes he fishes around the beginning of July. “Once that happens, I stop targeting suspended fish, because they often come up to hit the plugs from a little too deep and I don’t want to compromise a safe release,” he says. “Instead, I’ll position the boat in 20’ of water or so and start casting to 8’-12’ primary break lines. Sideview or live sonar will show you when open-water fish start moving in towards these weed lines, but the transition is usually complete by mid-July.” 

Hoppe says baits vary from day to day, depending on the cover, the mood of the fish, and available forage. “If the muskies are hanging deeper, I’ll use a Musky Mayhem Grenade,” he says. “This is a 13”, five-ounce weight-forward tail-bladed spinner specifically designed for fishing deep weed edges. The depth is key; Using my electronics I can confirm where fish are hanging and use other lures like Red October tubes, Cowgirls, Bulldawgs, or Medusas to cover any part of the water column I might need,” says Hoppe, adding that he effectively presents all these offerings on the same St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky BLADEMASTER II (LMTFC96HFT) rod. “I’ll switch to the new BLUE OX (LMTFC90XHF) model if I’m fishing really big rubber,” he adds. 

Tactics change again when the fish disappear completely into the weeds. “Look for the freshest, greenest weeds,” Hoppe advises. “Cabbage first, coontail second, and speed up your retrieves. You can downsize your bait when fishing over or through the weeds to lures like Rapid Squirrels, smaller Double Cowgirls, or tubes. Grenades go through the weeds well, too,” adds Hoppe, who pairs his BLADEMASTER II rod with a 400- or 500-size mid-speed Tranx reel.

Chase Gibson, West Virginia

St. Croix Pro Staff Chase Gibson

Chase Gibson of Bridgeport, West Virginia is a fishing guide, co-host of Mayhem 10K Casts TV with Hoppe, and owner of Muskiebumper Bump Boards. There’s no closed musky season in West Virginia, so Gibson starts fishing at ice-out and stays in the Mountain State – also fishing in Ohio – before moving up to Minnesota from mid-July through October. 

“Our West Virginia reservoirs are loaded with shad, crappie and standing timber, so these are some of the factors that make musky fishing here unique,” he says. “Our thermoclines set up by mid-June, and muskies will suspend in deep, timbered coves, as well as out in open water.” 

Gibson says jigging with Bondy Baits is a staple presentation in June and July. “The 9-foot BLUE OX is a great jigging rod,” Gibson says. “Its shorter length makes it easy to maintain control while moving around the trees.” 

Gibson jigs with100-pound Cortland Masterbraid spooled on a Tranx 500 high-speed reel and generally follows one of two alternate jigging cadences. “Less popular is the taller stroke,” he says. “That means lifting the tip of the rod from the surface of water up to about eye level… maybe a five or six-foot stroke. More often a shorter, faster, snap-jigging technique is most effective. This more aggressive motion moves the rod tip from the surface of the water up to about waist level, then you drop it back down as fast as you can on a tight line. You’re looking to just make them eat it… it’s more of a reactionary-type strike.” 

Which jigging cadence Gibson uses ultimately depends on the fish’s activity level. “Using live sonar is very helpful in adjusting your presentation to match the fish’s mood,” he says.

If jigging isn’t working, Gibson will back out and bomb casts into the timber with a black nickel colored Detonator. “I’ll start with a medium-fast retrieve and once the lure gets about halfway back to the boat I’ll speed up and burn it the rest of the way in,” he says. “This gets a lot of follows and they’ll usually eat it on the first turn at the boat.” 

Gibson says Cowgirls, Medusa, and Bulldawgs work well for timber-casting, too. “A lot of times I’ll put an extra 1.5 ounces of weight on the front hook hanger to get those rubber baits down faster and keep them running a bit deeper,” he says. “I fish these rubber baits on the Legend Tournament Musky BLUE OX rod and snap-rip them as fast as I can.” Gibson adds that a Musky Innovations Dyin’ Dog has a great dive-and-rise action that works great when muskies are neutral or negative.

Like Hoppe, Gibson is also a fan of trolling when muskies are suspended in open water and terrorizing balls of abundant shad. “We’ll run a planer-board rod, an out rod, and a down rod on each side of the boat and just follow the river channel at 4-4.6 MPH,” he says. Gibson runs bucktails with an eight-ounce weight on the leader in front on the down rods, about 8-10 feet down right in the propwash. He prefers Llungen Lures .22 Short crankbaits on the out rods and planer-board rods. 

“Rod choice is a key consideration when trolling,” Gibson says. “You’re pulling big, heavy lures at high speed, so those rods are already under a significant load before a fish even hits. You need extremely durable rods to stand up to the abuse. St. Croix Mojo Musky Trolling series rods have tons of power and strength with a moderate action that really helps absorb shock and keep hooks where they belong throughout the fight.” 

Wherever you’re located within musky country, the months of June and July signal game on for pursuing North America’s top freshwater predator. Follow the advice of our pros to more fish-holding locations, more follows, and more fish boatside in the net or cradle.

NEW STATE RECORD NORTHERN PIKE CAUGHT IN NORTH IDAHO: 40.76 POUNDS!

from The Fishing Wire

New state record northern pike caught in North Idaho: 40.76 pounds!

On March 21, 2023, Hayden Lake in North Idaho produced a new certified state record northern pike. The record fish weighed a whopping 40.76 pounds, was 49 inches in length and 26.5 inches in girth – a true monster of a fish!
Certified state record northern pike caught in Hayden Lake, Idaho.

The record was previously held by a fish that was also caught in North Idaho, in Lower Twin Lake. The fish, caught in 2010, weighed 40.13 pounds, was 50.75 inches long and 22.75 inches in girth.

The Story

Thomas Francis is an avid northern pike angler and has been for some time.

“Pike is what I go after all the time. I spend almost everyday fishing for pike. As soon as the ice is off and until it comes back,“ Francis said.

Despite being an avid pike fisherman, nothing could have prepared him for the fish that would later latch on to the end of his line and lay claim to the Idaho state record.

Fancis‘ day of fishing on Hayden Lake started like any other – same gear, same approach and same goal, to catch big pike.

When he got to the lake that day, there was still some ice on the lake, so he couldn’t cast right up to the shore, only to the edge of the ice.

“When my lure hit the water, I let it sink all the way to the bottom. As soon as my lure hit the bottom, I felt her hit. I fish with 80 pound-test line, and she almost immediately started peeling drag, a lot of it,“ said Francis.

Francis said he almost immediately knew this was a big fish.

“She pinned herself to the bottom and just kept going, peeling drag the whole time. I knew that wasn’t normal, and I could tell it was something special.“

After peeling drag for a while, the behemoth changed her tactics.

“Suddenly I got slack line, as she was coming straight up from the bottom. She came flying out of the water, and it was obvious she was a huge fish,“ recalled Francis.

When he finally landed her, Francis said he knew she was going to be a state record fish, or at least a close contender.
State record northern pike caught in Hayden Lake, Idaho.

“I immediately headed for the dock to try and find a boat with a scale and tape measure. We found a boat with a scale, and the fish pegged the scale out at 30 pounds, so we knew we needed to find a bigger scale.“

After visiting a few different places to find a certified scale, they finally received a certified weight of 40.76 pounds, a new state record.

When asked what he thinks about pike fishing in North Idaho, Francis said, “I like having pike around; they are the biggest fish we can go after here in North Idaho, and I fish for them almost everyday.“

How To Catch Northern Pike Using Livetarget and Mustad

A NORTHERN PIKE YEAR-END RALLY WITH LIVETARGET AND MUSTAD

from The Fishing Wire

A Northern Pike Year-End Rally with LIVETARGET And Mustad

Big teeth, big appetite, big attitude — northern pike bring their A-game every time. Now, imagine that drama at close range, and you have the thrilling pursuit of stalking pike on foot. Indeed, wading for these apex predators presents a pulse-pounding version of a sport many know from the safety and security of a boat. However, for those willing to step into the water, a next-level experience awaits.

Mustad pro and tournament competitor Dennis BomBom Skou knows well this version of pike fishing, and his insight provides a blueprint for anglers anywhere pike roam. From Minnesota to Manitoba and all throughout Europe’s diverse tapestry of lakes and rivers, this adventurous approach to one of freshwater fishing’s most revered species won’t disappoint.

THE BENEFITS

“When wading, you can fish in knee-deep water and even shallower, too,” Skou said. “I know it sounds crazy, but that’s where we (often) find the pike. Sometimes they are just sitting there in less than a foot deep water, close to the bank or on a shallow flat out in the open. Sometimes you’re in places where you can’t do that in a boat. Another thing I like about wade fishing is that you have a better chance of sneaking up on a pike. Wading is a more stealthy strategy.”

Skou also likes the spontaneity factor. No time-consuming boat or kayak prep; just grab the tackle bag, rod, and waders, and you’re on your way. “If you just have a couple of hours to fish, wading can be a perfect choice,” Skou said.

THE RIGHT SPOT

Ask Skou to describe his ideal pike habitat, and he details a location with at least a moderately firm bottom so he can wade without sinking. Starting on secure footing is essential, as wading is often a solitary venture.

“Something very important is the hardness of the bottom; I do not want it too muddy, as I would easily sink and become stuck there,” Skou said. “Sometimes, sinking one foot deep is not a problem, but if you’re out on your own, you should think twice before you do it. People can think differently about what’s okay and what’s not, but I never take chances. If the mud is too deep, you can sink in so much that you are completely stuck. This can be really bad if your waders take in water. A lot of this fishing occurs during the winter months, so getting wet and cold, puts you at serious risk of hypothermia.”

As far as bottom makeup, Skou calls his preference “leopard bottom.” Finding such promising areas requires pre-trip study.

“Before picking out my spot for the day, I go on Google maps to see if the area looks interesting,” Skou said. “This gives me a pretty good idea of the bottom composition, the weed or grass density, and water condition. I don’t want a sand desert down there, nor would I want the water to be too deep. I kind of look for a good mix of everything. Small open spots with sandy or muddy bottoms and spotted areas with weeds and grass – that’s my go-to area.”

Ultimately, Skou finds his best wading opportunities in areas where prey fish find enough cover in which to hide. When he finds a forage-rich spot, he knows he’ll also find predators lurking there.

BAIT AND TACKLE

The aggressive pike is always game for chasing moving bait and, for wading use, Skou said he does best with shallow running baits. One of his favorites is the LIVETARGET Erratic Shiner.

“This little spoon has great action and looks very much like the small baitfish that pike feed on,” Skou said. “The glow pearl has been one of my best colors. Besides the Erratic Shiner, I generally use smaller baits. The biggest are up to 18 cm.

Other productive wading baits include soft rubber swim baits rigged on Mustad Power Lock Plus Spring Keeper Hooks , a LIVETARGET Juvenile Pike Swimbait, a LIVETARGET Yellow Perch Crankbait, or a LIVETARGET Yellow Perch Jerkbait.

“Always cast close to the weeds, structure, and drop-offs,” Skou advises. “Keep an eye out for fish jumping and if you see a school of baitfish desperately breaking the surface, chances are that a pike is on the hunt! Cast to where you saw them and BAM! Fish on!”

Rod options generally come down to personal preference and the size of pike you’re targeting. However, a 7- to 8-foot, medium-fast Mustad Basscraft spinning rod fits this role well. Featuring an innovative blank construction with LCJ (Longitudinal Carbon Jacket) technology, the Basscraft design ensures a progressive tip curve, with up to 200% greater sensitivity and strength, compared to standard blank construction. For anglers fond of braided line, like TUF-LINE DOMIN8, this rod’s braid-friendly Fuji guides provide the requisite durability.

“I think I have a better reach with a spinning rod and reel than I do with (baitcasting gear),” Skou said. “For braid, I normally go with 0.18mm on a spinning reel and a bit more on a baitcaster.”

ROUNDUP POINTS

Skou offers a couple of insights from his pike experience.

What to Wear: Skou likes the comfort of breathable waders, which allow greater mobility than neoprene. However, for longer wading trips, it’s harder to stay warm in breathable fabric, so he’ll opt for neoprene’s heat-retaining advantage.

“For boots, I go for lightweights because I don’t want to walk around carrying too much unnecessary weight,” Skou said. “It’s hard enough to be walking all those kilometers with a heavy backpack full of pike lures. Also, I prefer wading boots with a felt sole for a better grip.

“Under my waders, I’m wearing marine wool and fleece. It’s always a gamble trying to pick the right number of layers for the day. It’s very easy to either get too cool or too warm. But during the cold season, it’s easier to predict how it’s going to go and what outfit to wear under your waders. I always have an extra layer on my lower body than I do on my upper body.”

Safety First: One of the most appealing elements of wade fishing for pike is the allure of pushing farther and farther to see what the next dozen steps might reveal. Skou understands this, but cautions anglers to maintain their awareness.

“Be careful not to go out too far, because if the tide suddenly becomes high, the water level can rise super-fast,” he said. “This can put you in a situation where you can’t get back to shore without a swim. You don’t want to swim in your waders, leaving behind all your gear.

“If you’re going out alone, or if your group is spread across a bigger area, you could consider wearing an inflatable life jacket. If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, wearing a life jacket may turn out to be the best decision you ever made.”

Skou said a wading staff can be helpful in defining bottom conditions and choosing your steps wisely. If you’re wading in high weeds, that staff can help you locate holes, rocks or other tripping hazards before they become a problem.

Reference Points: Every productive trip offers something that can facilitate future success. Skou knows this and records key details from each of his wading excursions.

“For a better understanding of your water, keep a log of your trips,” he said. “In time, you will learn when you’ll have the best chances for a successful fishing trip. If you catch fish, take notice of water temperature, water level, tide stage, wind direction, and so on. You will be surprised how much of a help this can be.”

All of these points matter because they combine to create the opportunity to experience a truly spectacular moment. Wade fishing brings you closer to the action than anything you’ll experience from a boat and that’s a memory you don’t want to miss.

“It’s very addictive to fish for pike like that,” Skou said. “Standing in the water right next to them as you land, unhook, and release them to see them swim off — very cool!”

About Mustad

Mustad has led the global hook market since 1877. Mustad’s mission is to create a comprehensive multi-brand company that leads the fishing tackle industry, while focusing on innovation, employee and customer satisfaction, and sustainability. With the addition of TUF-LINE and LIVETARGET, Mustad continues to solidify its position as a complete sports fishing brand family.

RECORD MUSKIE LANDED IN WEST VIRGINIA

from The Fishing Wire

Record Muskie Landed in West Virginia

On Saturday, March 19, West Virginia angler Luke King landed a 55-plus-inch muskie below the dam at Burnsville Lake that bests the current state-record fish by an incredible 11 pounds. It’s the third time the state-record mark has been topped in the last 5 years.

It’s almost as if the muskies in West Virginia are getting bigger and bigger each year. Last year, muskie fishing guide Chase Gibson caught a monster at Burnsville Lake on his day off from guiding. Aaron Yeager, an assistant district fisheries biologist for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, drove over to verify that catch, and Gibson claimed a new state record at 54 inches long and 39.6 pounds. Joe Wilfong had pulled the previous record from the Little Kanawha River in 2017. That fish was 53.5 inches long and 34.6-pounds, so Gibson had smashed the old record by 5 pounds and 14 percent.

But King has blown that fish out of the water. Weighed on certified scales, his fish went a whopping 51 pounds, more than 11 pounds heavier than the previous record and 16 pounds heavier than the one before it. That’s 29 percent heavier than Gibson’s record haul of last year and 47 percent heavier than Wilfong’s fish in 2017. King stated on his Facebook page that none other than Aaron Yeager, who did the honors the year before with Gibson, made the official measurements.

Continue reading at fieldandstream.com.

Should Muskie Fishermen Stop Fishing When the Water Is Warm?


MUSKY WARM-WATER MORTALITY STUDY IN JAMES RIVER

from The Fishing Wire

Musky Warm-Water Mortality Study in James River

Warm water angling is a contentious topic among devout muskie anglers, with many anglers deciding to stop fishing when water temperatures exceed 80°F because catching fish in elevated temperatures is believed to lead to high mortality. Until this point, there has been no formal evaluation to validate this belief. Over the past two years, graduate students from Coastal Carolina University, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (WVDNR), and West Virginia University (WVU) conducted a two-year warm-water catch-and-release mortality study for muskellunge in the upper James River.

Researchers surgically implanted muskellunge between 26 and 46 inches in length with individually coded radio tags in February-March of 2020 (N = 45) and 2021 (N = 50) so we could track and monitor the fates of all tagged fish. We also attached external loop tags to the radio tagged fish so anyone who caught a radio tagged fish could report it and receive a $50 reward.

With the help of local anglers, researchers attempted to catch half of the radio tagged fish during the warm-water period, which we defined as July through August because that is when water temperatures tended to exceed 80°F. After a tagged fish was caught and released, researchers tracked the fish for several days to verify whether it survived or died.

We were able to locate 39 of 45 fish in 2020 and 46 of 50 fish in 2021 prior to the beginning of July each year. The missing fish may have moved into areas we could not track, had their tags fail, or were unreported harvests. Five of the located fish in 2020 had died prior to the warm-water period and six died prior to the warm-water period in 2021, one of which was harvested.

Of the surviving fish we were able to locate, seven fish were caught in 2020 and five were caught in 2021. Three of the seven fish caught in 2020 died and one of the five fish caught in 2021 died, leading to a mortality estimate of 33.3% for fish released in warm water. Additionally, we had one natural mortality in 2020 and three natural mortalities in 2021, resulting in a natural mortality estimate of 6.9% for the warm-water period.

Fishing action (i.e., follows, strikes, and catches) during the warm-water period was extremely low, even with known locations of tagged fish and experienced anglers using a variety of tactics (e.g., live bait, night fishing). Fish also visually exhibited signs of stress (e.g., no movement or interest in baits presented to them) and would aggregate near thermal refugia (e.g., creek mouths).

We used our mortality estimates, as well as James River muskellunge growth data and angler catch data from previous summers, to simulate how a season closure during the warm-water season would affect the size distribution of the James River muskellunge population. Based on our simulations, the changes in the estimated probability of muskellunge achieving >40” and >45” did not significantly increase in the upriver (+2.0% and +0.5% respectively) or the downriver (+2.5% and +0.1% respectively) based on expected exploitation rates.

Take home points:

  • Mortality is higher for muskellunge caught in warm water.
  • Catchability of muskellunge during the warm water period is low.
  • Because few muskellunge are angled in the summer, the effects of summer angling mortality on size structure of muskellunge in the James River is minimal despite the high probability of mortality for fish that are angled during this period.

Early-Season Musky

Big Early Season Musky
Early-Season Musky Methods
St. Croix pros discuss favored tactics and gear for early-season muskellunge (press release}
Park Falls, WI (May 20, 2020)

It’s just about time. Musky aficionados are fastidiously prepping gear and anxiously awaiting season openers across the big fish belt. They know that late spring and early summer can be some of the most exciting and productive times to be on the water, as big, banded brawlers – fresh off the spawn and unpressured by anglers for months – are becoming increasingly active with warming water temperatures.

Such is the case in all the great musky waters – from Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Iowa through Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Canadian provinces – although different fisheries are heating up and opening to anglers at slightly different times.

What can you do to be fully prepared for this magical time of year? Start by reading what professional musky guides and St. Croix pro-staffers Rob Manthei and Steve Herbeck have to say, as well as St. Croix’s own musky expert and rod-designing maven, Gavin Falk. 
Wisconsin Guide and Big-Fish Expert, Rob Manthei

Here in Northern Wisconsin our season doesn’t open until the end of May. Judging by what I’ve seen with ice-out, we should have a typical opener. As soon as the season opens, I’ll be fishing a lot of wooded shorelines and looking for any kind of new, green weeds. I’m generally concentrating on a couple styles of baits – twitching small minnow baits and throwing small bucktails.

As far as rods, I’m a fan of the 8’ one-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action St. Croix Mojo Musky casting rod (MJM80MHF). That’s a great rod for throwing these smaller baits, and the newly redesigned Mojos are just great rods. The Winn Grip is awesome—it allows a confident feel when you’re hanging onto it wet, dry, or anywhere in between. It’s very comfortable and the looks of the rod are spectacular. The Kigan Master Hand 3D guides and top St. Croix uses on this series are large, which are great for anglers like me who want to tie a longer leader with a surgeon’s knot or uni knot. Those knots go through the guides just fine; they’re very durable that way. 
Another new Mojo Musky model to look at is the 6’10”, medium power, fast action rod (MJM610MF) – especially if you’ve got a son, daughter or any other young person in the boat who’s been bitten by the musky bug. This shorter, medium power rod is one that kids can pick up, cast easily with a variety of effective lures, and experience success with.

Overall, the physical weight of the new Mojo Musky rods is exceptional; not at all overbearing. And they’re one of the best values of musky rods out there. With 14 technique-specific models and the quality you get for their price, I don’t think Mojo Musky can be beat.

Some other St. Croix rods to look at for the early season are the three Legend Tournament Musky Downsizer models. You want to talk about precision casting capability with the smaller baits that work so well before the water warms up, and being able to do it all day long without fatigue? That’s what these rods were made for. I know… medium-light power in a musky rod? The key to making it work is that their relatively long 8’6” and 9’ lengths, ultra-responsive SCIV carbon blanks and fast actions all work together to provide immediate access to that power. It’s amazing. All I can say is that anglers need to fish them to fully appreciate what St. Croix has accomplished with these three, highly capable, specialized rods.
As we start transitioning out of spring, early-summer patterns depend on the kind of water and forage. We have dark-water flowage systems and big, deep natural lakes that are cisco-based. A lot of times, the month of June is a great time for open-water fishing. You can catch fish trolling, but catching them casting is always more fun; it’s definitely a time of year where you can be effective just casting open water with plastics.

Humps, saddles and other anomalies on and around expansive shallow flats are good places to key in on, as are concentrations of suspended forage. Obviously, when you’re casting and working a lure you can put in a lot more action into it that you can’t duplicate while trolling. This is when I’m throwing Musky Innovations Swimmin’ Dawgs and other tight paddletail baits from Chaos Tackle or just flat out rubber, whether that’s Medusas or Bull Dawgs.

Now when you’re throwing these big rubber baits you’re going to need a bigger rod and this is one area of casting where I typically tell people don’t worry about the length of your cast; just bomb it out there and cover water. This is definitely where you want to start grabbing that heavier Mojo Musky rod in the 8’6” to 9’ range. The telescopic one-piece rods like the 8’6” telescopic, heavy power, fast action (MJM86HFT) and 9’ telescopic, heavy power, fast action (MJM90HFT) work great. Those are the rods I’m throwing a lot of these bigger, heavy rubber baits with. And for anglers who don’t have a giant rod locker, they can finally start carrying 9 foot musky rods. The 8’6” model collapses to a manageable 7’6” and the 9’ models down to 7’10”. That’s a really slick advantage when it comes to transportation and storage.
Legendary Musky Guide and St. Croix Pro, Steve Herbeck:

Musky guide and St. Croix pro, Steve Herbeck, has expertise throughout the storied, northern musky regions of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, and has also been a resident guide and teacher at Andy Myer’s Lodge on Eagle Lake in Ontario for 28 years. As director of the world-renown lodge’s guest fishing instructor program, Herbeck has an intimate understanding of the acclaimed musky fishery that has produced world-record fish and is considered by many to be the top, big-musky fishery in Canada.

Very typically, around the opener in Northern Wisconsin you’re going to have water temperatures and fish that are just finishing up the spawn. Occasionally, with a late spring you’ll hit them during the spawn, but usually they’re done when the water temperature is between 56 and 60 degrees. When that’s the case, they’ve just gone through a major stress and we’re going to start with smaller baits.

That’s one reason why so many big muskies are caught accidentally by walleye, bass, and pike fishermen during this part of the season. At this time of year, muskies really do really prefer smaller baits for their consistent action. We’re talking six-to-seven-inch minnowbaits, #5 to #8 size blades, smaller topwaters, smaller jerkbaits, and medium-sized rubber baits, so, consequently, we’re going to match our rods for best efficiency to the size of the baits we’re throwing.

I just love the 8’6” one-piece, medium-heavy, fast action Mojo Musky rod (MJM86MHF) for this application. I pair it with 65-pound braid loaded on a mid-range 500-series reel. I also match the baits with lighter leaders for the best action. Mojo Musky rods and Legend Tournament Musky rods in these lengths and actions are just superb for these smaller and lighter bait applications. You can cast them a mile, they have just enough tip that you can really work a smaller bait and use lighter lines so you have good action, and yet they have enough butt that you can make great figure-8s and really set the hook. Rather than overpowering a small bait with a 9-foot heavy or extra heavy rod, this is what I prefer to use and put in my clients’ hands.

Don’t overlook bigger baits in the early season, though. If I’m really looking for big fish only – you’ve got to remember they’ll be grabbing 12-to-20-inch walleyes as forage – I still use some bigger baits, especially baits with reaction to them that simulate injured fish like medium and regular-sized rubber baits, Suick-type jerkbaits, and zig-zag baits. Jerkbaits can be very productive in these colder water conditions if you’re looking for bigger fish. And for those types of baits I really like a 7’6”-to-8’ rod a little bit more on the heavy side. The Mojo Musky, Legend Tournament Musky, and Premier Musky families all offer superb models in that category. I’ll go to 80-pound line and standard size reels. That’s kind of the early-season trend in Northern and mid-Wisconsin and Minnesota.
When we get into the Canadian version of this time period – we’re talking the third weekend of June – most of the musky range is from the border to about 150 miles north, and then the musky habitat disappears so it’s not that much colder than northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The reason the Canadian opener is held later is the fisheries are all natural and none of it is supplemented by stocking. They want to make sure that all fish have completely finished spawning. That being said, we’re typically in the 60-to-mid-60-degree-water-temperature range and well past the actual spawning time.

Because many of these Canadian lakes are very, very big and warm slower – like Lake of the Woods, Eagle Lake where I’m at, Rainy, and Lac Seul – some of these lakes are virtual oceans, so to speak, so they warm up slower, but are usually in that 60-degree range and we’re typically a week past spawning. In warmer years or in smaller waters, we may already be in that early-summer pattern with fully recuperated fish.

We still start with smaller-size baits but quickly graduate to larger baits, mixing them up to let the fish decide what they want. So we’re using a combination of actions and sizes of rods. Someone in the boat might be throwing an 8’6”-to-9’ heavy like the Legend Tournament Musky Sling Blade – that’s an awesome rod – or now the 8’6”-to-9’ telescopic Mojo Musky rods. The telescopic Mojo Musky rods are fantastic choices for this combination approach. That’s what makes the St. Croix lines of rods so awesome; they’re application-specific so you can literally fine-tune your presentations as well as reduce your fatigue level by using the proper rod.
St. Croix makes the finest and widest selection of musky rods available across multiple price points. Their Legend Tournament Musky and Legend Elite Musky rods are the absolute pinnacle of performance, but for the money, it’s hard to beat the newly redesigned Mojo Musky rods. Aesthetically, it’s a beautiful rod that looks fantastic with most reels. Its SCIII and IPC composition makes it very durable for the weight of the rod. I’ve tested various models extensively, and I’m impressed with Mojo Musky’s durability.


For many years, Andy Myer’s Lodge has used the Mojo Series for muskies, walleye, and bass as our guest rods. These rods see above-average abuse, and the Mojo models stand up to that abuse extremely well. The new telescopic rods have been a great addition for us, too, because not all boat rod lockers are designed to hold 9 foot rods. That makes them very easy to store and keep out of harm’s way when they’re not being used. The other key thing is that with 14 distinct models, the Mojo Musky line offers a host of options in terms of covering any angling situation we might encounter… and at a fantastic price point. It’s a very angler-friendly series.
Gavin Falk, St. Croix Rod Engineering Supervisor and Musky Fanatic:St. Croix Rod Engineering Supervisor, Gavin Falk, is a passionate musky angler with a great deal of experience with the new Mojo Musky series, both on and off the water. For early-season situations, Falk fishes a lot of jerkbaits with the 7’6” one-piece, extra-heavy power, fast action (MJM76XHF) model, as well as the 8’ one-piece, heavy power, fast action (MJM80HF). And for smaller rubber baits he recommends the 8’6”, heavy power, fast action (MJM86HFT) or the 9’, medium-heavy, fast (MJM90MHFT) telescopic models. For smaller minnow baits and bucktails – both solid offerings for early season – Falk recommends the 8’6” one-piece, medium-heavy power, fast action (MJM86MHF) Mojo Musky.

Delving more into the specifics of the new Mojo Musky rods, Falk cites numerous characteristics as improvements that anglers should be aware of. “First off, with IPC® mandrel technology the actions are greatly improved,” he says. Fast actions were good in the previous generation of Mojo Musky, but now they are truly fast, so it’s a lot easier to keep tension on fish because you’ve got that deflection in the tip, which also helps with casting, too. That’s a big thing. IPC also helped us reduce the overall weight of the rods while maintaining strength and durability.”
Falk talks about the move from cork to custom Winn split grips, as well as improvements to the reel seats: “The new grips are phenomenal. Using heavier braid throws off a lot of water into your hands and you can fish all day with the new Winn grips, even if your hands are wet or slimy. We also increased the diameter of the grip sizes, so, ergonomically, they’re more comfortable in the hands. Finally, we put a deluxe nut in the reel seat, so tightening down reels is a lot easier compared to the standard nut that was on previous models.

Right now is the time to start prepping for big-fish hunting. Consider the tips from our pros in the know, and you’ll be starting this year’s musky season in a positive direction.

And if you’re looking to add to your collection of musky rods, timing couldn’t be better. Now until May 31, anglers can enjoy FREE SHIPPING when they shop and purchase any St. Croix Mojo Musky rods at stcroixrods.com. Don’t wait! This offer is limited to available stock at the time of purchase and is only applicable to orders shipping within the continental United States.
#CROIXGEAR
Like the rods? You’ll love our lifestyle apparel. Shop now!

Spawning Pike

Big Pike

The Parade of Spawning Pike Captures with Aqua-Vu
from The Fishing Wire

Crosslake, MN– Right now, across Earth’s northern-most latitudes, water wolves are stirring. Even while ice cover still encases many lakes, this spectacular freshwater predator is already on the prowl. As Esox lucius migrates en masse into shallow bays, river backwaters and sloughs, however, it’s procreation rather than predation that propels their journey.

Standing at the mouths of these same shallow bays, renowned freshwater photographer Bill Lindner doesn’t have to wait long to witness the earliest spring spawning movements of northern pike. For decades, via scuba mask and underwater camera, Lindner has filmed and documented the remarkable, rarely-seen behaviors of pike and countless other fish.

Chances are, if you’ve marveled at an underwater photograph in any of the top freshwater fishing publications, you’ve seen Lindner’s work. Likewise, you’ve almost certainly seen Lindner’s underwater video material, some of the most compelling freshwater footage ever recorded, much of it captured via Aqua-Vu underwater cameras.

This day in early April, Lindner is filming pods of pike, as they assemble at the tiny opening between a large Minnesota lake and a shallow backwater slough, where fish will shortly begin to spawn. “Even when there’s just a small clearing of open water at the mouth of a creek and the rest of the lake is ice-covered,” Lindner observes, “I’ve watched sizeable pods of small male pike begin their investigation of spawning zones. A few days later, like this year, we’ll see a major movement of big 10- to 20-pound females start to appear. Soon, the fish begin to mingle and divide themselves into spawning groups. Usually, each big female is accompanied and courted by two or three much smaller males.”

To document the yearly ceremony, Lindner attaches an Aqua-Vu HD10i Pro camera to the end of a telescopic painters pole, quietly probing the shallows haunted by pike. “Usually we can stand on shore or use a pair of waders and get right up next to these shallow fish,” notes Lindner. “The pike are spooky, but if you take your time and avoid disturbing the area, you can capture some spectacular underwater behaviors. The color and light-gathering properties of the Aqua-Vu lens yields some spectacular footage, while the viewscreen shows you a live picture right on site. That’s a big advantage over GoPro style cameras.

”High-definition underwater optics help unlock the mysterious habits of northern pike.

Interestingly, while pike begin their prespawn migration when water temps still range in the mid to upper 30s (Fahrenheit), biological research indicates that actual spawning often peaks between 50- and 64-degrees in secluded backwater areas that warm quickly when subjected to powerful midday sunshine. Simultaneously, main lake areas may still be ice covered or may still harbor water temperatures in the low 40s during this phase. While the prespawn staging period can last up to a few weeks, spawning itself may span from four days to three weeks, depending on local weather patterns. Peak spawning typically occurs between 2pm and 6pm when water temp reaches its daily peak.

Studies have also shown that, like salmon, pike exhibit spawning-site fidelity, returning to the same locales spring after spring. Broadcasting her eggs around vegetation in approximately 2-feet of water, each female pike may spawn twice a day, eggs fertilized by one to five attending males. Spawning does not occur on a nest, rather egg masses drift and collect on strands of vegetation, such as elodea, stonewort and milfoil, as well as emergent plant stems of sedges and reed canary grass. Farmers have even reported spawning pike and pike eggs adhering to flooded, broken hay bales in inundated fields and drainage ditches.

Most female northern pike produce between 15,000 and 75,000 eggs, though the largest specimens can yield in excess of 200,000 eggs. Research indicates that while pike typically mature at age four, excessive angler harvest of large fish often induce pike to mature as early as age-1, which can quickly produce an overabundance of small or stunted fish incapable of growing to trophy proportions.

“When you sit and watch the miraculous, fascinating process of spawning and comprehend the rarity of these spectacular spawning females,” says Lindner, “it’s hard to imagine killing even a single one of these fish.“Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to witness and capture some astonishing underwater fish behavior: including spawning walleyes, pike and muskies, low-light movements of crappies, the gang-feeding habits of smallmouth bass and so much more,” Lindner recalls. “Each time, I come away with a greater appreciation of all the amazing spectacles and rituals happening below the surface.

A lot of anglers never get to see what’s really happening below, but with an Aqua-Vu, they can.”View Online Version

About Aqua-Vu
The Original Underwater Viewing System, Aqua-Vu® is manufactured by Outdoors Insight, Inc., and has led the underwater camera category in design, innovation and quality since 1997. The Central Minnesota based company builds other popular outdoors products, such as the iBall Trailer Hitch Camera (iballhitchcam.com). For more information on Aqua-Vu, visit www.aquavu.com. 

Northern Pike Spawn

Northern Pike Spawn Delayed But Strong in North Dakota
Ron Wilson, North Dakota Game & Fish
from The Fishing Wire

Northern pike grow big!


Justen Barstad, Department fisheries technician, holds a trophy pike he caught while ice fishing March 1, 2018 on Lake Oahe. The fish is one that Barstad tagged during spawning work on April 8, 2017.
When North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists set trap nets in Lake Oahe in spring for the northern pike spawn, they were as late to the game as they’d been in years.

With such a delayed ice-out on Oahe and other waters around the state, the only certainty regarding the spawning of North Dakota’s state fish were the uncertainties.

“This is one of the latest springs we’ve ever encountered as Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench into our plans,” said Paul Bailey, south central district fisheries supervisor in Bismarck. “Typically, we’re collecting northern pike eggs around the second week of April. We’re about two weeks behind right now, which has only happened once before (1989 at Devils Lake).”

Fisheries biologists set nets on April 23, the latest in the last 30 years. The first pike eggs and milt were stripped into a stainless steel bowl and gently stirred with a goose feather three days later, also the latest since 1997.

While photoperiod, or day length, and water temperatures are the combined ingredients pike need to spur reproduction, there was some question when Oahe’s shallower back bays would warm enough to initiate reproduction.

“It’s definitely going to be a very short, intense spawning period this year,” Bailey said. “Usually, things are spread out over a several week period where we have lots of opportunities to collect eggs.

“Things are happening very fast right now as it has warmed up quite quickly,” he added. “Two days ago (April 24) Cattail Bay was covered in ice. Today (April 26), it is wide open and water temperatures are up into the low 40s, which is triggering these fish to spawn.”

To be prepared for the inevitable – be it the first or second week in April or much later – the trap nets used during the spawning operation were repaired in winter.

“There is nothing worse than getting to a lake with potential to find out that a muskrat has chewed a hole in a net,” said Scott Gangl, Department fisheries management section leader. “When the spawn is on, our staff don’t like to waste time.”

Turns out, when the pike decided they were ready, there was hardly a surplus of time.

Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel went into spring with a goal of 150 quarts of pike eggs. Between spawning efforts on Oahe and Lake Sakakawea, more than 220 quarts were collected in just two days.

“Certainly, because it’s nearly the end of April, some of the fish spawned before we had the opportunity to collect their eggs,” Bailey said. “But a pretty high proportion of these pike did delay spawning as they waited for the appropriate water temperatures.”

Even though the pike spawn was weeks later this spring than typical, it likely won’t influence operations at the federal fish hatchery where room will soon be needed for walleye eggs.

Jerry Tishmack, fisheries biologist with Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery, said the plan was to gradually increase the water temperature in which the pike eggs will incubate to make up for the late spawning date.

“Typically, I will incubate northern pike eggs at 50 degrees, which means they will hatch in 10-12 days,” Tishmack said. “This year I will bump it up to 60 degrees and incubate them in nearly seven days. That will buy me nearly four or five days, which will close the window a bit.”

After hatching, the pike are raised in hatchery ponds until they are about 1.5 inches long. From there, Game and Fish Department personnel transport the pike to lakes around the state.

Taking the eggs from mature pike, and walleye after that, is simply the first step in nourishing the many lakes across North Dakota’s landscape that are enjoyed by thousands of anglers.

“This is an extremely important process as a number of our pike and walleye fisheries across the state lack the ability to sustain themselves through natural reproduction,” Bailey said. “These waters either do not have suitable spawning habitat, or in many cases, the salinity levels are too high for eggs to successfully hatch. Our pike and walleye spawning operations, and our partnership with Garrison Dam and Valley City national fish hatcheries, are essential for maintaining a number of important fisheries around the state.”

Trophy Study

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists tagged dozens of big northern pike in 2017 as part of an ongoing study to determine how anglers utilize trophy fish.

While some of those jaw-tagged pike were caught by anglers in winter and the tag numbers reported to Game and Fish, biologists understand that the findings so far are preliminary, considering the small sample size.

Scott Gangl, Department fisheries management section leader, holds a trophy northern pike. The fish was fitted with a jaw tag as part of study of Lake Oahe’s trophy pike fishery.
Yet, understanding the interest by anglers today in trophy management of big northern pike, the small sample size signals a start.

The Missouri River System study was initiated last spring during Department pike and walleye spawning efforts on lakes Oahe and Sakakawea. Tags were secured to pike measuring 39.4 inches (1 meter) or longer.

In total, 75 qualifying pike from Lake Oahe and 62 from Lake Sakakawea received tags in spring 2017. Paul Bailey, south central district fisheries supervisor in Bismarck, said biologists hope to tag more fish this spring during spawning to increase the sample size of a study that could run the following three to five years.

Of the 75 trophy pike tagged in Oahe, Bailey said 19 were caught by anglers. Fifteen were released and four were harvested.

“The number of fish netted and tagged (from Oahe) by biologists is, understandably at this point, a small sample size,” Bailey said. “Yet, I’d say it’s interesting that anglers did encounter 25 percent of that sample size.”

And they harvested just 5 percent, Bailey said.

“Preliminary findings say that anglers are not harvesting an excessive number of the trophy fish,” he said. “It doesn’t look like anglers are having an impact on trophy pike in Oahe.”

Of the 62 tagged pike on Sakakawea, anglers caught and released four and harvested four, according to Dave Fryda, Missouri River System fisheries supervisor in Riverdale. Fryda said one jaw-tagged pike was also taken by someone darkhouse spearfishing.

Bailey said it takes a pike in Oahe about a decade to reach trophy size, or the 39.4-inch bar set by Game and Fish for the study.

The biggest pike fisheries biologists tagged from Oahe in 2017 was 47.6 inches. It weighed 29 pounds, 7 ounces.

“Oahe is definitely a world class trophy pike fishery now and, at least preliminarily, it looks like our current regulations and angler harvest rates will continue to allow Oahe to produce a trophy pike fishery into the future,” Bailey said.

The 42.1-inch pike was about 1 pound lighter from when it was tagged to when it was pulled through the ice.

“This fish should put on a bit more weight prior to spawning, but it does confirm how variable weights of these large pike can be over time,” Bailey said.

Can Green Bay Produce A Record Musky This Year?

Will 2015 Musky Season Produce New Record from Green Bay?
from The Fishing Wire

Season opened in northern zone waters on May 23, 2015

GREEN BAY, Wis. — While size and bag limits are the subject of frequent discussion among many anglers, there’s one group of fishing enthusiasts who are relatively unaffected by such matters: musky hunters.

A glance at online fishing forums indicates most musky anglers would never keep a musky unless they believed the fish was unlikely to survive or it was a record fish. Steve Hogler, a senior fisheries biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, says his experience with musky anglers on Green Bay and the Menominee River bears this out.

49.3 inch Trout Lake muskie

49.3 inch Trout Lake muskie

Musky anglers heading to northern Wisconsin for the season opener this Memorial Day weekend have good reason for optimism this year – and this 49.3 inch fish from Trout Lake shows why. DNR fisheries biologist Lawrence Eslinger captured the fish, which weighs more than 40 pounds, during a survey of the Vilas County lake about two weeks ago. The fish is now back in the lake.
WDNR Photo

“Over time, our creel surveys have indicated fewer than 10 musky per year are actually being harvested from Green Bay,” Hogler said. “For the anglers who have kept the fish, either it’s the largest fish they’ve ever caught in their life or they have a firm belief that it couldn’t be released healthy, maybe because it swallowed the bait too far. When we went to increase the size limit from 50 to 54 inches in 2014, we had very few complaints from musky hunters because the anglers already viewed it as a trophy fishery.”

Musky fishing will be the focus of many anglers throughout the northern region of the state this Memorial Day weekend. The northern zone season opens Saturday, May 23 and extends until Nov. 30 on inland waters north of Highway 10 including Green Bay and most of its tributaries. On the Menominee River, the season runs from May 15 to Nov. 30 while on inland waters south of Highway 10, the musky season opened May 2 and runs to Dec 31.

While the size limit on most state waters is 40 inches, the 54 inch size limit on Green Bay and the Menominee River distinguish the region as one of a select few in the world capable of producing such large fish. Ample forage in the form of gizzard shad, suckers and alewife help the muskies grow quickly and they typically reach sexual maturity at age 4 or 5 for the males and 7 or 8 for the females.

“The sheer biomass in Green Bay is incredible and it’s dominated by forage fish,” Hogler said. “Ideally, you’d like a 20-to-1 ratio of forage to predators and I’m sure it’s much higher than that. That means the great walleye, bass and musky fishery that anglers are experiencing now probably will be there for the foreseeable future.”

Without a unique partnership involving DNR and half a dozen private sport fishing clubs, however, the trophy musky fishery would not exist. Musky were native to Green Bay but vanished from the region due to overfishing, pollution and habitat loss in the early 1900s. In the mid-1980s, DNR fisheries managers identified the return of a musky population to the region as an important goal, but it wasn’t until private organizations stepped in with funding and volunteer support that the effort could progress.

Hogler said Dave’s Musky Club in Kaukauna, Packerland Musky Club in Green Bay, Titletown Muskies Inc., in Green Bay, Muskies Inc. in Sheboygan and the Musky Clubs Alliance of Wisconsin all have made critical contributions to an effort that has resulted in some 155,000 muskies being stocked into Green Bay since 1989. The involvement of the clubs continues, with some providing support for rearing operations after the fish are spawned and the eggs taken to the Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery and the C.D. “Buzz” Besadny Anadromous Fish Facility near Kewaunee.

“We’re grateful for the continued support of these groups and we saw 15 or 20 club members observing as we conducted our spring survey work along the shores of the Fox River,” Hogler said. “They were extremely happy to see the fish and one of the fish we picked up had a Floy tag from 16 years ago. The type of data we are able to gather from these tagged fish is very useful to our research as we work to understand the age and size structure of the muskies.”

One remaining challenge involves establishing natural reproduction to help sustain the Green Bay musky fishery. Natural reproduction has been occurring on an extremely limited basis in the Menominee River and Little Sturgeon Bay but Hogler said fisheries team members believe greater population density, additional genetic diversity and improved habitat are needed for more successful spawning to occur. Currently, population densities are running below the target range of one fish per 5 acres.

Beyond additional stocking efforts now underway to introduce fresh genetics from Great Lakes spotted musky out of Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River, more woody debris along the river shorelines and aquatic vegetation likely is needed to facilitate spawning and provide places for young muskies to hide.

In the meantime, however, the waters of Green Bay are supporting a true trophy fishery in which fish larger than 50 inches are commonly caught by anglers. The question, said Randy Schumacher, DNR eastern district fisheries supervisor, is whether the region will yield a record fish anytime soon.

Muskie from the Fox River

Muskie from the Fox River

These muskies were collected during DNR spring fisheries work on the Fox River. Photo provided by Bill Gerndt, Titletown Chapter of Muskies, Inc.
WDNR Photo

More world record muskies have been landed in Wisconsin than anywhere else and a 69 pound, 11 ounce fish taken from the Chippewa Flowage claims the current state and world records. While conditions in Green Bay are uniquely suited for producing large fish, the strong catch and release ethic among anglers in the region may prove to be a factor in how long the current record stands.

“There’s no other place in Wisconsin with more fish that musky like to eat than Green Bay and it’s a good possibility that there are record fish out there right now,” said Schumacher, a 39 year veteran of the department who plans to retire later this month and spend more time fishing. “But given the sense of stewardship among musky anglers, that record may not be broken anytime soon.”

To learn more about muskies, search the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for “fishing musky.”

Buying a fishing license is easy and convenient over the Internet through the Online Licensing Center on the DNR website, at all authorized license agents, at DNR Service Centers (Hours for service centers vary; check the DNR website for service center days and hours of operation; DNR Service Centers are not open on Saturdays), or by calling toll-free 1-877-LICENSE (1-877-945-4236).

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Hogler, DNR senior fisheries biologist, 920-662-5480, Steven.Hogler@Wisconsin.gov; Tim Simonson, DNR fisheries biologist, 608-266-5222, timothy.simonson@wisconsin.gov Jennifer Sereno, DNR communications, 608-770-8084, Jennifer.Sereno@wisconsin.gov

Can I Catch Mid-Winter Pike On Spoons?

Spoonin’ Mid-Winter Pike
from The Fishing Wire and Traditions Media

Pike through the ice

Pike through the ice

“Winter walleyes and panfish get high marks from me, but when the action slows down in mid-winter, seems like you can always find willing toothy critters, even on the coldest, nastiest days,” says third-generation Minnesota fishing guide Ty Macheledt.

From the large natural lakes of his west central Minnesota stomping grounds to North Dakota’s Lake Sakakawea to prairie potholes, Macheledt’s system for catching pike is a one-two punch of tip-up fishing followed by aggressive rod-in-hand combat with the unfairly maligned northern pike.

But he’s not after two- or three-pound “hammer handles, “slough snakes,” or “snot rockets.” The fish that get Macheledt’s blood pumping can peel 40 yards faster than wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

But first, Macheledt’s gotta find ’em.

“In Minnesota, I always start by scouting with an Aqua-Vu Micro underwater camera, looking for weed edges with big pike food. That tells me where I should place my tip-ups. Once a flag goes off, I start jigging in the same area. Pike like to slash and dash. If there’s food, there will be more on patrol.”

(video)

“In lakes without good weeds, like some of the small Dakotas waters, I concentrate on main basin areas loaded with perch and just put in my time. Pike will eventually cruise through looking for lunch. You’ll know when the perch scoot from your flasher and a big red mark appears.”

To match the perch profile, Macheledt turns to ¼-ounce Custom Jigs & Spins Pro Series Slender Spoons tipped with a soft plastic.

“I stumbled into the big plastics out of necessity. I had run out of minnows but found a pack of 3-inch B Fish N Tackle Moxis in my box. Tipped on the spoon, the tail activates nicely when you rip and let if fall.”

Macheledt keeps color simple. “For spoons, I like gold in dirty water, nickel when the visibility is better. Perch patterns top the list. And for the plastic, again, typically something with green, yellow, orange, because of the perch connection.”

Although he still carries minnows for rigging his search tip-ups, Macheledt is converting to a nearly all-plastics game. “You can really rip the spoon without losing your bait. Your presentation always looks the same and you keep your line in the water – instead of re-baiting all the time – which just leads to more hookups.”

Macheledt advises a stout stick, heavy fluoro leader (20 lb. and up), and a spinning reel with powerful, buttery drag that doesn’t freeze up in cold temps, like Frabill’s heavy power 38-inch Gussy Series Ice Hunter Combo. “You’ve gotta have enough backbone to penetrate a pike’s bony mouth. No fairy wands.” The 36-inch medium heavy St. Croix AVID Ice Jigging Rod is another top contender.

Catch pike on a spoon through the ice

Catch pike on a spoon through the ice

To hedge bets with big pike, Macheledt recommends Custom Jigs’ Pro Finesse Drop Chain. “Where legal, attach a #10 Pro Finesse Drop Chain without taking off the existing Pro Series Slender Spoon treble. Just clip it on the split ring of the included Slender Spoon hook … and you’ve got a super-effective stinger hook when using meat or plastic! Especially for the larger pike chomping on big perch, beefing up the profile can be key.”