Fall is a great time to chase big muskies

While many sportsmen and women head off into the woods, their fancies turning to chasing big bucks, others slide their boats quietly into the morning mist of their favorite lake, hoping to cross paths with what is known as “the fish of 10,000 casts.” Fall can be a great time to target the elusive muskellunge. Many anglers who target these species lay off of them in the warmer mid-summer months, leaving a small window to get back after them as temperatures fall and fish mortality becomes less of an issue.

As with most fish species, fall is a time of feasting and preparing for a long, dark winter under the ice. This creates better odds for the angler looking to finally hook the fish of a lifetime. 

One place these actively feeding fish may be found are in areas where weed growth is still occurring. Green weeds can be key for fall anglers. These weeds can hold bait fish and also provide higher oxygen levels than weeds that are dead and decaying, taking oxygen out of the water in this process. In lakes where weed growth is normally not as good, or where it has died off significantly in the fall, structure and cover should be targets. Fallen wood, brush piles and other cover for bait fish can attract big game fish to an area. Shallow areas that tend to be warmer can also bring up muskies who will cruise around looking for an easy meal. Shallow, of course, is relative to the lake on which an angler finds themselves. The key may be water that is jut a bit warmer than the depths of the lake. 

Bait fish balls can be important at this time of the year. Finding forage that is grouped up makes for much easier feeding for a big fish. For the bait fish, gathering in large groups makes sense, as each as a higher chance of survival than if they were swimming around individually. As a group, though, they make a good target for game fish. These smaller fish will also tend to stick around areas where oxygen levels are higher, if they can find live foliage. 

Anglers should pay attention to the depth at which bait fish are schooling. This will give a good clue as to what presentation might work to target the musky who area looking for that forage. Using electronics makes is a bit easier to find those bait fish and then target that depth with a big musky lure. Musky will tend to feed from the side or the bottom of a school of bait fish. 

Bait fish will also tend to move shallow at certain times of the day. Early mornings are the best time to find big muskies following bait fish up shallow. The low light of early morning, coupled with the propensity of fish to be shallow, can make for some great topwater action. This type of fishing is a favorite tactic for many anglers. Nothing quite compares to the heart-racing action of a top water hit from one of those full grown behemoths that tend to evade anglers most of the time. 

While there is no substitute for time on the water, targeting these types of areas can help flatten the curve a bit. Additionally, learning when the heaviest feeding windows will likely take place will be helpful to anglers as well. There are many smartphone apps on the market today that will help anglers pinpoint this moon-based phenomenon.

Bait choice

For the most part, “big bait, big fish” holds true. While a big fish will often take a smaller bait, more often than not, only a big fish will take a big bait. Bigger baits also make more noise in the water, attracting fish from a farther distance. 

Jerkbaits are a favorite of anglers who look for a variety of species in the fall. This holds true for the musky angler as well. A hard jerk bait is meant to mimic the flash of an injured or dying bait fish. Cadence of a jerk bait is important. Jerks and pauses can be varied, and anglers should take their cues from the fish. Whatever cadence causes a fish to follow a bait is one the angler likely should continue to use. 

Crankbaits, too, can be a good choice in the fall. They are a bait that allows an angler to cover a lot of water quickly. Once a fish shows itself, if it will not commit to a fast moving crank, an angler can change colors or even baits to see if they can entice a strike. 

Anglers also should not turn their heads away from big plastics at this time of the year, either. Staying close to the colors of forage available on any given lake, as with most species, will improve the odds of getting a fish to the boat. Soft plastic baits can be used to target all levels of the water column. They can also be worked aggressively along the bottom, making a trail for fish to easily follow. 

While these tips are not guaranteed to put fish in the boat, knowing where fish will likely be found, and knowing what to throw, can go a long way toward success.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].