Need some Musky advice

[Carp Addiction]

Hey guys,

So I'm heading out to a lake in the Kawarthas this weekend and thought I'd try for some musky. Ive never caught one before so I'm really hoping to hook into one (I have caught pike though so I'm pretty rounded when it comes to proper handling and release)

I'm armed with a fish finder, a boat, this coming Friday and Saturday so two full days lol, a fishing map of the lake I'm on, and I've also purchased some lures..

1. 8 inch jointed believer
2. mini medussa
3. bluefox super bou spinnerbait
4. cisco kid topper
5. booyah pikee spinnerbait
6. vibrax musky buck

(I have an abundance of previously purchased Rapala lures and smaller inline spinnerbaits, such as mepps aglias, husky jerks, clackin raps, scitter pops, shad raps, and also varieties of spoons in different sizes and colours, but nothing as big as the 1-6 I've purchased for Musky alone)

I'm also purchasing some live frogs, helgramites, and live suckers around 10 inches

My plan is to scout around the main islands of the lake and basically try trolling into lots and lots of beeps from the fish finder, anchoring up, and casting. If the casting doesnt produce much I will continue trolling around different islands until I basically run out of gas =)

I'm not really an action-casting type angler though (as the name suggests) so I'm really hoping someone can point me in the right direction.... times of day, types of water conditions, retrieve styles, ANYTHING that could help me track one of these fish down because I hear they can be very elusive and finnicky fish..

Please guys!

THANKS! And feel free to ask me about ANYTHING carp! =)

 

[IR4Jflyfishing]

Slow down, A muskies metabolism slows down as the water cools but as you probably know they put on the feed. I like fishing big jerkbaits in the fall, but that being said a slow bottom bounced sucker is a good way to cover a lot of water. I Personally dont have much experience with that technique Ive linked a video showing the technique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHbclVhHhz0

It is also proven that jigging for early fall muskie is great, I like tubes for this but you can use a lot of things. Basically anything that sinks and has the generally fish profile (that medusa!)

You should be targetting deeper weedlines, and humps. These are the areas that will have the bass, walleye and perch that the muskie will be attempting to feed on. "find the bait find the fish"

 

[Carp Addiction]

@IR4J

Thanks man! Really appreciate your input =)

 

[iamnickevans]

pm sent

 

[Hank Jr]

Just got a couple reports from friends who fished Balsam and Sturgeon over the weekend . Best lures were Bulldogs and spinner baits they saw and boated several over 40" including a 42" Tiger . I also sent you a PM hope it helps .Good Luck

 

[Carp Addiction]

pm sent

great info there thanks brother ! were all nuts in our own right ;-)

 

[Kasim Baluch]

I fish them in 2-3 feet of water lol. Doesn't matter what temp, but I'm not a pro. Just started on them this year!

 

[Kasim Baluch]

and sorry if I lost points on how to hold it properly. I really tried but I was SUPER excited because this was my first one (and the biggest) but I released it and it swam back like a slow moving dinosaur. LOVED it!!

 

[Kasim Baluch]

Oh, sorry. Totally took over the thread. But was using a 2-3 foot Rapala crank bait. Slow retrieve and was right before sundown

 

[Kleiner]

How did you do in the Kawarthas, Carp Addicton?

 

[Joshkerzner]

ive caught muskie in algonquin park just using a perch like X-rap. if muskie see it, they'll take it as long as its big enough and they are looking to eat. ive only caught pike in the kawarthas tho. so good luck

 

[steelhead101]

a interesting kawartha lake tip is during the poor fishing hours of the day go small! most of the time in the kawartha walleye guys catch just as many muskie trolling harnesses, small plugs, even jig and a minnow! something to try as well is to burn bass sized spinner baits. I've had days where the lake seems empty and you start burning a spinner bait and they come out of no where like a bat out of hell.

 

[Carp Addiction]

no luck

Although I heard the Musky population on Big Cedar is running low. Its a land-locked lake so it comes as no surprise.

Maybe I'll just stick with what I know