Summer Muskies in the Weeds

Author:

Pete Maina

If you’re heading to a “classic” northern Wisconsin muskie lake in mid to late summer, one of the most productive locations to connect with fish is main-lake weeds. Casting lures that will run just above the weeds or occasionally make contact with the weeds is the key. Like most muskie fishing, it’s a matter of putting in the time and casts to determine the right bait and the right spots.

Total Solutions Technique

Choosing the right weed beds is always a key factor when targeting summer weed muskies. These are “top-of-the-food-chain” predators … they are big and looking to eat. Therefore you want to choose weed beds that offer them plenty of forage options and room to move around. Large, main-lake weed beds in depths ranging from 4 to 12 feet are typical in “up-north” flowages. Larger “cabbage” style weeds are a good option as these tend to grow in such a way as to give large fish cover, yet space to move around. Coontail grows in thicker clumps and working the edges of the clumps can often be productive. Lily pads and bull rushes can also hold muskies, but most will hang close to the outer edges where there is better access to deeper water.

Water clarity will also play a role in what weeds you want to target. The clearer the water, the deeper the best weeds will be. Many of the lakes and flowages in the northern muskie belt will have what many refer to as “coffee colored” or “tannic” colored water. On lakes like these, muskies may be more apt to utilize shallower weeds than they would in the more “gin-clear” bodies of water.

When casting these areas, be sure to cover the entire weed bed. Pay special attention to the edges, especially any irregular contours in the weed edge as these are prime ambush points for predators like muskies. Don’t get lazy … it make take an arsenal of 3 or four different lures to cover the entire weed bed thoroughly, even making a few casts just out from the weeds to contact any fish cruising near by.

Total Solutions Equipment

When it comes to muskie tackle, line choice is one of the biggest considerations. Braided superlines are the way to go for casting. I highly recommend the Spiderwire Ultracast for durability and castability. If you’re throwing smaller baits such as small bucktails or smaller top water baits, 80 pound test would be sufficient. However, if you’re tossing larger, heavier baits, go with the 100 pound test braid. Other good lines in this category would include Spiderwire Stealth and Stren Super Braid. Make certain you tape the line to the spool or use mono backing when filling the reel spool to prevent slippage. These no stretch lines are absolutely the way to go. You’ll experience much better feel and get much better hooksets.

Of course when fishing for toothy critters you’re going to want to use a leader between your main line and your lure. While wire has long been a standard leader material over the years, many muskie anglers have gone to using fluorocarbon leaders, partly for the visibility aspects especially when fishing very clear water, but mostly because fluorocarbon is much less apt to harm the fish if it should start to “roll” and get wrapped in the line and leader. While fluorocarbon can be bit off by a muskie, its tough stuff, and bite offs are the exception rather than the rule. I tie all my fluorocarbon casting leaders with Berkley Vanish in the 100 pound test. An 18 to 20 inch leader is just about for casting. I’ll tie them much longer for trolling applications, but then that’s a subject for another article.

For casting, heavy to extra heavy action muskie rods in the 8 to 9 foot range allow you to make long casts and effectively hook and fight big fish. The longer rods that have some “tip” action to them are ideal for use with no-stretch line as they give you a bit more “shock absorption” when fighting big fish.

A good selection of summer weed fishing muskie lures would include bucktails, spinnerbaits, top waters and gliders. That doesn’t mean you forget about other lure categories such as crankbaits and jerkbaits or even heavy jigging lures. These too can be highly effective when used in the right situation. Be sure to pick lures that you can run just above the weeds, even making contact with the weeds from time to time. Your lure choice will be greatly influenced by the depth of the weeds you are targeting.