Dedicated musky fishermen are on the water in the fall. Giving up time from duck, grouse and bow hunting, they will fish until the lakes ice over. Fall is an excellent time to fish muskies. Although preparations for the cold weather fishing can turn some anglers off, if properly dressed it's an exhilarating experience.
Warm clothing is important, as is a good pair of warm boots. Surgical gloves worn under a pair of cold weather fishing gloves will keep hands dry.
Fall is the time of year when chances are best to land a true wall-hanger musky of 50 inches or larger. Musky feed heavy during the fall, adding body fat to get them through the cold winter. Understanding the habits of the baitfish they feed on at this time is crucial.
In North America's top musky waters, the lakes and flowages of northern Wisconsin, ciscos and whitefish are both fall staples in a musky's diet. Evenings in late fall these fish enter the shallows to spawn. Muskies follow them in to feed. Heavy populations of these baitfish provide the oily meat that really adds weight.
Both Mepps Musky and Giant Killers emulate ciscos and whitefish. Try a silver blade model with a white, or black and white bucktail. Rainbo scale blades can also be deadly this time of year. Again, stick with a white or black and white bucktail. Remaining as quiet as possible while fishing these shallows is absolutely essential; don't even use an electric trolling motor. Drift into shore and cast on the way.
Sunny fall days will provide calm afternoon water, and are excellent times to fish a Musky Killer in the cabbage weeds. It's here the muskys go to warm themselves. They also take advantage of the shadows to stalk their prey. Because of the similarity of weather conditions, this is also an excellent place to find muskys in the early summer.
Musky season opens early. Fishing lakes shallower than 20 feet can be the key to early season action. A slow presentation is needed. Musky do not become aggressive until water temperatures reach 70 to 75 degrees. Fish shallow bays and large flats of weeds early in the season with a Mepps Musky Killer.
Mepps Magnum Musky Killers are a full 143% bigger than the standard Mepps Musky Killer. These big, big lures feature an extra heavy #7 solid brass blade for unequaled flash, and a vibration you can feel all the way up to your shoulders. They can run as deep as eight feet. This makes the Magnum Musky Killer an excellent spinner for fishing the mid-summer haunts of big muskies, including the weed lines bordering deep water. It's also an excellent warm water spinner for fishing over weeds with a rapid retrieve. Keep your rod tip high and start your retrieve quickly when working the weeds with any big lure.
Mepps Giant Killers also produce a very definite vibration when retrieved. This classic Mepps has always been a great producer of large fish because it's so well suited for water depths of four to 12 feet. Big musky are found in these depths all summer long.
Giant Killers with a single bucktail weigh 1-1/4 ounces; with a tandem bucktail, 1-3/4 ounces. The Giant Killer's heavy blade and body make long casts possible with little effort.
Be careful. Musky fever is very contagious... you may catch it!
