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Liquid Assets
By Al Denninger © 2006

Fishermen have spent small fortunes on rods, reels, and tackle, not to mention fancy boats, all in pursuit of the elusive Musky.

Many anglers, however, forget the important basics in their zeal to boat this "fish of 10,000 casts".

You cannot blindly race out onto the water and begin pounding the weeds with just any lure. Planning your attack in advance is the way to go if you want to score.

Approach Is The Key

Approaching your intended fishing area without announcing your presence will go a long way in upping your odds of fooling "Old Green Lightning".

Musky, especially big Musky, are very leery. They know their world and have been hooked, motored over, cast at, chased by otters, and who knows what else. Then, anglers motor up on to a weed bed, stop the motor, put down the trolling motor, bang tackle boxes, and then start plopping lures into the water. Don’t think the fish doesn’t know you are there…he knows…that how he survives.

When approaching your fishing area, slow your boat down away from the spot. Stop out in deep water and make your first couple of casts off the bar or weed edge in deep water. A good knowledge of the lake upon which you are fishing is a big help. I like keeping my boat out in deeper water as much as possible. This is how I work the weed edge or bar drop off. Only when the edge is covered, will I move my boat over the weeds so as to fish the remainder of the weed bed.

The best way to sneak up on leery fish is by using the weather to your advantage. Using the wind to move you silently along a weed edge is the ideal. Wave action will camouflage most noises and reflections coming from your boat. A following fish does not get a good look at what is beyond the lure it is following.

From S. to N.

A lot of fish that should have been boated are lost between set and net. When playing a fish, it is best to face the fish while playing it to keep your rod at a 45 degree angle to the water, also pointing in the direction of the fish you are fighting.

Rod handling also can make or break the battle. When a fish goes under the boat, keep the line tight and shove your rod straight down into the water. Hopefully, you will be able to play the fish back out from under the the boat and thereby reduce the risk of the line being cut or damaged by the bottom of the boat.

Hopefully, these tips will help you to boat the fish of your dreams.