best way to muskie fish

[mark mercer]

i live in northern new jersey and some lakes around here have a good muskie population. i have gone for them many times b4, and caught nothing althought i have caught little stocked ones (12 inch or smaller) while i was fishing for panfish. i have hooked on to them many times without fishing for them, anyway, what would you guys say is the best tactic to go after muskies when your first starting out? would it be trolling? possibly finding a spot u know they are and just casting a big spinner or buzz bait? well anyway let me know what you guys think id like to catch one of these big bad boys that are up here.

[TroutFishingBear]

A large spinner and a buzzbait are excellent choices as they piss muskies off. A spinnerbait, in my opinion, is a top bait for both pike and musky because it makes them mad. Muskies are tough to catch, don't get discouraged!

[MikeThePike]

I live in Central NJ and am most likely fishing the same places (monksville, echo lake resivior, ect) and have yet to get 1 in 8 or 9 trips since ice out. If you've got a boat it should make things a bit easier.

I've had 1 hit on a large buzz bait and 1 follow on a Uncle Josh Burmek Lure (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=46872) in perch color but fishing from the shore limits the water I can cover.

[mark mercer]

yes i have a boat and im getting a permit for echo lake so ill let u guys know how it goes. i also have a 19 foot center consol fishing boat docked on greenwood lake. so i can take my small 14 fter anyhwere but the big boat is limited to greenwood lake.

[MikeThePike]

A 14 footer is ideal for Echo Lake but keep in mind you are only allowed an electric motor. Also with the same permit you can fish Clinton Resevior, Oak Ridge Resevior and Canisteer Resevior.

Canisteer is supposed to be really good for walleyes.

[Jigwiggler]

Mark,

If you already know an area where muskies feed then start there.  If that doesn't pan out or you want to scout some new water then trolling is a good option.  You can cover alot of water that way.  Bucktails, cranks, jerkbaits and topwater all work and are worth a try.  The fish will tell you what they want.  I you want to learn to catch musky on a given water, leave all your other tackle and rods at home.  Just fish for musky, that way if you aren't catching anything you won't be tempted to pick up the bass rod or go chase some panfish.  Put your time in and you'll figure them out.  Fish don't feed every day so increasing the amount of time you pursue them is the best way to up your odds.  Once you learn the hot spots and presentations for the waters you're fishing, the time you spend on the water between fish will decrease dramatically.  Polarized glasses are a help to see following fish and let you know your doing something right.  Always be scanning your surroundings watching for actively feeding fish.  Good luck!!

[Redneck]

When I fisrt fish a lake that I know has alot muskie in I find the panfish. I than fish for them with a large minnow out no another pole when the panfish quit bitting I throw a bucktail around. Caught many a legal muskie that way
Redneck

[suskymusky]

I use a lot of bucktail spinners.If there is a lot of cover I switch to a large spinnerbait.Try a 1/2 oz bucktail jig tipped with a chub or a plastic trailer, and fish it slow.

[AirManCam]

I would say the best way to catch them is ice fishing

[jacksmelt]

TROLL!! best way to pattern a lake or river. once located then cast to them.

[jayg]

Trolling is a great way to learn the structure of the lake.  If you are starting out with trolling, find out where the weed edge is.  Troll along this weed edge occasionally ripping the weeds with your lure.  This is a great way to intice them to bite.  When you are starting out, you may find that trolling with crankbaits may be a little difficult because you will be snagging a lot.  It takes time to perfect trolling the weed edge with cranks with the occasional rip of a weed.  To make life simple, the best lure in my box is the spinnerbait.  Buy the ones that are at least 1 oz.  I prefer the 2 oz models.  There are so many good ones out there that I will not bother naming them all.  Make sure that they have a stinger hook on them.  With these babies you could go right into the weeds without hardly picking up any weeds on your lure.  I try this technique a lot on one of my lakes at home in the Montreal, Quebec area.  It is a stained lake and the weed edge is at 8 1/2 to 9 feet.  I start fishing the outer edge and if nothing is biting I will move in.  To rip the weeds at 9 feet may be a little difficult with the lighter spinnerbaits.  I little trick is to slow down until 2mph or slower to let the bait fall down and then gun the motor again.  When I move in,  I go all the way to 3 or 4 feet.  It might sound mad but it works.  Your rod will be jumping all over the place but that's what it takes to get them to bite in my area lots of times.  Make sure you have a fairly stiff rod rated to at least 3 oz.  To rip properly you cannot have a flimsy rod, it will not work as well.  Good luck and let me now if anybody tries this technique with success.

[TJ Bauer]

I would say the best way to catch them is ice fishing

I have found this to be my best way to cacth them but for soft water I fish with a big topwater plug