When the time comes, after a long winter, and you are gearing up for musky season. Everyone tries to predict where their first spot is going to be or anticipating where might these fish be.
I always wonder, when fishing new bodies of water or even when certain things change on my home body of water from year to year, where might these fish be to start out the season. Always take these key aspects to help you find your next big bite.
1. Water level: if you seem to notice lake levels or river levels rise or decrease there might be more things that have changed over the course of time. Vegetation, forage, and water temperature for that given time.
Vegetation is a big thing for all species of fish. This is a natural hiding spot and ambush point for fish on the top of the food chain. Yes, vegetation changes from year to year, but usually, stays in the same area. If water level is down, you might not have that weed growth off that drop off or weed flat out infant of the inlet/outlet anymore. Understanding what the water is doing is very key.
2. Forage: understanding what the population of baitfish or panfish such as perch, bluegill, and sometimes walleyes. If you know that there are a ton of small baitfish in certain areas, the likely hood of predator fish being there, is very high. Finding those secondary areas such as weed beds, drop offs, and potential sunken timber, can put you in a better spot.
3. Water temp: every lake is going to be different and lot of the time, you won't know until you get on the lake. If you have water temps that are generally in that 40-50's then finding those inlet areas of warmer water can put you in a better place. Doing a bit of Google Map research can help a ton in this. Looking to see where there might be a small creek or a run off from a field coming into a lake generally creates a spot for warm water. Baitfish/panfish love this.
Now that we have broken down some of the key factors that might affect certain fishing spots, let's take a look now at some of those key places to target these fish at.
Shallow areas: as the water begins to warm up, muskies tend to move into shallow bays to feed. This might mean a shallow area close to an inlet/outlet of a lake, shallow vegetation flats, and even timber/rock. These shallow areas will hold those small panfish in the early spring and sometimes all the way through till summer. Generally shallow areas will be sand with some areas of vegetation or rock humps. Finding these will put you in a batter area. Generally speaking about shallow, don't be afraid to cast in about 2 foot of water this time of year.
Inlets and Outlets: These are great spots for lakes that have not many inlets and outlets. A lot of fish in a fishing system will gather here. Not only muskies, but bait fish. This is a spot for warmer water. Finding those current breaks and also change in depths will help you understanding where these fish hang out.
Points and Humps: Generally speaking, fishing these areas in the spring means, places that have easy access to the shoreline. Main lake points all the way down to subtle changes from rock to sand are places to start. Having a good understanding of where these beasts spawn puts you a better understanding of first points and humps they might head too. This can be anywhere from 2 to 10 ft of water.
Weed-beds: FISH THE VEGETATION! This is a statement that I have always kept with me. From a great friend that taught me a lot of what I know, always say this. He always told me, if you understand how the forage interacts with the veg. you will learn to know where these muskies sit. Each lake is different. Experienced musky fisherman will catch on to where these weed-beds are and take full advantage.
It is important to note that fishing for muskies is all about opportunity. There will be times, these fish will not bite, but then you might get 3-4 fish to bite or follow within a short amount of time. It's all about being in the right spot at the right time. #Catch-Release-Repeat
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