Muskellunge - What do I need?

There are many types of fishing rods; choose a rod that best fits you andyour style of fishing. Fishing rods for muskies are usually rated for 2-16 ounce lures in 6-9 feet lengths. Longer rods are good for making larger figure-eights next to the boat. Short rods work well with jerkbaits and glide baits. It’s much easier to make quick twitching motions with short fast action rods.

Bait casting reels rated for 50-100 pound braided lines are used most often. The gear ratio of a reel is important when choosing what type of lure to use. For example, a 6.4:1 gear ratio is suggested when using twin bladed bucktails, while a 5.3:1 is better for jerkbaits. Higher gear ratios let you retrieve faster using less energy. 

Most anglers use braided line. It is smaller in diameter, resists scratches and doesn’t stretch like a monofilament line. Anglers usually use leaders made of wire or fluorocarbon since muskies have sharp teeth that can cut or fray the line while fighting.

First-time musky anglers will find bucktails, spinnerbaits, topwater lures and crankbaits easiest to use in the beginning due to retrieves being mostly straight. As experience is gained, jerk and glide baits are also great lure options to use throughout the fishing season when muskies may not like fast moving straight line retrieved lures.

Crankbaits come in a wide variety, but all are fitted with a metal or plastic lip that makes them dive to a specific depth. Crankbaits used in Iowa usually range in size from 6 to 12 inches. Different crankbaits styles have a wide range of dive depths, so tailoring what depth you're working the lure in is very easy.

Crankbaits are equally effective for trolling or casting. When trolling, put the lure 10-60 feet behind the boat at a speed of 3 to 8 miles per hour. Use a depth finder to help you find submerged weed lines; troll just along the outside edge. For casting, find a likely spot, let the boat drift with the wind or move it slowly with an electric trolling motor and cast the lure as far as possible using a steady retrieve with quick twitches and rips of the rod tip followed by slight pauses.

Spinnerbaits and bucktails have a metal spinner, in a single or tandem pattern, followed by a group of weights attached to a single or multiple hooks. They come in many colors and patterns using natural materials like feathers and deer hair or synthetics like flashabou and rubber skirting. Some anglers will also attach a soft plastic like a twister tail to the back hook to add color and increase the action of the lure.  While spinnerbaits and bucktails are used mostly while casting, they can still be used for trolling.

Bucktails excel for retrieving over and around aquatic vegetation, spinnerbaits are at their best when retrieved through vegetation.

Topwater lures come in two types, straight line  and walk the dog.  Walk the dog topwaters move in a zigzag motion across the surface.  This lure type is best used around cover like aquatic vegetation or flooded wood that might hold muskies waiting to ambush bait fish during low light conditions such as sunrise, sunset or before a storm or even at night.  Always listen to the sound of the topwater lure while you retrieve to help figure out the retrieve speed that the muskies prefer that day.

Jerk and glide baits, which are made of wood or plastic, imitate injured baitfish. This style of muskie lure can take some time getting used to since each individual lure can react differently to the action given by the angler. Best used by experienced anglers, they are named for how you retrieve them. Jerkbaits will dive sharply and darts side-to-side while glide baits will zig zag. Some jerkbaits have a metal tail that you can bend to change the action. Otherwise, the angler must supply most of the erratic action. Jerk and glide baits come in a variety of colors and styles.

Jerk and glide baits do not dive as deeply as crankbaits; they work best in shallow water, especially over submerged plants or other structures near the surface. They are usually fished in less than 12 feet of water.

Swim baits are made of soft plastic and rely on a large paddle tail that waggles side to side to attract fish. They are either unweighted or have an internal weight system.  They come in many lengths ranging up to and over 12 inches. This bait is typically counted down to a certain depth and then straight line retrieved with occasional pops and jerks of the rod tip. It is best used when muskies are suspended in basins or around habitat.

Muskies have a habit of following lures for long distances. A commonly used trick anglers use is a "figure 8" motion beside the boat. With approximately 6 inches of line still out, the angler in one smooth motion will stick part of the fishing rod tip into the water and make a large figure 8 or oval pattern with the lure beside the boat.  This sudden change in lure direction can trigger following muskies to attack and give anglers a thrilling upclose bite and fight. With enough experience anglers can judge the mood of the following muskie and determine the speed of the figure 8 to convert the follow into a strike. This figure 8 motion should be completed at the end of every cast.

Muskie lures come in a kaleidoscope of color, so one never knows what might trip the muskies interest. Iowa anglers have reported success with colors such as black, brown, firetiger, black and orange, bluegill, shad, and perch. Bright colors like purple, blue and white can also have their moments.

Muskellunge

Muskellunge in Iowa can reach lengths over 50 inches and 50 pounds. Historically, muskellunge have been called the fish of ten thousand casts. Some anglers may be wary of putting in so much effort for one fish, but hooking a trophy musky will give most anglers a fever for which there is no cure.

While male muskies rarely grow to 40 inches, females will reach 40 inches in most of Iowa’s waters by ages 5-8. Because natural reproduction is very limited in Iowa and muskies have been known to reach ages up to 26, most avid anglers practice catch and release. Proper handling is essential to safely release fish and avoid injuries to anglers. Find more tips for a speedy and safe release on the DNR catch and release webpage.

All muskellunge less than forty inches must be immediately released in all waters of Iowa. There is a closed season from December 1st through May 20th on the Iowa Great Lakes (Big Spirit, East and West Okoboji Lakes).
 

Muskellunge and northern pike can interbreed.  This hybrid is often called a tiger muskie.  The Iowa DNR discontinued hybrid stockings in the late 1980s, but wild natural hybrids occur.  The most likely lakes to catch hybrids are at the Iowa Great Lakes, most notably on Big Spirit and East/West Okoboji lakes.

 

 

 

Muskie

Muskellunge - Where to Find Them

Muskies, native to the upper Mississippi River drainage, have been found in Iowa’s rivers since the late 1800’s. The first attempt to stock muskies into Iowa lakes began in 1960 to offer anglers another trophy sport fish. Thanks to improvements in hatchery practices, additional areas are now stocked. For places to look for muskie angling opportunities in Iowa, go to https://www.iowadnr.gov/idnr/Fishing/Iowa-Fish-Species/Fish-Details/SpeciesCode/MU

Muskies are often caught in the spillway below lake dams or downstream of low head dams. Muskellunge are often caught by walleye anglers at these river locations using twister tails, crankbaits and jerkbaits.

Since muskellunge are stocked in low densities, they are not found everywhere in a lake. Side scan sonar, live scope, underwater cameras and GPS systems can help you find a weed line with specific key features within the habitat such as inside turns, small points that extend out into deeper water or clumps of aquatic plants that are denser than the rest of the weed bed. Use a GPS unit to help you come back to these locations throughout the fishing season. 

On impoundments look for muskies in creek channels that wind through flooded timber. Rock jetties and armored shorelines, such as the face of a dam, will also hold muskies. Try also road beds, constructed rock piles, earthen mounds and brush piles, and aquatic vegetation. Look for places where many habitat types cross, such as where a weed line meets an old road bed with rock piled on it.

As water temperatures start to rise in early spring, muskies can be seen in shallow bays soaking up the sun. In reservoirs, find them in the upper arms and inflows. Sight fishing, a common technique, involves slowly moving along in a boat to look for muskies. Cast large jigs tipped with a large soft plastic, such as a 6 inch twister tail, ahead of the fish and slowly work the jig combo back towards the fish. Look also in deeper water next to spawning areas for baitfish species such as sunfish and suckers. Try twitching large crankbaits along areas between shallow back bays and main lake drop offs early in the spring. Look for any aquatic plants such as curly leaf pondweed.  A small clump of green fresh aquatic plants can hold several fish. Glide and jerk baits can be very effective this time of year by utilizing long pauses to create “hang time” between twitches of the rod.

While muskies are actively spawning they can be very easy to find in shallow water, but typically are very difficult to catch. Look to deeper water to find fish that have not spawned yet or already have completed their spawning.

Once water temperatures reach the mid-60s and after the fish have recovered from the spawning season, muskies start to eat more often. Find active fish in weed lines close to drop offs on natural lakes, bulrush beds and rock reefs. Boat docks can also be great places to find muskies.

Fishing techniques used during the summer are similar between natural lakes and reservoirs and often depend on the forage base. Cast spinnerbaits, buck tails and topwater around weedlines, docks and inflowing water sources.  Baits that are snag resistant like spinnerbaits may be better for the beginner in these situations, but with experience any lure type can be used. Trolling crankbaits up to 5-6 miles per hour along weedlines can be a great way to cover water and find active muskies. In midsummer, speed can be very important. Don't be afraid to “burn” baits (retrieve very fast) when water temperatures are warm.

During the fall, as water temperatures decrease, muskies will move shallow to continue to build up energy reserves before the winter and spring spawn. Any and all muskie lures can be effective. Don't get hung up on one style of lure.  Late fall can be a great time to move slowly with the boat less than 1 mile per hour around any green live aquatic plants or wood using a large white sucker (8-12 inches) below a bobber and behind the boat while you cast to likely spots with jerk baits.

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