How to Catch a Muskie: 8 tips

A trophy musky is a rare creature. Being an apex predator at the top of the food chain means there are fewer big musky swimming in a waterbody compared to other species, like bass or walleye. Given this reality, the angling opportunities to hook into a giant muskellunge are limited — which is why it’s critical to make the most of your time on the water and capitalize on any encounters with these big predators. To help you accomplish this, here are 8 can’t-miss tips to catch more musky.

Musky Fishing Equipment

1. Get Precise With Your Presentation

One of the best ways to improve musky catch rates is to be more precise with presentations. For example, when casting for musky, always look for structure and cover where a musky might be positioned to ambush prey. Getting your lure near this target is key. To do this, first cast the lure beyond the spot and then retrieve it into the target area. Casting directly at a prime spot can be a bad idea as the lure’s splashdown risks startling a musky.
Presentation precision is also critical when trolling. Experienced musky anglers often use line counter reels to monitor the distance their lure is from the boat, and thus fine-tune tactics such as the running depth of a musky crankbait. Using a GPS to monitor boat speed and make subtle adjustments to the trolling pace is another way to improve trolling precision.

Tip: For more details on the best gear for musky fishing, check out the following blog.

2. Add Evasive Movements to a Lure

Musky are notorious for following lures. Cracking the code on how to make a fish bite is an ongoing riddle, but one reliable technique is imparting some erratic movement to a lure. From a predator’s perspective, evasive action signals panicking prey and vulnerability, which can prompt a fish to attack.
An easy way to do this is adjusting speed. When casting, try cranking the reel handle fast for a couple of turns or snapping a bait forward using the rod tip. Making S-turns when trolling will cause the bait on the outside of the turn to go faster, and a lure on the inside to slow down.

Pro tip: When casting, always be looking at the water behind, below and to the sides of your lure for a following fish.

3. Try Different Lures

Musky can be particular about the types of baits they’ll strike. It’s not uncommon for a fish to follow one lure to the boat, reject it, and then be caught later on a different bait.
This is one reason it’s a good strategy to have each angler in the boat using a different lure — at least until a pattern is established determining the lures musky are most interested in.

Here are some essential musky lures to have in your collection:
• Topwaters — Judd Musky Inline Buzzbait, Joe Bucher Dancin Raider
• Inline and tandem bladed spinnerbaits — Mepps Black Fury Musky Killer Tandem, Joe Bucher Buckertail and Judd Musky Spinnerbait
• Diving hard baits — Joe Bucher Shallow Raider Jointed Crankbait, Rapala Super Shad Rap
• Sinking baits — Savage Gear 3D Burbot Ribbon Tail, Rapala Peto and Otus
• Spoons — Williams Whitefish

4. Fish Prime Spots More Than One Way

Musky can be especially tough to catch from lakes and rivers receiving heavy angling pressure. One trick to getting more big fish to bite is figuring out how to show them something a little different than what they’re used to seeing.
Above we shared the importance of trying different lures, but here’s something else to try the next time you’re on the water. Pay attention to how other anglers are fishing musky spots and come up with a way you can fish a little differently.
For example, many anglers fish vegetation with their boat in deep water and cast their lures shallow. Why not try doing the opposite, parking shallow and casting deep? Or, could you troll the same water instead of casting through the area?

5. Believe in Second Chances — Third and Fourth Ones, Too

Don’t lose hope if a musky follows your bait but doesn’t bite. One failed encounter doesn’t mean the game is over.
Successful musky anglers are nothing if not persistent. If unable to convert a strike from a fish at boat side (see Tip 6), quickly change lures and work the area again. Clearly, the first bait you were throwing wasn’t enticing enough.
Most experienced anglers will work a spot for a little while after seeing a following musky, but will tell you not to pound the area too hard. What they do instead is leave and then return later in the day.
Timing the next visit comes with experience. A sudden change in weather can be a good opportunity to return to the spot as approaching storms can stimulate musky feeding.
The end of the day is another good time. Musky regularly get active around nightfall. Lowering light levels can also work to an angler’s advantage as a musky’s sight will be compromised. As a result, the fish may not detect the boat, angler silhouettes, and other warning cues, making it more willing to bite.

6. Learn How to Trigger a Follower

Well respected musky fishing guide John Anderson, of the Ottawa River Muskie Factory (ottawarivermuskyfactory.com), says he and his clients encounter 40 to 50 percent of their muskie beside the boat. To try and trigger these fish to strike, Anderson executes a boat-side figure-O maneuver, which is done by tracing the shape of an “O” with your rod tip with the lure following close behind. Here’s a quick rundown of the process.
When you’re reeling in a musky lure towards the end of the retrieve, ensure the rod is pointing down and to either your left or right side. Reel in line until the leader is just a few inches from the rod tip — Anderson uses 14-inch casting leaders because the closer the lure is to the rod tip, the larger the “O” he can make (a long rod also helps). As you stop reeling, push the rod tip into the water while pulling the rod to the other side of your body, and then outward in front of you to trace an O-shape with the rod tip. While doing this, you should be scanning the water for any signs of a musky.

Make at least one to a couple of these after every cast. If you see a fish, stay with it for a while, even if you lose sight of the musky.

Tip: Anderson prefers a figure-O instead of a figure-8. “Big fish can’t turn in sharp circles, so I go with a large O instead of an 8,” he said.

7. Make Your Hook Set Count

Executing a quality hook-set is one of the most important things you can do to put more musky in the fishing net. This begins with always being ready to act because musky can come out of nowhere fast. Point the rod at the lure you’re retrieving and keep your body balanced.

It’s also critical to set the hook hard. It takes a lot of power to move a sizeable lure and get hooks to penetrate in a musky’s tooth-filled, bony mouth.
To move the maximum amount of line, Anderson recommends setting the hook to the side (not moving the rod vertically) and keeping a tight drag. Taking a step back with your rear foot is another way to transfer more power.
Trolling anglers don’t need to set the hook, as the boat’s momentum tends to do the job. To ensure this happens, it’s best to leave the engine in gear for a few seconds (some anglers even add a bit of speed) to confirm the fish is well hooked before putting it into neutral and grabbing the rod.

8. Practise Proper Fish Handling & Catch-and-Release

Catching a trophy musky is on the bucket list of many anglers. For this to happen, it requires anglers to learn and follow proper catch-and-release practices to help preserve the world-class musky fisheries in Ontario and Quebec.
Proper fish care is essential. Despite a musky’s ability to grow big, they require a delicate touch. Fish should be kept in the water as much as possible to reduce air exposure, handling is to be kept to a minimum, and anglers should support a fish in the water until it’s recovered its strength before releasing it. These are just a few critical points, but you can learn more through Muskies Canada (muskiescanada.ca).
Having the right fishing tools in the boat is also critical. This includes a big, deep net with coated mesh and long-handled or pistol grip fishing pliers. For more tool recommendations, see our Best Gear for Musky Fishing blog.