LOTW on Muskie Opener

I’ve never fished LOTW for muskies. Will be at the NW Angle, Monument Bay area for the week June 16-23. Anyone have good tips for early season muskies? Thanks.

Dave

I am also heading up to the great lake over the same weekend. We will be camping out in the islands and fishing for these great fish. Last year we had our best luck fishing in the evenings up until dark. As for what colors to use that anyones guess, it depends on what the water looks like. Best of luck to you on your trip.

Mostly it is all weather dependent.

Suicks and gliders (Phantoms and Reefhawgs) in red-sucker patterns do very well up there.

Bucktails/spinnerbaits in both black and white color patterns also seem to be quite productive.

Don’t be hesitant to twich cranks!

Don’t be afraid to use top water either. Top raiders and dog-walkers can be very productive. Again, both black and white color patterns do well.

This early in the year, I HIGHLY recommend focusing on west facing sandy bays. These bays will warm up the fastest, as they get the most sun. Thus giving you the best “early weeds” production.

Watch the wind, if the wind has been blowing hard for a good strong day or two, use that to your advantage for fishing the pinches/saddles between islands and shallow reefs.

One last tip. Again, focusing on the south-west portions of the islands. When the glaciers came through, they “cleaned off” all the rock/rubble from the north / north-east sections of the islands. What the glaciers did was push that rubble off on the south, south-west, west sections of these islands. Here is where you will find your better “rock” structures. Now, this isn’t “gospel” but it is very effective to base your milk runs off of this.

Good luck, take pictures and give us a report when you get back!!

My boat didn’t land any muskies, but my partners landed several and saw dozens. The biggest was 49.5 inch, several mid 40’s, and a few small snakes. The best fishing was in Big Narrows, where steep banks were next to shallow rocks. Weed fishing was pretty much non-existant.

Walleye fishing was excellent, pulling raps in 14-17 feet was the ticket.

Dave

Well our group landed a totla of two ski’s. One about 36″ the other a first timer landed a 45″. Being only a jr in high school he was a little pumped. As for the walleyes we caught enough for eating and had a blast letting the other go. With the May fly hatch going on we fish the deep edges of the reefs one day and di well on jigs and casted cranks over 6 foot reefs on other days and did well. Seems like you just had to find the fish each day.