Catch and release fishing yielding larger muskies from Wisconsin waters

The Hunt of Early Ice Pike

It’s getting to be that time of year again.  You’ve packed up all your hunting gear and said goodbye to another great autumn season.  Your local boat launch has been cut off by ice now for a couple weeks.  The mercury in your thermometer continues to shrink further and further below the freezing mark.  All these signs can only mean one thing.  It’s time to hit the hard water in search of early ice northern pike.  First ice offers the most productive pike fishing of the ice fishing season.  This year, hit the ground running and don’t miss out on the spectacular December action.

               Preparation is key when it comes to fishing in subfreezing conditions.  Have all your gear in proper working order before you set out onto the ice.  When you are targeting pike your main concern should be your tip ups.  The brand you use is of little importance as long as the spool spins freely on the coldest of days.  I personally prefer either beaver dam tip ups or Frabil thermals.  Because the round Frabil’s cover the hole they significantly reduce freeze up, which can be a huge advantage on cold days.  I spool all my tip ups with 50 pound black dracon line.  This line is easily visible on the ice and is virtually tangle proof.  On the end of my dracon I attach a one foot long leader of 20 pound fluorocarbon.  If you have always used steel leaders in the past try fluorocarbon this season, I promise you won’t be sorry you did.  Fluorocarbon leaders are virtually invisible in the water, yet tough enough to hold up against even the biggest northern.  For a hook I usually use a red treble hook in sizes 2-6 depending on the size of the bait I’m using.  I like to use smaller hooks than the average person, a smaller hook gets into the fishes mouth and finds the corner almost every time.  When I’m fishing early ice I rarely use weight of any kind.  A minnow swimming naturally under the ice will tempt almost any early season pike.  In addition to your tip ups it’s also a good idea to run through a checklist of the rest of your ice gear and make sure everything is where it should be and working like it’s suppose to.

               Other than safety, location is by far the most important thing to consider when you’re heading out onto the ice for a day of pike fishing.  The pike’s moods, habits, and location will change drastically throughout the season.  Early in the season you’re going to want to focus your efforts on the shallow areas of the lake.  This could include bays, flats, shallow humps, shorelines, or backwaters depending on the type of lake your fishing.  When deciding which area on a lake to hit first, pay attention to weed growth.  You will be much more productive if the shallow area you try to fish has some sort of weed line associated with it.  No matter what type of shallow water you chose to try first, remember to keep it shallow.   I have caught monster pike in areas with less than 12 inches of water between the ice and the bottom.  That is an extreme, but I would try not to fish much deeper than 4 feet to start with.  Early in the season the pike are going to be active and the action should be intense, if you go a couple hours without a flag, it might be a good idea to try out a different type of shallow structure.

               Early in the ice fishing season the pike are going to actively searching for food.  It is crucial to keep your bait fresh and lively.  You need a minnow that is going to get the attention of any pike passing nearby.  Early in the season the pike are more than willing to chase after a lively minnow.  It is also important to remember that pike could be cruising anywhere from right on the bottom to just inches under the ice.  Because most fish see upward, it is an advantage to keep your bait higher in the water column.  To start a day I usually set my minnows from just under the ice to 18 inches off the bottom.  After you get a few flags and discover where the fish are you can then adjust your other tip ups to similar depths.

So when you’re after first ice northern pike remember to take time before you head out to prepare your gear, pay special attention to fishing the shallow weedy areas of the lake, and use fresh lively minnows that will entice those blood thirsty northern.  I hope you can use these tips to ice a few more pike this winter.  

Justin Heider owns and operates The walleye Hunter Guide Service. Justin spends the majority of his time guiding the Lake Winnebago system. He also spends a lot of time competing in local walleye tournaments on Lake Winnebago. Sponsors include; St. Croix rods, Reef Runner lures, Lindy tackle, Salmo lures, and Mustad hooks.

Die hard Musky Anglers are ready to venture out to the autumn colored shores of the Midwest’s Northwood with frozen finger tips and runny noses in hopes of hoisting one of the largest muskies of their lifetime. Many anglers are greeted with newly formed ice at the dock just to get the boat in the water to make the dream a reality.  All in a day’s work for a fall musky fisherman.

There are many strategies for musky fishing.  Most common tactics include trolling, casting, or live bait rigging.  Rather than talking about specifics of the presentations-- this article will focus on the location of musky in September and October and why these fish are related to distinct lake features. 

As water temperature continue to fall in the lakes and rivers, musky will relate to structure differently than in the summer months.  The old adage of “90% of the fish will hold in 10% of the water” becomes even more accurate in mid fall.  Here’s where to start your journey.

Weed Beds

First, look for remaining weed beds, especially in early autumn.  The fish will seek out the green weeds in the lake.  As the weed beds continue to fade, you have a target rich environment for locating those trophy fish. Typically you can find the most active fish on the deep side edge of the weed bed.  

Not only will the Musky be seeking these green pockets of weeds, so will the other predatory fish and bait fish.  With the amount of feed relating to this area, fishing can be very unpredictable.  At times, these Musky have gorged themselves full of food and they will be inactive.  At other times, they have a feeding frenzy.  

When hitting these target rich unpredictable pockets, make several passes over the area.  Each pass should offer a different look.  Large and small, dark and light colors, top and bottom presentations should all be worked into the selection of lures.

Before exiting the area, throw some baits to the deep water flats surrounding these weed beds.  Many times the active fish will move out of the weeds to “hunt” and then return to the weeds to digest their catch.

Shallow Rocky Areas

Very much like a summer cold front, Musky will move onto to the rocky shallow points to draw warmth from the rocks.  The rocks tend to hold heat which warms the water in the area.  Look for the rocky areas which get the most sun exposure during the day.  If you can tie this shallow flat or hump in with green weeds, you can maximize both of these factors.

Be very careful to come into these areas in stealth mode.  Muskies are skittish to start with, but even more so in shallow water.  The best option is crank bait.  Work these larger baits similar to how you would a shad rap while fishing walleye or bass.  Bounce these baits off the bottom or the rock structure to create vibration and commotion the Musky will seek out.

Downed Wood

Very similar to the rock shallows, downed wood and timber also creates heat pockets in the water.  Just like you on a 20 degree day, the Musky will seek warmth.  Don’t over look tree stumps near green weeds!

The most productive wood locations are those close to deep water.  The fish will move into the area, warm up, and then return to deep water to return hunting.  Chances are when they move up on this timber, other fish like Crappies and Bluegills will be using the area also.  Like a starving man looking at the world’s biggest “all you eat buffet,” the juices get flowing to put the feed bag on.

When fishing downed wood, top waters can be superior.  If those are not productive, then use a lure which has the most annoying vibration in your tackle box.  Musky bite because they are hungry or irritated   Try irritating them with a Chatter Bait, and the results might be picture worthy.

Deep Water

In late October or early November as temperatures continue to decline, the Musky will move out of the weed beds and shallow rocky areas into the deep water. They tend to be much tougher to locate.

Initially, look for land points with deep water break points near.  Lures such as Suicks and top waters should now remain in your tackle box.  The musky are deep; so must be the presentation.  Crank baits, deep running BullDawgs or plastic jig presentations are very effective.

Trolling becomes an important tool this time of year to cover vast areas to identify where the fish are located.  Unlike open water walleye trolling, this is structure trolling.  Systematically target islands, underwater humps and step break lines to find active fish using the structured trolling method.  In rivers, current breaks like eddies, bridges or break walls can also attract fish. 

On windy days, target the wind blown side of the structure seen on the GPS.  Other bait fish and organisms will be blown into the structure creating an environment of turmoil.  This becomes easy meals for hungry musky.    

Summary

The key to locating autumn musky is to be versatile, patient, and open to trying many things.  The fishing can be inconsistent, but the reward potential is huge.  Slap on some extra clothes, take a thermos of hot coffee and get out there!  Or someone else will be holding “your” trophy Musky.