Muskie Madness - Krauss

Chuck and wind, chuck and wind, chuck and wind, chuck and wind, ooh there's one, aww *%#@!

You have just experienced muskie madness, an exercise in patience, or is it an exercise in insanity? This question can only be answered by those who have put forth the hours on the water required to land one of these beasts.

Often called the fish of a thousand cast, Esox masqoignie is North America's most elusive game fish. I have been "hunting" muskie for 6 years with moderate success, and yet my desire to chase these fish keeps growing every year. Some people, (my wife included) say it boarders on mental illness. At face value, that's hard to argue with.. But, until you've seen one of these green-eyed monsters come up boatside and devour your jerk bait with a few inches of line out from the tip of your rod, you won't understand the passion.

Kentucky is blessed with some of the top muskie waters in the south, if not the nation. Cave Run is considered one of the top lakes in the country. Green River Reservoir rivals Cave Run, and Buckhorn Lake is now coming on. River and stream fishing is also excellent on the Kentucky and Licking Rivers, along with Kinnikonick, Tygarts, and Station Camp creeks. Kentucky has a big advantage over the more classic muskie waters in Wisconsin and Minnesota, in that the fishing season last much longer because of the warmer climate.

Muskie season usually lasts from March until the end of October, however many trophies are caught in November and December when the big boys come out and feed. The best month by far is September with October and May close behind. My personal best was a 25 pound 42 incher caught in mid September. In the fall, the fish move into the creeks to beef up on shad and suckers (or just about anything else that they are so inclined to inhale).

If there was one tip I would give someone about muskie fishing, it would be to fish during the passage of a cold front. Give me a rainy, drizzly day in September any time. Some of the worst weather makes for some of the best fishing. They call these "real days" is eastern Kentucky. Conversely, the worst days are when there are zero clouds, and a high sun. Experience has told me (or it has been beaten into my skull) that on "blue bird" days, leave the boat in the garage. A few 12 to 14 hour days without seeing a fish is a tough lesson to learn.

In the last paragraph I mentioned seeing a fish. This is what's known as a follow. Muskies have a strange habit of following a bait back to the boat without really doing anything. It could be curiosity, or territorial instincts, but its definitely exciting. A lot of time these follows can be turned into strikes by dipping the rod tip in the water and performing a "figure eight" with the lure just before completing the retrieve. The figure eight triggers the fish into striking because it senses the prey has become uneasy and is trying to escape. Up to 1/3 of all muskies caught are hooked by this method.

As far as equipment goes, think stout. I normally don't fish with any thing less than 25 # test line and a rod capable of casting a three or four ounce lure. I prefer a line of St. Croix rods designed for muskie fishing. These rods have about a 12 to 13 inch handle so you can "cross his eyes" when the time comes. Muskie have very tough mouths, so a strong hook set and sharp hooks are essential..

Lure selection varies about as much as those for bass. However there are basically four types of baits: crank baits, jerk baits, buck tails, and top water. Variations on these lead to some of the craziest contraptions ever to hit the water, but one never knows what is going to turn a muskie's crank. That's why you see anglers with tackle boxes as big as suit cases, myself included. Bright fluorescents and black have proven best colors for me.

I could go on for pages about this subject, but I'll save some for later. Just remember, next time you're on the lake and see some guy hurling a 10 inch plug, don't laugh, show pity, your never know when muskie madness may get you.