Ice Out Muskies
By Keith Cortopassi – MUSKY PSYCHO GUIDE SERVICE
My 1st approach will be to go deep and target the deep-water basins and their steepest break lines. Often these basins will hold large schools of baitfish. When the muskies decide to feed, they will push these baitfish against the steep breaks and target them. These feeding windows can be fast, fierce, and over in minutes, so be alert of these baitfish movements along these basin breaks. Good figure 8s are essential because the fish holding in these areas are usually suspended and will appear from nowhere. This is where the quality of your figure 8s can really “make or break” your success and catch rate. Stay focused when your lure reaches boatside. It is detrimental because there is a high probability that that’s where the strike will happen. Indiana fish love to eat in the figure 8, SO BE READY!
The 2nd approach that I have taken is to do a complete 180 from the above-mentioned scenario and dish extremely shallow sand flats. These flats contain the start of early weed growth, and the fish will naturally gravitate towards these weeds. In addition, the sand and weeds will retain heat, which in turn draws the muskies. Be sure to check these flats multiple times throughout the day, especially on sunny days and during warming trends. Fish holding on these flats can be easier to spot and are usually seen when following a bait. If they are willing to follow your lures, they can usually be triggered to eat. The fish that I encounter on these sand flats are some of the largest that I find all year as they are pre-spawn and looking for an easy meal.
While many baits can trigger musky at this time, I focus on a small handful that consistently produce for me. Since the water temps at ice-out will usually fluctuate between the low 30s and mid-40-degree mark, a slow presentation is going to work in your favor. Glide baits are my number one producer in this situation. The side-to-side movement of these baits gives the fish an excellent shot at an easy meal without having to chase the bait down. A few of my favorite gliders include RUSTYS CUSTOM LURES “sick sucker” & ASHCRAFTED MUSY LURES “honey badger”. Although both are glide baits, each has its unique action. When muskies eat these baits, they crush them. My second “go-to” bait choice for this cold-water timeframe is always some sort of smaller rubber bait. CHAOS TACKLE “mini-madussa” and MUSKY INNOVATIONS “swimming dawg” are both excellent choices. Each of these baits emits a different appearance and presence in the water. In other words, each of these mentioned lures has its own triggering qualities, so don’t be afraid to mix it up and switch them throughout the day.
If you are anxious to start your season early and try your hand at a big Indiana musky, these early spring approaches and tactics may just help you land that fish of a lifetime!
