Most Musky fishermen think of Wisconsin, Minnesota or
Canada when planning their excursions for this elegant
species, not realizing that Kentucky, acre for acre, has
some of the best Muskie fishing in North America. Cave
Run Lake in the eastern part of the state and Green River
Lake in the western are both excellent destinations for
those seeking Esox Masquinongy. While fishing for Bass
at Kentucky Lake last year my son, Matt, caught a 28"
Muskie on a plastic lizard. This was quite rare but not
entirely uncommon as most Kentucky rivers have always
held a small population of these terrific fighters. Muskie's
are solitary fish that establish a territory and defend it
viciously. The largest member of the Pike family, Muskie
are very difficult to catch and attract a small but dedicated
clique of fishermen. Primarily a structure relating fish, they
are predictable but very wary.
The sun was just peeking through the morning mist as
Roger and I slowly worked a timbered point, casting prop
type top water baits into the logs. "Whoosh". "There he is
!!" Roger yelled so loud I believe he could be heard in
Lexington. "Good fish" he said, as the drag on his
baitcaster screamed like a runaway train on a downhill
grade. As fast as it started, it was over. The Muskie
broke water right at the boat, throwing the 6" bait sky high
and spraying us both with water as it slammed back into
the lake. "Oh well" Roger said as he sat down, his knees
shaking and arms weak, "I guess that's what keeps us
coming back". We estimated the fish to be about twenty
pounds, a good size fish that we would have released
anyway, but it sure would have been nice to boat him. We
sat in the boat and reflected on this great sport of Muskie
fishing and the fact that fish may be the only one we would
see this day. "You know" I said, while checking my line
for fraying, "It is estimated that 100 hours of casting is
required just to raise one Muskie, and you are way ahead
of the curve". Roger just laughed. "If you study these fish
and use common sense you can beat those odds with
considerable regularity. Lets try for another."
The exceptional Cave Run and Green River Muskie
fishery is the result of dedicated work by the Kentucky
Fish and Wildlife Division. Years of stocking and
aquiculture development has yielded a wonderful resource
for all Kentuckians to enjoy. In order to challenge these
sleek gamefish however, you will need a few special
modifications to you tackle, not to mention a change in
tactics. Muskie's are positioned at the extreme top of the
food chain. They are the 'freshwater sharks' of our inland
waters. A rather stiff action rod is necessary because
when a Muskie grabs your lure he clamps down with a
vise like grip, his razor sharp teeth cutting into it. You must
set the hooks with a great deal of force in order to break
his grip on the lure, thereby moving it in his mouth. A wire
leader is a must as Muskie usually engulf the entire lure
when they strike. Your lure selection should include an
assortment of STRONG top water lures as well as creak
baits and spinner baits. Be sure your hooks are as sharp
as possible when fishing for Muskie. I suggest you use
some of the new braided lines in 40 or 50 pound test,
being careful to constantly check for fraying at the knot.
By and large, bait casting outfits work best for this type of
fishing as they tent to have more dependable drag systems
than open faced rigs.
Trolling and live bait fishing also works quite well for
Muskie. When summer comes on and the heat is up try a
8"-10" live sucker hooked through the lips with a 7/0
heavy wire hook. A very successful method is to drift this
live bait rig at the edge of structure or off points in 30' of
water. When you get a pick up, let the Muskie "run" with
the bait for a full minute before setting the hook. They
generally take the bait sideways in their mouth and then
turn it slowly prior to swallowing. If you set the hook to
soon you will pull the sucker out of their mouth. When
trolling you must get your lures down deep. In the summer
these fish relate to deep structure.
Roger and I finished the day without boating a single fish
but we considered ourselves successful . We managed to
'raise' four good fish in addition to the one Roger lost at
the boat. Just experiencing a Muskie strike is awesome.
Once Muskie fishing gets into you blood your hooked
forever. In planning my Muskie excursions a usually check
with local tackle shops, where information is readily given.
You can also use the Internet to obtain current lake
conditions. Try www.fishin.com. There you will find a
wealth of information on both Cave Run and Green River
lakes. Hiring a local guide can often save you a lot of time
and increase you chances of at least seeing a good fish.
Muskie's are truly the best example of BIG GAME fish. If
you decide to try fishing for them get ready for the thrill of
a lifetime.
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