Page 12 - ODUMar-Apr2019

Downsize Your For

Spring Musky Success

By Captain Brian Koshenina

Anyone who pursues the "Mighty" Musky

knows that large baits catch large fish. For most
of the season the chances of landing that
trophy sized fish using a "Trophy" sized lure
holds true but that isn't always the case,
especially in the spring and many of us forget
that "Bigger" isn't necessarily "Better" and
here's why:

It's spring time and my anticipation grows as
the days get closer to opening day of the
Minnesota Musky season. Across this great
state, thousands of Musky hunters are
preparing to do battle for the most formidable
freshwater fish in our lakes. Many of us are getting ready and making sure we have everything we need
for opening day success. We take our old line off and replace it with new, we clean and oil our reels, we

sharpen our hooks and we make sure our lures are packed away nice and neat. It is at this time a lot of
us make the mistake of thinking that the lures that we used in the fall that caught fish will be just as
effective in the spring. We often keep the same thought process throughout the year that "Bigger is
Better" and in the spring this is simply not true.

We must look at Musky behavior at this time in its simplest and primal
form. As the spring progresses and water temps rise, first and second
year bait fish will be in the shallows looking for healthy weeds to hide

from predators. It is currently where almost all species of fish in the lake
congregate in small, shallow areas and where an easy meal for a Musky
is most plentiful. How often have you been fishing for a different species
and come across several Musky in shallow water? Rule of thumb in the
spring; Warmer water=Weeds=Baitfish=Musky.

In the spring I do not pack my larger lures. I will downsize my bucktals,

cranks, gliders and top water. All of my bucktails for the spring season
are in the five to seven-inch range. I find this size perfect for working in
and over shallow weeds that have not quite met the surface. I prefer