Attack plan given the water temps and depth...

General musky fishing discussions and questions.

Moderator: Cyberlunge

User avatar
Cyberlunge
Site Admin
Posts: 874
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:57 am
Location: Traverse City

Attack plan given the water temps and depth...

Post by Cyberlunge » Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:57 am

So I was just musing on the likely very cold and high water I will be facing on the opener and have pretty much decided to fish Pike water to avoid harassing spawning or possibly even pre-spawn fish in some of the Northerly lakes (many of which still have remnant ice). How is this affecting anybody else's plans?
If I wasn't born to fish then why am I here?

User avatar
Mayhem
Posts: 753
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Muskegon

Post by Mayhem » Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:32 am

This is definately gonna be an interesting first month of the season. If this cold weather continues I'm gonna try to take it easy and not burn myself out or spend too much money fishing the first couple weeks of the season in hopes for a good late may and june. As for where to fish? Its making me consider lakes in the southern part of the state that have the earliest spawn. Might head down to Diane in early may and fish for a couple days.

User avatar
Jim tenHaaf
Posts: 3126
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:48 pm
Location: Kentwood
Contact:

Post by Jim tenHaaf » Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:07 pm

Well, Thorn is definitely ruled out for me. I don't like fishing mud. Murray is kind of ruled out as well, since I suck at fishing Murray when the temps are under 50 degrees. I'll most likely be hitting Campau for at least 1/2 the day, and decide on the other when the time comes a little closer.

mangledfly
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:10 pm
Location: NWMI

New to the game of Spring Muskie

Post by mangledfly » Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:39 am

Not wanting to fish to spawning muskie, what water temps should I be looking for? When is is safe to start fishing for muskie this year, living in NW MI? I know this is an ethical question and I fall on the leave them alone side of the fence. But would like to be educated. Thank you for any help.

User avatar
Mayhem
Posts: 753
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:56 pm
Location: Muskegon

Post by Mayhem » Sun Apr 14, 2013 2:04 pm

Im not sure there is a set temperature you should look for, when the fish are done they are done. Muskies typically spawn when the water is low 50s but they dont all spawn at once. Most the fish will be spawning in april-early may but up there on a cold spring year there can easily still be some muskies spawning into june on the lower antrim chain lakes for example. If you get a few weeks in a row where water is at least mid 50s your prolly good to go hunt for some post spawn fish.

User avatar
Chris Musselman
Posts: 585
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:50 pm

Post by Chris Musselman » Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:08 pm

Looks I'll be stocking the freezer with Walleyes and continuing the spotlighting search for spawning fish on Long Lake...
If I'm not going to catch fish. I might as well not be catching Muskies...

User avatar
vano397
Posts: 1487
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 10:24 pm
Location: Rockford

Post by vano397 » Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:17 pm

Im still going north... at this rate I am curious if the water temps will even get to 40! Either way Ill do some scouting, and learn as much as I can about the system in those water temps. If they are done, Ill fish, if they aren't thinking about starting.. maybe Ill fish, but I more want to see whats going on in an unusually cold spring.
“My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him all good things-trout as well as eternal salvation-come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy.”

User avatar
MattG_braith
Posts: 767
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:46 pm
Location: Elk Lake

Post by MattG_braith » Mon Apr 15, 2013 8:24 am

I dont think they will even be close to spawning yet up north as water temps probably wont be close to 50 yet. Temps up there have been mostly in the 20s and 30s the last couple weeks and are just now reaching into the 40s. Unless there is a prolonged warm stretch in the next week and a half where it gets into the 50s and 60s I dont think water temps will be much higher than low 40s by the opener. I could be wrong though...
Matt

User avatar
Esoxonthefly
Posts: 683
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:06 pm
Location: Charlotte, MI

Post by Esoxonthefly » Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:14 am

This stubborn winter/spring we have going on definitely will make things interesting for the opener. I'm still debating on where I'm going but right now I'm leaning toward Murray.
"I once heard of a guy that caught a 70" muskie weighing 80 lbs...."

User avatar
Will Schultz
Posts: 7662
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:06 pm
Location: GR, MI

Re: New to the game of Spring Muskie

Post by Will Schultz » Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:20 am

mangledfly wrote:Not wanting to fish to spawning muskie, what water temps should I be looking for? When is is safe to start fishing for muskie this year, living in NW MI? I know this is an ethical question and I fall on the leave them alone side of the fence. But would like to be educated. Thank you for any help.
The majority of fish will be spawning right around 55 degrees, the process will take them 5-10 days usually. The forecast looks like barely warming water for up there by opening day which will have pre-spawn conditions on all waters. It wasn't many years ago that smaller LP northern lakes had fish spawning from May 10-20 and the larger waters had fish spawning from May 20 - June 10.
Self interest is for the past, common interest is for the future.

User avatar
Cyberlunge
Site Admin
Posts: 874
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:57 am
Location: Traverse City

Post by Cyberlunge » Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:04 am

Since many of our lakes are still fully iced over there is a good chance certain waters will not even be open by next weekend (Yes I'm completely serious). I went by Silver Lake in Grawn this morning and there is only a little open water by shore and the ice is still white. You have to consider we had ice-making temps as recently as two days ago. I'm guessing the upper chain will be open due to some current in the channels but I would bet there will be ice for Saturday! It will be very much like the ice-out fishing literally hours after the lake opens. Even Hodenpyle that gets a lot of dark water and current this time of year isn't all the way open yet and no launch :(
It'll be interesting for sure

Kevin
If I wasn't born to fish then why am I here?

User avatar
Kingfisher
Posts: 2473
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:45 am
Location: Muskegon, MI
Contact:

Post by Kingfisher » Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:21 pm

Ill be fishing a stocked lake where spawning isn't an issue. Mike
""WILL FISH FOR FOOD""

http://www.fishall-lures.com

User avatar
Jim tenHaaf
Posts: 3126
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:48 pm
Location: Kentwood
Contact:

Post by Jim tenHaaf » Mon Apr 15, 2013 6:23 pm

Kingfisher wrote:Ill be fishing a stocked lake where spawning isn't an issue. Mike
See you there! [smilie=biggrin.gif]

User avatar
kid coulson
Posts: 1976
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 11:20 pm
Location: grandville MI

Post by kid coulson » Tue Apr 16, 2013 8:11 pm

Me 3 !!

Scott Williams
Posts: 1325
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:28 pm
Location: SWMI

Post by Scott Williams » Tue Apr 16, 2013 9:28 pm

kid coulson wrote:Me 3 !!
Haven't fished the opener there in a couple years, I may join unless I decide to go one county further south.

Post Reply