Fall Muskies 101

[@johnmacdonald9675]

Always a learning experience watching your videos. Curious if you tried a power handle with your Shimano reel? I use a 300TE and recently added power handle not so much for leverage since reels are quite an easy crank, more fore larger grip.

[@WesternPaAnglers]

spot on for the info you gave us on musky fishing .....a lot of people try using small nets ...no no in the musky world .....good job ...keep up the good work

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+Mathew Hamilton Hi, thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. Tony

[@rosysiau]

Caught a 38" Muskie on the Fox River, this past Saturday on a Clackin Rap Rapala. I also watched this video two weeks ago. Thanks for the tips!

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Congrats on the Muskie! It is amazing how many Muskies are in the Fox River now! We have caught quite a few Muskies on that bait while fishing for Smallies and Walleyes. Thanks for liking our shows! Many more great episodes to come!

[@rosysiau]

Spot on Fishing Any recommendations for fishing from Lake Michigan for winter brown trout? Or walleye in the area? Any tips or locations would be awesome. Thanks!

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Ryan, as far as Winter Browns on Lake MI, we catch them around the mouths of the harbors and inside the harbors just before ice forms inside the harbors. We do well on Crankbaits and Tube Jigs. Once ice has formed and it is safe to walk on (for me at least 4 inches or more!) we catch them through the ice on tip ups with Minnows or we catch them jigging a pimple tipped with a minnow head. Best results for us pre-ice is Diversey and Belmont once the ice is on we do very well at Montrose. As far as the walleyes go...close to home right now your best bet is the fox river, in the Montgomery and Yorkville area. 1/8 jig and twister tail or 3 inch gulp minnow will do the trick. Cast up current and swim it back to you. Also minnow baits like husky jerks and xraps work well too! Natural shad colors as the water is quite clear now. Also check out the Kankakee River near the DesPlanes River. We usually can get a few winter eyes to go on husky jerks.

[@foreverfishingillinois3097]

Is this lake shabbona

[@jacobdickey8682]

It would be great if you could check out the lakes at woodhaven lakes IL near sublet IL and amboy IL.

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+Jacob Dickey Hi, thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. I am not familiar with that area of lakes. I pulled some info from the internet. It is a gated community and electric motor only on the boats. I will have our producers look into permits to allow us access to the lakes and see what filming permits may be needed. If we can, we will fish and film it next season. We love learning new water and showcasing all bodies of water in the area. Tony

[@jacobgerber2781]

It would be awesome if you could come up to rice lake Ontario, just east of Toronto! We've got great musky and walleye fishing here!

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Ya never know, maybe one day we will get up that way to film. Spot On Fishing was produced as a fishing show for areas around Chicago IL. But we have been talking about spreading out to WI and MN and who knows maybe Canada. If we get up that way to film we will check it out for sure! Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment.

[@jacobgerber2781]

understood! Keep up the good work

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Thanks again for watching and commenting!

[@UGotTheFunk]

Love this channel and thank you for the vidoe. Question: what water temperature do muskies start leaving the shallow weed beds and move into deeper water?

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Atarox Generally speaking, when water temps hit 50 and below we usually see the Muskies leave the shallows in the Fall. It is most common on Muskie Lakes around the Chicagoland area such as Southern Wisconsin lakes like Pewaukee and Silver and Illinois lakes like Shabbona. However, the Fox Chain can sometimes be the wild one. We’ve caught Muskies on the Chain off of shallow flats with water temps as low as 43 degrees. We’re very happy to hear you’re enjoying the shows. Thank you so much for watching. We truly appreciate it!

[@SILKYSMOOTH30FPS]

Would you consider the Suick Thriller 9" a good fall bait?

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Suick's are good fall baits as well. The weighted models work better in the fall. The best option with those baits are the regular floaters and add an external weight system to the bait so we can make the bait hang or suspend longer in the strike zone as we tend to slow done in the fall.

[@ShlomoStackman]

awesome show! can you go over rod lengths and actions ect...?

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+bob dole Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. As far as rod lengths and actions go, there are quite a few. For Jerkbaits I run a 7'6 XH action rod. Jerkbait rods generally should be able to handle at least a 5oz lure weight so you have enough backbone to work baits properly, especially gliders. For Minnowbaits I run a 7'6 or 8' H action rod. The longer rods help with casting distance on these style baits. For bucktails, I have a few different rods depending on the bucktail I'm running. For big double blades I throw an 8'6 or 9' H. Smaller tails I can run my 8 or 8'6MH. For topwater (jackpot style) I'll run my jerkbait rod. (Top Raiders) my 8'6MH. Then for big Bull Dawgs and other plastics we pull out the big guns, 8 or 8'6 XH. Those baits just weigh a ton! Everyone has their own preferences on rod lengths but this hopefully helps give you an idea of what lengths and actions to look for. Tony

[@ShlomoStackman]

+Spot on Fishing thanks for the reply!!

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+bob dole You're welcome. Glad to help. Tony

[@jonschemmel1667]

Great video! What reel are you using? It looks kind of like my Calcutta 150, but I don't think mine has that clicker feature. I'm going to be hunting for my first musky this season and your vids are very helpful :)

[@montellwilliams811]

Say , were you able to locate muskie on the fox river ? If yes - can you provide me the area ? ( December 2020 ) , bait's ? Thanks

[@brianvadnaisguitar3991]

You should fish the Apple River in northwest WI! Muskys everywhere in there!

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Brian Vadnais Never fished it before. Have heard reports of good numbers of fish from there and fish in the upper 40 inch range have been caught too. I’ll have to make it a point to get up there one of these days. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@zktks21]

Where is apple river looked on google maps and it doesnt come up

[@tonysspotonfishing]

zktks21 It May come up if you enter Apple River Flowage. Towns like Amery, Star Prairie and Somerset can help too. In the Spring many Muskies are seen spawning below the old dam on Hwy 8 and Kennedy County Park. Hope that gives you some direction. Thanks for watching!

[@brianvadnaisguitar3991]

Amery wi. Theres a boat launch down the road from my house. Muskys are known to be not far from there

[@zacharynichols2320]

Great video! I'm interested in trying to catch my first muskie, but I don't want to have to go out and buy an expensive new rod and reel just to try it out. I have an ugly stik catfish rod that is 8' medium heavy action. Would this work for muskie fishing, just to try it out? Also, speaking of catfish, any possibility of a catfish episode in the future, possibly on the fox or rock river?

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Hi, thanks for the compliment and thanks for watching. Unfortunately Muskie fishing really requires a true Muskie set up. The cat rods tend to have a little more tip action to it and may hurt you not only in hook sets on Muskies but also throwing some of the baits. Bass Pro Shops has the Graphite Series Muskie rods that are very reasonably priced. If memory serves me, they are about $50. If you have any of the traditional catfish baitcast reels you could throw some 80lb braid on there and be able to start slinging baits. We have been talking about a catfish show on the Fox. We should be filming that this summer. Also we have been getting requests for the Rock River, both Walleyes and Cats, so I'm sure we will be out filming there this year as well. Thanks again for watching and thanks for commenting. Good luck on the water and let us know how you do.

[@dongross56]

wear do u get the suckers? all I can ever find in golden roaches.

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+don gross When we are fishing Shabbona we buy them at the bait shop right there. Otherwise suckers can be purchased at Fishing Connection in Tinley Park. Tony

[@dongross56]

thanks tony

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+don gross You're welcome. Good luck this fall. Tony

[@slowfaller]

Got bit by the muskie bug when I hooked my first one at Shabbona on 9/20/15. Took two friends out there on 10/16/15 and my buddy boated a nice 36-38 incher. Do you have any good lakes for lac du flambeau WI area? I've heard Big Arbor Vitae lake is great for muskie

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+slowfaller Hi, thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. I love Shabbona for Muskies. Awesome lake close to home. My second favorite in IL, after the Fox Chain. Congrats on the Muskies! Welcome to the club! I've always said once you catch one you'll be hooked. It is awesome my friend. As far as Lac Du Flambeau area lakes go, you are right, Big Arbor is good! Some others to check out are White Sand Lake, and North and South Twin Lakes. What time of year are you looking to head up that way? Tony

[@slowfaller]

+Spot on Fishing We usually head north late June, before the fourth of July, for a family vacation. I'm actually going to the fox chain tomorrow to give that a shot.

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+slowfaller Very cool! During that time of year up north smaller baits will be awesome! Bucktails and smaller 6in minnow/twitch baits. The Chain should be good with 6 and 8 inch glider style Jerkbaits. Focus on the northern lakes, Catherine, Channel, Marie and Bluff. Tony

[@slowfaller]

Spot on Fishing Well we did some trolling of channel, catherine and marie lake with no success. I wanted to cast the whole southern coastline of channel lake but was with two others who wanted to fish for walleye. While fishing for walleye on Marie, I got four drums and later a bass in the channel between marie and channel lakes. fun day on the water but next time I just wanna fish for muskie.

[@tonysspotonfishing]

+slowfaller Sounds like a fun day! Any day on the water is a good day! The Chain is the best Muskie Fishery in IL. Great numbers and has big fish too! Focus on casting the outside weededges with glider style Jerkbaits if you get another shot at the Chian for Muskies this Fall. Tony

[@quacksmackercrew2488]

You should fish Pomme de terre in Missouri

[@tonysspotonfishing]

Hunter Basham Absolutely! Always up for fishing southern muskies! Would love to make a trip out that way. Ya never know where the Spot On Fishing crew may end up.

[@quacksmackercrew2488]

That would be amazing

[@deadskullxv]

Starts out with you talking about how to properly take care of a muskie and how important it is. Then you proceed to use live bait and you drill a hook through it's nose and what not. So what makes other fish less important than a muskie? i do not really understand that at all.

[@montellwilliams811]

Drill hook throw the nose ?

[@SSHitMan]

@@montellwilliams811 I always carry a cordless drill in my tackle box to drill the noses of fish.

[@montellwilliams811]

@@SSHitMan ok , thanks for your reply & information 👍