Episode 262 - Live from the Minnesota Muskie Expo

·51 min·5 clips

A guide reveals whether you should fish for muskies where they're eating or where they're digesting.

The episode is a live recording from the Minnesota Muskie Expo, featuring hosts and a panel of five muskie guides from Minnesota and Wisconsin. The format is a Q&A session with questions from the live audience and submitted texts. The discussion begins with a question about seasonal approaches on deep, clear, cisco-based lakes, where guides advise checking shallows for spawners, then using electronics to locate baitfish in open water during summer, and finally focusing on weed edges in late summer and fall. A question on pre-spawn tactics in a muddy, shad-heavy reservoir leads to a specific answer about targeting river channel swings that meet the bank near shallow flats. The panel then debates the potential impacts of an unprecedented early ice-out and warm spring, considering factors like weed growth, water levels, and whether muskies will be more patternable. A question about handling a severe cold front during a fall fishing trip prompts advice to fish both very shallow and deep, switch to slower baits like glide baits and rubber, and consider using live sucker rigs. The guides discuss strategies for highly pressured lakes, suggesting tweaking baits, fishing during off-peak times like night or early morning, and targeting secondary spots. Leader preferences are covered, with a consensus on using solid wire for bucktails and fluorocarbon for other baits, often with shorter leaders than traditionally used. For solo trolling on a new lake, recommendations include using spinnerbaits to define weed lines, relying heavily on electronics, and varying bait depth. The episode concludes with each guide sharing their most memorable catch from the past season, often highlighting first-time muskie catches by clients or personal milestones.

As heard by us

A live guide panel makes a patient, electronics-first case for finding musky water before casting.

This live Minnesota Muskie Expo guide panel turns day-one conditions into a useful lesson in patience. With the crowd enjoying unusually good weather, the guides keep pulling the conversation back to a simple point: scout first, cast later.

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Why you'd press play

A live Minnesota Muskie Expo guide panel nudges you to scout first, then cast with a clearer read on the water.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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