# Night Muskie



## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

I know big baits in black with topwaters and spinnerbaits being top choices are good for night fishing for muskie, but what depths and what months are most productive. Even in the summer when most fish are caught trolling deep do the fish move shallow at night? Thanks for any help.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

As soon as the water temps hit 77, trolling at night is heartstopping. We usually fish the first break from shore on the contour maps and do well. As far as topwaters, I recommend a slow retrieve with a prop style bait. My buddy and I fished Leesville on Friday and landed 2 skii's, had two others on. One fish hit at night on a Hi-Fin Hogbuster creeper style. Heartstopping.


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## JIG (Nov 2, 2004)

I got to try something like that behind a board! Sounds like it would make your heart jump out of place! After having seen a few boards RIP back at Milton its got to be the place in the NE at night. Depth is the hard part with other fish/bait always on the rise. Still its the top 10fow.


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## musk (Apr 7, 2008)

Trolling the full moon of july is usually a hot time. Get baits down 12 to 15 feet and I would keep one up also. 

The guys up north do alot of casting at night and it surprised me to find that they didn't like fishing topwater (chippewa flowage) during clear full moon nights. They prefer dark overcast nights.


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## luredaddy (May 25, 2004)

The HOTTER the day and the BUSIER the boat traffic, the better the Musky fishing will be that night.
John


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## MuskieMan35 (Mar 5, 2008)

Last night I trolled Pymo- north end around Clark's island till about 8:30 and switched over to prop baits.. managed to loose a Shap Rap to a stump-Casted till 10:00- nothing. I'm thinking now that I was too shallow trolling (8-10 fow).
To darn calm! The last 2 times I've been there, its been glass with an hour left of light. Does anyone have any special topwater technique for glass?
i always thought that smaller prop baits where best? Use larger for any kind of chop.. right?


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## Cutt'em Jack (Feb 17, 2008)

I like throwing jackpots when it's dead calm. Topraiders and jackpots, can't go wrong.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

Could not agree more with Cutt'em Jack. You cannot beat a prop or walker style topwater for nightime fishing. Also, any larger bucktails that displace a lot of water (I.E. Double cowgirl, DC-8 or 9) in black are a top producer up in the Wisconson and Minnesota waters. 

All the guys at leesville troll lee sissons all year at night. They're all that works


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Yeah, what is the deal with the Lee Sisson lures? I know the OHMC and many of the Chapter 41 Muskies Inc guys swear by them, but I don't get it? Why are they using bass size crankbaits to catch musky? I know they work and I get that. However, if they spent 95% of their time trolling something else such as a Baby DR, Lil Ernie or SSR then they would swear by those baits to? I know those smaller baits are more inclined to ride higher in the water column and I could possibly see that as a motivating factor, but aren't there musky baits that will remain higher in the water column such as Shallow Raiders, Grandmas, Jakes & Thundersticks. I just don't understand shy they love those little bass lures?

CG


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## MuskieMan35 (Mar 5, 2008)

My guess would be to match the hatch of ciscoes? I hear all the time about ciscoes hatching in mid to late summer and into fall depending on water temp.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

Lee Sissons are a joke. The guys at the dock had about every color known to man. If that is the only lure you are putting in the water, you are bound to catch fish every now and again. Anyone using a Lee Sisson should probably not consider calling themselves a muskie fisherman. They should say "I'm fishing for bass with big teeth"


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## musk (Apr 7, 2008)

DUDE, I feel ya on the sissons but I fished a tournament at leesville one time and my partner ran sissons and I ran bigger baits that had proven successful there for me. Well he won with a 37" inch and all I had was a rip. So, I'll do whatever it takes. I'm not that proud.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

musk said:


> DUDE, I feel ya on the sissons but I fished a tournament at leesville one time and my partner ran sissons and I ran bigger baits that had proven successful there for me. Well he won with a 37" inch and all I had was a rip. So, I'll do whatever it takes. I'm not that proud.


He caught 1 fish and that is supposed to be the "proof in the pudding"? Come on, man......now if he had went out and caught 4 or 5 on the same day that you were trolling the other stuff, then maybe you're on to something. 1 fish? 1 fish? I could spend all day trollling a Hot N Tot and maybe catch one fish. 

CG


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

So, when guys talk about running Sissons for Musky they are just running the bass size crankbaits? I guess that I assumed that when talking about Sissons for Musky that people were talking about the Woody baits that look like a Bagley DB-06. Am I confused, or are they running bass sized baits?


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

That is what they all run there. Lee Sisson bass size cranks with the deep diving lip. Go to Clouse (Sp?) or Petersburg Marina. You'll see a whole wall of Lee Sissons. 

Everyone else can keep running the Sissons....I caught 3 fish there the other day on 10-12 inch lures. Also, all three fish were over 40 inches


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## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

One more question, what depths to you guys cast to with topwaters at night? Due the fish move shallow enough that you can cast the banks with them?


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## musk (Apr 7, 2008)

That's one example I witnessed in person. I've seen many times small baits have outfished big baits all over the country. Be closed minded if ya want, the reason he stuck with the sisson is he caught a crap load of fish on them. As many others have also. I'm not an advocate for sisson's I've caught more fish on 9 inch baits at leesville. But they catch alot of fish on them period.


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## musk (Apr 7, 2008)

I cast around weed edges. 



fishing_marshall said:


> One more question, what depths to you guys cast to with topwaters at night? Due the fish move shallow enough that you can cast the banks with them?


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