LOOKING FOR AN EDGE!
Musky anglers are a lot like elite athletes, they are always looking for an edge to increase performance, the line between failure and success is razor thin. Those that find success usually have extreme confidence. Those that struggle are always searching for a magic solution to a problem they don’t understand.
TRENDS COME AND GO
As anglers, and more so with sport anglers, we all chase trends. Trends in rods, trends in baits, trends in tactics. That in of itself is not really the issue. We can all learn new strategies to employe with new presentations or new gear to help make us more efficient. The real problem with trends is constantly being a follower. All that does is ruin any self confidence you have. Just as one new (fill in the blank) gives you success on the water, you see someone using a different (fill in the blank) and the cycle starts again.
A TREND THAT FOREVER CHANGED MUSKY FISHING
Musky anglers are notorious for chasing the newest, hottest trends. A bait will come out of nowhere and be “THE” bait of the season. Every angler wants one, every company is trying to build a replica. Case in point, the Musky Mayhem Double Cowgirl revolutionized the bucktail segment over a decade ago, and its impact is still felt in the industry today. Every bucktail builder realized the importance of a big bladed, flashabou bucktail.
Fast forward to today and the latest twist on bucktails is the ability to produce different sounds and/or vibrations in the water. I started using a three bladed bucktail from Dadson Blade Baits over the past few years, it had a completely different sound in the water. Over the past couple seasons it has been responsible for most of the catches in my boat. So much so that it became the second most requested bait Dadson has produced.
Watch it here
“A BLADE WITH NO NAME'” Official Trailer : Dadson Blade Baits
The next evolution of bucktails is coming from Angling Revolution. Using a patent pending clevis and collar, with the ability to change blade size and color, while on the water, however that is only half the magic. Within the clevis is a square brass sleeve that rotates on a round wire, creating a unique grinding noise in the water. I look forward to using this bait this summer as well.
https://anglingrevolution.com/
LONG RODS KEEP GETTING LONGER!
As recent as 10 years ago an 8’ rod was considered on the longer end of things. I started with 7’ and 7’6” rods. I still remember the first ‘long rod’ I bought. An 8’ St Croix Premier, I still have it to this day. It didn’t take long and 9’ rods hit the market, 9’6” and then 10’ rods. To those on the outside, they can hardly believe we would use a rod that long for freshwater fishing.
Ask many of the top musky anglers and guides today what they would suggest for a first-time rod, 8’6” and 9’ are the majority of the recommendations. That’s for a beginner to start with. Longer rods help make casting large lures much easier, figure 8’s at the boat are easier, they help you control fish at the boat with more efficiency. With today’s modern rods there is really no downside to having a longer length rod. This trend continues to push forward. I rarely fish with a rod shorter than 9’, unless it’s a specific bait that requires a shorter, stiff rod, such as glide or jerk baits. My rods of choice are the MOAB 9’ and Shock and Awe 9’6”, both from Chaos Tackle. Those two rods cover 85% of the baits I use, and in a pinch, I could fish an entire weekend with either one.
Most of the top musky anglers all have a ten-foot rod in the boat. This season Thorne Bros in Minnesota are starting to build custom rods upwards of eleven feet long. I believe we are getting to the max length you can comfortably fish without it being a hindrance. If you haven’t tried one of the longer rods, now is the time. They will help you fish better. This trend has been all about efficiency on the water.
https://chaostackle.com/collections/assault-stick-rods
Electronics and musky fishing
No subject has been more controversial in fishing than forward facing, live sonar. Garmin’s Live Scope being the most popular, but the major brands all have similar live sonar. In 2022 on the PMTT ( pro musky tournament trail) live sonar became an instant hot button subject after a tournament was won using it. Without getting into details, the PMTT organizers banned live sonar, or restricted it to one unit per boat. Anglers were not allowed to have multiple units on their boats.
The benefit of multiple units? Anglers use two or more live sonar units to drive around and scout for fish and ONLY cast when they see marks or returns big enough to warrant catching. This technique has been dubbed ‘sharp shooting’. Translate this into weekend anglers and we can see the effect it could have on fisheries.
THE COST FACTOR
There are a few things to consider here. First, cost factors into this. Tournament anglers have a chance to win a lot of money, for most recreational anglers one unit is more than enough. Second, most weekend anglers are fishing for fun. They are out to fish, enjoy a day on the water and live sonar will be a tool to help them achieve success. But we should not discount the competitive nature of musky anglers, again looking for the edge or fast track to success.
This trend of live sonar is not going away, prices will come down and become affordable over time. Outside of musky fishing, when used for crappie or walleye the benefits are easy to see. The ‘video game’ aspects of fishing with it appeal to younger generations who are used to being ‘gamers’.
Children love using it, again due to the instant interaction you get with bait and fish on the screen. Experienced anglers enjoy seeing the movement of the fish, and how they react to different baits.
For the record I have seen it in action in a variety of different applications, from ‘sharp shooting’ over open water basins, to locating fish on weed edges. The uses for it are endless. Will it change fishing as we know it? That’s debatable.
I have added a Garmin Live Scope to my arsenal over the winter. For ice fishing it is amazing. My kids love using it. Once I started using it, going back to a flasher style fish locator was never an option. The ability to see multiple fish, at different locations on one screen is an absolute game changer.
My plan for the summer season is to keep it portable so I can use it on different boats. How we incorporate it into our musky fishing, I’m still unsure of at this point. I am a purist; I love the hunting aspect of musky fishing. I don’t see myself chasing a mark on a screen and only casting when it is big enough to catch. I see live sonar as a tool, one to help us learn more about musky behavior, and how they react to baits and their environment.
Trends in fishing will always come and go. Some are so dramatic they change the industry forever. Some trends are so short lived they are soon forgotten and make no lasting impact. The importance of the Double Cowgirl bucktail, the move to longer rods and forward-facing sonar can not be understated. These trends changed the industry, and their impact will be felt for years.
Glenn McDonald
Follow me at 54 or Bust