Casting
Casting is the most popular technique for targeting muskie. You are going to make a lot of casts and at some point, you are going to get that big bite. You are going to want a good baitcaster that you can handle for a half day or full day on the water. Depending on how long you are fishing, you are most likely going to be tired from casting the bigger lures that muskie like to eat.
Drifting
Drifting is a popular technique that works well in deeper water. You can use live baits or jig while drifting. If the wind is blowing a little bit, both techniques will work as the wind will help you cover the necessary water to find some active fish.
Jigging
Jigging is one of the best ways to target muskie when they are in deeper water, however, most anglers do not fish this way. If you can position the boat properly, it is less tiring than casting all day too.
Topwater Fishing
Topwater fishing can be awesome for muskie. It’s more of a summer and early fall technique and you won’t always get the topwater explosions that you’re looking for, so don’t be disappointed if you have to put in quite a bit of time to get some bites on the surface. There are many topwater lures that work great for muskie. Some are subtle and some are downright obnoxious. The mood of the fish will dictate what type of bites you’re going to get, so make sure to try a variety of lures until you find one that gets a muskie to pull the trigger.
Trolling
Trolling can be very effective for covering water for muskie. When muskie go deep, trolling can be very effective, however, some anglers will troll the shorelines with planer boards and live suckers. Slow trolling with live baits over deeper water while using your trolling motor is very effective. Speed trolling crankbaits is one of the more popular ways to troll. Some anglers report good success trolling very fast. Don’t rule out 5 mph trolling speeds and even faster.
Figure 8
The figure 8 is what you do as you bring your lures back to the boat. Stick your rod tip in the water and make a figure 8 with your rod tip. This will help to give the muskie a chance to hit the lure right at the boat. It is very popular for muskie to eat your lure right at the boat during the figure 8. At times, it can be a long process. Other times, you get a bite right away and sometimes, the fish will just turn away and seem completely uninterested. If you practice the figure 8 and you spend enough time on the water, you will definitely catch more muskie by utilizing this technique.
