Minnesota Muskie Report 07/08/09

[Jason Sloan]

Been over in Minnesota bouncing lakes for the last few days chasing muskies and rolling cameras. The bite is in the transitional stage right now, meaning it is shifting from open water to casting shallow. We've released only 2 fish in the last 2 days, a 43 and 47. One came open water on a Cowgirl, the other on a bulldawg over shallow weeds. Water temps pushing into the mid 70's which usually signals the movement of the big fish to structure. I'll report back throughout the week (whenever I can make it to a computer) and let you know how we are doing.

JS

[Mark Benson]

Jason:

Congrats on the two!!! Are you fishing the big lakes or bouncing on the little ones??? We are off to Mille Lacs in two weeks!!!

Mark

[Jason Sloan]

Hey Mark,

Been bouncing big lakes and small lakes. The big lakes are starting to turn on with fish moving up on structure. We lost a 50"+ at the boat last night on a Cowgirl, and heard of a 53 and 55 inchers released. Blades have been best, with activity windows scattered throughout mid day and again during low light. Pretty slow action, but some real quality starting to show up.

Best of luck on your trip!

JS

[Jason Sloan]

With stable although cooler weather hanging over MN we are seeing more activity in the Walker area. Nice fish setting up on classic structure with definite feeding windows taking place in the evenings. Weather on it's way in so the fish should snap over the next two days. Good luck out there!

JS

[Medford Fisher]

Jason, glad to hear you guys are moving some big ones over there; I hope you've been able to get a few in the boat the past few days. We've been getting the bigger ones to move over here in WI, but they're just short of committing right now. I'll take you up on the offer to grab a drink or two sometime....you just let me know when. Also, if you're ever in need of a camera guy, let me know; it'd be great to be able to get out there with you guys sometime.

Looking forward to hearing about some big fish caught, Jake Bucki

[Mark Benson]

Jason and the Medford Fisher:

Thanks for the updates Jason, are the fish staying put with the cool weather descending upon you again??? Talked with my buds over in ML and they are having a hard time getting any pattern to come together for them. With the wind the water has been fairly murky and thus been unable to see many if any follows. So far one hit on a dawg and that one came unbuttoned.

I know one 51" from last week that came the day of the storm on a bucktail and my neighbor's grandson has been fishing with me and we have been seeing fish on twin tens and dawgs around the moonrise.

Mark

[Jason Sloan]

Mark,

Returned to Wisconsin yesterday, working on a farm in S.WI for the next three weeks with a few film shoots mixed in. MN didn't pan out very well for us, 4 fish between 42 and 46.5. Saw a lot of really nice ones but they wouldn't even go into the 8. We tried everything, too. Fish were transitioning to structure, and the water dropped 8 degrees while I was there which didn't help anything at all. Had a few brutes come in 'snapping' their jaws behind the bait, seems like they want to eat but something has them messed up. Caught 2 on DCG's, 1 on a Bulldawg, and 1 on a Jake. Go figure, stupid bleeping fish!

JS

[Medford Fisher]

Mark,

Very interesting that you mention twin tens and the moonrise. Moonrise has been insanely great for us this year! On days where we're not moving many fish, we'll pop one or two within 10 minutes of moonrise...unreal. Also, I've been throwing Cowgirls for two years in WI with hardly any luck; however, lately I've been moving a lot of fish on them. Seems like when they're on, they're on...it'll be nothing to move 5 different fish on them within half an hour...pretty unusual. I had two chances at fish over 40 yesterday morning at the boat but just didn't work out....one came unpinned and the other nipped and missed the hooks. Ended up getting a smaller one on the figure 8. Also got my best of the year 46-47" on Monday that just T-boned a curly sue. Moved several big on topwaters and curly sues, but they just weren't ready to bite yet.
-Jake Bucki