Metro Muskies
Written By: Tim Filiowich and Josh Stevenson
With the muskie season only days away, I hope you’re ready — but I’m sure if you’re a diehard muskie fisherman, you were ready a long time ago. “Muskie hunters” as they call themselves are a different breed of fisherman. They chase muskies because of the skill it takes to catch them and the possibility if running into a fish in the 40- to 50-pound range.
A lot of people refer to the muskie as the fish of 10,000 casts. That is true for a lot of fisherman, but not for one I know well. His name is Josh Stevenson and he is one of the elite metro area muskie fisherman.
Not only does he guide for muskies, but his knowledge of fish and fishing goes far beyond that; he offers guiding for any species that you would like to catch right here in the metro area. If Josh isn’t guiding he is working at his Oakdale shop, Blue Ribbon Bait and Tackle. At the shop, he talks fishing and helps others out as much as he can, as does his great staff that also spends countless hours on the lake each year.
Over the years I have tried my hand at muskie fishing but have come up short. Never have I landed one of those beasts, but I am convinced 2008 will be the year. I have stocked up over the years and I am ready to really give it some effort. Luckily I have a place on Mille Lacs — one of the state’s premier muskie fisheries. But I don’t have to go that far to catch a lot of muskies. Every week, Josh is catching giant muskies right here in the metro area. It was the summer of 1999 when he landed the current state record tiger muskie, weighing in at 34 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring 52 inches. Josh caught that fish at one of his local favorites, Lake Elmo.
Since then he has competed with himself to beat that record but has not quite topped it yet. He has caught many muskies that are bigger but not tigers. A tiger muskie is a hybrid that is crossed with a northern pike. A muskie is part of the pure strain of fish known as the Muskellunge.
So what better person to ask for tips on muskie fishing than Josh himself? I had a chance to sit down with him the other day and pick his brain.
Josh's top area muskie lakes
In June, some of the area’s top muskie lakes include Bald Eagle, Forest Lake, White Bear Lake and Clear Lake. These lakes have a lot of big fish in them, and the fish are definitely catchable. Fishermen are sometimes concerned with all the recreation traffic that some of these lakes attract, but they need to work around that. Early mornings and weekdays are the best bet for some quiet on these lakes. After those four, Lake Elmo, Phalen Lake and Gervais Lake are your next best bets.
Where on the lake should you fish?
Early in the season, many muskies are caught in shallow water. There are several reasons for this, but the most prominent is simple: that’s where they find food. Panfish, bass, suckers, and carp all spawn during those times. All of those fish are prey for muskies. Additionally, many of the lakes and rivers are clear early in the year, and that makes it even more important to use the right colors of bait. Generally, by learning the diet of muskies on any particular body of water (e.g. sunfish, crappie, carp, etc.), you can determine what colors to use in your presentations.
With the cool May we have, the temperatures on all bodies of water are still cool and the shallows are going to be the place to fish. The temperature of water will also dictate how fast you want to fish and, being cool like it has been, slow and smaller presentations are going to be the best. Some lures that fit this bill are No. 18 floating Rapalas, reverse skirted bucktails, marabou tails, and glide baits (e.g. Undertakers or Suicks). These are all great shallow-water baits that offer a lot of action at a slow speed. One bait in particular that has produced more fish in June that any other bait for Josh has been the Rapala Xtreme Action Slashbait. Early-season crankbaits are also great to use while the weeds are minimal and not in the way. As we all know, the weeds are where the fish are, as they attract baitfish.
One more important element of fishing muskie is the choice of rod and reel. One very popular reel on the market right now — which is also very versatile — is the Shimano Curdao 300DSV. That’s the reel of choice for Josh and he sells more of those for muskie fishing than any other reel in his shop. Another option is the Shimano Trinidad series, which is very good if you plan on throwing bigger baits. With your reel, you’ll need a Fig Rig Rod. It comes from a Minnesota company that has an incredible line of rods for muskie fisherman called the Tooth Tamer series. For length, you want a rod that is between 6.5 to eight feet long.
The Minnesota muskie opener is a special day for many fishing enthusiasts. The proper tools and baits, along with appropriate consideration of weather and water conditions, can guarantee a safer trip and improve the odds. Good luck and be safe on the water.
Josh Stevenson owns, operates, and guides out of Blue Ribbon Bait and Tackle in Oakdale. For more information visit
www.blueribbonbait.com. If you’d like to schedule a guide trip, Josh can be reached at 651-335-2118 or josh@mightymusky.com.
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Topic: Metro Muskie Fishing! (Read 2623 times)
