Wisconsin fishing guides and Wisconsin fishing guide reports from the Wisconsin Angling Adventures Fishing Guides Team. Our pro staff of Wisconsin fishing guides, Joel DeBoer, Todd Bohm, Joe Szarkowitz and Chris Jennings, invite you to come fish for walleye, musky, northern and smallmouth bass in Northern and Central Wisconsin.

Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips

Over the span of his professional fishing career, Author and Outdoor Educator Joel DeBoer has authored many, many top-notch articles on the "How To's" of becoming a better angler. On this page you will find just a sampling of some of his articles and tips - we hope you enjoy!

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Jerkbaits and Autumn Muskies
Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips >>

The calendar has flipped over to September and the nights are becoming cooler with each new day, it's an excellent time to 'talk' fall muskies!  As recreational boat traffic dies off and the leaves begin changing into their brilliant hues, many a musky angler feels their blood begin to pump just a little bit harder.  True, the summer months often hold the best musky action, but for a shot at the biggest fish of the season, the true giants, there is no better season to fish king Esox than autumn.
 
Perhaps two of the most well-known of all musky lure styles really comes into it's own during these cooler months - jerkbaits and swimbaits.  While we boat plenty of muskies all season long on these style lures, there's something magical to the methodical workings of them from now until season close.  There are a variety of these lures on the market today.  Some feature a simple solid wood construction while others employ an injection molded plastic frame or even hand-poured rubber body; they all have their time and place.
 
Jerkbaits and swimbaits will catch fish from weeds, rocks, and even wood, allowing an angler to use them in a variety of situations.  While there are many traditional old time favorites around, I'm going to tell you about a few of the newer somewhat "secret" baits you can use to cash in on some big fish this fall. 

This time of year, I like to begin by thoroughly probing the thickest and greenest weeds on a body of water with a lure such as a Burt or Squirrley Burt. The Burt has a nice wiggle and dive on the pull and then floats while at rest; it's similar to a Suick, but with more action. The reason I like this lure so much is it allows to me fish in very heavy cover be it weeds or wood and not get hung up; the Warrior comes equipped with weedless treble hooks and coupled with it's wiggling action, allows me to fish snag-free in the "thick stuff"

A lure family that has really taken the musky and pike world by storm in the past few years is the swimbaits. I love swimbaits for autumn fishing as they are easy to use whether professional or novice alike, even when bundled up with clothing, and still retain their effectiveness. In fact, as the water temperatures continue to drop, there are few lures more realistic or deadly than a good swimbait. I have been having excellent success in the autumn with the Suzy Sucker family of baits; they are molded to look just like a sucker, one of the Esox family favorite food items. 

I prefer to throw Suzy's and the like using my 7'9" XXXH St. Croix equipped with an Abu Garcia 7000C3.  The reason for the heavier gear is that I prefer to use the sizes from 11" on up meaning the baits themselves weigh anywhere from a quarter to over one pound!  Suzy's, or any swimbait for that matter, excel in rocky areas and other areas you typically find suckers or other larger forage.  They'll catch fish on a straight retrieve as well as a stop-and-go or pumping action; the key to triggering strikes is to vary the speed of the lure, especially as it nears the boat.   

The final class of "sleeper" jerkbaits that perform well are the long rubber lures such as the DeLong EELS and Witches.  They may be a bit strange looking and go against the norm for the more traditional musky fisherman, but any angler who passes up the opportunity to at least try them is missing out - they flat out catch fish! EELS and Witches work best in fall with a slower yet erratic retrieve which allows the lure to glide and swim from side to side and wiggle on the fall, and can be fished over a variety of cover.  Strikes on this style lure are not always aggressive so remain vigilant to anything that just doesn't feel quite right.

Whichever lures you choose to aid you in the pursuit of that monster musky this fall, remember to release 'em right!  I'll see you on the water…

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© Wisconsin fishing guides and Wisconsin fishing guide reports from the Wisconsin Angling Adventures Fishing Guides Team. Our pro staff of Wisconsin fishing guides, Joel DeBoer, Todd Bohm, Joe Szarkowitz and Chris Jennings, invite you to come fish for walleye, musky, northern and smallmouth bass in Northern and Central Wisconsin.