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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Muskies in the Slop - Not Just for Summer
Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips >>

The arrival of musky season presents many dilemmas - topwater or bucktail?  Lake DuBay or Lake Mohawksin?  Perch pattern or chartreuse?  The 2010 season is finally upon us, and for those who spend their free time pursing the king of freshwater, the opener couldn't have come soon enough!  The early spring this year and recent near-record high temperatures mean that the muskies have long since finished spawning, and many fish will already be located near their typical summer haunts.  To be successful, musky anglers will need to think beyond traditional opening weekend tactics and locations.  In this artcile we explore an overlooked technique that is just dynamite for big muskies when the conditions are right… as they are this season!

Depending on the body of water you're fishing, weed growth has certainly been accelerated this spring.  On darker, shallower bodies of water, the weed growth may actually be quite thick - what anglers refer to as "slop".  While typically thought of as a mid-summer pattern, slop will hold muskies wherever and whenever it is present for a variety of reasons.  First, slop offers shade and subsequent cooler water temperatures.  Thick dense vegetation also offers excellent hunting grounds for an ambush predator such as the musky.  In addition, thick weeds also typically provide a reprieve from heavy boating and angling pressure, a fact that trophy bass and muskies alike tend to take advantage of.

Fishing the "slop" requires stout tackle, as upon setting the hook, the fish needs to be muscled from the vegetation as quickly as possible.  While this is typically not as difficult with a thirty-inch range fish, it becomes incredibly challenging with a thirty-pound class fish or bigger.  Long rods in the 7 ½ to 8-foot range in a heavy to XXX heavy action such as those offered by St. Croix are required tools of the trade.  Heavy braided lines such as those manufactured by Sufix or Power Pro offer the no-stress, abrasion resistant qualities necessary for fishing in the thick stuff.  Reels, such as those offered by Abu Garcia, should be of a high quality construction and have ample cranking power when fishing for muskies in the slop.

Selecting lures for fishing in heavy vegetation is a relatively simple affair.  Buoyant topwater lures such as prop-style baits and musky-sized buzzbaits like the Lance Lures Squealin' Hog work well and provide an easy to use, effective, fairly weed-resistant offering.  Large bladed bucktails such as Esox Edge Hawg Hookers and llungen Lures DC-10's are terrific around edges and lanes in the thick weeds.  Musky-sized spinnerbaits such as the Thumper and Mega Thumper are versatile baits that can be worked over, around, and through heavy cover.  In addition, there are a variety of soft rubber offerings such as Killer Eels and Flying Witches that will also score on weed-related muskies; their single or multi single hook rigging allows anglers to snake and swim them through slop with surprising ease.  A general rule of thumb when fishing for muskies in heavy cover is to use as large of an offering as you can.  The reasoning is simple, you want your lure to get noticed, and you want to provide as big of a target as possible for the fish to track and ultimately successfully strike.

No article about musky opener would be complete without a mention of tools necessary for the safe unhooking and release of these magnificent specimens.  A quality bolt cutters (for cutting hooks), long needle-nosed pliers, and jaw spreaders are all "must haves" in the boat.  Fishing tackle companies such as Tyrant Tackle produce quality, durable, affordable tools - there is no excuse for being on the water unprepared.  Fish release gloves such as those produced by Musky Armor protect not only the anglers hands from teeth and gill rakers, but also help alleviate removal of the slime coat on the fish.  Lastly, anglers looking to fish for muskies must have a large landing net, ideally with a coated bag; while my Frabill Big Kahuna is indeed a whopper of a net, it is a tool that I wouldn't be caught without on the water.  The treated bag is gentle on fins and slime coats, while it's over-sized hoop can easily and comfortably accommodate fish in the 50 inch class; a comfortable musky means less thrashing in the net, resulting in fewer injuries to both you and the fish.  Catch a big one this opener, then, let it go - let it grow!  I'll see you on the water…    

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