How To Catch a Musky in August? A Summertime Musky Fishing Guide
People get excited for summer due to various reasons, Musky chasers are no different. They have their exciting reasons too. Summer fishing for Muskies is a must-have experience, especially for adrenaline rush fans. If you’re not a fan of slow, finesse fishing, then going for Muskies in August is something that you don’t want to miss and it is the right time to be on boat hunting.
So how do you catch a musky in August? To catch a Musky in August you need to follow a fast approach using 8.6-to-9 feet heavy fast-action rod, with a 6-to-8 gear ratio reel suitable for fast fishing and bucktail lure with bright colors to grab their attention. Fish for Muskies in the deepest, coldest freshwater you can find
We made a quick and useful guide for you to use on your next summer fishing trip chasing these amazing monsters in the summer breeze. Keep reading to know everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
How to Catch a Musky in August – A Simple Guide
In summer, due to water temperatures at this time of the year, muskies tend to hunt and feed more often to make up for the changes in their metabolism. This is great news for fellow anglers, as it means that they have more chances to catch Muskies in their extended feeding window.
Fast Fishing Approaches have been tried and tested, and they have been proven to be very useful in successfully catching Muskies in summer months like August. First off you need to know what spots to target, which will mostly be weed edges where they roam to find food, and rocks that they seek shade from the sun.
Super Useful August Musky Fishing Tips
Muskies Prefer cold waters, so fishing for them in the warm summer months will require different tactics than those you use in the winter months. The same overall strategies for catching Muskies should be the same, but you will need to slightly adjust your tactics to improve your chances of getting a successful catch.
Muskies’ habits in summer become more and more predictable, but that doesn’t necessarily make them easier to catch. You need to try different things and vary your methods until it clicks with muskies. Fortunately, the long summer days give you the advantage of having lots of time to try and test more than one productive pattern.
Here are some super useful August Musky fishing tips to help you get it just right:
- Be fast as speed entices muskies during this hunting season, make sure to cast in your lure and reel it fast to the boat. This tip has been tried and tested with good results.
- Use a heavy fast action rod and fast-moving reel. The right gear allows you to move the bait at a super-fast pace without getting worked out.
- Change directions of bait to trigger muskies to chase them.
- Pick areas with thick weeds and shallow rock cover where big muskies are roaming, Target weeds in the depth of 7-to-9 feet (2.5 meters), and the rocks are in the depth of 3-to-8 feet (1-to-2.5 meters).
- Vary your retrieve to best ensure you’re using the right speed. Sometimes they go after swift moves but sometimes they are triggered by much slower moves. The only way to know is to try.
- Try night fishing where the water temperature is suitable for Muskies to stay longer in the shallow water. Night fishing is also a good chance to catch muskies as they find it hard to see your boat so they’re not easily spooked. Make sure to use a highly visible lure to catch their attention in dark waters.
- Use the Figure 8 technique of drawing the figure in the water to gain more time to catch them before you take your lure out.
For a quick tutorial of the Figure 8 technique watch the video below:
Best Musky Lures for Summer Fishing
What are the best musky lures for summer fishing? The best musky lure for summer fishing is bucktails. Bucktails with attractive colors entice Muskies to catch, with the ability to add blades that shine in the sun to get more attention. They’re fast, easy-to-use, and effective in catching big muskies. Topwater lures are a good alternative as well.
You can start shopping for Mepps MuskyKiller-Bucktail on Amazon now.
Muskies are feeding heavily in summer, which means they’re aware of every moving thing around them that they might feed on. Bucktails are your best choice in summer because they come in big sizes that catch big muskies, and multiple colors that grab the muskie’s attention. It’s better to pick natural colors such as black, brown, or white. You can pair it with blades that reflect the sunshine, gold and silver can be your go-to.
Topwater lures are also a good alternative to bucktails for catching muskies in the summer months. Anglers agree that using this technique can result in a successful catch. Muskies tend to roam in shallow waters in summer to feed, so there’s a good chance a topwater lure will catch their eyes.
One of its advantages is that you can pitch them over the weed beds edges and around the thick parts of it where they go to look for their prey, or around shallow rock covers where big muskies are roaming around to get shade from the sun. they also don’t disturb the zone or scare the fish away.
You can check my recommended Musky Reels here, these are the ones that have proved the best over my years of fishing, and I think they can bring you the same results they’ve gotten me as well.
How to choose the best time and place for catching Muskies in the summer
How to choose the best time and place for catching Muskies in the summer? The best time and place for catching muskies in the summer is fishing around dawn and dusk when the temperature is bearable for them to stay in shallow water, you have better chances if you’re fishing near rocky areas, drop-offs near the weed line, or deep weed lines where they feed or seek shade.
As a rule of thumb, whenever you search for Muskie’s food source areas, you’ll find muskies roaming there. Muskies are hunting and eating most of the time, so fishing near the areas they roam to eat is a hit on the nail head.
Muskies love cold dark weather circumstances, so summer may not be their cup of tea. However, they can adjust to high water temperature to an extent, so you still have a chance of catching them before they flee to deeper waters seeking lower temperatures if you target them before the sun starts burning the water surface. This prime time is either dusk or dawn, so set your alarm to these parts of the day for satisfying results.
When the sun is in the middle of the sky Muskies tend to seek shade or food. So if you’re fishing midday, make sure to cast your lures in weed beds and rocky areas. I’ve also caught Muskies in Creeks before, and I’ve made a detailed guide on how to catch a Muskie in a creek here. If you also have a minute, I think you will find my guide on catching Muskies in the New River quite useful if you’re planning on going fishing there anytime in the future.
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And if you’re generally a musky fan whether it’s summer or winter, we invite you to watch “The Musky Hunter” show. Hosted by Jim Saric, he takes you on a new adventure every episode including the amazing Muskies.
Related Questions
Where Do Muskies Go in the Summer?
Muskies go deeper in the water in summer, but close to the same areas they’re found in around the spring and early summer. These places could be weed bed edges, ledges along with a point, rocky areas, drop-offs near the weed line, or deep weed lines.
Is it hard to catch a muskie in the Summer?
No, it is not hard to catch a muskie in the summer. As a matter of fact, muskies tend to stay in shallow waters in the early and late parts of a summer day and they’re heavily feeding during this period so it’s easier to catch them.
Can You catch Muskie in late Summer?
Yes, you can catch muskie in late summer where they’re roaming the shallow water, rocky areas, or weed lines. They’re found 12-to-15 feet (3.5-to-4.5 meters) in water in areas where the temperature isn’t high, and in less than 20 feet (6 meters) in hotter areas where it reaches 80°F (26.6°C).
Helpful Resources
Muskie Fishing Tips and Species Information
