Rivers

When fishing a river for muskie, the migratory nature of river fish makes it difficult to get a firm handle on forage location, and therefore muskie. There are, however, several fish-attracting structures that give us a starting place when river fishing. Any area that might concentrate some forage and provides necessary current breaks is a potential key area. One of the first things I look for are streams or creeks flowing into the main river. The flow of these streams washes plankton and insects down to minnows, who in turn provide forage for larger species, who in turn provide forage for muskies. These streams often wash nutrients into the river that accelerate weed growth and the weeds can provide the necessary current breaks. Indeed, many of the older, mature rivers that are good muskie waters have extensive weedbeds. Weeds serve as current breaks but there are other current breaks to look for -- the downstream of a rock wall or perhaps a fallen tree, a shoal, or a weedbed on the downstream end of an island.

Click to Listen!