Another myth shattered is that you can “overwork” a muskie, or that once you no longer see the fish on a spot then that fish has left the area. Not true! How many times have you left a spot where you have raised a fish, because you think that once the fish has seen your boat, or your lure, it is spooked? Not true either. Have you had a fish up on a figure eight only to leave the spot quickly in order to not “overwork” her? I used to think this way too, but have since changed my tune.

Once I find an active musky, I like to persist. I will make several passes through the area and maybe change baits a few times. It doesn’t end there. I like to hit a spot where I’ve seen an active fish several times during the course of a day. Just because there are no fish at 3pm, does not mean there are no fish at 6pm. If it holds fish, sooner or later the beast will show up again. The odds of making contact with an active fish that you have already raised go up by returning to the spot at peak times of the day, or during a change in weather conditions – like bright sun to a light rain perhaps.