HOMEWORK = RESULTS

I still see hundreds of anglers spend precious vacation time fishing on waters that truthfully have almost no big fish potential. More often than not, these anglers have some traditional connection to such lesser waters from past family experiences. Or they like the accommodations and the vacation area so much that they forego the lake’s trophy potential in favor of other factors. I can understand these reasons, but it still amazes me how many of these same anglers then are disappointed with their results.

I’m not suggesting that these lakes aren’t productive for muskies. However, being “productive” in terms of numbers and action, is a far cry from being “productive” in terms of bigger trophy class fish. Not all lakes are created equal. While your favorite lake might indeed produce tremendous numbers of muskies each season, if it doesn’t kick out 48 to 50 inch class fish with regularity, then it is safe to say that those fish simply do not exist in any kind of fishable numbers on that lake. Period.

A few hours spent on the internet is apt to reveal all kinds of information about your target lake that would have taken months or even years to accumulate in the past. Furthermore, you might even be able to correspond with other anglers about this lake or even get on some kind of a blog or topnotch website like Lake-Link.com where constant information flows to you about your favorite trophy waters.

Modern GPS integrated with sonar now makes it relatively simple for any newcomer to get onto far reaching hotspots within no time. It also makes it far easier than it was 20 years ago to get around safely on very large remote lakes with lots of hazardous obstacles such as submerged rock reefs. Heck, today’s angler even has a detailed topo map on his GPS screen that constantly corresponds with his exact boat position tracking the precise travel route. Many of the best spots already have a GPS waypoint marked. Even if it isn't marked, once you find a hotspot, a simple push of a button locks in a precise waypoint along with the route you took to get there. Wow. Wish I had that 20 years ago.

The plan of doing some homework before you hit the water is still just as valid today as it was 25 years ago. Except now information is far more readily available, and technology has made it far easier to find these hotspots. From musky specific internet sites to Musky Hunter Magazine, and even specialized musky sport shows – today’s musky angler has everything he/she needs to plan a trip and get the necessary gear needed. The old adage of "the harder you work, the luckier you get" is never more true than in the world of the musky hunter. In fact, it could be reworded to say "the more homework you do, the more fish you will catch".