Fishing For Tiger Muskie

A beginners guide to catching tiger muskie

By Rick Seaman

Nov 19, 2024

Tips For Tiger Muskie Fishing

Beginners

Tiger muskie fishing basics for beginners and novice anglers, with tips which can be used while fishing from a boat, or while fishing from the bank. A tiger muskie is a hybrid of a muskie and a northern pike. Many of the basic traits and behaviors of both species are present in the tiger muskie - yet it is usually more aggressive than either of its parents.

Basic Tiger Muskie Tackle For Beginners

Rod. Start with a 7', medium-heavy action rod, ideally with a fast-action tip.

Reel. Baitcasting work best for tiger muskie fishing. Reels with extra line capacity are important a big tiger muskie can spool a smaller reel very quickly. Get a good reel with a good drag system.

Line. Begin with 40# to 50# braid and add a steel, heavy fluorocarbon, or strand titanium leader. Tiger muskie are powerful, and they have very sharp teeth which could potentially chew through most fishing line.

Tiger muskie fishing basics video.

Basic Lures For Beginners

Spoons. Flashy and bright colored casting and jigging spoons imitate all sorts of baitfish and smaller fish, which tiger muskie feed on. Cast small around weeds in the shallows, try vertical jigging in deep water or try trolling spoons at varying depths.

3 Important Tips For Beginners

Tip 1. Spring through Summer, while the water temperatures are rising is the typically best time of year to catch big tiger muskie. During those days, the best fishing is often around dawn and dusk. Tiger muskie prefer to hang around shallow flats, with weeds, next to deeper water. Vary lure retrieves from calm to erratic, to elicit strikes.

Tip 2. Thoroughly fish the area with multiple, accurate casts, or slow troll through the area several times. Generally, tiger muskie fishing is best accomplished from a boat, however fishing can be done from the bank for those who like to adventure out along the shore.

Tip 3. Use good knots and re-tie anytime the knot or line has been nicked or frayed. Always use sharp hooks, if they are dull replace or sharpen them

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Intermediate Anglers

Muskie Tackle For Intermediate Anglers

Rods. For longer casts and solid hook sets, choose a 6' to 7', medium to medium-heavy action rod, preferably with a fast-action tip. Shimano, Bass Pro Shops, G. Loomis, Fenwick, Lew's and Abu Garcia, among others, all make a variety of quality rods in varying price ranges.

Reels. Possibly upgrade to a higher quality reel. Level wind reels make for more accurate casting, but spinning reels can make for easier distance casting. Shimano Curado, Abu Garcia Revo, Lew's Mach Crush, Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Series and Daiwa Fuego are five good choices, and there are many others. Accurate casts are crucial to success.

Line. 50# or 65# braided line, with a monofilament or fluorocarbon tip, makes for easy casting yet strength to handle a bog fish. Use an alberto or albright knot to join lines. Monofilament or fluorocarbon in 1o# to 15# line is a good choice. In open water, lighter line may produce more bites.

Basic Lures For Intermediate Anglers

In addition to inline spinners, expanding your arsenal to include the following baits can improve your chances for success.

Inline Spinners. Large spinners are a well established bait among tiger muskie anglers for many years. Cast and retrieve around shallow weeds or other cover. Vary speed to change depth, and pop the lure to make it flutter every 6 or 8 turns of the reel handle..

Crankbaits. Shallow, lipless and deep diving crankbaits can all be fished for tiger muskie. Small profiles may trigger more bites. Choose the ideal model based on desired depth.

Jerkbaits. Also called rip baits, are a good choice for finicky tiger muskie. The lure can be paused for mulriple seconds to tease fish into striking.

Swimbaits. Jointed swimbaits or single-body baits will attract a curious tiger muskie. Smaller sizes often attract more bites.

Topwater Lures. Virtually any topwater bait will get the attention of tiger muskie. Use frogs, poppers, walking lures, wake baits and many other choices for some exciting strikes.

5 Important Tips For Intermediate Anglers

Fishing Reports. Read current fishing reports from the lake you wish to fish, also review these reports from this time last year. Learn how to gain maximum knowledge from fishing reports.

Lake Maps. Contour maps identify creek channels, flats, and depth variations. This information can help you plan your time on the water, well before you head to the lake.

Focus On Finding The Fish. Tiger muskie move up and down in the water column in search of the best available water temperatures, availability of food, and a variety of other factors. Begin the day fishing shallow, medium and deep water in search of the best depth for the day. Tiger muskie also migrate throughout the lake, often following their food source. Once you locate fish, concentrate on that depth and similar locations.

Keep Lure Selection Simple. Tiger muskie are not as picky as many anglers tend to think. Stick to basic colors as long as they are biting, then experiment with brighter color options. Depending on water clarity contrast may be an issue dictating dark or flashy colors.

Use Multiple Baits. Once you locate an area holding tiger muskie, try a variety of jigs and/or live bait, to see which entices more bites. For each bait vary the speed and action of the retrieve to determine the best approach for getting bites.

Ice Fishing. Tiger muskie can be caught through the ice with flashy jigging spoons or with live minnows.

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Experienced Anglers

Advice For Serious Muskie Fishing Enthusiasts

Study the life cycle of tiger muskie, their annual migrations, daily movements, and food sources available in the lake you plan to fish. Our focus here is to assist beginner and intermediate anglers. For those wishing to take the next step, there are a multitude of options for growing your knowledge of tiger muskie fishing.

Fishing Clubs & Tournaments. You can join and participate, with or without a boat, and learn from some of the better anglers in your area.

Time On The Water. Experience is the best teacher. Spend time locating fish and experimenting with a wide variety of lures and techniques.

Gather Information Online. Read information on your local Fish & Game Department website. Review websites offered by expert tiger muskie anglers, fishing organizations and local fishing guides. Some highly regarded websites covering tiger muskie fishing include Musky 360, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Captain Experiences, and many others.

Have Fun. Fishing for tiger muskie can be very rewarding. Be diligent, but enjoy the process. Fishing is a life-long journey, and you can learn something new every day you spend on the lake!

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World record: 51 pounds, 3 ounces

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Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired bass tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".

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