"Row Trolling Through the Seasons"
An article
by Dave Schnell
that was featured in the September 2004 issue of Muskie Magazine, the official
publication of Muskies Inc.
I often hear
fisherman talk about Fall as the only time to row troll for Musky. While Fall
is a great time to fish for Muskies using any tactic, don’t ignore the
other seasons for row trolling as there is some great fishing all year long.
I have been row trolling for almost 30 years in Northern Wisconsin and my largest
fish to date came at the end of June. Row trolling has been around for many
years in Wisconsin as motor trolling has been illegal for many years. Row trolling
is a quiet, effective and relatively easy method of fishing. It is also a great
form of low impact exercise.
My first exposure to row trolling was fishing with my Dad and a guide in Northern
Wisconsin in the late 1950’s. The guide would troll between spots or row
troll to give us a rest after hours of casting. I always liked the wood guide
boats we fished in and the easy way they cut through the water. I got into row
trolling for Musky on my own by accident. I took up fishing for lake Trout during
the “Dog Days” of August to take a break from casting for Musky.
I would row troll a silver flat fish, weighted down very deep and another down
around 30 feet. I began catching (and losing) an occasional Musky on the shallower
of the two lines. I talked with a few veteran fishermen who fished for Lake
Trout and they also would run into big Muskies and Walleyes while rowing. About
this time I met a well known fisherman in the area Bob Ellis. Bob specialized
in row trolling for musky in a very small skiff. Fishing with his homemade wood
baits his brother named the “Bob Apache” bait. Bob became a very
good friend and I had the good fortune to fish with Bob in my larger boat several
times a year, right up until the boating accident that took his life in November
1989. Our largest fish caught together was 49” long and about 35 pound
Musky, caught in October 1985. Bob had caught many other big fish during his
life and row trolled all season long, from the Spring thaw until ice up in November.
Boats and equipment for Row Trolling
Row boats come in all shapes and sizes. They generally range from 12 to 18 feet
long and are made from fiberglass or composites, Aluminum and my favorite wood.
They all have pros and cons. Aluminum boats can be noisy and tend to be blown
around in the wind. They are also light, strong and economical. Fiberglass boats
are quieter and seem to track better than metal boats. Good row boats should
not have excessively wide beams or transoms as this makes rowing more difficult.
If you can find the right design in a fiberglass or composite boat they make
a good choice for row trolling. Wood boats are my favorite for their esthetics,
as well as the way they track and feel in the water. Wood boats, either newly
built or a vintage boat, do take more care and maintenance then the other boat
types but in my view they are worth the extra effort. As for your boat set up,
I like to use two rod holders at mid boat or at the stern mounted inside the
boat. I don’t like rod holders mounted on the gunwales as they can interfere
with the oars and if your boat is “tippy” could be a safety concern.
Speaking of safety I suggest carrying a loud air horn in your boat in case a
larger boat does not see you. Row boats tend to be on the small size and every
year the boat traffic increases with bigger and faster ships on the lakes. Wear
a life preserver or flotation jacket. I wear a flotation suit in the fall that
also provides some hyperthermia protection. Wear a light colored shirt and hat
for maximum visibility. Some rowers have blaze orange flags mounted to their
boats. Remember you are facing backwards in most row boats so be aware of the
boat traffic around you. Don’t forget about running lights for night fishing,
most row boats don’t come with them. I double up on tools, two heavy wire
cutters, pliers, etc. I have had Muskies knock them out of my hands while trying
to release them at boat side. A comfortable seat with a back rest is a must
if you plan to do a lot of rowing. Some row troller’s equip their boats
with sliding seats you see in racing sculls. As far as tackle is concerned,
you can use much of the equipment you use for casting. I like a long 7 &
_ medium weight, soft tipped rod for row trolling, the type often used for buck
tails. I use a much longer leader I use for casting, a custom made four foot
long, 60lb wire leader. I’ve had fish roll on the line way out from the
boat and cut it with their gill plates. The new, no stretch line is been a great
help for row trolling. I used to use 20lb mono but now use 50 spider wire, I
lose a lot less fish at the strike then I used to. A portable or fixed depth
finder is a big help to keep you on the fish and learn the lake. For baits I
use floating crank baits almost exclusively. They work well at slow speeds and
are easier to get un-snagged than sinking baits. Some rowers have good luck
rowing buck tails and some even use surface baits with good results. I fish
with two lines, but, some rowers put out as many as the law allows. They also
use down riggers and planner boards to cover as much water as possible. I also
run one line a little deeper than the other, sometimes using small weights up
to 6 ounces to get down to where the bait fish are hanging. I’ve experimented
with Salmon flashers and spinners ahead of my baits for added attraction in
deep water. I don’t row troll with live bait, I have found that artificial
baits work right into the fall and you don’t have to keep them alive.
Oars should be the right length and style for your boat. Spruce, flat blade
oars are the best all around choice. There are a lot of options and techniques
that you can experiment with, until you find the best combination for your row
troller.
Spring; The action picks up after the Spawn Spring musky fishing begins in my
area the third weekend in May. On the larger deeper lakes that I prefer, this
is a little early to start row trolling. I find the fish get active about two
to three weeks after the spawn, or at water temps 55 or above. With steadily
rising water temps, above 60 you begin to see fish suspend near weed beds and
other structure. Just like casting, start with smaller baits in the 6- 8 inch
range. The smaller versions of Crane baits, Jakes, Rizzo Divers, Grandmas, Baby
Depth Raiders or similar baits, all work well at this time. Row slow enough
so that the baits just wobble and stay near the edges of structure in spring.
Watch your depth finder for schools of bait fish. If there are large schools
in the top 20 feet of water you have a good shot at a strike. Bob Ellis used
to watch for this, throughout the year, and would consider the lake “Switched
On” when he saw lots of bait fish activity up on the top. Spring is the
shortest season for row trolling, ending around The Forth of July, when water
temps in are up around 70 degrees. (This year it was still around 60, lots of
cold fronts). Don’t overlook spring, as mentioned, I caught my largest
Musky in June and have lost some big Muskies, while row trolling in spring.
Summer; Big Suspended Fish & the late summer night bite.
I consider the summer row trolling season in the North from July 4th, until
the middle of September. The water is still warming up. The peak water temps
are around the first week in August, then the water quickly begins cooling by
late in the month, as shorter days and cooler nights kick in. If you fish on
darker, shallower lakes weed growth can be a problem when row trolling in summer.
Your baits get hung up often on the weeds. Try to stay just outside the deep
weed edges and venture out into the deepest areas of the lake. Muskies suspend
in all types of lakes in the mid summer. I like to fish in the deep clear Canadian
Shield, type lakes. These lakes generally are tough fishing lakes, but grow
giant Muskies. This is because the size & depth of these lakes, the feed
base and genetics. Watch for the movement of the bait fish, these are usually
Ciscoes, Whitefish & Perch. These fish roam the open deeper waters and usually
are down deeper than 25 feet in the summer during the day, but move up closer
to the surface, late in the afternoon. I like to position my baits near the
top of the bait schools. The Muskies (And large Walleyes) follow the bait schools
when feeding. This doesn’t mean there aren’t Muskies in the shallows
or weeds, there are. These deep lakes seem to have two populations of fish.
Some like the deeper open water, while others, make their living in the shallows.
Maybe they do both. I won’t know for sure until I get a Musky to talk
to me, but I enjoy speculating. During this period, I catch more Walleyes than
Muskies, at about a five to one ratio. The Walleye average about five pounds
and I have caught them up to twelve pounds while row trolling. A very interesting
side catch, but not what I’m looking for. This pattern will vary lake
to lake. By August, it is time to try some night row trolling. On many deep
clear lakes there is more action at night, particularly if it has been hot and
flat during the day. I row a little faster during the hot periods and will make
more sharp turns to try and trigger a strike. At night, I like the new and full
moon periods and a little wind. Day or night, a breeze seems to improve the
action. Too much wind, makes rowing tough. South and west winds are best. I
run my shallowest running baits at night and I have heard the some rowers have
done well with noise making surface baits, over the deep water, at night. No
doubt night Musky fishing is exciting but be alert & careful. In the summer
I like to use larger baits that have Perch or Walleye type coloring. When I
get a strike, I leave the rod in the holder for three or four fast strokes of
the oars, then take rod out and fight the fish from my seat. I don’t think
it’s a good idea to stand in these small boats while fighting a fish.
Many times I will hold the rod in one hand and row one oar with the other to
position the boat during a fight, putting the oar down to reel as needed. I
usually do not set the hook again, relying on the boat movement and the fish
to set the hook. If you feel that you want set the hook, one short set is enough.
I try to release the fish in the water using heavy pliers to work the hooks
out, while the fish is next to the boat. Usually the weight and movement of
the fish, assists in getting the hooks out. In a small row boat you usually
can release the fish without netting. I have done this with fish in the forty
pound range, so with care and a little practice, it works well.
Fall; Cold water & Big Fish on the feed I call the fall Row trolling season,
late September until ice up. In my neck of the woods, ice up happens around
Thanksgiving. Water temperatures are dropping in early fall and the bait fish
and the Muskies are moving deeper, until they both shallow up for the Cisco
& Whitefish spawn. I run one line down about 30 feet with a weight added
to the leader swivel, 48” above my bait. I keep an eye out for the bait
fish and adjust my depth accordingly. I have run into a deep water dilemma catching
and releasing Muskies that I should mention. I have caught Muskies down very
deep, late in the year, in lakes that have a good oxygen supply. After hooking
the fish I play them slowly, they tend to come up on their own. Often times
I will observe bubbles coming out of the Muskies as they are coming up. Although
the fish looks good and they usually go back down after release, I can’t
believe this is a good practice. In the last few years I have stopped setting
my lures deeper than 30 feet down. Most of the action I get is in the top 30
anyway, year round. In fall I run my bigger baits in silver and gold colors
that mimic Ciscoes and Whitefish. Their spawn and that of the Lake Trout begin
in late October to early November, when the water gets down to the low 40’s.
These bait fish spawn in rocky areas of shoreline and center rock bars. Musky
can be picked up on shallow running baits at this time. The peak spawning time
seems to be at dusk, so the last two or three hours of the afternoon have the
best Musky action. The Muskies go on a feeding binge which seems to last about
two weeks. I have been able to find large concentrations of ciscoes spawning
by the shoreline, by watching the Sea Gulls. The Gulls will dive bomb and feed
on the ciscoes that are breaking the surface. If they are in large concentrations,
you can bet large feeding Muskies will be in the area. Watch for ice build up
on and in your boat and equipment, this time of year. If there is a steady wet
snowfall and high winds, get off the lake. Ice and wet snow add a lot of weight
to your boat and there might be thick ice forming at the landing. Be very alert
to weather conditions this time of year. On the lakes I fish, the Cisco &
Whitefish spawn is over by the second week of November and Musky fishing really
slows down. I will hang it up for the season, when I stop getting hits and don’t
see much activity on my depth finder, usually about the third week in November.
Now’s the time put your rowing gear away and get out the tip ups. The
open water fishing season is only six or seven months in the North Country and
goes fast. Row trolling adds an extra, interesting dimension to Musky fishing.
It is a great way to learn a new lake and get some outdoor exercise. Give it
a try.
The end