Gear Alert

Anglers hankering to catch a muskie this summer had best start casting: August is among the prime months to land a toothy monster. Muskie hunters both famous and infamous tout their favorite baits to fool these fish. My tip: Get a creeper-style lure, extra large or fairly small, and throw it until your shoulder gives out. The key is the retrieve. Make it extra slow. Then slow down some more. Especially effective (as are most muskie baits) at sunup or sundown, the creeper, in my experience, retrieved extra-extra-extra slowly, drives muskies crazy. Then they strike.

Dennis Anderson