BY Spence Petros
Often one cast make take you from being a zero to a hero when musky fishing. And often that one cast is made during the low light conditions right before total darkness. If you want to know how to consistently go from the outhouse to the pent house during the warmer months, always do this one thing: be on the spot where you have seen the biggest fish of the day (or your best big fish spot) during this magical time!
Some of my biggest muskies have come during this low light period, including my two biggest. And on some of the days where a giant was landed at dusk, it was the only fish boated that day! If a fish was not caught during the day light hours, I usually get start getting excited at the end of the day as this last light action is expected. And on most occasions, musky activity is encountered with larger than average size fish. I don’t know why this is such a good time to hook a giant. Maybe they are hungry after minimal activity all day, or lower light conditions mask your approach and lure presentation. Maybe they just move up on structures to feed at his time. Quite frankly I don’t care what triggers this low light feeding binge, I just know this is the best time of the day to catch a giant.
My lures of choice will vary under these conditions. Almost always, someone will be tossing a surface lure, which most of the time in my boat will be a Bucher Top Raider. If there are two in the boat, a bucktail would be the second lure, and it will usually be white, or have some chartreuse on it, and/or have an orange blade. A big white or pink tube or light colored Shallow Bull Dawg would be a great third choice for a lure. This slower moving presentation would also become a top choice if a fish followed and you returned a few minutes later for another crack at it just before total darkness. Slow days don’t have to end badly, if you follow this low light game plan.
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