November signals the end of musky fishing season throughout much of the Midwest, as water temperatures drop into the low forties and the lakes approach freezing.

Those who give up too soon, however, miss one of the best times of the year to catch trophy muskies.

Unfortunately many musky anglers have traded in their fishing gear for a shotgun or rifle in pursuit of ducks, pheasants, or deer.

For years I did too. Then a ritual began to develop that made me second guess my fall activities. Every year when I would go on my annual deer hunting trip, my friend Joe Bucher would show up at deer camp with photographs of trophy muskies he caught the week before the hunt.

At the same time, some of my friends, who do not hunt but fish late into November, caught trophy muskies. I just had to change my fall plans. Now, I musky fish much later into November, and I usually fish for a couple of days before my annual Wisconsin deer trip.

Both the release and kept divisions of the Vilas County Musky Marathon (a local Wisconsin musky contest which lasts the entire season) are frequently won during the month of November. There is no question that if the same number of anglers that fished during any given month in the summer fished during November, the statistics would clearly show the November is the month for trophy muskies.

Let's discuss two approaches to catch these late fall muskies.

Sucker Fishing Deep Breaklines

As the water temperature drops into the low forties, many muskies can be caught along deep breaklines, particularly those breaklines on the transition from hard to soft bottom. In many lakes this can occur at depths of 30-45 feet. I search for this breakline adjacent to steep breaking shorelines, large shoreline connected bars, or even deep rock humps. Basically this is the last breakline adjacent to the main lake basin.

Good electronics are a must to locate this transition area and keep your suckers in the fish zone. I use my Impulse 4040 to watch for bottom composition changes to keep my boat precisely on this deep breakline. When fishing in these cooler water temperatures I keep my sucker rigs simple. I do not use spinners, but simple plain single-hook sucker rigs and 17- to 20-inch suckers.

I prefer the Buchertail sucker rigs, as their hook has proved to be the most effective hooking and holding fish in this deep water. I also use a low-stretch line such as 50-pound Magnathin, and a heavy-action TD-M661-5RT Daiwa muskie rod to ensure a good hookset. I am fishing for trophy fish at this time and do not want to take any chances with lighter line or faulty equipment. This is strictly a time of big tackle for big fish...take no prisoners.

When fishing suckers in late fall pick a handful of areas and work them slowly allowing the suckers to swim along the breakline, occasionally getting hung in boulders or deep wood to trigger strikes. This is a slow, but precise method of fishing that takes much concentration.

When a big musky grabs the sucker they generally go through three phases: the carry, rest, and take-off. The musky will first grab the sucker, like a dog with a bone, making short runs with the bait while crushing and chomping on the bait. After a short time the musky will rest and swallow the bait. This period may take some time and is signaled by little line or fish movement. After the bait is swallowed the musky will then take off again in slow movements. This is the time to set the hook. This whole process may take 10 minutes or it may take over an hour. Observation and experience are the best teachers.

Crankbait Trolling

It is a common myth that muskies will not strike artificial lures when the water gets too cold. In fact, on most occasions you can catch as many or more muskies by fishing artificial lures at this time. Trolling crankbaits covers much more water than slowly working suckers, and when a fish strikes one can set the hook immediately, boat and release the musky, and keep fishing. Catching multiple fish in a short time is possible, as there is no need to wait for the fish to take the bait.

I have had good luck bumping bottom with my crankbaits while trolling them along similar deep breakline areas, and I have done equally as well trolling for suspended muskies. Do not be afraid to troll with crankbaits such as Depthraiders or Shallowraiders running 16-18 feet over 40-60 feet. Expect muskies to school in packs at this time. Muskies feed in packs throughout the year and this continues into late fall.

I use multiple lines when trolling--running lures on wire line to gain depth and using planer boards to spread my shallow-running lures away from the boat. This type of line spread lets you turn easier and allows you to fish multiple depths simultaneously. I usually troll slowly--from one to three miles per hour--but am not afraid to troll faster. Most eastern musky anglers very seldom troll less than three mph. Vary your speed and make turns until you determine the hot speed and lure depth for that day.

I do not want to mislead musky hunters into thinking that fall fishing is easy. Don't assume that each fall trip will produce several trophy muskies. It can happen, but like any other time of year musky fishing can be tough. Snow, wind, and ice all make musky fishing more difficult.

Feeding windows are commonly shorter in fall than in summer. In summer muskies may feed at several times throughout the day for extended periods, but in fall I have fished all day with no action only to get a strike at dusk.

Late fall fishing is a test of patience and endurance. Stick it out, and spend this fall on your favorite trophy musky water.