Midnight Muskies

 

By Fabricio Rivera

With the summer heat gone, fishermen and anglers are gearing up to catch the barracuda of the Great

Lakes. Lake St. Clair is one of the top five Muskie hotspots and the southwestern corridor is considered

one of the greatest fishing spots in Ontario.

The Muskellunge (Muskie) is a predatory fish which averages in size from 24 to 48 inches, weighs

15 to 36 lbs and is found in North American fresh waters. Muskie season opens in

June, but anglers target them in

early October, when the water temperature gets colder and when the fish start to migrate to warmer

waters.

Kevin Kocsis who has fished since he was a boy said he does it passionately.

“I have had a fishing rod in my hand since I was five, but the first time I caught a Muskie was 10 years

ago and I been hooked ever since,” said Kocsis.“

“The feeling of having to battle a monster fish at the end of your rod is an amazing rush and that’s what

keeps me going back, but.. I’ll always be doing thisI’m just an urban fisherman, for me it is all about the

passion,” Kocsis said.

Shawn McLaughlin is a local professional angler who has hosted touring charters.

“The first time I went out not only did I break my first Muskie but I joined the 50 inch club by catching a

52 inch Muskie,” said McLaughlin.

Catching a Muskie is not just putting a hook on a line and then throwing it in the water. It takes a lot of

experience, the right equipment, know-how and shared tips from other anglers.

“Fall is your best time to catch a big fish. That is when they’re gonna be their heaviest. That’s when

they’re gonna be stocking up all the fat and food for the winter,” McLaughlin explained.

“When they’re gonna spawn in the spring they need to have all the food and energy they can

save, so they don’t have to expel a lot of energy during the cold months. Also in Muskie anglers also

learned is to pay attention to the moon phases.

“For me, two times that are consistently good is moon rise and moon set,” McLaughlin said.

If you’re thinking of storing your rod and boat for the season you may want to hold off for a few weeks

while the Muskie are still biting is the time to reel in the big fish.