Musky Fishing Re-Imagined | Forward-Imaging and Tackle Tips

Big predator fish like pike and musky stir angling excitement like few other fish, and although not a core focus here at Wired2fish, several staffers grew up chasing them and love a good hunt. This long-form video with Kyle Peterson overviews his musky fishing season with a focused discussion on using forward-imaging sonar (he’s a Garmin LiveScope guru), his go-to lures, rod setups, and terminal tackle considerations. It all combines to help you catch these low-density and nomadic predator fish with a high success rate. *Boat and electronics links at the bottom.

TACKLE

SWIMBAIT (Slide 312) – Savage Gear Sucker, 9-inch (coming soon!)
LINE – Sufix Performance Braid, 60- or 80-pound (heavier with bigger baits):
REEL – Daiwa Lexa 300 HD Casting Reel, 6.3:1
ROD – Savage Gear Battletek Musky Casting Rod, 8’6” Extra Heavy
BUCKTAILS – https://wired2.fish/MuskyBucktails
TOPWATERS – https://wired2.fish/MuskyTopwaters
SWIMBAITS – https://wired2.fish/MuskySwimbaits
LEADER – Single Strand Nickel-Titanium Leader, 55-pound (Terminator unavailable)
LEADER SNAPS – Stay-Lok Snaps, #4.5
LEADER SWIVEL – VMC BSHBSWR Welded Swivel, #4
SUNGLASSES – Costa Del Mar Reefton Sunglasses

Electronics continue to re-write the fishing game, and perhaps no technology is transforming how we fish faster than forward-imaging (aka live sonar). Kyle details how to employ forward-imaging to target fish in “outer space” (suspended away from structure) — the discussion covers the importance of casting distance and accuracy, bait angle of approach relative to the fish, and lure manipulation to trigger reaction strikes.

BOAT SETUP

BOAT – Lund 1875 Pro-V Bass XS (Kyle’s boat)
BOAT – Lund Pro-V Musky (musky-specific, featured in the intro)
WALK-THRU VID – Lund Pro-V Musky
MOTOR – Mercury Pro XS 250hp

Muskies are a lot like bass in that they readily respond to and eat a myriad of offerings ranging from crankbaits, soft plastics, spinners (inline & safety pin), jerkbaits, and live bait, to name a few. For Peterson, live sonar is transformative in helping boil lure selection down to 3 core categories: 1) inline spinners (bucktails), 2) topwaters, and 3) performance swimbaits. He explains how and when he uses each, emphasizing the new Savage Gear Sucker, which can be worked at various depths and speeds, including being burned (most swimbaits blow out) — all excellent attributes for the live imaging game and triggering “skis”.

Catching muskies is hard. Period! They are low-density fish that infrequently eat yet are highly curious and can go nuts when you get things right. In what used to take years, modern sonar technologies allow you to break down fisheries in a matter of days. They’re invaluable tools for catching more fish but using them should come with a thoughtful conservation mindset. Always handle these top predators with care and a speedy release.