Gear UP for Green Bay: The Ultimate Guide to Lure Selection
If you’re one of the thousands loading up this year to fish the expansive waters of Green Bay, don’t let your excitement overshadow your preparation. There are many target locations along the river mouths, mud flats, Western edges, and sandy shallows, but getting caught without the right lures in tow could leave you with more sweat equity than you hoped in seeking a jumbo payoff. The ins and outs of Green Bay are hard-learned by local anglers and guides, but hopefully, Musky Shop can help you throw your hat in the ring to deliver on a few hefty fish this summer.
Green Bay Forage Matching
There are many considerations when testing the tides of Green Bay. When accessorizing your tackle box for the trip, start with the local forage to give yourself a competitive edge. Musky snacks in Green Bay will supply you with a great assortment of natural colors to gear up on. Perch, Alewives, Walleye, Sucker and Whitefish dominate the diet of muskellunge on this lake. Having a good assortment of these natural lures will help you lure a beast in any bay or flat. A mixed bag of naturals is a great place to start when dialing in color selections that entice local muskies.
Water Clarity and Musky Lure Selection
Outside of the noticeable naturals, water clarity can be a mixed bag on Green Bay, so breaking down your lures so that you have darks and lights, subtle and flashy, will also create a musky bagging environment. Clear deeper zones or muddy outflows, ask for a variation in lures shade. Natural colors might be king, but depending on the water clarity, subtle differences in back, bellies, and patterns might create a more easy-to-spot target. So, if you aren’t getting any love with natural perch, try out a black perch or straight black.
Season Shifts for Musky Predation
If water clarity isn’t enough to break your brain, now it’s time to narrow for your seasonal shifts. Muskellunge don’t often break the surface unless they're caught, so we’re looking to narrow down our color selections to give you your best shot under the current circumstances. So, clouds, sun, or rain will directly impact your lure shade of choice. Remember, muskies are usually targeting up, so the color of the sky will change the contrast of your lure. Heavy white clouds will mask the color of a white bellied bait, so darken the profile in this situation. Blue skies are often best for naturals because the colors aren’t dulled. Just try to use common sense in this scenario. If nothing else, hold a bait up belly and sideways against the sky (it sounds ridiculous, but it works in a pinch). Just remember, you’re creating a reaction based on contrast, profile, and action, so it's best to make sure your lure is bringing the heat to stand out in Green Bay.
Spinners, Glider, and Spring Contenders
Once you’ve decided on a great collection of colors for fishing in Green Bay, it’s also essential to narrow down the contenders that make up your tackle box. One box should be plenty if you pivot on selections. Spring shallows are a hot ticket on Green Bay, so let’s touch on some lures that should make the cut on your vessel. Don’t leave home without your blades; single or double 8’s are great for getting the job done in the shallows. If you’re targeting shallow weeds, try a spinnerbait to entice follows. Gliders, topwaters, and dive-and-rise lures are also all good choices when paired with some pauses and irresistible action. Lastly, downsized rubber comes highly recommended this time of year for post-spawn action.
Trolling and Casting During Summer
As you skip ahead in the summer months, you’ll find muskies motivated in some deeper areas or shallows with a bit more structure. Targeting these muskies will call for the use of your best, deeper-running crankbaits and swimbaits. Also, lesser known is summer trolling. Boating Green Bay monsters can be time-consuming if you're trying to cover water, so make sure you don’t leave home large trolling cranks if you want to make an impact while cruising deeper edges and open water structures.
Fall Fishing Green Bay for Big Muskies
Lastly, in the fall, everything goes on Green Bay, casting or trolling, so this is where your lure choice really starts to shine. If it’s muskies you want, then make sure you’re prepared for what the season is going to throw at you as far as conditions. Fall muskies on Green Bay are transitional. They are usually making their way from their warmer summer waters to the open water. They tend to travel more, as they are packing on their winter weight. It’s really the best time to catch a beast, so maxing out your advantage with a larger profile with big action along with contrasting color pallet should deliver the muskies right to you. This is another great time to cover water with trolling as well. Cast the weeds and troll the drops, and you’ll find one lurking for sure.
Green Bay is an exceptional place to try for muskies with a little planning and putting in the time on the water, so if you’re planning to make the jump from your local waterway, remember to follow these tips, making sure you’re lined up for success before you disembark.