When Joe Bucher is trying to induce a muskie to follow, he first considers if he is dealing with an ambusher or a chaser.

The follow is obviously something that most muskie anglers are very familiar with. Even when muskies don’t appear to be in a striking mood, the mere sight of a follow gets the blood pumping, the knees knocking and the excitement building. Yet, more often than not, we end up dealing with muskies that don’t follow at all. What causes a lack of follows is debatable. A variety of factors including water clarity, weather conditions and fishing pressure might all come into play.

The key, in this instance, is to recognize a lack of chasing and then change to a more appropriate lure presentation. A completely different set of rules comes into play when hunting muskies in this mood. For one, you simply have to slow down. Instead of a high-speed, run-and-gun casting approach, the key to success often depends upon picking a handful of key locations that you know hold a fish or two, then work lures over these areas with more precision and specialized techniques.

Catching chasers

It’s important to identify the difference between chasers and ambushers. Chasers can be dealt with using a fast, straight retrieve, high-riding lure and a trolling motor set on high. Ambushers are usually hugging tight to cover or at least hovering in a less-aggressive manner. Choosing lures that are erratic, run closer to bottom or near the fish and a slower setting on your trolling motor is now recommended.

How you approach a fishing spot, and the lures you choose to fish with are critical to success. Slowing down your boat is the first order of business once you decide on a target area.

Luring in ambushers

Jerkbaits are generally the key to catching ambush muskies. Dedicate some time to mastering a handful of these baits, and you’re bound to be rewarded with a well-earned strike.

I am a particular fan of up-and-down-style jerkbaits for ambush muskies…particularly when they hug tight to any form of cover. Pulling a jerkbait aggressively with a hard thrust of your rod plunges the lure downward towards cover where an ambush muskie is bound to be staging. A subsequent pause allows the lure to rise up out of the cover before the action is repeated. This is an age-old technique that has accounted for boatloads of muskies over time.

To learn more muskie secrets, read the June issue of MidWest Outdoors, available the first full week of June at the newsstand or by subscribing on our website.