Getting HOOKED on Muskie Fishing by Toby Kvalevog, Co-Owner of LOA

Growing up in Bemidji, MN, I had the opportunity to GET HOOKED on fishing at an early age. Within a few years my fishing goals changed from Tom Sawyer-like adventures down the banks of the Mississippi river to week long excursions to lakes in and around Northern Minnesota and Canada. The species did not matter, but walleye were always my passion. It was later on in my teenage years that I discovered Musky fishing.

My first few experiences fishing for Musky happened because of adults who were generous enough to take a kid with a passion for fishing out on the water. As a kid, I would ride a bike, 4 wheeler, scooter, and then a car to all the bait shops just to hang out like a fly on the wall. Thirsty for knowledge and always driven to become better and more successful on the water. Rob Balmer at Dave's Sporting goods was that guy. First, through “take a kid fishing”, I learned to successfully live bait rig for walleye. Then it was a day on the water Musky fishing that sparked a passion for BIG toothy critters. I caught my first musky with Rob at the age of 13 on a highfin fooler (wooden jerk bait) in a perch color. I can remember that fish like it was yesterday and for a few summers when the water warmed I would chase them on a weekly basis.

My fishing career turned to walleye fishing and tournaments by the time I was in my early 20’s. I was fortunate enough to turn that passion into a fishing career that still exists today. Because of that species and the time on the water it took to develop my skills and business, Musky fishing took a backseat for a good 20 yrs. Rods and reels have been sold and not replaced along with that highfin fooler and the rest of the lures I wish I still had. The passion went dormant waiting for a chance to resurface.

Catching Fire and Loving the Chase

Leech Lake is one of Minnesota’s top fishing locations. It is very dynamic and holds both the numbers and size of most of Minnesota’s top targeted fish including walleye, pike, large and smallmouth bass, panfish, and GIANT musky. As a member of the Leisure Outdoor Adventures team, we fish several lakes in Minnesota that hold Musky, and some of our team members like Tim Hanske and Jeff Andersen, chase Musky on several of the top destinations like Cass Lake, Plantagenet, Lake Bemidji, Mille Lacs Lake and of course, Leech. After 18 years of guiding walleye and other species on these lakes, and seeing my colleagues and friends catching and guiding people to their first Musky, the fire begin to burn again and three years ago I begin the 112,000 acre chase.

In August of 2015 I caught my first targeted Leech Lake Musky on Klack Bait while fishing pencil reeds. The fire erupted on that hookset and for the past three summers I have been dedicating a lot of time trying to break down a lifetime of fishable Musky waters on Leech Lake.

 

Leech Lake is a very popular Musky fishing destination. There is a variety of fishable waters that include sand, rocks, weeds and open water trolling locations. The amount of structure is truly overwhelming at times. The time of year and day to day conditions will often dictate which type of structure and lure presentation will be the most productive. ‘Loving the Chase” is definitely tested when the fish are being tight lipped and lazy, but when conditions are right it is a world class fishery.

Figuring it out

Technology is a game changer in the sport of fishing and there is no doubt my learning curve is being shortened through that good fortune. Legendary Musky fisherman around the world can sniff out a musky through instincts developed through thousands of hours of time on the water. For today’s anglers, myself included, mapping, internet, youtube, social media, and modern electronics can help in the process but time on the water still can’t be replaced. I have been fortunate to have access to all of that along with an amazing group of mentors to bounce ideas off and share a boat with. That alone has been the single most important learning tool.

Jeff Andersen talks about “Loving the Chase”. The Chase represents the essence of Musky Fishing. The fish of 10,000 casts, the elusive 50 incher, the one that got away. These are all part of the game, but the Chase is to me is something different. Loving the chase means spending 17 hour days on the water trying to figure where they are and how to make them bite in hopes of getting a chance. A chance is really what Loving the Chase is all about. Through hard work and dedication, the chance to catch a musky has gone from a fish of 10,000 casts to one good cast at the right spot and the right time on Leech Lake.

Extreme Net Man 

2017 has been the year for me being the musky net man more so than the guy holding the fish but it’s all part of the chase. As a guide, I am not fishing, being the net man is expected. Netting a fish for a friend is a shared memory that will be retold for years to come.  Whether in front of the camera or behind it, the chase is the same and getting a Leech Lake Musky in the boat is an amazing experience regardless of who sets the hook. That being said, always being the net man can get a little frustrating when everyone in the boat but you is getting slimed.

The Report

2017 has been a productive year for Leech Lake Musky fishing. I have had the chance to spend several hours in the boat solo, guiding for Musky, and fishing with fellow avid musky anglers. We have caught fish in weeds, sand and rocks during the morning, day and night hours.

Again, conditions of each day dictate which spots may be best but there are several spots holding fsh and being there when the bite window opens has been key. Bucktails, Paddle Tails, and Top Water lures have been best for me. The type of structure dictates which one to goes on the line at any given time.

This past week has been an amazing time to be on the water and “The Chase” has been wonderful. Muskies have been very active on all types of structure and the bite windows have been pretty frequent. Both early morning and evening have been consistent, but weather conditions have been favorable for all day fishing.

The Eclipse Chase 8/21/17

The August new moon has always been a great time to target big fish of all species. Last year we had multiple fish boated (including my first fifty incher) during this time and I had been looking forward to this year ever since. It wasn't until later that I realized that this year's Chase would coincide with the Solar Eclipse. As many anglers know, the moon phase has a lot to do with fish activity.

On 8/21 there was going to be 3 feeding windows during daylight hours so we set off at 6AM to pull an all dayer in hopes of boating several fish. Things started slow for us with a few sightings in various locations, but the fish we were seeing didn't seem to be to excited to feed. Finally around 10AM a window of opportunity opened and a fish decided to chow a Klack bait in some pencil reeds. Unfortunately, it never made it to the boat.

The fish torpedoed behind the lure for about 10 feet and the bite was fantastic, despite the final result. Chalk that up to part of the “Chase”. Realizing that there were a few fish moving and confirmation from other anglers on the water who were fairing well, we decided to switch locations and tactics. The wind was picking up and the water was turning to mud in our current location. At location number 6 for the day and around 11AM we moved two mid to upper 40 inch fish on a paddle tail and BuckTail. Both fish were aggressive and we decided to make that location a top priority.

An hour later and without any success we decided to give it a rest and stop back during the afternoon “Major” fish feeding window. Before leaving and while taking a break, I utilized a little windshield time to use my Lowrance Electronics and “Side Image” the structure to better understand it. The rocks in certain locations were much larger than others and to me the area to key in on. When we returned, that little bit of homework would prove to be the detail that would seal the deal on what currently is my biggest musky to date. A beautiful musky just shy of 52 inches would engulfed a Bigtooth tackle “Juice” Bucktail right on top of a GPS coordinate that was laid out just a few hours before the bite. Attention to details put that fish in the boat without a doubt.

The rest of the day was a bit slow and a lot of the key spots were filling up with other anglers out enjoying the day and we decided to move to waters that haven’t been pressured as much and where a lot of fish had been moved in recent days. It was this last stop that gave us our chance at our third bite and another lost fish right after dark. It was a long day that produced three good bites but the one that counted was extraordinary for this angler and one I will never forget.

The Set UP

I have been very happy with my choice of rod and reel set ups from Abu Garcia. Hand to hand combat equipment has come a long way from the equipment that I started with back in the late 80’s. The REVO line of reel from Abu Garcia spooled with 80 lb Suffix braided line has a low profile and high enough gear ratio to pull large baits through the water with ease. The heavy duty line of rods like the 9’1” Beast take the load of casting all day off your arms and back and are long enough to work boat side maneuvers like a figure 8 from a higher platformed boat possible.

The Big Tooth line of tackle was designed to work the type of structure that our northern lakes offer. The Juice line of bucktails and Klack bait lures are giving us opportunities at fish on a daily basis.

Thankfully, I have rekindled my love for musky fishing in recent years and I am looking forward to many more hours sharing the boat with new and old clients and friends who share the same passion and also “Love the Chase”.

Thank You,

Toby Kvalevog
Owner / Guide
Leisure Outdoor Adventures
218-821-0168
www.leisureoutdooradventures.com