the boat. This is good practice to keep from breaking the rod on the boat gunwale. For leaders, I rig up a nine to twelve inch, 17 pound seven strand wire tied directly to the hook with a ball bearing swivel on the opposite end. There are also several light northern pike leaders available commercially that should be appropriate. Snagging surface obstructions will be an occasional problem. Otherwise, you are not casting into the fish holding zones. While positioning the boat to remove the snag, sighting a spooked fish swimming out of an area will be commonplace. When fishing alone a foot operated bow mount motor is the best means of boat control. Both hands are free to cast, fight a fish, or handle a landing net. A hand operated model works fine with a partner taking turns controlling and positioning the boat. This system works! For example, I took nine Muskies in one spring outing of which four were legal, the largest 37 inches. Mid-morning to early evening in late May or early June is best. And light tackle is a real thrill; even smaller legal fish are exciting battles. The cool water temperatures of spring invariably allow quality releases, too. Soget some plastic frogs, big plastic worms or lizards, a long rod and give this method a try. Additionally, bonus fish caught add to the action. It's not uncommon to encounter a sizeable northern pike or trophy largemouth bass enjoying this warming area of your favorite lake or flowage. And that's not such a bad deal either.
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