Muskie fishing is never a sure bet. But, targeting deeper water with the right tools at the right speed after dark can increase the odds. Night fishing is an art,” Lehner said.  Lehner points out that “less” pressure doesn’t mean “no” pressure. As more muskie anglers seek the advantages that fishing at night offers, some of those advantages are eroded in the process. Muskie are learning to compensate for the increased risks they face under the moonlight. They aren’t so eager to snatch just any old thing that swims by. Lehner has learned to adjust his presentation as a result. 

Other fishermen stir skinny water barely deep enough to cover a muskie’s back after the sun goes down. They put their boats over 12 feet and cast to shore. But Lehner thinks fish are too spread out in that shallow water. Catching a fish in those circumstances is a matter of having enough luck to put the right bait in the right place at the right time, he said. If weeds are growing in water 10 to 15 feet deep, he puts his boat in the 20-foot range and makes casts toward the green stuff. In that way, he targets fish on the break and the outer weedline where muskie may not be so particular or afraid to attack. 
“They are backed out there because they feel more secure in deeper water,” Lehner said. 

Focus on the irregularities in the weed line; the places with points or inside turns that cause muskie to pause. Look for transition areas between dense and patchy weeds or places where two different kinds of weeds border one another. 
Lehner thinks a second key to nighttime success is the speed of the presentation. Clients of his who get their first experience at night tend to work baits exactly like they do during the day. That doesn’t work. 

“Slow down,” said Lehner. “If you’re reeling too fast, you’ll mess yourself up. You might pick up weeds, but you’re getting it down there. They can hone in on it a little better. It’s methodical. It’s almost so slow it’s boring. But, the fish won’t blow up on it and miss. They’ll take it down.” 

Bait choice is simple. The noisier, the better. Lehner has discovered the first week of the season in June can be a good time for topwaters that use sound as an attraction. Use topwaters that move in a straight line. Walking the dog makes them harder for a fish to grab. 

“That’s because they are really curious. They haven’t seen anything all winter,” he said. 
After that early burst of action, big spinners win the nighttime contest much of the rest of the summer. He modifies Lindy’s M/G Tandem by replacing the stock blades with larger ones. He also uses Double Cowgirls, with two #10s. Rattling crankbaits ripped slowly and Bulldogs also work. Vary choices whenever you have more than one angler in the boat. A 10-inch Jake with the holoflex sides that flash like bait fish is another idea to try. 

As for colors, Lehner uses gold, silver, shimmering black, chartreuse, and black. Experiment. Be aware of other factors. For example, Lehner plays the wind. 
“The craziest fish at night I’ve ever had was on Mille Lacs in four-foot rollers. I was casting and letting the spinner go so slow it hit the rocks—tap, tap, tap. Then, I felt a pickup like a walleye and set the hook. It was a muskie—52 inches.” 

Pay attention to weed growth early on. If the weeds are slow to grow, the muskie may move to mid-lake humps earlier than expected. Ditto if the water temperatures climb faster than normal. They’ll go deeper. 

Moon phases play a role. The peak of the full moon and the peak of the new moon, the brightest and the darkest, are often good. 
“But to be honest, they aren’t always the best,” he said. “Sometimes it’s going up to the peak and down from it. Watch for patterns. Keep a log. Time on the water is the best thing. Sometimes you just have to go out.” 

The right weather? From a big-picture standpoint, Lehner likes consistency. A sunny stable weather for three days is best. 
“On the third day, the fishing picks up. If weather is too sporadic, it’s too hard to find a pattern.” 
On the other hand, look for those hour to hour changes that can trigger bites, like an approaching front and change in wind direction. If you saw a fish that wouldn’t go before, now may be the time. 

He also watches for small flashes of light in the weeds that signal baitfish are present. If he doesn’t see any, the muskie are likely to be dining elsewhere. 
 
Trolling after dark 
When fish move away from the weeds, trolling after dark is a good way to connect. Go as slow as you can—2 mph at most—and use the biggest Jakes you have suspended behind a trolling board to slide the lure away from boat noise. At slow speeds, the bait creates a wave, displacing lots of water. Keep them high in the water. Swing over the tops of weeds and out into open water where predators chase suspended pods of baitfish. 
Don’t slack on safety. Things can go haywire at night in a hurry. Explore spots during the daytime. Use your GPS to trace the weedlines and mark the turns and points to target later. Add icons as reminders of potential dangers. 

Have plenty of lights onboard. The best kind have switches that stay “on” without pressing which free up your hands. Lights attached to rails on the side of the boat to shine on a fish in the net can make removing hooks easier.

Make sure the camera is charged up and ready to use. After losing one overboard in waves, Lehner mounts a camera on an old seat pedestal and puts it in the hole in the deck to be sure it stays secure. 

Some anglers don’t use figure eights after dark, fearing they might pull the lure away from the fish and hook themselves or someone else. Lehner does use the productive tactic, but he slows down the speed and merely lifts the rod tip when he feels a strike rather than jerking overly hard. “Just lay into it, and keep the pressure on,” he said. To get on the water with Trent, call him at 218-251-2162.  It may just be the muskie of your dreams.