Where have all the Musky gone?

[Scott Kitchen]

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like there are just not as many muskies as in the past in the upper river. 

I usually contact a fish every eight to ten hours, with a follow or a weak nip hit on a tube or a hit on a trolling lure.   

This year I have landed one fish and had two for a few seconds on tubes and that is it. 

Not a single follow. 

I am fishing the same way in the same spots as I have for years.  

I am mixing it up, trolling, casting, slow tubing, fast tubing, slow swim shad, fast swim shad. 

Yet is seems like the fish are just not there. 

Is it just me?

[Brett Cournoyea]

Hopefully they are in the lake

not a large shiner run this year. I think this brings less fish of all species into the river

We were catching a fish or at least a rip up until September and then slows down this is normal for us 

Last year was better we were over two rips a trip average 

this year is down to one rip a trip average  we boated a really small one up to mid forties this year so seeing different year classes 

We generally split our time out musky fishing with bass and walleye mixed in

no musky rips last time but the getting was good other wise