False to reduce or eliminate backlashes by adjusting your reel to fit the lure you are using. Get comfortable casting into the wind, not just with the wind at your back. Also, take a lesson from bass fisherman and learn to pitch musky bait under handed. It will allow you to put a musky bait under an over hanging tree, into a boat dock slip, or in any place where an over- head cast isn’t possible. It’s also a great technique for gently landing a large bait without making a huge “ ker plunk” when a soft landing is needed. I Know Better The best- guided fishing trips I’ve had occur when a mutual exchange of information, technique, and expertise occurs between my clients and me. I strive to teach my clients about musky and their habits, seasonal patterns, lure choices, ways to work different baits, etc. This is the “ fun” part of being a fishing guide. Getting the opportunity to teach people and share what I’ve learned is why I decided to start guiding. Many times I learn a great deal from my clients as well, and this helps me to be a better musky fisherman and musky guide. In fact, I think that continuously learning about these elusive critters is critical to continued fishing success year after year. Then there’s the client that just “ knows better” than you. They may or may not be polite about it, but they just won’t take advice or direction. I recall another father and son guide trip where the father was absolutely obstinate. The son was in the front of the boat with me, the father was in the back, and I wasn’t casting. The fish were pretty aggressive that day so I had instructed them to fish fast and cover a lot of water looking for a reaction bite. I figured that the musky would nail the first fast moving bait that came by and I didn’t want to be the first lure ( cast in front of them) catching all the fish. Every time the son would cast, the father would cast to the same spot. Since I was moving the boat down the bank pretty fast, we were missing a great deal of water. Also, the father was fishing “ used water” on every cast, which is a problem when fishing fast for a reaction bite. I mentioned this several times in my best “ client friendly guide voice”, only to be told at some point “ don’t worry about it, we’re doing fine!” With this information I decided that I might as well slow down a bit and start fishing. I boated a couple real nice musky that day by casting to spots that they had missed! “ View From the Front “ continued from paage 41 “ View From the Front” continued on page 112 Mat Olsson with a nice fish caugh on a Stalker

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