These places are perfect for muskies waiting to ambush their prey. Keep in mind that a muskie's eyes are set high in the head so the fish can view the area above him. Normally, these fish hunker in the weeds waiting for meals to pass overhead. The trick in this situation is to use jerkbaits that wiggle and dive just above the tops of the weeds, occasionally nipping the tips of tallest weeds. This is why it's best to carry a good selection of varying-depth lures.

Some of the best muskie lakes are manmade reservoirs that lack significant weed growth. Boulders are important cover in many of these. Rocky bars, fallen trees and steep cuts along the banks formed by small streams can also be good. The bottoms of these small cuts are often covered with sunken trees or stumps.

Larger rivers and slow-moving rivers can be fished like lakes. In smaller rivers with hard bottoms and stronger currents, muskies are often found in shallower water than they might frequent in lakes or larger rivers, so shallow-running jerkbaits are most useful here.

Among the best places to jerk-fish in swifter rivers are the edges of currents. In these waters, muskies will suspend just out of the current waiting for a meal. Cast into the current and then jerk the lure into the calmer water.

Stick baits often turn onto their sides as they break from swifter to calmer water. Use lures with flashy sides that look like feeding suckers when they turn onto their sides.

Any obstacle that breaks the current might create a good holding spot for muskies. Sharp bends in the riverbank can be good. So are the bottom ends of islands. In normal low summer flows, however, the water might not be deep enough to hold fish in many of these places. Pay special attention to midriver obstructions such as boulders and bridge piers where the water is normally deeper.

JIGGING TACTICS
As the sun rises into the sky, muskies tend to head for the bottom to the point where they are hard to reach with jerkbaits. Often they will lie right on the bottom, sometimes in depths of more than 30 feet. The only practical way to reach these fish without trolling or live-bait fishing is with leadhead jigs. These can be fished to virtually any depth.

Muskies are often inactive at midday. Sometimes, though, they can be tempted or taunted into striking by a jig that is presented so closely that the fish can't ignore it.

Jigs can be retrieved at any speed, but because of the depths that are often involved, there is no way to cover all of the water. In other words, this is not a searching method. It should be used only when you know (or suspect) the location of muskies. This is why it's best to learn how to identify deep muskie-holding spots.

Good places to start jigging are in deeper waters adjacent to the same places where you jerk-fished for muskies.