A tributary of the Little Kanawha River, the Hughes River features long, slow-moving pools, ones divided up by shallow riffles. Morrison said pools are commonly a mile long on this river. While the riffle areas can be muskie hotspots during the spring, he would expect the fish to be located in the deeper, slower water at this time.

Boats can be launched on the Hughes River at Chucks Ford in Ritchie County.

TACTICS
Muskie tactics tend to evolve in such a way to suit local fishing conditions. On West Virginia's relatively small, flowing waters, this is the case.

"Small, johnboat-style boats are most appropriate for these waters," Scott Morrison said. "Most anglers outfit their boats with an electric motor."

He said bank- and wade-fishing are not common, so most folks utilize the shallow-draft craft. Thanks to the numerous access sites located along most of these waters, float-fishing is also a popular way to fish the water. Additional access sites can be found on the DNR's Web site at www.wvdnr.gov. Click on "Public Fishing Areas" under the "Fishing" title.

Lures of choice for muskies tend to be crankbaits and jerkbaits. Though not necessarily thought of as a "muskie" state in the broad spectrum of things, several outstanding lure makers call the Mountain State home. The long list includes bait/lure makers such as Jack Cobb, Gene Wyde, the Amma Bamma, Widowmakers, Crane Baits, Tuff Shads, Jones Specials, Willey Bucktails, Big Chimney, Buckhannon Mountain and Smutly Dog. Many of the lures produced by these locals are tailor-made for the shallow-flowing waters described here.

"Probably because we don't have much in the way of weedbeds, bucktails are not as popular here as they are in some areas," Morrison said.

For instance, a 200 series Crane, which is a shallow-running minnow bait, is ideal for working over the top of a logjam. A T-Bone, an up-and-down jerkbait made by Widowmaker, might be just what it takes to lure a big Elk River muskie from the depths. It doesn't take a wide assortment of lures to tackle our state's river and stream muskies, just a few baits well chosen to work the depths and conditions commonly encountered.

In conclusion, it's worthy to again note the positive effects that catch-and-release fishing have had on the muskie resource. In recent years, much has been learned about the proper way to handle muskies to ensure they survive the encounter so they can fight another day.

Despite their menacing look, muskies, large ones in particular, are rather fragile. Hooked fish should be brought to the net as quickly as is reasonably possible to minimize fatigue. Smaller fish that can be handled without the use of a net can be unhooked while they remain in the water. For larger fish, large nets specifically designed for catch-and-release fishing function as an in-the-water livewell while the hooks are removed or cut free from a fish.

Delayed mortality of released fish is the result of the cumulative stress experienced during the process of being caught and released. Photo sessions, common with anglers, add to the stress. If photos are necessary, the process should be short and well planned. Have everything ready before the fish is lifted from the net. Horizontal holds, experts agree, are much easier on the fish than vertical ones. Warm-water temperatures, widespread in state waters during the summer, are extremely stressful to muskies. During the release, support the fish until it has the strength to swim off on its own.

Release tools every muskie angler should carry include long-nosed pliers, jaw spreaders, small bolt cutters and a proper landing device. Catch-and-release only works if the fish survives the ordeal.