Muskie fishing.

Brocksdad1 · October 29, 2013, 12:28:36 PM

So here in So Indiana they say there are Muskie in them there lakes. But I've never fished for Muskie. Anyone have anything they can say about this fish.

Bryce

OutdoorFrontiers · October 29, 2013, 05:22:27 PM

LOL, after fishing for them for 30 years, guiding for them for 17, there's all kinds of things I can say about them. I could probably write a book on what I've learned over the years...

Probably the best thing I can tell you is while they do like BIG lures, they'll also eat smaller stuff. One season, we put over 200 muskies in the boat, and most of them came on a 3/4 oz. firetiger Secret Weapon spinnerbait with a large gold Colorado blade and a small chrome blade. LARGE bass sized shad raps work well as do 6 - 7" swimbaits.

I used a lot of heavy bass gear when I was guiding, finding that a 7 to 7'6" flipping stick, a Shimano Curado 200 and 50 - 65 lb. powerpro line did the job quite nicely.

Remember, muskies are a predatory fish, and they prefer to chase down their prey. So WATCHING your lure as it approaches the boat is paramount! When you do see a "follow", remember to keep that lure moving! As much as you'll be amazed, keep moving the lure, making it appear to be trying to get away, and do it in a way that it only "looks" that way, not really ripping the lure out of the water. Change the direction you're pointing the rod, drop the rod tip in the water and make the lure dive, anything! Then, when the lure is about a foot or so from the rod tip, drop the rod tip into the water, clamp your thumb down hard on the reel spool, put the reel in free spool and draw as big of a figure 8, circle or L in the water as you can. If/when the fish strikes, give the rod tip a jab towards the tail of the fish, then let it get away from the boat a little bit. Then put the reel in gear and put the spurs to her and hang on!

Beyond that, you're on your own...

Steve

Brocksdad1 · October 29, 2013, 08:47:43 PM

That's good stuff Steve. Here's the only other question I have. Do I fish open water or near the bank.

Thanks.

Bryce

OutdoorFrontiers · October 30, 2013, 06:45:46 PM

It depends. I always fished the edges of the still-green weeds, usually finding most of my muskies where they could dart out of the weeds, grab a bite to eat and dart back in...

Later in the year, I'd fish open water near rocky points...

Steve

Brocksdad1 · October 30, 2013, 07:25:11 PM

Quote from: OutdoorFrontiers on October 30, 2013, 06:45:46 PM
It depends. I always fished the edges of the still-green weeds, usually finding most of my muskies where they could dart out of the weeds, grab a bite to eat and dart back in...

Later in the year, I'd fish open water near rocky points...

Steve

So say this time of year with waters in the upper fifties.

Bryce

Bigwrench · October 30, 2013, 08:25:08 PM

I'm gonna fish Melton Hill in Tn soon of it kills me and this was the perfect post and awesome answers ! So thanks from me too !

Brocksdad1 · October 30, 2013, 10:19:04 PM

Bigwrench I'm going to start calling you Jeremy Wade!!!

Bryce

Bigwrench · October 31, 2013, 05:37:36 AM

Quote from: Brocksdad1 on October 30, 2013, 10:19:04 PM
Bigwrench I'm going to start calling you Jeremy Wade!!!

Bryce

He ain't got nothing on me ! LOL.
Some of the fish he catches and places he goes you couldn't pay me to try That guy is crazy lol

OutdoorFrontiers · October 31, 2013, 09:10:50 PM

Quote from: Brocksdad1 on October 30, 2013, 07:25:11 PM
So say this time of year with waters in the upper fifties.

Bryce

This time of year, I'd still look for green and healthy weeds. If I could find those, I'd fish over the tops looking for pockets and the edges.

And if the weeds were brown and dying off, then I'd look for rocks and wood...

But that's just me, a couple decades of experience and a couple thousand muskies in the boat....

Steve

HoosierBass07 · November 21, 2013, 04:37:46 PM

It seems here in Indiana bass season is over for the winter. It's killing me! lol. I need to find another game fish to go after. I'm thinking of going after Muskie.

What kind of rod do I need for muskie? I have an Ugly Stick that is rated for 10 to 20 lb. line. I have 30 lb braid on it and a 4000 size Shimano spinning reel. Would that be large enough to take muskie?

Princeton_Man · November 21, 2013, 06:25:21 PM

Muskie are fun! They're a big surprise for for bass anglers. Several years ago I was fishing Rural Retreat Lake (an 80~ acre pond) with a buddy, as we approached a crappie fisherman in a canoe. He was recovering from an hour plus long fight with an over 3 foot Muskie (it was laying in the canoe). He was fishing ultralight! 4lb test line and I believe I could get two of the reels in the hip pocket of my jeans. He was sitting on the spillway when the creature took his crappie jig. He said he got back in the canoe and went for a long ride.

I've caught a few in the New River and I believe several of my snapped lines have been due to the toothie critters.

oldjim · November 21, 2013, 07:18:12 PM

Always wanted to catch a muskie, caught lots of big pike when I was younger, but no muskie in La.
Oldjim

Brocksdad1 · November 21, 2013, 07:26:45 PM

I really hate not fishing aswell. I might just have to get the boat back out and take a trip.

Muskie time

Bryce

OutdoorFrontiers · November 22, 2013, 10:21:22 AM

Quote from: HoosierBass07 on November 21, 2013, 04:37:46 PM
It seems here in Indiana bass season is over for the winter. It's killing me! lol. I need to find another game fish to go after. I'm thinking of going after Muskie.

What kind of rod do I need for muskie? I have an Ugly Stick that is rated for 10 to 20 lb. line. I have 30 lb braid on it and a 4000 size Shimano spinning reel. Would that be large enough to take muskie?

I've seen muskies caught on VERY light tackle and my biggest fish, a 49 3/4 inch fish was caught and landed using a 5 1/2 foot pistol grip baitcast rod/reel and 12 pound mono line. Of course I got very lucky with this fish.

The Ugly Stick "might" be enough but I always found that a medium heavy to heavy power bass rod with a VERY fast action and a lot of backbone were usually needed to break the lure loose from the muskie's toothy grip and drive the hooks home in their bony mouth. Ugly Sticks usually aren't known for their stiffness and backbone.

I also used a minimum of 50 pound braided line and a quality leader. On my purely muskie gear, I used 65 and 80lb. line. And when you get leaders, don't get those 6 inch coated leaders, go online and get good quality MUSKIE leaders. They have heavier snaps (usually Crosslock) and swivels. Plus the leaders are longer. A large, aggressive muskie can gulp a lure down a foot or more and when that happens, the line is right in the teeth and you're likely to get cut off...

Steve

CraigP83 · December 12, 2013, 08:42:47 AM

Alot of guys around here use the Cortland Toothy Critter tie-able leaders for musky or just a heavy Flourocarbon. I've had lots of follows while bass fishing but have yet to target or land one. Lots of BIG muskies in Lake Mille Lacs

homer.sparks · December 17, 2013, 01:51:15 AM

I also want to know more about Muskie fishing. Never heard of it though. But I'm willing to take a grip on this kind of fishing.

badgericeman · January 03, 2014, 07:33:03 AM

If musky is your intended target, big lures, heavy tackle, and stamina. Get ready for red forearms, a sore back, and a few nips at your ankles too when you get it in.

I have also heard of rubber duckies being used as tackle. Just run a big treble hook through the top and hout the bottom. Never seen it but heard it somewhere just like all fish tales.

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Muskie fishing.

badgericeman