1s tMuskie

Well made it out to a metro lake Friday after work. Wanted to chase a few pike. So we got there and figured that with the weather we may as well troll from the launch through the deeper part of the lake to where we wanted to go. we figured we would discover if the fish had started moving deep. well the minute we moved outside of 15 feet of water the entire lake was a waste land. which confused us. then when we would get to 10-15′ the fish were all suspended. so we figured that we may as well try casting out into the weeds, and bringing it out to the deeper parts. my buddy is on about his 10th cast of the trip, and he get’s a hit. he get’s it close to the boat, shows us it’s colors. it was either the best looking pike I had ever seen, or a muskie. guess we’ll never know because he’s been using a new set up and has had troubles hook setting. after about 3 hours of bites being few and far between, me landing 2 nice pike, and missing my 1st 2 hooks sets of ther year we decide to give one last area that we hadn’t made it to yet a try before heading in.

so we troll over and nothing. suddenly in 10 feet of water my line get’s tight, and I hear the drag. Hook set, and the fight is on, then just to be safe I apparently felt the need at one point, I don’t remeber doing this but it’s what I’m told , I hook set again. a nice little fight, and I see the silvery boddy dive for the prop. why must all fish dive for the prop. my friend saw that it was a muskie,and rather than getting out of my wate starts looking for the camera. (JERK)

Long story longer we land my 1st muskie at 30″ not large, but big enough to get me wanting more. by the way. Not sure but I think I may have done everything wrong to catch it so that was fun. after a quick photo it went back to let the others know that a muckie slayer was in the area!

caught in 10 feet of water on a 90+ degree day, on a lake with 9′ clarity trolling a #7 jointed shad rap. (my favorite perch shad rap at that)

I’ve heard that more guys are catching nice muskies. Catching fish in the 40-50″ range while fishing for pike and walleyes in some of these metro waters. I know they like the smaller baits in the spring, but I wonder if they might like some of the smaller baits during the hot nasty dog days of summer. I mean when its hot we don’t usually put on the feed bag, we just wanna veg and tip a few cold ones back

I have caught many muskies trolling for eyes. Fact just this week my partner frustrated with not raising fish decided to drift leeches for eyes and pulled a muskie out of the same place he had just spent 2 hours casting.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet I love when that happens. How big was it?

Well it was 30″ on the nose… although just got back from the lake again this morning. Same lake, same situation. 12 FOW same jointed Shad rap and 37″ (15) minutes of fighting she took me into the weekds after she got sick of playing around with the prop. tIt was a beastly 37″ will have pics in an hour or so.

My buddy also got his 1st today as well. He was pouting about not catching any fish, so I let him use the one I have been fish with, and I tossed another color on for my self. I nailed a nice pike, and 10 minutes later he lands a 32″ Muskie.

Anyone know of a conversion equation? I didn’t get girth, but we maxed out the 15lb scale on my 37″

Gotta love fishing!

Deluxe,
Seems you are becoming quite the Pike / Muskie guy. You definately have the knack for hooking up with them!

You and your partners need to sit down and discuss what happens when one of you hook up. Depending on the lure you are using you don’t have to panic and rush (easier said then done )to get the fish in. Take your time, keep your tip up and pressure on the the fish. Let them run, you control them with your rod. never let any slack line develope, that’s when you will get the head shake and they will toss the hook. I have the most trouble when using a spoon, I think the weight of the spoon makes it easier for them to spit out. If they run for the motor I try and push the rod below the water letting them go deep until they are away fronm the prop and then I bring them back in.

Keep your net, camera, pliers, spreader ect always in the same place in the boat. That way nobody is “looking” for stuff!

You are on them this year, go get that Muskie!!

It’s actualy been very nice. Ever since our outing where we were catching 28″ average pike and lots of them we have a good system going. Well minus the fact we still don’t have a net. we know who’s box has what tools and exactly where it is. one one releases the fish the other person cleans up and puts everything back into it’s place.

It was a nice 15 minute fight today and when she wanted line I just let her have it, and I kept the tip up. at one though point when she found the weeds I thought was about to get spooled, as I’ve had a few birds nest the past 3 trips, and need to re spool my self. she ripped off about 70 yards of line at once and dove straighte for the weeds. (Wait untill you see the finall picture before she get’s landed. Not sure hich weighed more the fish or the weeds.)

Had about 3 boats pull up along side to watch though. I was getting upset because we had very little clue as to where the fish was,other than somewhere in front of me, and I didn’t need them getting my line in thier prop.

P.S. Net is being purchased as I type we realized we reached our limit of what we can land with out a net. it just so happens to be a 37″ skie!

Next time out cut your leader off and feed line into the water. Run all your line off and troll around for 10 minutes, stop and reel in and retie your leader.(cut off 10 feet of line first) This will help with your “birds nest” without having to respool with fresh line. It takes out the line twist. Cutting off 10 feet of line will give you fresh line to tie with. As you know Pike like to roll, this will lead to knicks in your line.

Rock on thanks Brian going to have to give that a try.

I am in no way being a dink here. But……If you are planning on maybe chasing muskies some more it might be time to upgrade to a an actual muskie setup so you aren’t battling a fish for 15 minutes that you should be able to land much more quickly. I saw your pic posted and that is one fat[censored] Tiger! Congrats on your first and the ridiculous addiction to follow.

Trust me I’m not planning on targeting them unless I have the set up for them, although I’ll tell you this much I’m already researching new set ups. I thought it was Fat fish my self. I mean I’m a tall 6’5″ guy with big hands. and I could hardly get a good grip on it.

That sound like you are having a great summer here in the metro. It sounds like I should stop using the big lures and change back to the pike size ones. If by chance you guys are fishing in the west metro try a 3/4 to 1 oz white and chartreuse spinnerbait on the weed line. They can not say no to it.

Sweet I was just thinking about getting some new spinners today!

Now out to the West Metro I head!