First Musky Search

Well the bucket list has finally begun. Couple winters ago I geared up with a new rod, net, tools, etc. Didn’t get out. Last season, didn’t get out. Last Friday I finally made an honest attempt.

Went to Mantrap by Park Rapids. Really neat lake and a very enjoyable place to spend the day. Yep, that’s my fish update. Had a nice day hanging out in the boat I know some of my time was on really low percentage areas as learning new lake but some looked decent. Didn’t even move any but not deterred.

Have friday off, Leech is only an hour from me. Never been there and a little intimidated by the size but will probably give it a go. Long shot but maybe I’ll get a better hall pass and can do friday/saturday on Vermillion but we’ll see how the boss feels.

Learning curve, hire a guide

I was on Leech last weekend chasing muskies. We didn’t see a thing but heard of a 48” being caught by Pelican Island on a 18” sucker. Everyone else we talked to didn’t see anything. Good luck

I did hear that they were having some decent success on the Muskies on the Littleboy / Wabedo Lake chain. I guess there was a really BIG fish caught there last Friday. The bait shop owner in Longville said he saw a picture of it and it was a monster fish – He said he was told it was well over 50″ Its a lot smaller lake than leech and may be a nice backup in the wind gets to high for Leech.
Good Luck – Hope you can put one in the boat !!!

Its tough sleddin’ Patk. I caught 5 my first season in 2000 and then didn’t catch a single one again until 2017. Yes, you read that correctly. I went 16.5 seasons without one, logging over 500 hours on the water. I almost exclusively cast with artificial lures, rarely troll, almost never use suckers…so maybe I made it harder on myself. I moved a lot of fish in that span too, just never hooked up with one good enough to stay on the line and land. I thought about selling all my gear several times.

Fast forward to 2017. I caught 8 in about a 2 month span. Then 3 more in 2018, another in 2019, and I’ve got 4 this season. There are things you can do to increase your odds. Try to fish during peak feeding windows and try to fish places that receive less pressure if you are able to. You don’t always have to use enormous lures either. Downsizing to “bass size” lures often works better.

fishthumper wrote:

I did hear that they were having some decent success on the Muskies on the Littleboy / Wabedo Lake chain. I guess there was a really BIG fish caught there last Friday. The bait shop owner in Longville said he saw a picture of it and it was a monster fish – He said he was told it was well over 50″ Its a lot smaller lake than leech and may be a nice backup in the wind gets to high for Leech.
Good Luck – Hope you can put one in the boat !!!

I would second this idea.

I have fished Little Boy/Wabedo a number of times and they definitely hold some nice musky.

You may not get a 50+” fish but I’d believe starting out you’d be happy getting action on smaller fish just to finally get a positive result.

What I like about these waters is that not only are they far more fishable in high winds that’d blow you off Leech or Vermilion but these smaller lakes also play in your favor.

You will spend far less time searching for productive areas on these lakes compared to the big waters.

Because of their smaller size you will easily be able to identify the prime locations, weed beds, weed edges, sunken island right down the middle of Little Boy.

You’ll spend far more time with baits in the water in high percentage locations than motoring around looking for them.

Fishthumper and Andy – that’s a great idea for Little boy/wabedo for all the reasons you mentioned. Especially after I looked at the wind forecast on friday. Extra bonus that I’m in Nisswa now so that’s only an hour away.

Gimruis – that’s a crazy tale of feast or famine, just crazy!

The two left on my bucket list were lake trout and Musky. A year ago got the lake trout in Ontario. If I don’t get the musky this year, no biggie. Mostly I’m just really missing my time casting for pike in Ontario. Since I missed two weeks of those trips I thought it would be good to scratch the itch locally for musky. Will post back if I get out again.

patk wrote:

Mostly I’m just really missing my time casting for pike in Ontario. Since I missed two weeks of those trips I thought it would be good to scratch the itch locally for musky. Will post back if I get out again.

I hear you on missing the Canada Trip. We had two trip planned this year. A spring trip to Manitoba and a Fall one to Saskatchewan. Sure hope things improve prior to next springs trip for sure. I’ve got all that big Pike gear for canada and just don’t have the desire to chase the Musky’s much. You tend to get a little spoiled with all the fast action and #’s of big fish you catch on Canada Trips.

Chapter 2: Another beautiful fall day in the boat last friday, no fish but closer this time. I took the advice and tried Wabedo. Definitely a lake I will head back to.

In the half hour I saw a tail swoosh away. Not long later I looked down to mess with the trolling motor. Felt something, looked up, and a fish was right next to my bucktail with my lure almost back to the boat. Watched it half heartedly turn it’s head sideways to the lure. Didn’t look like the mouth even opened as was 1/8 inch away. It glided away and a few feet later I went into my figure 8 but to no avail. 6 more hours but nothing to report, not even a pike.

Really the only thing that surprised me is the lack of pike action. Given the weedbeds I was focused on there should have been at least a couple.

Maybe another chapter this weekend. Head about Lake Alexander and Shamineau from a neighbor and closer to me yet. Also heard about closed boat ramps at Alexander and flooding at Shamineau from the Brainerd Outdoors radio show so we’ll see.

Pat,

Regarding pike, Little Boy and Wabedo have had special pike regs for some time.

24-36″ protected slot and bag limit of 3. Which is currently far different than the current pike regs for the North-Central zone of a 10 bag limit, 22-26″ protected slot.

I believe some time ago those lakes were identified as having quality pike potential and was not overpopulated with hammer handles.

Fewer small pike=bigger pike. I think that may explain your not hooking into some small slimers. If you did get one, chances are that it would have been a good one.

As far as muskie, seeing one at least you knew you were in the right spot.

Some of us more seasoned muskie anglers will always have a second rod at the ready with different lure setup. If/when you move a fish on say…a bucktail, you might make another cast or two. If nothing, you grab the other rod that may have a slow moving jerkbait that may just trigger the fish from a looker to a buyer.

Keep at it and good luck on your next outing.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

Some of us more seasoned muskie anglers will always have a second rod at the ready with different lure setup. If/when you move a fish on say…a bucktail, you might make another cast or two. If nothing, you grab the other rod that may have a slow moving jerkbait that may just trigger the fish from a looker to a buyer.

Had a 6″ phantom glider as my throwback and did give that a go. Good advice, I’ve used throwbacks with good success pike fishing. However thinking about it I’m often using some type of crankbait with a jerkbait technique. ex. BX Minnow on stop start movements. Maybe I’ll have something like that ready as my throwback next time.

Alexander is a great lake! It’s got some big tulibee to grow the ski’s!
In my younger days I’d get to Alex & Fishtrap 8-10 times a year, both ice and open water.

However, Pat, in the interest of marital bliss and having money later on in life you might want to just hang it up now! Once you get that first one, it’s over!

belletaine wrote:

However, Pat, in the interest of marital bliss and having money later on in life you might want to just hang it up now! Once you get that first one, it’s over!

Aint that the truth

Like fishthumper I’m already sitting on a good pile of pike stuff. Over the years been getting into bigger baits translates to small-medium musky stuff. Really only into a new net and long rod so far…. Maybe it would be better if all I have to show is nice boat time looking at the fall colors, better for the marriage

Pat I grew up Fishing Alex and Shamineau lakes. I would lean towards Alex. The #’s there are much higher than in Shamineau. Although Shamineau does have some really big fish. I believe the main landing on Shamineau has been closed most of the summer. I believe there are also some wake restrictions in place. This may help the fishing as there probably has been far less pressure on the fish there this summer and a increase on Alex. What I would often do is to use a speed lure ( Like a bucktail or large rattle trap ) to try and locate a few fish. Mark those spots and come back a little later ( Often just at sunset ) with a totally different bait. Either a top water or a glide bait would would usually be my choice. This often works out well. Good luck and keep slinging baits at them. Hopefully you can hook into one soon. But like others have said you will then become totally hooked. I have traded in most of my Muskie fishing these days for a few trips to canada to chase large pike. All the excitement and rush of Muskies but with 10+ times plus the action. If the border stays closed to Canada again next year I may have to start fishing the ski’s here again.

patk wrote:

Had a 6″ phantom glider as my throwback and did give that a go. Good advice, I’ve used throwbacks with good success pike fishing. However thinking about it I’m often using some type of crankbait with a jerkbait technique. ex. BX Minnow on stop start movements. Maybe I’ll have something like that ready as my throwback next time.

Aha, you are far more advanced than I gave you credit for.

And yes, that Phantom glider was an excellent choice. Crankbaits like Grandma style are good too, we called them minnow or twitch baits.

Funny I never employed a throwback rod for pike. Seemed they were always more willing biters and it was rare if ever they’d follow such as common as muskie.

Lake Alexander is a great lake. I will PM you with some spots to help you out.