Here is a picture of a muskie that was caught here last month. The guy thought it was a “funny colored” northern and wanted me to see it. After I told him what it was, he threw it back…..he didn’t want to be in the picture for fear of “trouble”. That fish is muskie # 5 or 6 I have heard about this spring being caught at the dam…..intersting. It was about 24 inches long.
Very interesting. According to the DNR website, they’ve stocked thousands of muskie fry & fingerlings into Pool 2 over the last few years. Maybe they’re making their way down river. Or could they be Zumbro fish? I haven’t seen any on Pool 2 yet. Has anyone else? Vern
I love that spotted morph!
Stocking in Pool 2? Not that I read up on everything but I wonder how they’re doing in their efforts? Have you heard anything Vern?
I don’t know how the muskies are doing on Pool 2, but I’m curious. I was just checking the DNR muskie stocking reports a couple of days ago & noticed the Pool 2 stockings. They were stocked from 98-2001′. I wonder if they’ll continue to stock it. It could get interesting in a few years if those fish do well. Here’s the 99′ report. Notice Pig’s Eye was stocked too:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showstocking.html?year=1999&county=Ramsey&species=MUE%7CTME
Vern
The Chippewa River also has muskies. I suppose a few could come down the Chip. I caught a fat 15 pounder on the Chip one fall on a jig and minnow.
What the……….? 
Vern, did you notice the variance in weights regarding fry and fingerlings and the number of each released? I’ll subject myself to a slap in the face but I’d say those figures don’t add up!
Is Pig’s Eye one of the P2 backwater pools? I wouldn’t mind checking out Johanna or Owasso………Johanna’s been known to produce some good fish but I’m not sure about Owasso.
“the PUP”
ok… Ill volunteer…. heres a bit of info listed on a sidebar…..
Fingerling – Fingerlings are one to six months old and can range from a size of one to twelve inches depending on the on species they are. Walleye fingerlings range from three to eight inches each fall
I assume the figures that dont add up are:
Johanna – 62007800
Tiger Muskellunge – 182 fingerlings weighing 40.9 lbs.
Mississippi R. (pool 2)
Muskellunge – 28,417 fingerlings weighing 34.4 lbs.
Muskellunge – 76,220 fry weighing 2.8 lbs.
Owasso – 62005600
Muskellunge – 246 fingerlings weighing 54.8 lbs.
Pigs Eye – 62000400
Muskellunge – 10,733 fingerlings weighing 0.7 lbs.
but the thing is that fingerlings are fish that have been hatched and raised for a period of time… and they CAN be 12 inches long…. take a couple of hundred 12 inchers and they add up… where as it takes a LOT of 1 inchers to add up to the same weight!…. I stocked musky finerlings before and they vary greatly depending on how LONG they are kept in the rearing ponds… Ive released 12 inches… and Ive released 1 inchers… generally if we figured a lake has a lot of crappie like predators we release them at 12″ at that size not too much messes with them… (except northerns and other musky!)
hmmmmmmm so where does the line form fur da slappin start??
Thanks Rivereyes. Yep, Pig’s Eye is a backwater lake on Pool 2. Vern
Steve,
from what I’ve been hearing the muskie is becoming more prevalent down here on the lower ‘Croix. Some really nice ones are showing themselves this year. Pete Maina even tried the ‘Croix out last Fall so you know something is going on.
I haven’t targeted them yet out here. I’m always going to have a muskie rod in the boat from now on.
The part that gets me is the variance. How do you go from 28,417 weighing 34.4lbs. and then go 10,733 weighing in at 0.7lbs? Uhhh, 182 or 246 of the bigger size makes much more sense in those weights because of the bigger sized fingerlings but to drop that much further without being fry? To reach the same 34.4lbs you’d need 527,450 fingerlings!!! Meanwhile there’s 76,220 fry weighing in at 2.8lbs.!
I’ve been running through them and I CAN’T disprove them…………but the ratios, having never really studied them from this perspective, seem impressively overwhelming. To the point of exaggeration……………BUT………..because it’s you just lookin’ for a reason to kick the Pup, as always, I know you won’t pass up an opportunity if one presents itself……………..so I’d better believe the numbers! No slap-fest today……………..THANKS! 
We caught a musky that same size on pool 5 in April.
Memorial Weekend, trolling Cranks over the wingdams near Prescott, my Dad caught a 25″ Muskie, good fight! he had fun with it. I was surprized to it. But one thing is for sure, you never know what your going to catch on the river!
Welcome to the site Hookem 9! Every outing on the river certainly can be full of surprises…………one of the magical parts of fishing it!
Was the muskie your dad caught spotted, barred, or just kind of silvery? Seems like I’m seeing the spotted ones the most so I thought I’d ask.
If I remember correctly, it was lightly spotted…
Thanks for the warm welcome, I’ve been a longtime “reader” and have only posted a few times.
Hookem_9
Hey, Stillakid – just got a roll of pictures back from the boat-cam. I know, I know, how “low tech” of me to use a conventional cam.
To the point: One of the pics was a Clear Lake (IA) mini-muskie from this spring. He’s barred with a spotted tail.
Sweet catch dude!!! That’s a pretty one! I tell ya, it may be a “mini” ………………. but there’s still nothing quite like seeing the fish on the other end is “one of THOSE”! SahhhWEEEET!!!!
Excellent! For as long as I have fished pool 4, I’ve suspected muskies were around. Too much good cover and food. I also saw the stocking reports a year or so ago and have explored the upper river last summer, including back in pigs eye. Saw some nice pike but no ski’s yet. It’s a perfect spot however, some current, lots of cover, plenty of food. I’ll bet this whole system comes on strong in the next few years, especially if they continue stocking efforts. As far as the croix goes, the muskies are alive and well in the whole system. I fish them from well north of stillH20 down to prescott, and they are active in a good many places and different river environments. My best action has been flats, with weeds if you can find them, and a little more current than less. This has been a tremendous year for weed growth thus far, so there are many more spots that will hold fish. We have seen actionon just about every presentation, topwater being the most effective. To those who spend some time fishing them, I’d say get out and explore beyond the obvious and heavily fished spots, it’s proven well worth it for me this spring.
The real bonus has been BIG pike! I’ve put 4 over 30″ and one @ 39″, beast!
Mike T
bonus pike shot!
try again!
can’t do it, file too large…. Is there any way to compress JPEG’s?
Mike T
That’s a sweet muskie there Mike!
Here’s Mikes fish and what a beauty it is! 
Nice to see those nice pike out there too!
Mike, did you have to pull any lampreys off of it?
not a one. pretty much all the pike/muskies have been clean. That was a great pike, really thick with a wicked underbite. hit a topwater bait and ran right for the boat before going berzerk.
Quote:
not a one. pretty much all the pike/muskies have been clean. That was a great pike, really thick with a wicked underbite. hit a topwater bait and ran right for the boat before going berzerk.
Ha Haaa!!! That’s always a good curve ball isn’t it! Nothing better than trying to set the hook when it’s charging right at you!!! 
Good job staying with it and still landing it!!! That must be one of those “older fish” tricks……….I’ve never had a smaller one do that to me…………….and I don’t know why that is! 
Thanks for puttin’ those pics out Mike! I sure like seeing those ornry, tooth bearing speed demons!
Now, if I could get all you guys up North to line -up and start pushing those muskies down here to pool 10 then can we can enjoy catching those beauties
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