Muskie on the St. Croix

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

I am planning early this time!

I am on the st. croix every july with a bunch of my guys for a 3 day canoe and camping trip. This past July, the weather was awesome with light winds and a big blue sky for day 2. The small mouth were hitting like crazy as well. All of sudden around 2pm, a short storm rolled in and we had to pull to a camp site for about 10 mins to avoid any lightning. Before the storm, my buddy in the canoe with me caught a 17 inch walleye that he placed on a stringer that I tied onto the side of the canoe. Right when the storm cooled off, we started off again to our camp site. Within minutes of pushing the canoe off the ramp back onto the river, I saw a huge muskie attack/eat the walleye. When I saw the head, I was so freaked out because of how big the muskie was. It was about the size of my paddle. When the muskie yanked on walleye, my canoe almost flipped over. So then I grabbed my paddle to push it off. Considering how big he was, he took two bites, the walleye was completely gone.

Considering this now, I want to try for some muskie this year. What are some lures that I can try? I went to Fleet Farm last night and saw a wide array of lures from spinners to top water to fake suckers. What are some lures taht I can try?

Thanks!

[Esox_Magnum]

Not just the baits you need but the right equipment to use the baits and proper landing net and release tools... Baits are last on the list of things to get to be prepared to hunt muskies....

[Further North]

Maybe it's just obvious to me...but I'd use a bait that looks like a walleye...

[Esox_Magnum]

Muskie ate the eye due to it struggeling and acting wouneded, alot of my best producing baits resemble nothing in the water in either shape or color...

[JPenny]

Esox_Magnum hit the nail squarely on the head. If you want to fish for muskies, you have to be prepared. But you're on the right track by planning early. You're going to need the proper rod & reel. Sorry, but the average smallmouth outfit ain't going to cut the mustard. And you're going to need the proper landing equiptment and in a canoe it's going to be a test. You need a big net with a coated knotless mesh. A cradle would work, but only if you have someone else with you to use it. Then there's the tools you'll need to get the fish unhooked. Long pliers, jaw spreader, and hook cutters at the very least. Then comes those lures. Bucktails catch as many muskies as any lure out there.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

oh, man. Didnt know Muskies require so much. I am a bass fisherman. My friends and I usually do a small 3 day tournament on the croix during out time on the river.

I want to try some live bait, but I dont have the right equipment to keep them alive. Seems like muskies require more gear than what I expected. I assume my curado and st. croix legend won't suffice. I am actually nervous attempting muskies on a canoe. I may try them more when I am on shore and just cast from the shore.

Thanks guys. I'll slowly begin my equipment gathering this winter.

[Esox_Magnum]

Ball park:

Combo..$250

Net....$130ish

Nipex..$60

Neddlenose... $15-$20

Leaders... $3-$8 each

80-100# braid... $20-$30 a combo

Baits... $12-$30 each

Box to store baits... Start at $60

Gloves (optional) $30-$40

Now there are places on the web to buy used and save some money and of course Georges MN Muskie Expo in April and the swap meet after the show on Saturday night.... Lots of good deals to be had there...

I fish muskie full time and just gear alone not counting boat are insured at $7500... Thinking I may up that to $10K next time policy is up....

[401TE]

Ball park:

Combo..$250

Net....$130ish

Nipex..$60

Neddlenose... $15-$20

Leaders... $3-$8 each

80-100# braid... $20-$30 a combo

Baits... $12-$30 each

Box to store baits... Start at $60

Gloves (optional) $30-$40

Now there are places on the web to buy used and save some money and of course Georges MN Muskie Expo in April and the swap meet after the show on Saturday night.... Lots of good deals to be had there...

I fish muskie full time and just gear alone not counting boat are insured at $7500... Thinking I may up that to $10K next time policy is up....

Give me a break. You don't need all that stuff to try and catch a musky on a 3 day canoe trip. The Curado and Legend will work fine, just get some 50-60 pound braid and a 130# pound test Flouro leader, I use the Stealth Tackle leaders. You don't need a big net, but realize hand landing fish is tough...especially in a canoe. A Stowmaster net or a cradle would make life a lot easier. You don't need a pair of Knipex for as little as it sounds like you will fish muskies, but you'll want a pair of bolt cutters along just in case you get hooked. Trust me, you will quickly realize they're worth bringing along if you get a musky hook in you. You may also need them to get the lure out of the musky. You'll want a pair of long needlenose for unhooking the fish. Buy a few lures and a Plano 3700 tray to keep them in. Lastly, make sure you have a camera ready and you're set. You don't need to spend $500 to catch a musky...especially since you already have a rod and reel that will likely work fine.

[Vermilion_figure_8]

Dont forget polarized glasses and a few snacks

[401TE]

I am planning early this time!

Considering this now, I want to try for some muskie this year. What are some lures that I can try? I went to Fleet Farm last night and saw a wide array of lures from spinners to top water to fake suckers. What are some lures taht I can try?

Thanks!

After you get some of the other stuff, I'd get myself a Top Raider, a couple M & G spinner baits (one bright colors, one natural colors), a couple smaller bucktails of different colors, and a Rapala Super Shad or two. That would be a good start.

Oh, and a hook file! Just because a bait is brand new does NOT mean the hooks are sharp. The only baits I don't sharpen out of the package are Super Shads, they always seem to be sharp enough.

[Esox_Magnum]

Give me a break. You don't need all that stuff to try and catch a musky on a 3 day canoe trip. The Curado and Legend will work fine, just get some 50-60 pound braid and a 130# pound test Flouro leader, I use the Stealth Tackle leaders. You don't need a big net, but realize hand landing fish is tough...especially in a canoe. A Stowmaster net or a cradle would make life a lot easier. You don't need a pair of Knipex for as little as it sounds like you will fish muskies, but you'll want a pair of bolt cutters along just in case you get hooked. Trust me, you will quickly realize they're worth bringing along if you get a musky hook in you. You may also need them to get the lure out of the musky. You'll want a pair of long needlenose for unhooking the fish. Buy a few lures and a Plano 3700 tray to keep them in. Lastly, make sure you have a camera ready and you're set. You don't need to spend $500 to catch a musky...especially since you already have a rod and reel that will likely work fine.

Education is key in the future of muskie fishing, why would you not wan't to use the proper gear??? Far to many fish are already lost by unprepared new muskie anglers and accidental catches on light tackle....Hand landing even a medium sized muskie is not the most fun even by experienced fish handelers let alone a novice and 2-3 5/0 trebles flying around...If someone new goes along with me and they don't have the proper combo they use mine, if they wan't to use their heavy bass gear then they bass fish... It's up to us to take care of the fish to the best of our ability for the future of muskie's and muskie fishing...

Sure a pellet rifle will kill a deer but would you use one??

[401TE]

[Bass Whacker]

One must have bait on the croix is a big brown spinnerbait. If you cant find a brown one dont be affraid to paint one. Just try and match a smallmouth, I would say 90% of my muskies on the croix come on this bait.

Esox I'm just wondering why heavy bass gear cant be used? I get you wouldn't want to be useing walley tackle or bass finess setups, but I fished with a 7'6" flippen stick for a couple years before I could afford a decent setup and I never had an issue with it.

[Esox_Magnum]

Sorry I just have the mindset of if you want to do it do it right...Having the proper equipment makes tossing todays muskie baits and the whole experience alot more enjoyable....

As far as the $250 combo thats the cheap bottom end gear a mid range combo is closer to $500 a top of the line will run you closer to a grand ...

[Esox_Magnum]

Esox I'm just wondering why heavy bass gear cant be used? I get you wouldn't want to be useing walley tackle or bass finess setups, but I fished with a 7'6" flippen stick for a couple years before I could afford a decent setup and I never had an issue with it.

How well did that bass rod throw/rip magdawgs or pull DCG's???

[Bass Whacker]

I'm just saying it gets the job done to give it a shot for a weekend. you are right it made for really sore arms after a long day of fishing(I guess you could say I was young and dumb) and I would never go back to it now that I have a real rod.

[10,000 Casts]

Esox has some good points here. If you want to do it well and safely then you should consider what he reccomended. When I started I hand landed a few and after I got a good net, I wondered how I ever got along without one, it is a life saver when working on releasing a fish. Now that I have a bolt cutters, I wonder how I ever got along without one, it makes it 10 times easier. You absolutely need a longnose pliers. The correct gear is important so you don't end up cutting your trip short and going to the hospital because a tooth got you or you have a .05 treble in your hand. A 46" Muskie is a different ball game than a 30" Northern when it comes to releasing it.

Also, if you are correctly figure 8ing after every cast, your bass gear will be to whimpy and it will wear on you.

With that said, can you use your Bass gear? Sure, just make sure you get the right baits so you don't wear yourself and your gear out. A 1 oz spinnerbait and Mepps Musky Killers can catch plenty of Muskies and Topwater is easy to throw but a whimpy hook set could cost you a fish of a lifetime.

The other thing is you are in a canoe, you need to pack as light as possible and imo, that doesn't mean you can't fish muskies. Just be prepared and you will be fine.

[RK]

Hiya -

A couple thoughts here...

Count me in the camp that says you don't need to go overboard to start out.

If you're a bass fisherman, you probably have a rod already that will work. If you have a heavy flipping stick, or even a heavy Carolina Rig rod, you're in business. A good reel with a decent drag that can hold 80# braid is something you will need, but there are lots of reasonably-priced options there if you don't have one already. A Shimano Corvalus, Garcia 6500C (or 5500 even for occasional duty), etc.

I've caught many, many, many muskies on flipping sticks, up to 35 pounds or better. Frankly, the muskie you can't whip on a flipping stick hasn't been born.

Can't throw double cowgirls or magnum Bull Dawgs with one? So what. Use something else. Hard as it may be to imagine, back in the Dark Ages guys still caught muskies, even though they didn't have DCGs and Mag Dawgs. There are a lot of baits you can throw on a flipping stick that will catch fish.

Some bait suggestions...

- A Magnum Bomber Long A. The silver foil or gold foil models (with clear sides and a foil insert) are one of my all time favorite muskie baits. Incredibly good hookers, easy to use, and fish just eat 'em. They'll set you back about $9.

- Topwaters like walk the dog baits (a magnum or even bass-sized Zara Spook, for example), or bass-sized buzzbaits. Buzzbaits are far and away the most underrated muskie topwater there is, and you'll get both bass and muskies on them, which is cool.

- Smaller bucktails like A Blue Fox Vibrax. No double 10 blades, but somehow still manages to catch all kinds of muskies. And perfect for a flipping stick.

- Single spin spinnerbaits. Lots of options. I love Rad Dogs personally.

There are a couple of "have them or don't fish" items in my opinion - hook outs and hook cutters.

You can get a pair of 11" angled jaws needle nose pliers for about $5, or long nose Baker hook outs for about the same $.

For hook cutters, you can get a set of mini bolt cutters at Ace Hardware for about $10. They'll work fine for occasional use - we all used them for years before Knipex came around. If you're going to get into muskies more, you'll want a pair of Knipex eventually, but for a trip a year, or a one time deal, get the cheap ones. They'll do the job they need to do, just with a little more effort on your part. But with the baits you'll be throwing, you won't be cutting through 7/0 X-heavy hooks anyhow. So I'm clear, having hook cutters is a necessity. But you don't need to drop $60 on a pair you'll use for 3 days.

Tackle boxes? Use Plano Stowaway 3730s - the deep 3700-size. One or two of them will hold a modest selection of baits, and set you back about $6/each.

Bottom line - you don't need to drop $1k to go muskie fishing. You can set yourself up to do so very effectively for about 100 bucks.

Hope you have a great trip...

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Zelmsdawg]

I strongly agree with not selling the farm if you're thinking about trying muskies during 3 days of your summer. Make sure you like what you're doing before investing any money. My first rod and reel combo I got cost 140 and it was my go to set up for close to 10yrs and I still use it today. Can I throws pounders and 10's? No, but it handles topwater, spinnerbaits and glide baits just fine. A first time angler is usually intimidated by the larger baits at first anyway and probably will opt for something closer to the size they've been using, at least thats how it was for me.

Along with some of the other advice people have given, if you're in a canoe or really just anytime in general I would think about a fish handling glove or 2. Makes hand landing fish a lot easier and just dealing with fish and hooks easier.

Good luck and have fun! Oh and don't watch your bait when it comes to the boat/figure 8, watch the water behind and below it. Took me a few years to really figure that one out...

[goblueM]

I agree with RK's post completely. Esox_Magnum makes good points but I think he's missing the mark a bit for your first time. Just dip your toe in the water to test it out, don't go cannon-balling off the deep end just yet.

something to think about in a canoe is boat control - using bigger cranks and bucktails can be an issue. I tried using a double cowgirl and I pretty much reeled the canoe to the lure.

So if you are going to use bigger baits that have a lot of resistance, consider trolling, or play the wind/current so you can still have a decently long retrieve.

And a net is pretty clutch when fishing out of a canoe, I've landed more 30+ inch pike than I care to, and a couple 36+ muskies out of a canoe by hand without a net, and its not fun (and dangerous to both you and the fish)

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

great responses guys! I would love to go the esox-magnum route definitely if I wanted to invest more time chasing for muskies. Thanks for the comfortable advice esox_magnum!

Like others have said, I am more of a bass fisherman and only plan to randomly find muskies on the northern st. croix during the three days. It gets a bit boring catching SMbass over and over and over again. For the past three years that I have been on the trip, there has always been a muskie encounter, hence I'd just like to give it a shot.

I may just try bucktail spinners for now since that may be easiest for me to use along with some large topwater action lure. I will definitely need a net, but not sure if I want to get a net that big for just those three days. Since we usually fish about 10-20 years away from shore only, I may just try to land on shore if I hook a muskie, then slowly work it in. I do have a net, but its smaller and can bend to fit in the canoe better.

I'll see what I can prepare. thanks guys for all the awesome advice. If I become a muskie addict, I will definitely start posting more on this board.

[delmuts]

If you have a Hvy or ExHvy flipping stick; you can load the reel with GOOD braid. This would work for the smaller lures. I have a 8 ft. ExHvy bass rod, with a trion reel and 80# braid that we use for show girls, spooks,jigs, and other smaller lures.

Having a bolt cutter is almost a must. Spend the extra and get a knipex.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

sounds good delmuts! thanks!

[VMS]

And I'm sitting here thinking...throwing a bulldawg or DCG in a canoe? heck...throw them DCG's upstream...if you crank real hard, you might be able to work your way north rather than south..

Steve

[goblueM]

you can throw bulldawgs fine in a canoe... but even medium size bucktails move the canoe a LOT