muskie?

[mascad]

[Note from admin: Your post has been edited. Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.]

[Spike76]

I don't know what was posted but I will go from here,being I'm not sure how to start a topic. I love spearing and I think most of you would have a blast on a musky lake, with a large spear hole and jigging for musky. The thrill of them hitting your lure right in front of you would be ultra exciting. I hope some of you try it and tell us how you enjoyed it. I guarantee you will jump when a big one hits it right in front of you. I still jump when little northerns charge in.

[Quackaddict9]

I don't know what was posted but I will go from here,being I'm not sure how to start a topic. I love spearing and I think most of you would have a blast on a musky lake, with a large spear hole and jigging for musky. The thrill of them hitting your lure right in front of you would be ultra exciting. I hope some of you try it and tell us how you enjoyed it. I guarantee you will jump when a big one hits it right in front of you. I still jump when little northerns charge in.

Well I'll do it if it was legal unless we had good ice before December.

[Nick Kuhn]

Illegal, end of story. Unless you want to travel a few states over.

[Spike76]

What is illegal? Take a large musky lure with the hooks off if season is closed then you shouldn't bug them but couldn't you be jigging for northerns?

[cbrooks]

The musky fishing in Minnesota is good isn't it. Thats because of some of the regulation that are put in place to protect them.

[Spike76]

Sorry, I didn't know the season was closed. I thought the season was the same as northerns. I should have checked the rules before I gave the suggestions. I've never even seen a musky, maybe some day I will fish for one.

[smeese]

I have been tempted to spear pike on a Musky lake just to watch for them. I definately would make sure it was a legal spearing lake first.....I agree it would be intense to see a Musky smack a decoy.....I saw a 40+" fish swim up to my Vexilar transducer and about [PoorWordUsage] myself when I looked down and saw that thing from hole to hole

[Gordie]

The muskies I have seen while spearing pike are like logs just lumbering along and seem to pay no attention to anything that is around them.

They stand out like a sore thumb from the second they enter the hole with those floresent looking red fins to actually brightening up the hole abit .

[mascad]

The topic was started by me asking if muskies were good pickled, and it was removed for some reason. I've heard that they're actually not that much like pike, like I assumed, so thought I'd ask.

[mainbutter]

I don't know anyone who pickles them. I've had a smoked musky chip-dip from a fish that was hooked badly and died after being caught. It was pretty darn good.

Pickling a musky would be a waste, IMO the ONLY way to enjoy such a rare feast is to smoke it.

[cbrooks]

I've never had smoke fish. It seems to be something that alot of people who catch suckers or carp do. Is smoking a fish is a way to make a fish that isn't edible taste OK?

[Gordie]

I've never had smoke fish. It seems to be something that alot of people who catch suckers or carp do. Is smoking a fish is a way to make a fish that isn't edible taste OK?

No Pickleing a fish,smoking fish, along with a host of other way to cook fish Is just another way to enjoy a different flavor.

Originally fish and game were smoked ,canned and pickled to preserve the fish or game to make it last thru there long winter or just to plain make it last.

Now its just another way to enjoy it.

Sucker, carp can be pan fried and tastes great but its all in preparation of it.

Those fish are NOT inedible. catfish were long thought by most people to be no good and now they farm them for table fare.

As for Muskie pickled I have had when I worked in Michigan and IMO its no different than Northern Pike.

[10,000 Casts]

State minimum is MN is 48" so I hope whomever smokes or pickles it really likes it because they are going to have alot of it.

Let's not forget that a fish that size is really old and I don't care what people say, it is full of mercury and that is enough to make me not want to try one.

IMO, threads like this are just another reason to make Muskies 100% catch and release.

[mainbutter]

I've never had smoke fish. It seems to be something that alot of people who catch suckers or carp do. Is smoking a fish is a way to make a fish that isn't edible taste OK?

Smoked wild caught alaskan salmon? Almost universally regarded worldwide as some of the tastiest fish no matter how you prepare it, smoking salmon is every bit as popular as baking/frying/grilling. It's very popular in sushi as well, which "bad" tasting fish would never be.

So no, smoking is not a method to make poor quality fish taste good. In fact I reserve smoking for only the best quality fish.

Pickling is a method where the quality of fish doesn't matter as much, because so much of the flavor is just the flavor of pickling, and it softens bones to make bone-in fish cuts more easily eaten.

I C&R every musky I catch, but if for some reason a legal one died on me, you can bet I'd eat it. Not only is it a unique experience, but I almost "owe" it to the fish to not just waste it.

[cbrooks]

Well maybe I've had smoke fish in sushi. I'm never exacttly sure what I'm eating when I have those. Pickle fish I know I never had. I need to get a little more diverse in ways of cooking fish. Thanks for replies fellas

[Gordie]

CB stop at the meat department of a grocery store and look for some smoked fish whitefish ,salmon and in they way of pickled fish start with herring or something from the store and it only gets better from there.

[50inchpig]

I think you could smoke any kind of fish and have it taste good, but the whitefish is delectable.

That said the thought of eating a musky or other large fish like that kind of disgusts me and I felt bad about the two in my boat that weren't able to swim away but didn't feel bad about letting them float after a few hours of trying to revive them. That's the circle of life.

[RK]

Hiya -

Gordie - I know an old timer who angles and spears out of a spear hole on a muskie lake, and does it almost daily all winter. He sees quite a few muskies, and one of the interesting things he told me was that he could almost set his watch by when individual fish come through. He'll see the same fish at almost the exact same time day after day. Been in the house with him to see it, and you're right - they almost glow. One of the reasons I think there's no excuse for mistaking a muskie for a pike.

As far as eating them goes... I've eaten a couple that have died on me (I figure it's either me or the turtles, and the turtles can find their own dinner...). It's ok I guess. I do know a guy that smokes one a year, and it's pretty good smoked, but I still think ciscoes or whities are better. Never tried them pickled, but I'd think pike are easier to come by for pickling.

Never canned fish other than pickling them, but I can venison every year. Love the stuff...

[cbrooks]

CB stop at the meat department of a grocery store and look for some smoked fish whitefish ,salmon and in they way of pickled fish start with herring or something from the store and it only gets better from there.

I will give smoke salmon and pickle herring a try next time I'm at the store. Thanks again

[muskE]

+1

There was a time but I can't say they they were good. There are plenty of other fish that taste better, have less pollutants, and reprocuse readliy and muskies.