Muskie books?

[Lund 95]

I am just starting to get into muskie fishing and i was wondering if anyone could suggest a book with good info that would help me on my way. Thanks in advance!

[fishing4fun]

Get a subscription to the Musky Hunter magazine. It has alot of good info on everything from takle to lakes and presentions.

[Down to Earth]

I'm about half way through Muskies on the Shield by Dick Pearson. It is very informative. Though it is targeted towards the Canadian Shield lakes you could take a lot of the information and apply it elsewhere. Hope this helps.

Andy

[cliffy]

I would also suggest Musky Hunter is a good resource. I am also currently reading "The complete Guide to Musky Hunting" by Jim Saric and Steve Heiting. Its a great book for those of us that are just starting out.....I suppose it good for anyone really.....

Good luck.

[Guest]

The Complete Guide To Musky Hunting book is a very good book to read!!! It covers everything you need to know about Muskie fishing. It even has the top 25 baits that every muskiehunter should have.
Also Muskies Maina Style is a good read.
Hope this helps.

Brian

[RuKiddingMe]

Time on the Water by Bill Gardner is suppose to be an amazing book (i have yet to read it, maybe i'll order mine right now), I know its available at the Muskyhunter Site in the proshop. Another very good magazine to look into is Esox Angler, top notch crew and acticles.

Good Luck

RU

[cliffy]

I just finished reading "Time on the Water" and it was a very good book. I dont think it is really a "how to book" but its very funny and interesting. Well worth reading if your into muskies.

[guideman]

Books are a great way to pass the hard water season, but don't let them take the place of on the water experence.

I fish with guys every year, that all they ever talk about, is all the books they read and they can't fish for sh*%.

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Terry "Ace" Sjoberg
aceguideservice.com
Muskies and More.
Pro Staff Member.
Catch-n Tackle.
CKat Custom Muskie rods.
Bearpaws Handpoured Baits
Ohio Pro Lure.
Muskie Nut Tackle.
Big Chimney Muskie Baits.
Marcum.

[Captain Ken]

I like Muskie Hunter and Esox Angler magazines.

My problem with books and magazines, is that you often get good general ideas and techniques to start you out, but every lake is different and you have to figure all that out.

For example, fishing in the fall on lake V we throw BIG baits and the muskies love em. When I come back to Illinois and I am fishing in the Fall on the Fox Chain of Lakes, you have to scale way back in size department, fish are smaller but even the big ones here tend to like the smaller baits. Kind of goes against everything you read, which says GO BIG in the fall, but that's the Chain for ya'a.

That's where, as Ace says, time on water and talking to knowledgeable guys who fish the water you are fishing helps ALOT!

Good luck!

Ken

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Captain Ken Kessler
www.captainken.com
www.muskieschool.com
Guiding in Illinois and North East Minnesota
847-970-9108 Illinois
218-742-4680 Minnesota

[TomWehler]

The Capt. Makes a good point and Ace knows a few things along this line also.
Need to warm up my fingers so here goes!!!

Time on the water is best for me!
Learning each time out and trying NEW things you read about really helps develope your own style and Techniques.
Being a good listener is a plus also.

Learning HOW to control your boat can be one of the very most important things you will ever learn, REALLY!!
Pratice makes you work in Auto dirve and makes for some good fish'en!

Read everything, take what you wll from it.

Something reading about or talking about Musky & Pike STILL does for me is help bring things up from the deep reaches of me mind.
As some of you know that's a LONG ride to say the least!
A piece here, one there, Then "Oh ya, that might work with this here, over there, TONIGHT!".
I then sort of connect the info together to make a Technique, Pattern, Style or what ever, work for me on any given spot at that time out.
Make any sence?

Lot more PRO or Expert fishermen these days in the Mag's, On-line and on TV.

One reason this is my favorite On-line board, no Egos, lots of good info shared from seasoned vets to newbies, it's ALL good.

Zillions of things to read out there.
Most reading out these days is very good, but as I get OLDER the info or articles seem to run together and rehash the same old stuff, time and again and drifting off subject very fast.
Only difference in some of it is a NEW person writing it, using more $7 words and adding BIG color photos of fish to describe the very thing you just read about in four other mag's or did yourself yesterday while out with Me, Ace or on your own.
I Read it all, some is better than others for me.
All of it serves a purpous for someone and helps most I guess.

Funny thing is and I laugh & talk of this offen to Ace, MT, "No Fish", and a few clients is, most articles these days start out talking about ONE thing or technique then run off to cover most anything that comes to mind that might get you on a fish.
Say article is headed "Topwater Monsters".
They start out talking about the Lures they favor or use, then go into, Color or Patterns, Rod, Reel, Line, Leaders you MUST have...
Then they get into TIME of day and Location you should fish!
Six paragraphs in is where the articles can turn from being sort of OK, to just saying things like: If you have worked the shallow areas mentioned, don't foget to change speeds, colors or patterns. Size of your lure can also be a big factor in success.
Also before leaving and area don't forget to also cover the ajoining water with a Deeper diveing lure, Glider or Hair. Always try to work the weedlines and Flats, Points also, lest we forget the Humps and Saddles or Islnads, Docks, Boulder piles, Current and Drop offs leading to DEEP water with the NEW TRL #9 Ripjive Magnum CL32 Creeplikeustinkysilme avaiable for TWO easy payments of only $45.95 on our web site or at 1-800-I talk a lot but say nothing NEW!!!!!

What they are saying with out noticing is Just go cover all the water you feel might hold a fish and have some fun?

So read it all, take what you can from it and have some fun learning the waters you fish.
I always say "If it looks fishy, FISH IT!

In time I Bet you a Burger & a Pop you will find that the fish and the lake will tell you things no book can.
Pretty simple really if you look.
As a good frined has told me time and time again, It's just Fish'en man, it's just Fish'en!
Good advise and it works for me!

Cold out!
Brrr.

Keep on Rock'en!

Tom

www.muskytomsguideservice.com

[Guest]

Very good info guys.

So true.

There are so called "pros" out there. And yes, you can learn basic info from them. Read it and apply the basics.

But what you must do is learn YOUR water.

I fish Minnetonka, Mille Lacs, & LOTW (both stained and clear water).

All four areas require totally different techniques in approaching the fish.

The fish are going to eat.

It is just a matter of what time they are hungry and what they like best.

I've caught more muskies on Minnetonka with smaller baits than I have with larger baits.

LOTW, almost seems that you can't go big enough. Where a 6" reef hawg doesn't get time of the day, but an 8" scores consistently......

Keep it simple and your decesions become simple. In other words, pick out 20 top lures. Maybe 5 each of bucktails, topwater, cranks, and jerks.

Then use them. For LOTW, I honestly have about 5 lures that I consistently throw for 1 week. They consist of
1: 10" Believer in 9 dollar bass.
2: 8" Reefhawg in red sucker.
3: White bucktail, with red feather and silver blade.
4: Black bucktail with orange blade.
5: Blue/white Jackpot.

These lures have scored plenty of fish for me in the high 40s / low 50s.

However, these lures don't do much for me on Minnetonka. There I use a
1: Firetiger Jackpot.
2: Modified Gopher tackle TwinSpin.
3: Firetiger Bucktail.
4: Walleye suick
5: Crappie Viper.

Point is, you don't need alot of tackle. But you need the right tackle.

Focus on your presentation, meaning give the fish what they want, then work it, work it, work it.......

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!