Photo Board

[lots of luck]

squeedunk, just a friendly jab, that muskie is simply amazing, it looks like it could eat my 33" posted a up this thread a ways.

[MJCatfish]

This 45 incher came from Big Detroit on Friday evening about 7:00. Notice how thick and broad it is. Was caught by my buddy, PB.

MJ

PB puttin' the screws to her.

(Net man, DP in the background)

[paperlipz]

Is that an ugly stick?

[MJCatfish]

Actually, it's a Tony Rizzo muskie stick. I just happened to snap the photo when the fish was peeling line on one of its runs.

MJ

[musky frank]

ESOXCOP What were the measurements on that hosehound?

[Scoot]

Pictures from a recent trip.

Ward with his first sklunge.

Me releasing a lower 40's.

Rockin' Rod with the fish of the trip.

Tons of fun on this trip!

[This message has been edited by Scoot (edited 08-12-2004).]

[muskymike]

Thought I'd add my best two of the year thus far.

46.5" x 21" Metro Area
Number 16 for the year!

47.5" x 21" Bemidji/Cass Area

More to come!

[half2fish]

Muskiemike,

I need your help. How in the world have you caught 16 this year. i have had 3 follows this year and thats it. Last year didnt even get a follow. what kind of lures do you use. any pointers would be really helpfull. I only get to fish mille lacs so if you have been there where would you fish? What do you think i am doing wrong?

[muskymike]

Half2

Before I'd ramble on with some "great" advice, I'd ask, How much do you get outon the water?

To really stay on top of fish you need to get out every other day or so. I get out about 3 times per week. It helps, go to where you've been seeing fish and pound the area in all times(morn,day,eve), all weathers(sun,cloud,rain,wind), and all baits(jerk,buctail,topwater,colors, etc). You'll start to pick out paterns and start to get a feel for what spots to hit when. But make no mistake about it, I spend A LOT OF TIME ON THE WATER NOT CATCHING FISH.

You'll surely start catching 20+ fish a year on a lake like Mille Lacs if you work it. If you get out once every two weeks or something, it leaves a lot to chance. You've got to BE OUT ON THE WATER when their biting. I probably average 1 fish every 3 trips out. Most trips out being 3-5 hours and a few full days here and there. I had a night this year where I caught 3 fish in 20 minutes. Why, I cant explain exactly. But I can tell you I didn't hit the water until 8:15 pm after I put my kids to bed. The weather looked right, nice wind, moon setting, sun setting, get the picture. Told the wife I gotta go for 2 hours, she calls me crazy. Out to the structure I'd been seeing a lot of fish on and bang. Two of the fish were 3 casts apart.

That 46.5" pictured above was the first fish I've caught in 22 days. A mid season dry spell like that makes me crazy. It happens every year to me. I start going out before work on weekdays. I call it therapy. Some get up and run in the morning, some go to the gym, well I'll take catching a musky over jogging anyday.

Good luck!

[buzzsaw]

Well written Musky Mike!!

[marine_1]

Musky Mike also has good friends who, on average, fish more than he does to tell him where the fish are at. Don't worry Mikey no thanks is necessary Kevin and I know how important we have been to your success!!!!

[muskymike]

Well ok, maybe forgot to say make sure you've got a great net man like Jason or Kevin. They can take a good picture too.....HAHA....

He brings up a good point though. Get as much information from as many musky chasers as possible. But remember, they're always lying about how big, where, and what lure....HAHA

[Fish-n-Freak]

I would agree with Mike -- Time on the water is the #1 factor to success! If you are not able to hit the water hard and often, then your numbers will suffer. Even if it's a group effort, the key is knowing where the fish are and when they are active.

I had a great year last season 31 fish with 3 over 50". I fished hard and spent many days on the water. This year my son is 5 and I need to be home more. My current score is 0 in the boat and have not even seen a 50" fish.

I am fishing the wrong spots or at the wrong times, because I am not able to hit the water often enough to develop the patterns that I had last year. I plan on a couple of slow years, then I will be teaching my son the art of Muskie fishing!

When you are on Mille Lacs, look for other Muskie guys. Some will talk some won't -- just say hi, and see what they are doing. If they offer any info, put it to use.

You are fishing one of the best waters in the world, for size and numbers, but it also gets hit pretty hard. The pressure has slowed the catch rates, and will keep them down. But the fish still have to eat! Try going at night -- great way to get those lure shy fish.

Don't give up, keep trying and keep learning. The more information you can gather, the shorter your wait will be. If you are getting follows, you have found where they are. Now take the time to find out when they are most active and what they are feeding on. Always fish where they feed. It's hard to catch the ones that aren't feeding.

Good Luck!
Steve

[half2fish]

Thanks for all the advice. I live on mille lacs so i get out almost everyday. In fact i have missed only 11 days since muskie/pike opener. But i have not fished muskies all those days. But when you say to fish where you see them what do you mean. Do you fish shallow enough to see them or what? The only spot that i have found is in wahkon bay. 12 ft. of water right where the weeds meet the sand. (I only fish wahkon bay because i am not old enough to go anywhere else in my 14 ft. boat.) But i have had 3 follows this year in the same spot and i see quite alot of muskie fisherman in the spot and i have seen a few lost and caught there so i think i am in the right place. But thanks for all of your advice i am heading out on the water in a few minutes after lunch. Ill try to post how i did when i get back.
Good luck to all you

fish

[Scoot]

Half2,

I'm sure what they mean is when you see a fish in a particular spot, be sure to hit this spot often. Once you get out enough you'll know the areas you've never seen a fish in- start skipping these areas. You'll also know the areas you have seen fish in- concentrate your efforts here in the future. Fish the places you've been seeing fish at.
Also, like they alluded to- if it's possible, hit these places early, late, mid-day, night... If you find where they live, you just need to be there at dinner time. The hard part is knowing when dinner time is so you just need to be there often. Keep knockin' on their door and they'll let you in eventually!
Gotta love your attitude! Stick with it and you'll boat one soon. Very soon, maybe...

------------------
Scoot

RodsbyEngel: custom made fishing rods

[muskymike]

I hate posting pictures of other guys fish, and I'm sure many of you have seen this fat girl.

It's worth a look if you haven't seen this 51 x 29 from Mille Lacs.

http://www.northmetromuskies.com/Stories3.html

[half2fish]

Well i went out and didnt get anything. But oh well its comming. I just got the deal of a life time 2 Abu Garcia 5600C reels for 10 bucks and a choice of any amount of lures getting to pick from about 300 for 2 dollars apeace. Not with all this new gear maybe i will use something they like. Muskiemike that is a defenatly a pig. That might be tough to land when i am fishing alone and no net. But i just got a cradle from some guy that i know so now i need the fish.

Fish

[taxmancommeth]

half2fish

Where did you get that deal?

------------------
------------------
GET-ER-DONE

[half2fish]

A family friend used to go muskie fishing all the time but a couple of years ago he blew out his back and sholder so he cant cast too much anymore. Then last summer we got to talking and he said why dont you come over for a second. He gave me a Fenwick Muskie Class rod and a Abu 5500C reel. Along with a couple of bucktails.Then a couple of day ago he called me over again and gave me this deal.

[whitebearlakeguy]

I had a good morning of Muskie fishing this morning on a Metro Lake. Arrived at 5:30 am departed for home at 9:30 am and managed to boat these two skis in addition to a couple of northerns.

The first inhaled an awaker (just like Jaws only missing the sound effects)

The second took down a Mepps Giant Killer:

44 and 40 1/2 respectively. My net man was not the happiest as he is yet to boat one this year. Sometimes that's just the way it goes. He'll probably catch a monster to make all the ones I caught this year look small.

[This message has been edited by whitebearlakeguy (edited 08-18-2004).]

[trophyhunter]

It has been a good year. This is my 12th of the year.. a 51.5"(released)

[trophyhunter]

Why did the picture turn out so small? What did I do wrong?

[taxmancommeth]

LuckBites buddies 51.5" fish...

Nice fish

[This message has been edited by taxmancommeth (edited 08-20-2004).]

[whitebearlakeguy]

Thanks LuckBites, it was nice meeting you as well. We should hook up one of theese nights and give it a shot. Better yet, in a few weeks we could go on a weekend, when all the pleasure boaters are gone. I start school again next week, so between that and work my time will be limited quite a bit. However, I'll still find time to chase the skis.

I can't remember the name on the post after mine but nice Ski, was that metro or outstate? I too have had a good year but still a few behind you on total catch. I had set my original goal as 15 but with the best fishing yet to come I might have to adjust that to 20.

Well, good luck this weekend everyone.

WBLG

[half2fish]

Im just plain old jelous.