Just starting out

[Hello High Water]

This will be my first year exclusively chasing the elusive Musky. I would like to get some on top water and will be going to Wisconsin on Friday. Any tips that will improve performance would be appreciated. I will be using giant gitterbugs and cisco kids. Are these appropriate lures?

[RuKiddingMe]

Hello High Water,
I'm not sure if you are familiar with any of the Musky Magazines, but in the latest issue of Esox Angler a writer named Chad Cain (he guides MN Lakes in the summer) wrote an article about Top Water fishing that went a step further in discussing not the fishing but the casting and the importance of casting. I would recommend reading it.

RU

[This message has been edited by RuKiddingMe (edited 05-04-2004).]

[Hello High Water]

Thanks I'll run out and get it at lunch. Can you tell me a store that offers this locally. Like a target or Snyders or do I need to go to like a shinders.

[RuKiddingMe]

Tough to say, if you can get to a Gander or something like that even better. It's the kind of thing I buy when I ever see it...

RU

[Guest]

If I only had a cam-corder for each time I froze, as a big tuna came cruising to the side of the boat, chasing my lure.........

Instead of following through with the circle eights, I normally scream out: "LOOK AT THAT FISH!!!!!!!!!!!"

Of course, this never happens with a fish that is under 40".......nope, never.........It only happens with the tunas.......

Still never forget the Ski up @ LOTW. Well over 50", maybe 55"........chasing my bucktail, right up to the boat..........yep........choked........froze.........I have a word for her, but can't say it here.........

How about the 45+ pound ski in French lake that followed my bulldog 4 times in 4 cast...................yep........choked (my knees are still shaking from that stinking, rotten, peice of dump fish)

Then there was the big pig on Minnetonka. She literally pushed my reef hawg into the weeds. I think she was too fat to open her mouth........fouled the lure in the milfoil..........yep, she is a piece of dump too!

Then, there was another time on French lake, where me and my partner raised 17 muskies in 6 hours.........they all followed in........but only one bit..........I hate that lake!!!!!!!!

By the way.........don't let them get to ya!!!!!!!!

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!

[cliffy]

I feel your pain Big G. Been there..done that a thousand times. I also suggest reading Pete’s book, good stuff! I found myself laughing out loud...could see myself in a lot of what he said.

My words of wisdom to High Water are not to get into muskie fishing. Why? You are soon going to find yourself with few friends and even less money. Muskie fishing is not a hobby or a pass time....ITS A SICKNESS!

Sure, you will start out by buying one rod/reel and a couple of lures. Pretty soon you will subscribe to ESOX and Muskie Hunter magazines. You may even buy a couple of educational video tapes and spend hours reviewing every moment. Dont forget about the books either.....reading the same chapters over and over..

Then the sickness gets a hold and you will be buying more rods and TONS of lures…..lures of all different shapes, sizes and colors. We are talking about 15.00 to 20.00 plus per lure. You will buy these lures knowing that your wife is not going to be happy....you will find yourself sneaking them into the house and hiding them until spring.....making up lies such as, " oh honey, it was a gift from the guys".

The next stage of the illness is to start dreaming about muskies…..and this flows into the next stage. In this stage you will find yourself only speaking with other people that muskie fish. It wont take long before your friends, spouse and family try some type of crazy intervention trying to get you off of the muskie stuff. If you are lucky, the intervention will work and you will find yourself in some type of 12 step program.

But seriously, you’re going to have a great time. Good Luck!

[TomWehler]

Have fun, read all you can.
Even if all sort of sounds the same, as not everyone can wirte these days?
It all repeats itself these days and you will find what works for you on the waters you fish.
Keep it simple, and have fun.
Time on the water will teach you, what to do, where, when and how to RIP face.
You can even learn for yourself how to turn the table on the boat side fish and how to learn the tricks that trigger.
Learn to read the waters you fish, the fish themselfs and what the bait fish do they eat in those waters will help a ton.
Most of all have fun.
Ask questions like your doing and keep the lure in the water.

Tom Wehler

www.muskytomsguideservice.com

[Guest]

Best advice I have is getting Pete Maina's book: "Muskies Suck"..............It gives you every reason NOT to chase these critters.........

Good luck, and don't let them get to ya!!!

There have been a few occasions where I'm glad people were out of ear-shot from me, as I cursed these beast over and over and over and over again and again and again and again.

It ain't fishing............It's hunting.........

Happy hunting to ya!!!!

And lastly, please make sure you have the right equipment to take care of these animals. The rods (IMO) are the least of your worries. Make sure you have the proper nets, hook cutters (yes, you will be cutting hooks on your precious $20 lures), Leaders, jaw spreaders (tied to a rope that is tied to you or the boat, so the fish doesn't swim away with them in its mouth). Good, long nose pliers, etc.

Also.........MOST IMPORTANTLY............make sure your camera is ready at all times.

You want to take these fish out of the water for as little time as possible. They die VERY easy during warm water periods.

Again, good luck.........and don't let them get to ya!!!!

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!

[Hello High Water]

Thanks Big G. I do have all of the equipment you mentioned as well as alot of patience. Just boating one of these mamouth fish would be worth years of chasing them.

[Guido]

Great thread guys!! Big G your Hilarious

Sorry had to pop in... Keep it up Fellas!

[Hello High Water]

Thanks alot guys! Sounds like this is a passion of yours. Thats great! Can you help me to maybe pick out the lure of choice for topwater musky fishing. I promise to go and buy one of every color. LOL

[Larski07]

Hello High Water,

Welcome to the world of the elusive musky fishing. I also recommend the magaine Esox and you possibly might wanna check out another magazine Musky hunter. You might wanna look at the websites of uskyhunter.com or musky411.com. plus musky101.com. These are some of my favs. Big G and Cliffy are correct on alot of the things that the spoke about like reading Manias book its a must 4 a musky fisherman. We all see some of ourselves in tha book like it or not. Muskys have made me say a few 4 lettered adjectives more then i care to admit 2 lol. having the correct and proper equipment is a must or its gonna bite you in the end at some certain point.I also recommend a camera and possibly a fishing log. Big G seems like a wise one cuz hes right on the freezing part and other things. We all do freeze up at he musky then go oh duh lol. BUt all pain and agony is woth it when u land a pig. As 4 cliffy Say its a sickness he right about that, once its in ya blood its there 4 life and your a goner. Lol as 4 your question 4 what topwater lure to use, mine is a giant jackpot with a few right behind. Good luck and happy fishin'
Lars

Other fishing is just bait

[Guest]

Probably the best advice that I can give (which I'm still trying to train myself)

IS TO DON'T CHANGE LURES EVERY OTHER CAST.

I have 4 rods.

1: bucktail
2: jerkbait
3: topwater
4: cranks

When I start out, I will load each rod with the "magic lure" of choice and I will try my best to work those lures for most of the day.

It is a patience game and if you are constantly changing lures to find that "magic bait", your rod isn't in the water!!!!

These fish are weird.......... Sometimes it takes a lot of coaxing to get them going. Find your 4 or 8 (2 each for the four appications above) confidence lures for the water you are fishing, then stick it out.

Each body of water is different. Colors for each water are different.

For example, The lure colors I use on LOTW is different than Mille Lacs, which is different than Minnetonka, which is different than French.

However, get to the basics of the "4 presentations". Crank, Jerk, Topwater, Bucktail.

Bucktails are the easiest.
Cranks have the best hooking percentage.
Jerks produce the best for me.
Topwater is great for entertainment.........but I keep jerking the dang lure out of the mouth before they clamp on!!!!!!!!!!! Every dang rotten time. I see that "torpedo" coming to the lure at Mach 2 speed, my blood pressure hits about 2000psi, I see the jaws open to slam the bait, and I set the hook so fast, that the ski is confused at what just happened, because his food is flying at Mach 3 speed past my head...............But, man is it fun to watch...........(I lost 3 different muskies in 10 minutes one morning on Minnetonka because of this. We pulled up to a sunken island that is full of weeds and we could see them cruising the tops. I never hooked up..........)

Now, I have to look away and watch my partner's face and reaction, as he watches the fun of the show. I wait for the feel on the rod and the weight of the fish before I set the hook. On top water, if a fish hits the lure, and you don't set the hook, keep working the bait, they will hit it again, and again, and again until they get the "food" in their jaws.

Good luck!

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Let 'em go so they can grow!!!

[Hello High Water]

Wow you guys are full of valuable information. Has anyone ever caught a musky on the two baits mentioned above?

1) Giant Gitterbug or
2) Cisco Kid