thinking about trying musky fishing

[jay88]

I was thinking about trying musky fishing this summer but I don't know much about it anyone got any tips for me like what gear to buy or how to start fishing for then

[Savage Brewer]

I would recommend go on a guided trip first.

Getting into it can get expensive and going out with a guide a time or two will give you some experience and hopefully show you how to handle the fish properly.

It will also give you a feel of what you are getting into.

If you decide to move forward the first items I would shop for is a proper net or cradle and a good set of heavy duty hook cutters.

Properly handling a 50" fish is a whole different experience and we want to make sure it can survive to be caught another day.

[leechlake]

guided trip is an idea or find a buddy or friend of a friend who musky fishes and see if he will take you out.

I started musky fishing as a teenager by going with a friend who fished for them a lot. I then got my dad into it and we went out with a few guides on Leech and besides learning a handful of spots (we already new the lake from years of walleye fishing for my dad)and eventually fished on our own and accumulated our own gear.

I bet I haven't musky fished for over 20 years now but still have a huge box of musky lures that bring back a lot of good memories.

[Cheers]

Don't Get Hooked it is a dumb game

Consider these points

Spend a full day fishing

On a fair day you see nothing

On a good day you see a fish for a second following one of your 1000 of dollars worth of lures

On a really good day you see 6 follows and a missed strike

On a great day you hook and land a fish that you only get to fondle for a minute then let it go

You can never keep or eat what you catch so you bring home nothing to your family

The best time to fish is when lightning is striking close or when snow is falling.

If this seems appealing then you and I are both nuts!

I suggest you try with a friend or a guide before jumping in

[leechlake]

yes you are getting involved in something you may not want to. Probably very similar to deciding to become a drug addict without the drugs.

In the past years it seems many of us have opened our eyes up to fish for the fish that are biting. For example, instead of beating your head on the wall on a calm sunny July day trying to catch walleyes people go after perch or panfish, maybe even northerns. It's fun catching fish and when the sun hits the tree tops go after the walleyes.

My eyes were opened up to this when my son was little. I didn't want to drag him out walleye fishing and make him dislike fishing. We fished for fish and frankly we caught some dandy crappies, bluegills, and jumbo perch in the process. I ended up kind of renewing my fishing zeal. You are going the opposite direction and it no means am I trying to convince you otherwise but you may just end up spending 100's of hours a year doing what the previous post lists as the reality of musky fishing. Wait til you have your first 50 inch fish scare the bleep out of you when she slaps her tail against the boat, then you'll be an addict.

[h8go4s]

This HSOforum has a Muskie forum. Scroll down and you'll find it. I'm sure there are other websites devoted to muskies; just google away. Here's one possibility: http://www.in-fisherman.com/pike-muskie/

Go to your local library and bookstore for books and magazines on muskie fishing.

[jay88]

I'm not talking about getting super into musky fishing its just an idea I ad with my dad to give it a try we do a lot of walleye and northern fishing and I have a 2 year old who loves to fish that's right I Said 2 he is obsessed with being in the boat fishing so we do a lot of panfishing as well even though he loves to troll for eyes just like his daddy so I have lots of fishing to.do already but have never fished musky caught one once in my life also thinking about giving stergeon a try I just like trying new things

[CaptainMusky]

Savage is right. If you have a buddy or know someone who does it, get started that way. Once you are able to and are going to start investing in gear, the "tools" are the most important thing to get first. Big Net (recommended over cradle since cradles are a two man job). Dont think your walleye or "pike" net will do it either because it will not. Proper release tools like a long needlenose pliers, bolt cutter (a must when a hooks goes somewhere its not supposed to, been there done that).

For lures start simple. Getting started you will probably want to have fast success, because that is how everyone is. So start small. Medium sized bucktails. Black with Nickel or Orange blades are proven. Easy to use, can fish them all day. Get a topwater or two. They are entertaining when you get follows and strikes. Some crank baits too. You dont straight reel them in, but twitch them or jerk pause retrieve jerk pause.

Search sites for rods and reels. You know the ones... You want something that can hold 80# (yes, 80#) braided line in about 150 yards. A good solid graphite rod at least 7' long (longer is better for bucktails) will help you fight the fish and make better casts.

Its an addiction that will cost you thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of your life if you take it seriously, but the chance of getting an epic fish is what keeps us going.