Starting Muskie Fishing This Year!

[hoggs222]

I am trying to become an addict. I'm sure it won't take much. I was out a few times last year & can't wait to go out & blow all of my extra $. What lures would you suggest as a starter. I'd like to get a variety going. Suicks, bucktails???

Thanks,

Hoggs

[Scoot]

Here's my suggestion- 1) get an all purpose rod and reel. Something relatively inexpensive this is about 7'6", medium to medium heavy with some flex (don't get a pool cue). A reel that is 5.2:1 or so. 2) Buy a light colored and a dark colored bucktail, jerkbait, crankbait, and topwater (total of 8 lures). 3) Go fish a bunch.

You probably think I'm kidding or making it overly simple, but I'm actually serious. I've got about 60 lures, three rod/reel combos, tons of other gizmos, but I don't need most of it. I'd catch just as many fish if I used about eight or ten lures and one rod/reel.

Have fun,

[Stratosman]

Scoots right, I've probably got about 150 lures and go back to the same ten or so every time out on the water, I am over the stage of "ooh, that looks cool, I'm gonna buy it".

Don't forget large pliers and the all important hook cutters, and probably a muskie net if feasable.

Bust most of all have fun and don't get discouraged if you aren't catching fish, keep pluggin away.

[Giant_Jackpot]

Some good info here already. Another thing to do is join a chapter of Muskies Inc. There are a lot of guys that come to the meetings that are willing to share info and there are great speakers every month as well. The fish you see in the picture is a direct result of joining Muskies Inc. Do a search on North Metro Muskies and you will find our web site with meeting info and other good stuff. You do not have to be a member to show up at the meetings.

[hoggs222]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to purchase the Cabelas Fishing Eagle II combo with the Abu 6601 for $125. A buddy of mine has the muskie cradle, hook cutter, etc. Keep the ideas coming!

[guideman]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Muskie fishing!

Bucktails still catch more muskies than any other

bait and they're the cheapest as well. Pick up a few spinnerbaits, a couple jerkbaits like a Suick

or a Bobbie. One or 2 gliders like a Manta or the

Phantom, and a couple topwater baits. Topraiders and Jackpots are 2 of my favorite, however there are a number of others that work great.

Have Fun you sickO....

"Ace"

[fishingmike0770]

I would suggest the Odyssey lures Pig Jr. Caught some real good fish on that jerkbait. I would suggest the hot frog, it worked really good for me and also check out the other baits from Odyssey Lures. Your best bet would be to go to the HSOforum because they have all their baits posted there.

Remember, listen to anyone that has something to say about muskie fishing because you never know when or where you might learn something.

[Aj10]

I would go with a crappie or walleye colored phantom.And a couple of suicks.Some top waters like a doc or a jack pot and a hawg wobbler.And you should have alteast one plastic bait like a bull dawg for like a throw back bait but they work great AND there is pretty much no wrong way to work it.There are so many baits to pick from.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

Quote:

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I am trying to become an addict.

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Don't worry, it'll happpen For whatever reason, it seems that musky fishing is far and away more addictive than most other types of fishing- I'm sure a lot of other guys in here would agree

[Tonka Boy]

I would agree with starting small. Just get a handful of lures, rod and reel, good pliers, and a net. Unless you are real lucky, your first year is likely to be tough. On the flip side that will give you a good indication of what works for you. In the following seasons you can grow and improve.

Ask plenty of questions and you'll be well on your way to becoming an "addict" like so many others. I wish you all the best luck this upcomming season.

[Cooter]

Just go to Thorne Bros and order one of every musky lure they got. Should almost cover it

[Down to Earth]

This is the advice I give ALL newcomers to musky fishing with lure buying. It is easy to get sucked into buying all kind of different lures based on feedback from other anglers and it can get expensive right away. The first question you need to ask yourself BEFORE you buy any lure is this: What 1 or 2 bodies of water am I going to be doing my fishing on? Once you answer that ask about proven lures on those bodies of water, both here and on the musky specific web sites aka. Musky Hunter & Musky First. Ask what types of lures, colors, what types are most effective during certain times of the year, etc. This will help you streamline your lure purchasing. True some lures seem to work good on all lakes, but if your planning to fish Lake X and someone who fishes Lake Y maybe telling you about a lure that works great on Lake Y, but won't raise a fish in your water. Hope this helps and not too confusing.

Andy

[8-Ball]

I concur w/ Andy on this one. I am relatively new to the addiction. It is true that Lake X and Lake Y could very well be completely different as far as lure effectiveness, and be 50 yards apart. This holds true for most species of fish. Factors such as lake clarity, lake bottom structure, weed growth, forage base, ALL can make a huge difference. Generally speaking, I have found and I am sure others would agree, that on clearer lakes, neutral colored or lighter lures would be more effective- a lure to match the forage base on that particular body of water. On darker, less clear lakes, a "louder" colored lure that the brute can see, that also matches forage base, tends to produce better results. Having said that, don't be afraid to throw the 'ski's a change-up.. something you may think is a totally off the wall lure/presentation. You never know what kind of appetite the big girl is having that day. My condolences on your addiction. Welcome to the club-there's no turning back now, and no cure, either... 8-Ball.

[Genofish]

hoggs222, you asked the question i was going to ask and the

answers you received have answered my questions, thanks guyes,except one. What

size line is recomoneded for a spinning reel?

[hoggs222]

I will mainly be fishing Mille Lacs.

[searchingfor55'']

Mille lacs, greatest musky lake ever!!!!!!!! in my opinion anyways. I personally like the bionic bucktail, spinner bait style, I like to add a big twister tail on the back hook. When I started Musky fishing I bought tons of lures, I usually only use four.

1.Bionic Bucktail spinner bait

2.Doc's(like a jackpot, but a lot bigger)

3.Top Raider

4.Pig

Good luck on Mille lacs this summer I'll be out there searching for that elusive 55 incher.

[ilikepike]

My advice - don't fall for the marketing hype of lure makers. I caught my first legal sized muskie (after about 10 days devoted exclusively to muskies spread over a three-year period) on a Mepps Giant Killer. Now that's a horse and buggy lure if there ever was one. Point is that it's been on the market for decades and is one of the cheapest muskie lures available but it got the job done. I have about 30 muskie lures that I bought when I first started out. But there are only a half dozen that I really have ever used. If I could start over again I would limit myself to 10 lures: a black bucktail with a silver willow leaf blade, a light color bucktail, a perch pattern Suick, a light pattern Suick, one large spinnerbait, a large spoon, a large jig for soft plastics, and two or three oddball off-the-rack contraptions that you wouldn't think would take a fish in a million years.

To put this in perspective, one of the most informative pieces on muskie fishing I have read is the muskie chapter about fishing with Mark Windels in the book "Fishing Minnesota" by Greg Breining. Stated briefly, what this chapter says is that muskies are either "on" or "off" and if you put the lure in front of the muskie when it is "on" the fish will bite. If the fish is "off" you can throw fifty patterns of bucktails, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, whatever and it won't make any difference. So logically what I got out of that is that money I spent on tackle would have been better spent on more fishing trips to good muskie waters.

[ilikepike]

Oh yeah! You have to have some type of topwater like a Giant Jackpot. Topwater fishing on a warm summer night is better than...well, unless you're with Elizabeth Hurley...uh, never mind...

[hoggs222]

Another lake that I will probably be fishing alot is Sugar in Wright County. Do you think that there is a huge difference needed in lures between Mille Lacs & Sugar?

[searchingfor55'']

Don't think there would be much difference in lures, the standard lures should work equally well on all lakes

[Cooter]

Hey esoxmn - what is the finish on the blade on the secret weapon?

[fishingmike0770]

Searchinfor, what color pig do you use? I was able to get a job at odyssey lures over the summer painting and assembling so i know almost all the colors! Its a lure that i really enjoy throwing because of all the different ways that you can use it. Is it a suspender or floating?

[Esoxmn]

The blades are fluted nickel. It must have been the flash that made them look like that.

[Cooter]

Was curious cuz I just had a bucktail made by Ron at Crazy D's with white and red hair, but with a red fluted blade. Yeah, the nickel blade would be stellar with that hair! You fishing clear or stained water?