Muskies through the ice?

[CANOPY SAM]

The other day I was fishing for pike on lake Independance when I hooked a really big muskie. I'm certain the fish was between 20-25 lbs. She was within arms reach just below the ice, but I couldn't quite get her head guided up the hole. After about 2 minutes of gently coaxing her to the surface she headshook and broke me off.
I'm pretty dissapointed that I didn't get to take any photos with such a beautiful fish, but I'm also thrilled just to have had such an experience. I was shakin' like a leaf for about an hour afterwards. I've seen a lot of big muskies, but never below the ice.
How many of you folks have caught a musky through the ice? Any real big girls? And if I concentrated my efforts on catching muskies in the winter, what would be my chances of having that shot over again? Just curious. I'm really afraid I'm gonna find out that I choked on a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

[Gissert]

CANOPY SAM -

If you want to see a picture of a nice muskie caught through the ice, go to frozenhusker dot com (dont want to post an unauthorized link). In the photos section, click on WallEYES to see a nice muskie caught and released while fishing for lake trout.

I had a large muskie eyeing my crappie jig on Lake of the Woods last March. I kept on seeing this blip on by vex just below the ice and just figured it was tullibees. Finially, I got down on my hands and knees and peered down the hole. CRIPES!! She was about three feet below the ice, but I could not coax her into biting. I dont know what I would have donr if I had hooked her. She was 45- 50 inches long. My heart was in my throat for about an hour after watching her. She hung around for about 5 minutes but it seemed much longer.

[HeavyD]

Being that I work in downtown Minneapolis, the only real opportunity I get to hit the ice before sundown is to head to one of the city lakes (Harriet, Calhoun etc..). Over the last few years I have hooked into (and lost most) a few huge muskies on Lake Harriet. This is a cool little lake that is host to small walleye which keep me busy while waiting for the flag to pop. I only have one that I was able to get thru the hole with the help of a friend and she was 37 inches of beauty. They have always bitten right before sundown and then are done. All of the ones I lost were because I was alone and very inexperienced in fighting these monsters thru the ice. A thrill is an understatement, now I just need to master this art of musky hunting on ice.

[Perch Jerker]

I've caught a number of Muskies under the ice while fishing for northerns. However, I have seen many, many more while in my spear house (almost every time out wheather I am spearing or fishing in it). Muskies are curious fish and don't fear anything in their domain. I've had them cruise below my hole and look up at me as they are tilted to one side or the other, just to see what is up there.

It's fun to watch the 'top dogs' in any ecosystem because they act very differently than their 'prey'.

[vern]

We were on the ice at Calhoun last year and shot some cool underwater video of a large muskie. It was cruising on the edge of a rock pile. It kept coming back towards the camera like it was going to attack. I was kinda hoping it would. There are some big muskies in the city lakes. Vern
www.innercityfishing.com

[smallies24]

I'd say yor best bet muskies through the ice would be dead bait just under the surface of the ice, only a couple of feet down. Muskies are very inactive in the winter and don't do as much chasing as they do in the fall. Often times they will cruise a couple feet under the ice looking for dead or crippled fish to feed on. I've seen a 40+ inch muskie on Bald Eagle in the winter in over 25 feet of water a couple of times. Although, I would recommend fishing much shallower.