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| Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [30 messages per page] Muskie Fishing -> General Discussion -> Colossal Contest - Part III - ADVICE! Sponsor - Tackle Industries! (WINNERS FINALLY ANNOUNCED!) |  |
| Message Subject: Colossal Contest - Part III - ADVICE! Sponsor - Tackle Industries! (WINNERS FINALLY ANNOUNCED!) | |||
Slamr |
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Posts: 7010 Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Welcome to Part III! Since my colossal challenges have proved too intricate for the masses, let's make this one a bit easier: Respond to this thread with FIVE bits of advice for the muskie crowd. Winners will be judged by a number of measures (all subjective, of course): 1. quality 2. creativity 3. originality 4. substance 5. humor 6. overall contribution to greater good. 7. usefulness for the muskie angler 8. power to make women or men swoon 9. humor 10. ability to wake the dead EVERYONE is eligible to enter! One entry per person. One winner among the masses will be named. ALSO: one winner will be chosen between Hawkeye, Pilgrim, SC Muskies and Travis A. Or all of those that enter this round. Entries will be accepted until February 1st at Midnight!!! The winners will receive a Tackle Industries Prize Pack! The two winners (from the masses, and from the winners of round II) will then have a challenge that the masses will vote on for a winner...with a winner called, and a voter will win! Get to it ladies and gentleman. | ||
| esoxaddict |
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Posts: 8721 | 1. If you are just starting out: You do NOT need hundreds of lures. You do NOT need 5-10 of every lure in every color. Get a quality rod and reel, maybe even two, and don't buy a single lure until you have caught a fish on that exact lure. If you must, (you will think it's necessary) start with 20 lures that cover a variety of depths and conditions, and learn to fish them effectively. You'll have years of lure-stupid ahead of you, don't worry. 2. Hire a guide. Ask questions, do what they tell you, watch and listen. They make their living chasing these fish. Remember that. If anyone tells you not to hire a guide, ask them if they'd be comfortable asking a plumber to remove their appendix. 3. Sharpen your hooks. When you think they are sharp enough, sharpen them some more. 4. Don't expect a 50"er your first day, or even your first few seasons. Don't expect to catch great numbers of fish either. Set your expectations to fit the waters you fish, and if you catch neither numbers or size of fish your first few seasons? Be thankful. The guy who gets a 53" for his first fish will be disappointed for the rest of his life. 5. Learn to do a solid figure 8, and do it. Every time. And for God sakes, SET THE HOOK!!! I'll add in #6, which is actually more important than 1-5. Go forth and fish, and enjoy the journey. Edited by esoxaddict 1/24/2014 4:12 PM | ||
| Paramuskyhunter |
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Posts: 150 Location: Appleton, WI | My five bits of advice that I give to a musky crowd. Now I know that no one will care as to what I have to say anyway but here goes. - All the talk about when the best time to fish and when do muskies become the most active is great but just get out and fish on every chance that you get. The more that you get out on your local lake the more that you understand where the fish are for that period. Also go off the beaten path every once and a while. Look at what makes the community spots so great and do a little research on the rest of the lake. I bet you find a spot that is really close that everyone drives by and no one fishes. Some of my best spots that I have gotten some really nice fish are ones that I put the time on the water to find. - As musky anglers we tend to take fishing really serous. Don’t. Most of us do it to relax after a long week or we take a week of vacation to go chase them. They are just a fish. I find that when I am more relaxed and not stressing over things my fishing is just better. Plus when you are not stressed more fun things come out of your time on the water (more on this later). - When you are in a drought and can’t seem to buy yourself a fish, just drive up to LOTW. What is a better excuse to go to the NW Angle then telling your wife you have to break the jinx she has you under? Go up to LOTW for a week and put some muskies in the boat. - Always fish with a friend. This is a four part answer. Part 1 fishing with a partner is just safer (that is the boring part). Part 2 fishing with a friend you have someone to share all the good\bad and humiliating things that go on in a musky boat (ie…falling into the water or my favorite getting the crap scared out of you while releasing a small fish and having a 50 inch class fish come up to check out what is going on and be within2 feet of my dangling fingers in the water. Part 3 You can pattern the fish a lot quicker with a partner and that means more fish in the boat. Part 4 Bring someone new into the sport, Musky fishing is a daunting adventure to start out on by yourself. Bringing someone new into it will help him along and make you look at how you fish as you answer his questions. - The final bit of advice I can offer is to take out a small loan or a separate credit card because musky fishing can get expensive. We all realize that we fish with 10 to 15 baits but each own hundreds. We also need the newest rod and reel setups. We all do it and we hide it from our wives. I really think they know how much we spend on it but don’t want to admit it to themselves. Those are my five pieces of advice to a musky angler crowd take them or leave them I could care less. I will see you all on Green Bay or in LOTW good fishing. | ||
| scmuskies |
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Posts: 258 Location: Mayville, WI | The Great Commandments of Muskie Fishing There was a great unrest growing in the land among the loyal muskie subjects to the Great Angler Being (GAB) in the sky. Being a kind and compassionate deity, GAB took pity on them and descended to the people to bring harmony among the people. “Gather my children! Lend me your ears for I have brought to you a great document which I have written that thou may followest. For I have heard your plight and look kindly upon you.” 1) Thou shalt fish for no other fish before me for I will ridicule your casts for bass. 2) Thou shall post-eth no measurements unless pictorial proof is presented. For I, your leader, am a jealous being and doth not beliveth unless adequate proof hath given. 3) Thou shall release-eth every fish 4) Thou shalt motor troll-eth not. You have been blessed with arms to cast and a back to row and I will striketh down measurement by one-half of any motor trolled fish for nay, you have worked half as hard as your brothers. After the fourth commandment, there was much squabbling and bickering amongst the crowd with a great uproar which lead to even more fighting and gnashing of teeth. Tables were overturned, boats were drilled through, and lakes were set ablaze. GAB could no longer stand to witness such destruction and pestilence between his once loyal servants. His eyes became seas of fire and arms paths of destruction as he smote the stone tables containing the Great Commandments of Muskie Fishing onto the earth. A tremble shuddered the lands as the worshipers finally became silent. After what seemed like 40 days and 40 nights, a booming voice echoed the valleys: “Here me, oh muskiedom! I have heard your cries and attended to your pleas to bring you peace and happiness, yet you repay me with shame! Yea I brought to you an offering of peace, which has been turned to dust amongst you and thrown down to the serpents!” The silence between neighbors deepened. “Are you not happy? Are your wishes not fulfilled? Yet, from the House of Rizzo to the Land of Spray you have forsaken these things! Nay I say to you, oh fishermen, to obey this one and only commandment: Be #*^@ed the thoughts of others, for they lay no bearing on how you find relaxation. Fish how you want, when you want, with what you want, and where you want so longeth as it is within regulation. This is your first and great commandment. Now go and make fruitful the waters which you have been blessed upon.” And with that GAB retreated to the waters in the sky. | ||
| caddie05 |
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Posts: 13 | 1. Join a club. I prefer MI, but any fishing related club is probably great. Be active in the club with your local chapter. Teach others about the sport and learn everything you can from those you meet. Participate in the events your club hosts or helps with. Giving back to the sport, whether helping with stocking, educating other anglers or encouraging youth to get involved is a huge part of what it's all about for me personally. 2. Fish with as many people as possible. Even an inexperienced angler might teach you something. Take someone fishing that's never been...or maybe just never been out to target muskie. Focus on younger people and teach them how to run the boat, cast, work lures, handle a fish properly, etc. 3. Read everything you can get your hands on. Become a student of muskie fishing. Dig into the biology and science. Magazines, books, online articles...I've even heard that Todd M sometimes writes interesting things on the walls of public restrooms. Only a portion of that is fishing related, but might be worth it...well, maybe not...at least read some of the other stuff I mentioned. 4. Go to a show. And when you're done with that, check out a Muskie-related show. Just save some of your singles to buy a bait or two. Talk to people...guides, lodge owners, clubs, manufacturers. Everyone is there to talk about something they're passionate about and they're willing to spend a minute or two with you. Join in the conversation. Ask questions, share stories. Get something out of the experience beyond seeing the latest products and entering raffles (which there's nothing wrong with...do that too!). Consider getting to know a guide at one of these before hiring them (I'm sure hiring a guide will be a popular suggestion in the contest). Talk to the guy that made the bait how he suggests working it...have his customers shared with him alternative ways to use the bait? Sit in on the seminars and panels. A lot of preparation goes into those things, so make it worth their time (and your money) and learn something! 5. Don't be a dick. Can I say dick on here? Can't remember if this is a family show. If any kids are reading this, Dick is a friend of mine that's a jerk. Alright, my point is be supportive of others out there at the ramp, on the water, etc. Give them a hand and point out if they're doing something unsafe, uncouth, generally unacceptable, illegal. Make a suggestion in a respectful way and try to avoid insulting or embarrassing them. Instead of laughing at or complaining about someone having issues at the ramp, help them. If you witness someone catching a fish, and they're obviously handling it in a way that's potentially going to hurt it, offer some tips (along with an offer to take a picture for them maybe?). This can be tricky and the person you're trying to help might get peeed off, but maybe they'll think about it next time or ask for help from someone. And if someone offers you advice, whether or not you need it or agree with it, thank them and move on. I'd also throw in "have fun", but I'm not sure what you're doing putting the time, money and effort into something like this if it's not because you enjoy it. | ||
| Brett Carroll |
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Posts: 696 Location: Northern Illinois | I think there are many great tips and techniques that one would give a musky fisherman. These are the 5 tips that I highly recommend to make your trips more successful and more enjoyable. Tips: 1. Patience- there are times when you might be fishing for a solid week and only have follows. There are times when you will only see 3 fish but you will boat them! This is one of the major qualities to the best fisherman. Once they know a pattern for a certain condition that will stick with it and not jump around trying to switch til something works. They know that pattern is successful and have the patience to stick with it. Its amazing that often when you least expect it they will hit. When this happens you need to be ready! Many get defeated after an hours worth of fishing but by staying patient you will be ready! 2. Fun- there are times when musky fishing is downright tough! Could be a nasty day, could be slow fishing, but understand you are still out having fun. I like to often play different games with my boat partners to pass the slow time by. We love casting contests. We are constantly having "how far can you throw it" and "Cast as close to a specific item" contests. We have had some mishaps during these contests though! Snapping off lures that sink is not enjoyable but you do get a good laugh on. Also, in one casting contest we were trying to get as close to a dock as possible. I was throwing an Ace Spinnerbait and thought I had a great cast. Only problem was that the wind took it and it landed on the dock. I tried to pop it off really quick as the people were outside that owned the place. I popped it off alright, along with someone's shirt that was sitting on the dock. Thank goodness the people thought it was hilarious but I didn't know what to think. 3. Homework- everyone hated this in school but knew it would help you out. In musky fishing you actually find some pleasure doing your homework. Every time you visit musky first you are doing some homework toward your big test which is the next time out on the water. Looking at maps, reading books, watching videos, sharpening your hooks, talking to local fisherman, etc...these are all beneficial in one way or another. The more homework you do the better success you will find on your next fishing trip. So the next time when Mom says, "Do your homework!"....LISTEN! 4. Listen- there are more story tellers in the musky world than any other! They love talking about that 60 incher that swam by the boat or that they have had on at the boat. They also love to say that the head was past the front of the 12' Jon boat and the tail was near the back. They are fun to listen to and most likely stretched to make it ever better. You also need to listen to what people tell you about specific lakes that you might be fishing. Some times its probably bad advice because they don't want you fishing "their" lake. Some times and hopefully most of the time it is the right advice and will put you in the best spot to produce. Also, you need to listen to what mother nature might throw at you. If the wind changes direction or clouds roll in it might be time to get to your #1 big fish spot. It also might be time to get to safety asap! One of my worst experiences was going across Sabaskong Bay with 7 footers hitting the boat! Something that almost made me not want to go out for awhile! 5. Time- the is the last thing for my tips. Just like anything, the more time you put into the better chance you have of being successful. Two years ago I was only able to get out 1 time! I lost a 38-40" fish at the boat for a number of reasons. The depth raider I had on didn't have sharp hooks. The net wasn't in the right spot as I was solo. When I finally grabbed the net I gave the fish slack and it was off in the blink of an eye! If I had put numerous hours on the water during the course of the year those minor mistakes wouldn't have happened. Also, the more time you put on the water will help you better understand how you want to attack it. The old cliché is "Practice makes Perfect". The more time you put into your "Practice" the more successful you will be. Hope these are good! | ||
| tolle141 |
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Posts: 1000 | 1. Hire a guide, and then hire another one. Or better yet, join a club and learn from them. Best way to speed up the learning curve is to learn from people better than you. 2. Play Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life" after every follow, miss, or lost fish. Never play Justin Bieber, PINK, or Taylor Switft.... EVER 3. When you introduce people to the sport, focus on them having a good time. Not catching fish. How long did it take you to catch your first? Odds are they'll have to have some reason other than catching fish to get back in the boat. 4. Make at least one trek to a lake with Shoepack Strain muskies. Not only do they provide semi-steady action with 5-10lb fish, but they played an important part in the history of MN DNR muskie management. Better yet, hump it in to Shoepack Lake. Maybe 20 people see it every summer. 5. Try new presentations when the fishing is good, not when it's bad. It's the only way to gain confidence in a new lure/presentation/technique. Bonus #6. When the time is right, plunge your rod into the water and splash it around while yelling "GET THE NET! GET THE NET!". It'll make a great story later so long as your partner doesn't kill you after throwing his rod down, scrambling frantically and probably injuring themselves trying to get the net. Edited by tolle141 1/24/2014 10:02 PM | ||
| tolle141 |
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Posts: 1000 | scmuskies - 1/24/2014 4:02 PM The Great Commandments of Muskie Fishing There was a great unrest growing in the land among the loyal muskie subjects to the Great Angler Being (GAB) in the sky. Being a kind and compassionate deity, GAB took pity on them and descended to the people to bring harmony among the people. “Gather my children! Lend me your ears for I have brought to you a great document which I have written that thou may followest. For I have heard your plight and look kindly upon you.” 1) Thou shalt fish for no other fish before me for I will ridicule your casts for bass. 2) Thou shall post-eth no measurements unless pictorial proof is presented. For I, your leader, am a jealous being and doth not beliveth unless adequate proof hath given. 3) Thou shall release-eth every fish 4) Thou shalt motor troll-eth not. You have been blessed with arms to cast and a back to row and I will striketh down measurement by one-half of any motor trolled fish for nay, you have worked half as hard as your brothers. After the fourth commandment, there was much squabbling and bickering amongst the crowd with a great uproar which lead to even more fighting and gnashing of teeth. Tables were overturned, boats were drilled through, and lakes were set ablaze. GAB could no longer stand to witness such destruction and pestilence between his once loyal servants. His eyes became seas of fire and arms paths of destruction as he smote the stone tables containing the Great Commandments of Muskie Fishing onto the earth. A tremble shuddered the lands as the worshipers finally became silent. After what seemed like 40 days and 40 nights, a booming voice echoed the valleys: “Here me, oh muskiedom! I have heard your cries and attended to your pleas to bring you peace and happiness, yet you repay me with shame! Yea I brought to you an offering of peace, which has been turned to dust amongst you and thrown down to the serpents!” The silence between neighbors deepened. “Are you not happy? Are your wishes not fulfilled? Yet, from the House of Rizzo to the Land of Spray you have forsaken these things! Nay I say to you, oh fishermen, to obey this one and only commandment: Be #*^@ed the thoughts of others, for they lay no bearing on how you find relaxation. Fish how you want, when you want, with what you want, and where you want so longeth as it is within regulation. This is your first and great commandment. Now go and make fruitful the waters which you have been blessed upon.” And with that GAB retreated to the waters in the sky. This is epic | ||
| curleytail |
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Posts: 2687 Location: Hayward, WI | scmuskies - 1/24/2014 4:02 PM The Great Commandments of Muskie Fishing There was a great unrest growing in the land among the loyal muskie subjects to the Great Angler Being (GAB) in the sky. Being a kind and compassionate deity, GAB took pity on them and descended to the people to bring harmony among the people. “Gather my children! Lend me your ears for I have brought to you a great document which I have written that thou may followest. For I have heard your plight and look kindly upon you.” 1) Thou shalt fish for no other fish before me for I will ridicule your casts for bass. 2) Thou shall post-eth no measurements unless pictorial proof is presented. For I, your leader, am a jealous being and doth not beliveth unless adequate proof hath given. 3) Thou shall release-eth every fish 4) Thou shalt motor troll-eth not. You have been blessed with arms to cast and a back to row and I will striketh down measurement by one-half of any motor trolled fish for nay, you have worked half as hard as your brothers. After the fourth commandment, there was much squabbling and bickering amongst the crowd with a great uproar which lead to even more fighting and gnashing of teeth. Tables were overturned, boats were drilled through, and lakes were set ablaze. GAB could no longer stand to witness such destruction and pestilence between his once loyal servants. His eyes became seas of fire and arms paths of destruction as he smote the stone tables containing the Great Commandments of Muskie Fishing onto the earth. A tremble shuddered the lands as the worshipers finally became silent. After what seemed like 40 days and 40 nights, a booming voice echoed the valleys: “Here me, oh muskiedom! I have heard your cries and attended to your pleas to bring you peace and happiness, yet you repay me with shame! Yea I brought to you an offering of peace, which has been turned to dust amongst you and thrown down to the serpents!” The silence between neighbors deepened. “Are you not happy? Are your wishes not fulfilled? Yet, from the House of Rizzo to the Land of Spray you have forsaken these things! Nay I say to you, oh fishermen, to obey this one and only commandment: Be #*^@ed the thoughts of others, for they lay no bearing on how you find relaxation. Fish how you want, when you want, with what you want, and where you want so longeth as it is within regulation. This is your first and great commandment. Now go and make fruitful the waters which you have been blessed upon.” And with that GAB retreated to the waters in the sky. I was thinking about entering, but I don't think there's a reason to now. You win! | ||
| Travis A. |
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Posts: 157 Location: Lincoln, NE | I present to you my Top 5 list. Each one will be read by a guest celebrity reader. This is where it get’s interactive. It is imperative that you read these in their voices to make it more funny and realistic. Arnold Schwarzenegger – Late me tale you a thing or two about ca-ching moskies!!! My noombar juan teep for moskie fitchin iz to pomp you aaup! Eef you have smaaal girly arms how you spose to set de hooook? Moskie wheel pool you in zee drank! Zen you wheel drown bee-caaz you wheel be too weak to sweem to shore. Leettle puny girrly-man your tiny legs won’t be able to staaand all day long and cast ze big lures for hours on end. You might as wheel go feesh for walleye like my mom. I will pomp you aaup and you wheel be moskie ca-ching masheeeeen like me! I eat poundas for brake-fast!! I don’t even need boat, I tread water wiffs one aarm and cast wiffs ze uh-da. I catch more moskies dan a moskie ca-ching terminator. I brake pieces off ze uh-da terminators to use for lures. And yukon tuu! Jus follow me instrac-shuns ahn een no time you too will become day baste moskie slaying an-e-mal you could ef-ah e-mageeen!! Aaahhhgeeeaaamaaagggrraaaaaaa………moskie!!!! Gandalf – My dear fellow Musky Wizards, Chasers of the most ferocious freshwater beast, Keepers of the Holy Figure 8, I gather you here today in this Council of The Wise to inform you of the 2nd Elven Musky Tip. Long lost, but not forgotten it has been told of in lore for many generations and passed down amongst the most progressive-thinking Musky Wizards to ever sail the waters. The wisest amongst us must practice and promote catch & release. It is the only way to ensure that future generations can enjoy this hobby that we love and cherish so dearly. Without it, the future will surely look bleak. I have gazed into the Palantir and seen what will come if we do not implement this now. You will fish for days, weeks, without a fish. And then, if luck shines down upon you from the Halls of our Forefathers, you might catch a small 23 incher. Hardly a prize worth fighting Orcs at the dock for. We must act now!! Go forth and spread the word unto all the lands that this is the way. Fly you fools!! Flava Flav - Yeah Boyeeee, it’s your favorite Musky Dawg Flavaaaaaa-FLAAAAAV!!! Hahahah, yeah lemme tell you something right now, I’m bout to give you some advice on Musky fishing. What?!? You didn’t think I musky fished? What do you think this twin ten is dangling from my neck for then? I wear this Viking helmet cause I spend most my days in Minnesota tangling with the big girls. And I’m not talkin Oprah yo! I’m talkin Esox, word. My piece of advice I would give to ya’ll would be to Think Outside The Box. Sounds pretty generic but it works. You wouldn’t picture me as a musky fisherman but I am. And sometimes you think a certain lure has to work on a certain spot but guess what yo, IT DOESN’T! So throw on that smaller lure that you always joke about being a bass lure, cause sometimes that might be the only thing they’re biting on. Or go fish a part of the lake that doesn’t have 1700 people throwing bucktails on. It may even be as simple as slow down your lure speed. Not all muskies want something loud and obnoxious, and lemme tell you boyeeee, I know a thing or too about loud and obnoxious and overly flashy! So basically nothing is a guarantee. You can start off with classic patterns but don’t be afraid to mix it up, no matter how unlikely it seems. Herbert the Pervert from Family Guy - Mmmmmmmm those are some nice muscly castin’ arms ya got there. I just love me some Musky fishin. Why dontcha come over here and show me how to jerk my pounder? I got too much Musky slime on my hand to get a good grip. Oh…oh ya…the tip. Yeah the tip of my…..oh wait, yeah the musky tip. Advice. Yeah that’s what I meant. Of course. Here’s the 4th tip for extreeeme hardcore Musky fishing. Take a kid fishing. What else did you think I was gonna say? You don’t want them to become one of those technology dependent socially awkward gamer kids that can’t speak to another human being do you? Start em young and they will grow to appreciate the simpler things in life. They will be happier and pass the tradition on to their kids someday. You don’t need to buy happiness when there is plenty of it for free outdoors. You just need to buy thousands of dollars worth of gear to enjoy it. Well this is Herbert signing off. I’m going back to my cabin now. I’ll leave the door unlocked in case you want to come in for some S’mores and Tylenol PM. Stone Cold Steve Austin – If you tell me real men fish for walleye I’m gonna whip your sorry ass clear across Lake Mille Lacs. And that ain’t no short ass-whippin son! Don’t make me lace up these waterproof Gore-Tex boots and stomp a mudhole in ya. But that’s neither here nor there! Cause Austin 3:16 says Thou Shalt Always Fish For The Biggest Fish In The Lake. Oh you want a picture holding a stringer full of walleye? Do you think the Indians took pictures of their nice haul of green beans? No! If them SOB’s had camera’s you can bet your ass they’d be takin pictures of the gigantasaurus buffalo they just knifed to the ground. And you should want to be holding up a 55” Musky in your pictures. Clear above your head like your about to suplex the living holy hell out of the #*^@ thing! Then you should crack 2 ice cold tastys, slam em together like a steel chair to the skull, and wash down your victory cause you earned it son! AND THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE CAUSE STONE COLD SAID SO!!!! I so wanted to do one in Samuel L. Jackson’s voice instead of Flava Flav but since 90% of it would get edited out it just wasn’t feasible. I’m probably already pushing the limits on Stone Cold and Herbert. Mods…..please let me know if it’s too much. | ||
| Pointerpride102 |
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Posts: 16632 Location: The desert | 1) Quit whining about everything 2) fisheries management does not mean musky management 3) people who enjoy other things on the water, besides musky fishing, are not inferior to you. 4) when a non musky angler catches a big one and keeps it, get over it. 5) it's musky fishing, not work, enjoy it. | ||
| muskyrat |
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Posts: 455 | Mike you have my vote. Short simple and spot on. | ||
| chasintails |
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Posts: 455 | I too was considering a reply, but after sc muskies post, I will not waste my time. Good posts, good advice. | ||
| Slamr |
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Posts: 7010 Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | There will be TWO winners!!! One among the final four from last round (Pilgrim, SC Muskies, Hawkeye and Travis A) and one from the masses. IE. you dont' have to be better than SCMuskies or Travis A, just better than the rest! Then the winner from the final 4 and the winner of the others will match off in the finals death match...voted on by the masses. | ||
| ulbian |
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Posts: 1168 | 1) Be patient at boat landings despite the fact that you are the best at backing up a trailer, quickly launching a boat, and loading up. The other guys were not blessed with your God given talent and they weren't given an instruction manual on how to back up a trailer when they bought a boat. 2) If your fishing partner sits down and orders flowers for an ex girlfriend on her birthday when you have a double follow, bite your tongue and complain about it online. Guys should be given an instruction manual on how to deal with ex-girlfriends. 3) A pike flopping around in your boat hooked to a 9 inch jerkbait is dangerous. Pike should come with an instruction manual on how to remove a hook that is embedded in the back of your leg. 4) If you take a break from muskie fishing and treat your girlfriend and her kids to a nice leisurely day on the water be prepared for anything. When the middle child needs to tinkle, go to shore. Don't trust her to simply use the livewell. 9 year olds should come with an instruction manual on how to remove a mud shark from a livewell. 5) Be careful using a Reef Hawg as a weapon when that jerkfaced 12 year old kid is hot rodding around on his jetski. If you end up hitting him and it scares him away that's good. If he gets his parents involved that's bad. If he has a hot mom and she confronts you be cool and fake an arm injury that causes your elbow to lock up. I'm writing an instruction manual on how to sweet talk ticked off hot moms of kids with Reef Hawgs stuck to their arms. | ||
| kjgmh |
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Posts: 1087 Location: Hayward, WI | 1. Have fun, you should enjoy fishing. If not, you are doing it wrong. 2. Take a kid fishing, they will thank you. 3. Learn from your mistakes. 4. Be prepared and keep your gear in good condition. Make a checklist so you don't forget stuff. 5. Catch, Photo, Release | ||
| Pilgrim |
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| Although I cannot top the creativity of scmuskies nor the humor of Travis A., I’ll throw my hat in the ring anyway, instead emphasizing sincerity and sharing what I’ve learned through personal experience. It’s hard to give advice because we all have different backgrounds. We’re from different geographic regions, so we fish different bodies of water. We are of varying ages and genders. Some have families and careers, while some are continuing their education. We have different monetary means, allowing some to travel throughout the musky range or keeping others close to home. We all have different levels of skill and experience; some have spent years targeting these fish while others are just starting out. Some are seeking trophy class fish, some are searching for their first. Regardless of one’s background, bear in mind that we are joined here by one passion. And so, I give you my five pieces of advice. 1. Use the proper equipment. I’m a stickler for using the appropriate gear regardless of the species I’m targeting, but I feel it holds the most true for musky fishing. This is not to say I am exclusively recommending the most expensive equipment, though I certainly won’t begrudge others that may do so. For better or for worse, one can definitely buy into the sport to shorten their learning curve. Having technique specific rods/reels allow you to focus on more important factors than lure type or color. I define having the proper equipment as pairing the rod/reel/line/leader to the particular lure you are using. Once this concept is understood, everything else will make start to make sense. While the equipment is required to quickly land the fish so as not to cause undue stress, it is important to realize that our tackle is centered around casting and retrieving the lure itself. Finally, have the appropriate tools necessary to safely land, unhook, and measure your fish. It is safe to say the vast majority of readers will advocate catch and release. However, doing so properly goes well beyond simply placing the fish back in the water. If you are unsure of the aforementioned tools or release procedures search the board for countless discussions. __________________________ 2. Research. In order to be successful you must shorten your learning curve. This is achieved through research. Although this sounds like work (and it is) you will come to enjoy it. This is not a book report for Lit class or a term paper for Chemistry - this is something you actually care about. Read articles and forum threads. Watch television shows and DVDs. Talk to others at the boat ramp or in a club. Find out what patterns work on the waters you frequent. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Some may poke fun at you, but take it in stride and instead learn and grow. Do everything in your powers to learn the fundamentals, be it casting techniques or executing the proper figure 8. And most importantly, apply all the advice to have been given to your unique situation. One may be able to buy into the game with nice equipment, but it is impossible to buy into knowledge. That, if nothing else, must be earned. __________________________ 3. Experiment. While it is beneficial to learn what others are doing on your home waters, it is still important to break from the norm. There has been lots of talk about increased pressure, so doing something different can make all the difference. Speaking from personal experience, it is easy to get stuck in a rut, especially when a pattern was once successful. It takes a conscious effort to break from these old habits and think outside of the box. You’ll be amazed what you learn when you do so. __________________________ 4. Time on the water. These four words are probably the easiest said, though the hardest achieved. As stated above, our backgrounds will influence our ability to simply be on the water. Regardless, the more time one spends on the water in a day or in a trip or in a season increases one’s likilihood of learning and trying new things. Additionally, it eliminates the ability for one to get stuck in the proverbial rut. When I first began, my typical day trips consisted of 4 to 6 hours on the water. In this time, I generally fished the same spots/areas with the same handful of baits. Consequently, I experienced the same pathetic results. By increasing the time I spent on the water, normally 10+ hours, I have the time necessary to try new baits in new places. Furthermore, I have added several new seasonal patterns and gained the confidence in a myriad of lures I once deemed “too big” or “unproductive”. __________________________ 5. Put yourself in the best position. My final piece of advice takes #4 one step further. If you want to increase your odds of catching fish, be it numbers or size, you need to plan your outings accordingly. Determine the most productive water(s) in your region for what you are seeking (quality or quantity) and learn as much as you can about these bodies. Once you have done so, make an effort to pay attention to all of the external elements: moon phase, sunrise/sunset, moonrise/moonset, major/minor periods, and long term/short term weather patterns. | |||
| Slamr |
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Posts: 7010 Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Last minute entries?! | ||
| Esoxrox |
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| 1)Fish Smart There are many ways to get educated about musky fishing. The internet for one, MuskieFIRST has more solid information here than most people could ever remember. There are books, magazines, and TV shows dedicated to catching muskies. When you get on the water apply what you can, think outside the norm. And keep learning, you can never be too well informed. 2) Build Relationships Over 50 years ago I learned how to fish from my Grandpa on the Wisconsin River. He passed on to me, a love of fishing that has never gone away. My son has been my fishing partner since he was born 26 years ago. I am pretty sure that I have passed on to him what my Grandpa did to me. My son and I have had many great days on the water, both fish wise and fun wise. I cannot remember even one bad day. Many wonderful life lessons learned along the way by both of us. 3) Take Care of Yourself This can mean many things; you will be a better fisherman when you can focus on the act of fishing by itself. Watch out for severe weather, lightning, heat, the sun, extreme cold. Keep yourself fed and hydrated. Wear your life jacket, know how to swim. Keep a first aid kit on the boat. 4) Have the Proper Equipment I won’t lecture you on what types of rods, reels, lures, etc to buy. However, when you do buy a piece of equipment, make sure that it will hold up to the rigors of musky fishing. Cheaply built items will not last and will take away from your enjoyment of the sport. This includes nets, hook cutters, pliers, and all release equipment. 5) Enjoy Your Time You will get more satisfaction if you do not feel that you have to catch a musky every time out. To me, putting a musky in the net is the cherry on top of the sundae. I have far more pictures of my fishing partner, deer, eagles, loons, and sunsets than I do of fish. The goal is of course to catch muskies but be sure to enjoy the journey. | |||
| hawkeye9 |
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Posts: 426 Location: Perryville, MO | Truthfully my “muskie advice” to guys reading threads on M1 would be to listen to others far more qualified. But I’d really like to win, so I’ll play along. Here’s what I’d offer to someone new to the sport… 1. Develop a healthy conservation mind toward our quarry. 2. Read and digest as much information on the pursuit as possible. 3. Learn to use a Suick Muskie Thriller. 4. Enjoy every moment you have on the water. 5. Take someone fishing and introduce them to the sport. First, muskie are a precious resource. CPR is the common practice for good reason. Purchase good release tools and learn to use them well. Some fellas perhaps go a bit over-board in their loss of sleep over every difficult release, but there is a lesson to be learned. Muskie fishermen/women - perhaps more than any other anglers – have a deep appreciation for the fish they pursue. There is lots of good information on how to best apply the practice of CPR. Do a little research and ask questions of experienced anglers. Also, even if you can’t get involved for lack of time, join your local Muskie Inc. chapter. You’ll discover quickly that they’re largely responsible for many of the fishing opportunities you have and they support a ton of projects to improve the fisheries we love. Second, knowledge is key. Buck Perry was brilliant in this regard. (I wouldn’t necessarily agree with die-hard spoonpluggers that the corpus was entirely infallible or complete with Buck, but he likely had more of it understood than any other.) M1 is loaded with information. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn and interact with professionals and die-hards every time you get the chance. Read the books of the legends in our sport. Read Saric and Heiting’s “The Complete Guide to Muskie Hunting.” Read everything written by Tom Gelb. And I’d suggest reading Perry’s “Spoonplugging.” Read everything you can get your hands on. Knowledge is key. Putting in the time on the water is necessary to becoming more effective. But nothing will shorten the learning curve of experience more than knowledge. Third, sounds like nothing more than me getting my nose dirty, but it’s not. If I were simply brown-nosing I’d also try slipping in the need to use TI products (which you should definitely do, beginning with their outstanding rods). First time I threw that “stick of wood” (the famous Muskie Thriller) in the water I wondered why guys were still fishing a relic. I put it back the box and didn’t consider it again for the better part of 5 years. Huge mistake. Given the conditions I like best, you can sure bet I’m casting a spinnerbait. Its versatility suits the water I fish best. But at times conditions and fish response demands a glide bait. Nothing works better than a thriller. Watch Steve Worrall’s video to shorten the learning curve. Experiment a bit and you’ll discover that the Thriller is nearly as versatile as a spinnerbait. Why do guys still use them? Because they work everywhere muskies swim. I point out the need to learn to use the Suick Thriller because most of us end up in the sport of muskie fishing from other fishing pursuits. Likely, you know how to use spinners, side-to-side glide baits, cranks, etc. And even casting big rubber is simple enough. But a dive and rise bait is perhaps new and it’s extremely effective for muskies. Fourth, sounds simple but seems to be challenging for far too many who are serious about their passion. We fish and chase muskies because its fun and thrilling. Have realistic expectations for the water you fish. Don’t get so wound-tight that it becomes a burden. If or when it does, take a panfish or bass trip and remind yourself that there is life under water. More, remember that every time you are on the water fishing you are blessed. For goodness sake, you are going to release the fish you are lucky enough to catch. You’ll still eat with or without catching a fish. Enjoying IT is what IT is about! (LOL...I’m still shocked that thread went somewhere.) Fifth, introduce the sport to others. I fish by myself primarily when chasing muskie. I enjoy fishing solo. It’s deeply refreshing for me to spend a day out in the boat with no one else except my Lord. But at the same time it’s a great joy to share the passion for muskie with others. Take a kid fishing. Take an elder fishing. Take someone muskie fishing who believes muskie are damaging “their” fishery. (Down here on a Southern reservoir, I’ve discovered that’s the best way to change someone’s attitude about muskie.) Passing the sport on to others is the best way to ensure continued resources for the fisheries. | ||
| Slamr |
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Posts: 7010 Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Winners: SCMuskies and EsoxRoX Send me your addresses and I will get prizes out to you! *sorry for the delay, I suck. But don't worry...the muskie gods hate me. | ||
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