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Muskie Fishing -> General Discussion -> What got you started in musky fishing?
 
Message Subject: What got you started in musky fishing?
Switchaxe
Posted 3/10/2018 8:30 AM (#895737)
Subject: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 33


Just curious to hear what triggered everyone to pick up fishing musky. For me, it was all kind of on accident. I was with a large group of guys and new water on opening weekend fishing for walleye. I heard one of the guys yell musky he had seen tight on a bank. They of course tried to catch it by throwing jigs at it to no avail. I never saw this fish but it got my curious as I had no idea they were in this body of water, and had never seen one. Later that day I had a musky come up to the surface and eat something behind my kayak maybe 100 feet from me. All I know is it sounded like a bowling ball getting tossed into the lake. Fast forward to a couple months later, I go camping at this spot alone. I was bass fishing and had a musky take a swipe at my spinner bait and miss. I remember thinking, holy crap that was a friggin musky, that was awesome. A storm was rolling in so I went to my campsite and hunkered down. There was a lull in a severe thunderstorm rolling through so I took my kayak back out and put on a small buck tail and started casting around where I had seen the musky. About 5 minutes later the 36"musky followed in my buck tail right to the kayak and hammered my buck tail right beside me. I remember thinking there was a log behind my lure until I realized it was a fish. I also a year later caught that same fish again! Since that day, I have become a musky addict. And I still get that same adrenaline rush and feeling after every musky I see.
hairy lures
Posted 3/10/2018 10:47 AM (#895770 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 31


With me it was the mystique! I read lots of outdoor magazines when I was a kid, and muskies were the biggest and baddest.
The stuff they used to write about them made them both very scary and mysterious, particularly to a naive 9 year old. The stories about Louie and Cal were the best, because the story was the thing that brought the mystique to life, with never to be forgotten colorful descriptions of the season, the wild weather, the dangerous water and the very dangerous FISH! One bright sunny day in the early 1950s on Trout Lake (Vilas), I finally saw my first musky. It was about a 40"er, swimming just below the surface, and it looked absolutely huge! That lit the fire! I was alone in a resort rowboat, trying to catch walleyes with worms and #8 aberdeens on 6 pound line, so I was a bit outgunned, but I never forgot that fish. Later I got my first muskie tackle and a few lures. All there were at that time were salt water 'boat rods' (handles about 18" long attached to a fiberglass rod about 4' long, that had the flexibility of a baseball bat) and big reels with a star drag with a free spool lever but no level wind. Cortland nylon in 36 pound was about the heaviest line available. Creek Chub made the biggest lures, and I knew that steel leaders were a must, considering the damage that a muskie could do, even to the boat you were in! In the late 50s, I finally caught my first! It was absolutely vicious, all 28" worth, and had to be released, but that was the start of a long, expensive but truly worthwhile career of chasing old Toothy. I wish that they had never destroyed my fascination with the fish by having to dissect all those old stories for the elements of truth that they didn't contain much of....
NPike
Posted 3/10/2018 10:52 AM (#895771 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: RE: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 612


Unlike many others on this forum I've only caught between 40 or 50 musky's (30+ to 44)". Say (8 to just under 25) lbs. BTW haven't weighed a fish in > 12 years since it distends the jaw and can-will kill them.
Anyways they are my favorite by far. For short term battles the musky's where I fish can out fight anything that that swims. Yes a salmon will by far out last a musky but they aren't near as crazy-unpredictable. Also they can be elusive so it's always a treat to get one. All game-fish (I fish for) walleye, pike, bass, trout can be hard to catch at times. However despite the fact musky's do seem to have some patterns-preferred_spts it's the you never know aspect.
fishhawk50
Posted 3/10/2018 12:10 PM (#895788 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 1416


Location: oconomowoc, wi
the taste! jk..
DBJr
Posted 3/10/2018 3:14 PM (#895846 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 77


I was blue gill fishing with my cousin & had a Muskie take a blue gill I was cranking in. It didn’t stay on but from that day forward I was “hooked”!
horsehunter
Posted 3/10/2018 5:12 PM (#895888 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Location: Eastern Ontario
Had no choice after many years of chasing respectable trout I moved to a town on a lake that contained walleye that have less fight than a wet sock, and these big stinky bags of bones with teeth. what choice did I have.
esoxaddict
Posted 3/10/2018 5:34 PM (#895891 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 8703


Stupidity
SkiNoob
Posted 3/10/2018 6:39 PM (#895915 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 77


Took my buddy out on the bay with his dad and brother for a miniature bachelor party. We were trolling 12! rods.

Literally, 5 minutes in, we got a 49" in the bag, his PB. I was hooked and didn't even catch the thing. Couple other rips too, great time. Best I have done is a 35" pike on an over fished lake, but I was pumped.
wallygator
Posted 3/10/2018 7:04 PM (#895917 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 319


Location: Tomahawk,Wis
Years ago I used to fish bass tournaments and one day caught 2 muskies by accident... That was it I was hooked.
Casper311
Posted 3/10/2018 7:20 PM (#895921 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 2


My first duty station with the Coast Guard was Duluth Minnesota. A friend of mine knew a Lake of the Woods guide named Doug Johnson that took me on my first Musky fishing trip. I caught a 47 incher on a Suick and I was hooked. I now live in Kentucky and fish Cave Run and Green River Lake.
ToddM
Posted 3/10/2018 7:53 PM (#895934 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 20173


Location: oswego, il
My dad got the bug on eagle lake when i was a kid. He raised a giant the resort called khaki. The resort owned said it was a world class fish. I never got to see it but it was in iowa bay. We didn't musky fish back then but my dad bought a couple musky killers on tbe advise of the resort owner and gave it a try. This was back in the 70's. Fast forward a couple decades and i bought a boat, my dad wanted to take it back up so we did. He doesn't fish them anymore but i still do.

Edited by ToddM 3/10/2018 7:54 PM
Ciscokid82
Posted 3/10/2018 8:17 PM (#895937 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 330


Location: SE Wisc
I remember my dad fishing tournaments with his brother in laws in northern Wisconsin when I was very young. He didn’t really muskie fish but it was something to do with the family. I recall my mom and I going to a sporting goods store to by him a muskie rod, Abu 6500 reel, and a few lures. I still remember gazing at all the huge lures and carefully choosing a few for him! Watching the ease-outs was so cool and I so wanted to be old enough to use the big rods and baits. I eventually became a muskie fanatic as I grew older and actually feel like I “pushed” my dad into serious Muskie Fishing although it was him who got me hooked. I lost him last August to cancer and because he was so ill last year I didn’t even wet a line for muskie. I’ll never forget the trips we went on, netting our pb’s, and all he taught me. Can’t wait to slay a fatty for him this year!
mecoltin123
Posted 3/11/2018 8:11 AM (#895990 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 146


Location: Alsip, IL
Father and sons trips every year to the UP. Tied into numerous as a little kid. Eventually when i was like 11 i boated a 35 and have been hooked ever since.
jonnysled
Posted 3/11/2018 8:37 AM (#895994 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 13688


Location: minocqua, wi.
Moved north to Rhinelander in 1998 where Tuesday night Musky League and Thursday Golf League were what you do. Met some good people and dove in ...
JakeStCroixSkis
Posted 3/11/2018 9:21 AM (#895998 - in reply to #895994)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 1425


Location: St. Lawrence River
My dad has always been a musky fisherman. Cut our teeth casting his homemade topwater Sploosh baits on the smaller tributaries. Graduated to the big river. Caught my first musky, on topwater, when i was probably 9 or 10.
OH Musky
Posted 3/11/2018 11:22 AM (#896014 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 359


Location: SW Ohio
I blame my friend. I coached his kids in archery. Got to talking about Muskies. So now, my bank account is a lot smaller. All his fault.
Junkman
Posted 3/11/2018 11:39 AM (#896017 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 1220


Buddy talked me into a trip up North in 1976, hired a guide for half day, caught a 42.5 inch fish and never looked back!
Dan111
Posted 3/11/2018 11:45 AM (#896018 - in reply to #896014)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Location: ontario
started when i was about 16, got my drivers license and started exploring new waters. Went to a lodge at one of the kawartha lakes in southern ontario and seen a 50+ incher hanging on the wall. I remember just staring at this beast thinking to myself i need to catch me one of those. Eventually i saved up some coin and bought some musky tackle and lures. My first musky caught was a 36”. A week after that i landed a 50.5” at a lake 10 mins away from the previous. The experience of catching a fish that size with that much power changed everything for me. The only fish i hunt now are muskies.
DonPursch
Posted 3/11/2018 11:55 AM (#896019 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: RE: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 540


Location: Leech Lake, Walker MN
Grandpa !
NPike
Posted 3/11/2018 2:35 PM (#896074 - in reply to #896018)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 612


Dan111 - 3/11/2018 12:45 PM

started when i was about 16, got my drivers license and started exploring new waters. Went to a lodge at one of the kawartha lakes in southern ontario and seen a 50+ incher hanging on the wall. I remember just staring at this beast thinking to myself i need to catch me one of those. Eventually i saved up some coin and bought some musky tackle and lures. My first musky caught was a 36”. A week after that i landed a 50.5” at a lake 10 mins away from the previous. The experience of catching a fish that size with that much power changed everything for me. The only fish i hunt now are muskies.


Been many years, but some nice fish used to roam those Kawartha lakes i.e. Stony, Pigeon, Rice, etc. When we were kids my brother got a nice fish while we were trolling for walleyes. Ton of people and boats around us at the time. They cheered my 12 year old brother on as it jumped repeatable, etc..
Softwater
Posted 3/12/2018 8:42 AM (#896169 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 73


Location: Cedarburg, WI
Small water leisure canoeing & fishing "for anything that would bite" with my brothers ~25 years ago. Was on a family camping trip to Northern WI on Mother's day weekend. Out of the ordinary outing as we were actually catching beautiful walleyes & crappies, then everything shut right down. Changed baits, etc. nothing. Pulled into the next shallow cove and spooked a "fish" that left a wake. When it went under the middle of the canoe, it was easily seen as a beautiful Musky & was long enough to be on both sides of the canoe at the same time. Casted everything at her to no avail, and would have been snapped off even if we had gotten her to bite with the wimpy equipment we were using. The action never picked up after that as we started the long paddle back to camp. All the brothers except me (for some unexplained reason I have a wonderful understanding wife) got chewed out by their wives for getting back to camp so late (they all had LONG quiet rides home the next day too). We all saw that fish, but that change me. I've been chasing them ever since, and haven't tired of the chase yet...And my wonderful wife still understands and supports my obsession. I'm still cursed and extremely lucky at the same time.
Rudedog
Posted 3/12/2018 9:34 AM (#896180 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: RE: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 607


Location: S.W. WI
Article by Maina in the Wisconsin Sportsman. about 2001.
Thanks Pete
BigC
Posted 3/12/2018 11:55 AM (#896211 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: RE: What got you started in musky fishing?





Location: On the O
Golfing buddy hurt his back.

After a particular bad round of golf (where even left could be heard saying, "Holy **** that's left!") my buddy came back to my place to drown his sorrows. As I went in the house to grab a couple drinks he leaned on my back fence. When I walked out of the house he asked. "you have a boat?, why didn't I know this?", "well you're my golfing buddy" I said.

First or second time out in the boat with him he caught a little 30" muskie on a silver Williams Wobbler and the way it fought and jumped (both in and out of the boat) had me wondering what this thing was. It certainly wasn't like any of the pike I had caught in my teens. I had caught many pike (skid plates) that just give up after a couple seconds and there was no give up in that fish.

Started googling stuff and turns out the Ottawa River was a pretty good place to catch them ;). Took me almost the full calendar year to catch one myself and then another 2 years to catch a "nice one" 46". It was already to late for me by then.

Haven't golfed in almost 5 years and my buddy probably even longer....
Tommis
Posted 3/12/2018 1:18 PM (#896227 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 841


Location: Southwest PA
A grave miscalculation that blossomed into the pursuit of the elusive toothy critters. I thought I could casually fish for these fish like any other fish before. Boy was I wrong and boy am I happy about it! The one that got away is the one that started it all!
sworrall
Posted 3/12/2018 2:44 PM (#896248 - in reply to #896227)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 32761


Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Caught my first fishing a jig and plastic worm on Bone lake in the late 60's with my Dad. We were fishing muskies, it was just the time before jigs and creatures/reapers came about. Been doing that ever since, and am delighted to have found my original Fliptail Creature available again in literally dozens of colors.

Good times long ago...

As the sport grew, and the marine industry expanded, I ended up in sales, promotions, and marketing in both, fueling my muskie trips across NW Ontario and the States. Back about 17 years or so ago, Zach and I cooked up this place designed as a social site before there was a term for it, and here I am. Still fishing muskies and still working in the industry. Worse things to do, for sure.

I do miss guiding. May begin that again a couple days a week.


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Fishen-ski's
Posted 3/12/2018 3:25 PM (#896255 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: RE: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 140


Location: Northern Illinois
Nice work Steve, but who's the handsome imposter holding
your fish? LOL. Caught the bug accidentally hooking some toothy
critters, thought it would be more of a challenge to target them, was right about
that.
Sidejack
Posted 3/12/2018 8:45 PM (#896318 - in reply to #896248)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 1077


Location: Anoka
Wow Steve, you kinda had an Elton John look goin on back then eh?


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sworrall
Posted 3/12/2018 10:39 PM (#896342 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?





Posts: 32761


Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Dunno bout that but I did have hair then.
RandyT
Posted 3/12/2018 11:29 PM (#896350 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: RE: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 15


My family! We were blessed to buy a fishing lodge in NW Ontario on Eagle Lake when I was 9 years old. Being the boy in the family I was constantly on the water exploring and fishing! Awesome way to grow up! As I started learning about our resource underneath the water, I quickly turned to fishing and have never looked back. It was awesome to be able to contrast and learn from both "old timers" who grew up on the lake yet knew nothing about electronics but had a knack for knowing when and where to fish along with guests that would come up having researched the lake and studied up on using electronics and science. Now I have 2 little girls who enjoy it and are quite good little fisherman for their young age. I am going to have some of the prettiest guides in Ontario in a couple of years!

Randy Tyran


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ndsumiller
Posted 3/12/2018 11:38 PM (#896353 - in reply to #895737)
Subject: Re: What got you started in musky fishing?




Posts: 95


Location: MN
My buddy talked about muskie fishing in college. His whole family is very big into it and I didn't think much about it. One year, he invited me up to Vermillion to go fishing with his dad and him, and I went. I fished a Tally Whacker because the name was awesome and topwater is fairly easy for a rookie. Didn't catch a fish, but had fun (also got a bucktail stuck in a tree like a dummy). Fast forward a few years: got a rod and reel to get started, went a few times but didn't really go nuts. Got more serious after catching a couple small tigers in the metro, and haven't looked back. Much slower approach than most people, but fun the whole way. Still wish I would've known on Vermillion what I know now!
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