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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | I am still young and cant see why you would want to fish for anything else. But I was just wondering what makes someone quit musky fishing? I have seen over the years people say they are quitting and selling everything they own. I myself could never imagine doing this.
Just seeing what peoples thoughts are on this. |
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Posts: 1516
| age could slow a person down
health issues
not having someone to fish with lots of guys fish alone I would prefer to have someone else along
It can be an expensive hobby so lack of $$ could have something to do with also |
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Location: Contrarian Island | we were having this discussion on a recent trip to MN... we know some guys that were crazy nuts about musky fishing say 5 to 10 yrs ago, fishing ALL the time, doing trips all over to chase them, and now don't even own a boat and don't fish... priorities change... kids, jobs, wives etc all thrown into the mix... I've often said to buds that I could sell 95% of my stuff, keep a couple rods and handfull of baits and be happy jumping in the boat with others from time to time...and not miss it all that much...but then I go catch some 50s and I change my mind! 
Edited by BNelson 10/7/2015 10:49 AM
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Posts: 230
Location: St Paul, Minnesota | I've known a few good men lost to Fly Fishing... but it got me a Calcutta 400TE for $200 four years ago. |
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| The mndnr makes me quit December 1st. The itch starts the day after the boat is stored. The scratch, the wonderful, satisfying scratch is the 1st Saturday in June.
If one quits beyond that, must be for health reasons. ..or they have gone insane. |
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Posts: 24
| Just like everything else in life. People just get burnt out of doing things. |
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Posts: 1828
| At times my drive to catch muskies has screwed up my priorities and made me and my family unhappy. Those are the times I've thought long and hard about giving it up.
If I can keep the obsession in check such that my life stays balanced, I'll never have to give it up.
If I can keep the obsession with CATCHING them under control, it will stay fun, and I won't quit. I could see myself quitting if I totally stopped having fun on the bad days. |
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Posts: 8840
| I think we've all had those days! It's 38 degrees, it's raining, the wind is blowing, you just busted a reel, you haven't seen a fish in 6 hours... Then you think about all the money you have into the boat, truck, gear, rain gear, gas, food, lodging, guide trips, lures and such. If the day is really bad you start wondering what the average cost per muskie has been, and thinking about all the stuff you could do if you had that money back, and the fact that you'd be at home where it's warm watching the football game right now...
Then that stupid green fish comes flying out of nowhere and eats your lure right in front of you and you think "oh yah.. THAT'S why I do this!"
Most of the guys I know who have hung it up have been guys that got married and had kids, bought a house, etc. and just don't have the time or money anymore.
Then there are the ones who went off the deep end over it, put themselves in debt, got a divorce, lost their job, and basically screwed up their lives over a fish. They usually quit when they finally grow up.
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Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | kids... My hours are <50% of normal. It's only going to get worse. |
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Posts: 1220
| I think the better word is "recovery!" Like the fallen down drunkard who lost his job, wife, family, everything. Then he finds himself in a meeting saying, "My name is (insert your name here) and I'm a compulsive musky fisherman." First he must say, "We admitted we were powerless and our life had become unmanageable." Then he comes to believe a power greater than himself can restore us to sanity. It is only then, after he turns his life over to the care of this higher power can he truly begin to see that $30.00 for a bucktail is a stupid way to spend his rent money. Only after a complete reading of the "Doctor's Opinion" do we see that this is really a disease. So we don't quit really....we recover! |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI |
Other musky fishermen have made me consider quitting, but there are plenty of other outdoor activities one can pursue to avoid running into the more toxic zealots of our sport. Crappie, smallmouth and walleye fishing along with grouse hunting in the northwoods are all very enjoyable, and when the crazies aren't on the water there's still plenty of time left to chase musky. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | for me it was what i was missing out on by being singularly focused. kids, a motorcycle, a golf game, work, relationship and all that stuff for sure take time responsibilities vs. when i was younger. musky fishing in Canada changed my attitude toward fishing them at home. sure there are big fish here but it's just not the same experience and i prefer the Canadian experience.
i'm 51 now and figured i made a good call ... i quit golf, sold my motorcycle and focus on having a more balanced outdoor life making sure i take advantage of some of the things that are right in front of me (smallies, salmon, bird hunting). my week in Canada was replaced by a family week in Algoma spent learning to run Salmon spreads on Lake Michigan with 3 of my immediate family members participating and loving it.
here at home catching a musky that's not big is just no big deal to me anymore but getting a handful of smallies >18 inches in a short trip after work is something that i really enjoy. i rarely hook up the boat on the weekend anymore.
the big thing that took me away though has been training an upland bird dog to add some more games in the fall ... grouse and pheasant hunting, which to me is more fun than soaking suckers. price of suckers is just ridiculous ... training a retriever to do multiple marks, blinds and casting is as challenging as being good at catching a musky and equally rewarding. a friend i met musky fishing trains pointing dogs, uses his gps in a similar way as he does when targeting muskies ... that flipped a switch for me and is something that is new, fresh and just as fun. hunting is fun, hunting with a dog is more fun but hunting with a well trained dog that knows what he's doing is an absolute blast and a direct correlation to various approaches to musky fishing.
once you play a game you can either keep playing it, or use what you learned to apply to some other games ...
opener - pre-spawn smallies
june - moon muskies
july - smallies, salmon - home/lake michigan/sturgeon bay
august - smallies
september - lake superior coho/grouse and woodcock
october - grouse
november - nd pheasants/gun deer season
december - launch the ice shack for early walleyes
january - big ice pike
february - wish it was april
march - tip down crappies/dog training
april - bird dog field trials
may - bird dog field trials
i cannot imagine a one sport life or where one target dominates and where a show throwing baits in a swimming pool is something to look forward to ... but that's me.
Edited by jonnysled 10/7/2015 11:49 AM
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Posts: 8840
| I think a lot of guys discover muskies and go all-or-nothing for a while, and then slowly realize that they're missing out on a lot of fun fishing. I don't see myself quitting muskies unless I get too old or blow out a shoulder or something. But I've let a lot of other fishing pass me by in favor of muskies, along with shooting, archery, birds, and a lot of other stuff I really used to enjoy.
Balance. Balance is good.
Edited by esoxaddict 10/7/2015 11:55 AM
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Posts: 76
| The ONLY thing that will stop me from musky fishing------ DEATH!!!! Twelve years ago I broke my back on a jobsite---shattered my second lumbar vertebrae into 6 pieces---whereby it was plucking my spinal cord like a guitar string. If it had sliced my cord ---I would have lost feeling to something----PERMANENTLY! After an 11 month recovery--which included fighting off a staph infection for five months and a shiny , new titanium cage on my spine----my doctors politely "ADVISED" me to QUIT MUSKY FISHING. After my anger/laughter subsided---- I asked them WHY?----it was perfectly acceptable for me to return to work---lifting bathtubs and water heaters, but I HAD TO quit musky fishing? Needless to say that was SEVERAL HUNDRED muskies ago---and every fish I catch takes away my back pain----and "reminds me " of when those "PROFESSIONALS" told me I should NEVER musky fish again.-------NEVER QUIT----the sure fire way to catch you're next PB!----Pat |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | I used to be as die hard as it got, and never thought I would ever quit. I used to fish 20 hrs a day, every weekend. Guided part time during the weekends and used vacation days to guide. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my time on the water, and every minute off the water thinking about it.
Well I haven’t quit, but my time has drastically reduced the last several years. What changed? Health and kids. My obsession led to poor eating and sleeping habits. After a while your body has enough of it, and problems crop up. That was factor #1. Factor #2 I had a son and daughter getting old enough to want to start fishing, and get active in other things. I had a choice to continue to keep guiding and ignore my kids (mind you my free time was spent on the water so that when I guided I gave the client a good experience), or quit guiding and be the parent I needed to be. The choice was easy. This has resulted in when I am on the water and they are with we are chasing other fish. I get up to the cabin about 25% of what I used to. This year…I haven’t been on the water since mid Aug. I miss it, and I don’t.
If I had to do it all over again I would make the same decision. My kids are not the huge fisherman I hoped they would be, and I am fine with that. Other “hobbies” have resurfaced or been formed as a result of my health and the need to be around home for my family, and thus have filled the niche of not being on the water. Amazingly I am enjoying those hobbies as much as I enjoyed my obsession with chasing muskies. I still enjoy chasing them from time to time, but it is no longer my life. It’s a good thing!
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | Thanks for sharing guys. I guess I could see why you wouldn't have enough time to play the game anymore. BUT I still don't think I could ever sell ALL of my stuff. I guess I haven't lost the flame yet and hope that I never do. |
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Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Musky952 - 10/7/2015 11:51 AM
Thanks for sharing guys. I guess I could see why you wouldn't have enough time to play the game anymore. BUT I still don't think I could ever sell ALL of my stuff. I guess I haven't lost the flame yet and hope that I never do.
When you have less time you end up sticking with your select few baits, and need a lot less in gear. I have a garage full of baits I need to offload that just are collecting dust that I used to throw once in awhile. So now that I fish once in awhile those baits don't get thrown at all.
I do agree though I wouldn't sell all my stuff. Just most of it in comparison to what I have.  |
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Posts: 1000
| Burn out used to hit me at least once a season. Now I split it up with a couple smallmouth/BWCA trips and grouse hunting in october. |
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Posts: 162
Location: Chicago, IL | Lots of people move away for jobs, family, change of scene, etc. and that can lead to them turning their back on muskie fishing. People keep their Muskie tackle after moving away thinking they'll come back and do trips with buddies. 3 years later, not so many trips are "annual" anymore and people just purge. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i quit buying baits when i learned they were tools and that was a long time ago. i still have what i need and can load up for a musky outing quickly and effectively, butcan also load up for smallies and lmb's, panfish or set up riggers and rod holders for a salmon trip. i like the ability to be able to go multi-species fishing effectively with both equipment and ability or to drive the boat to a remote place, grab the dog and shotgun and walk a path looking for some ruffed grouse.
on the water long enough you learn there are times when the feeding windows are short and trigger either off the change in weather, the moon or sun. why beat your brains out in-between when you can do something else and target the window? the guys i know who i'd consider the best of the best fish smart and don't fish hard. it's easy to mix things in and still be a good musky stick ... |
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Posts: 19
| I'm selling all but one rod and a handful of baits. I have too many hobbies. I enjoy walleye fishing and duck hunting more than Musky fishing. I can get by with about 10 baits and one heavy action rod for my yearly trip to Canada and the occasional trip around home. |
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | jonnysled - 10/7/2015 12:49 PM
the guys i know who i'd consider the best of the best fish smart and don't fish hard. it's easy to mix things in and still be a good musky stick ...
I like this comment among the many others. I have been fishing really hard for the past couple of years and it does get to you. I am just starting to notice when fish aren't going to be active and when it is a good time to spend your whole day out there. Fishing smarter not harder is the way to go. But then when I don't catch fish while trying to be "smarter" it makes me think I should have put more time in.
Still love reading the comments so keep them rolling boys. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | fishing smart is key to not burning out...if the fish simply are not moving, don't beat yourself up = Punt... get off the water, grab a beer, burger or fish for other species... when it was bunk on LOTW this year we had a blast catching big pike and jerkin eyes... still caught a ton of ski's in the process but we knew when to 'recharge'. |
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Posts: 255
| Marriage or committed relationships mean you go from self to self sacrifice, then I had kids and that meant more sacrifice. Fishing hours go down, catches go down, but I still have a passion for it.
Like Sled, I don't buy new lures anymore. Like others, I found balance in life. It is still my main hobby. I grew up, got smarter, moved on from the long days and frequent trips. I enjoy things differently now, like fall colors, time with others while fishing, seeing eagles, loons. I enjoy the experience, but am driven by the chance at big fish. I don't see that changing, and I look forward to time on the water with my growing kids and maybe into retirement someday. |
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Posts: 1317
Location: Lebanon,Mo | I have quit a few times over the last 15 years. A couple times to build houses,once to move to Florida,etc.,but find myself coming back to the sport. I pick my times and days a little better now,including more productive water than I did 10 years ago. |
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | BNelson - 10/7/2015 1:13 PM
fishing smart is key to not burning out...if the fish simply are not moving, don't beat yourself up = Punt... get off the water, grab a beer, burger or fish for other species... when it was bunk on LOTW this year we had a blast catching big pike and jerkin eyes... still caught a ton of ski's in the process but we knew when to 'recharge'.
I feel less guilty about quitting some of the days this year after reading what you guys have to say. Luckily I have friends that live on the lake I fish and was able to cut my days short when nothing was happening. I will say that I have given up a lot of things the past two summers to go after muskies. By the time you are done with work and take a boat to the lake you can pretty much chalk that day up. |
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Posts: 8840
| BNelson - 10/7/2015 1:13 PM
fishing smart is key to not burning out...if the fish simply are not moving, don't beat yourself up = Punt... get off the water, grab a beer, burger or fish for other species... when it was bunk on LOTW this year we had a blast catching big pike and jerkin eyes... still caught a ton of ski's in the process but we knew when to 'recharge'.
Smart advice there. No reason to beat the water and yourself to death when the fish aren't moving. Wait for something to change. In the meantime, why not get out the spinning gear and put dinner in the livewell? |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | In my college days I thought the same as the original poster, then life happens and your priorities change. I moved out west for work, took up duck hunting and enjoyed the heck out of it. Still did a musky trip every year. Never "quit" per se. Didn't sell my stuff, but fishing muskies was way down the list out west. Now I've moved back to the Midwest, brought a wife, step daughter, and son to musky country and have gotten back into it again. I'm not as die hard as I used to be. I like filling the freezer with eater fish. I get out when I can but with a 1.5 year old son, I know he's far more important than a fish.
Lots of good stuff from sled and Nelson, per usual. |
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Posts: 670
Location: Otsego, MN | Sold 95% of my musky gear. A a die hard for years. Then kids came, and 4-5 days a week on the lake was gone. So I'll chase them every so often. Also most of my time now has been bass fishing. I love fishing tournaments and the options for bass tournaments is endless you can fish one any weekend of the summer. Still love the musky hunt when I do it. Nothing more exciting than catching a 50" Muskie. |
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Posts: 797
Location: North Central IL USA | I'll never be selling all my Musky gear!!!
My wife will.....when I'm dead! |
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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | Well Musky Buddies, interesting discussion. I'm 71 years old and this year put 29 muskies in my boat so far. My hands now hurt, the back aches and I'm clumsy as an ox. I have got very few years left to chase these wonderful critters and when I can't anymore I may be walking around but I'll be dead, a life long passion will end hard for me.
I have been so fortunate that my wife totally supports my passion, I retired at 55, my kids are raised and successful, so I am very,very lucky time wise. I only hope that at the end they have to pry my cold stiff hands from my favorite rod.
The sad part of my story is that my partners have all died and I go to LOTW 4-5 times a year sometimes alone. It would be fun to share the experience, there are few of the old diehards left.
Keep pitchin as long as you can
Mudpuppy |
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Location: minocqua, wi. | Mudpuppy - 10/7/2015 8:03 PM
Well Musky Buddies, interesting discussion. I'm 71 years old and this year put 29 muskies in my boat so far. My hands now hurt, the back aches and I'm clumsy as an ox. I have got very few years left to chase these wonderful critters and when I can't anymore I may be walking around but I'll be dead, a life long passion will end hard for me.
I have been so fortunate that my wife totally supports my passion, I retired at 55, my kids are raised and successful, so I am very,very lucky time wise. I only hope that at the end they have to pry my cold stiff hands from my favorite rod.
The sad part of my story is that my partners have all died and I go to LOTW 4-5 times a year sometimes alone. It would be fun to share the experience, there are few of the old diehards left.
Keep pitchin as long as you can
Mudpuppy
God Bless you Man!!! ... best thing that came from this sport is the long list of strangers that become friends. the sport has built lots of great relationships. |
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Posts: 337
Location: Watersmeet, Michigan | Funny, but I was just thinking about this yesterday. I'm pushing 60 now and the arthritis is spreading into my back and hands. Not sure how long I can keep casting the big gear, but I'll do it as long as I possibly can, and there's always trolling.
As for fishing for other species, I do that all the time. I enjoy the unique challenge that each species brings, and a trophy fish is always a joy to catch, whether it be a trout, a pike, a musky, a salmon, or a perch. (Okay, maybe not the perch.)
Fr. K |
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Location: north central wisconsin | gregk9 - 10/7/2015 6:22 PM
I'll never be selling all my Musky gear!!!
My wife will.....when I'm dead!
And you'll be rolling in the grave as she offloads it for what you always told her you paid for it... |
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | This is almost a perfect topic for me right now. I feel as if I am at a stand still with muskies.. For those that know me, know that I will never totally quit fishing EVER! But, this year has brought. New house, new cars, new bills, new puppy, new slue of chores....ect....ect. On top of that I just don't have enough people to fish with. there is one maybe two guys that I fish with consistently. by consistent I mean more then once a year. Fishing alone is all well and good, just I like to fish with others better. But, I just don't get the opportunity to go as much as id like, or have the opportunity to go with other people as much. It sucks though. But I am in the boat that wants to sell a bunch of baits, keep 10-20 "special" baits 2 or 3 rods and fund some of my other hobbies. Like Shooting. I just bought a DPMS AR-10 .308. So that has takin a lot of my time also. Im a big shooter/hunter also.
So like I said, on the fence about how hard I want to continue fishing like we do. Or if it is time to take a few steps back. Only issue is, I am not getting any advice one way or the other. ....... I think I need to go ice fishing to clear my thoughts CAN'T WAIT FOR HARD WATER!!!!
Ice fishing is the only "thing" ever I have been die hard since I can remember Go every weekend of every winter that I can "safely" walk on the ice. LOVE IT!!!
As previous guys said, priorities change I guess
Edited by FAT-SKI 10/8/2015 7:43 AM
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| muskidiem - 10/7/2015 1:17 PM
Marriage or committed relationships mean you go from self to self sacrifice, then I had kids and that meant more sacrifice. Fishing hours go down, catches go down, but I still have a passion for it.
Like Sled, I don't buy new lures anymore. Like others, I found balance in life. It is still my main hobby. I grew up, got smarter, moved on from the long days and frequent trips. I enjoy things differently now, like fall colors, time with others while fishing, seeing eagles, loons. I enjoy the experience, but am driven by the chance at big fish. I don't see that changing, and I look forward to time on the water with my growing kids and maybe into retirement someday.
Wow. I couldn't have said it any better myself! I in "the same boat" as muskidiem with every word that he stated above. The only thing that I could add to that is...that while my days and hours on the water are incredibly limited these days due to married life with growing, active kids, my passion inside of me for this hobby of fishing is still raging inside of me, to the point where I'm just hoping to still be in good health by the time the kids have grown and left the house, that will then allow me to get back to my love of fishing and get back to more days and more hours on the water.
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Posts: 1938
Location: Black Creek, WI | Its comforting to know that many others have found "balance" or taken temporary curtailments in their time chasing muskies to put priority with growing families. I'm there as well. When I read the initial post, I immediately thought of several hardcore musky nuts that COMPLETELY gave up musky fishing. I often wondered why those individuals made such a drastic change rather than seeking balance. My passion for musky fishing has not diminished, however my time spent chasing them has gone waaaay down. No regrets, as my time has been well spent with my family. Do I often gaze off into the distance and day dream of musky fishing while with my family? Sure. And that is the sign that tells me that "my" time will come. Until then, I'll continue to invest my $$$ in hockey equipment and hotel rooms |
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Posts: 1828
| Just curious - what do you guys consider to be an acceptable amount of time to spend fishing? Given you work 40 - 60 hours per week, have a family, and the stuff that goes with that.
Obviously everyone's situations are totally different, and there are no hard, fast rules. Just wonder how much others "in my shoes" actually fish. What's your balance? |
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Posts: 3158
| Balance ,,,,go when you can,,,you only get a few months a year to do it if you live north,,typically you lose a month to high water temps too,,apart from that you don't always get to fish the way you prefer all the time either bucktails and topwaters are usually put away by November,water temps below 45 your now fishing different just to score.
I know this ,,lots of guys have quit here in MInnesota, guys that used to plan everything around musky fishing, the peak is over, the north side of mile lacs and big point dosent give 25 follows a day anymore,,they've jumped off the bandwagon. "Wish I could find out how to invite em to the next swap meet"!!!!!
Edited by happy hooker 10/8/2015 8:54 AM
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | I will add that I am just about to graduate college. I currently don't have a girlfriend or any other obligations. I feel like this time is short and I should be taking advantage of it, based off what I'm reading in these posts. Luckily I have done just that last summer and this summer.
I am sure there will come a time in my life where fishing slows down because of family/work/other priorities. For the time being I would love to ride this train out and fish as much as I can. There is something about being on the water and away from traffic while watching the sun go down that never gets old. I think I might have been close to spending the same amount of time on the water as land the past 4 months. I am sure many of you guys were in my shoes at one point in your life.
Still for me I will always have at least one setup with a couple lures to allow me to go on the hunt when the time arises.
Thanks again for all your comments. I really do enjoy reading every single one of them. |
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Posts: 20260
Location: oswego, il | Lots of great points being made, Sled and Nelson nailed it. Fish smart, strike when the irons are hot. For instance, I only know of one lake I would prespawn musky fish. My experience has shown ,as well as the success of others, waste of time. I don't musky fish for the sake of musky fishing anymore. That period of time, I salmon fish and do very well. I musky fish when and where I know they are going. Not throwing money down an empty well. I am sure fisherman give it up because they are not fishing smart. Having other successful means of fishing based on those same principles, bridges those gaps nicely. I have an early season lake I fish for blue cats.and a warm water period where I fish a lake for whatever is in it 11 different species at my disposal and you never know which one will bit next.
I still buy musky baits. I buy smarter now, based on the thinking it is a better mouse trap or fills a void, a tactic I can incorporate in the future. I don't buy the new hype lure, bait of the stars or the makes me cool bait unless it fits that criteria.
Edited by ToddM 10/8/2015 10:35 AM
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Location: Contrarian Island | good points.. I use to get all geeked up to do spring trips in March/April as well to Indiana, Iowa, even Missouri but realized those trips, while they may have been an adventure, cost quite a bit of time and money...and the # of fish in the net were not very good... fishing smarter now I go to lakes when the odds of them being 'on' are good...ie, don't book a trip to Eagle the week it usually turns over! But you are in your early 20s so I would say fish as much as you can now, hone your skills as that will pay off later when your time is more limited... Enjoy the sport, and the friendships you gain from it... |
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| Musky952 - 10/8/2015 8:55 AM
I will add that I am just about to graduate college. I currently don't have a girlfriend or any other obligations. I feel like this time is short and I should be taking advantage of it, based off what I'm reading in these posts. Luckily I have done just that last summer and this summer.
I am sure there will come a time in my life where fishing slows down because of family/work/other priorities. For the time being I would love to ride this train out and fish as much as I can. There is something about being on the water and away from traffic while watching the sun go down that never gets old. I think I might have been close to spending the same amount of time on the water as land the past 4 months. I am sure many of you guys were in my shoes at one point in your life.
Still for me I will always have at least one setup with a couple lures to allow me to go on the hunt when the time arises.
Thanks again for all your comments. I really do enjoy reading every single one of them.
Glad to read/hear you have your feet firmly grounded to reality and don't have your head not in the clouds. Yes...enjoy this period of your life, while you can. Milk it for all it's worth. As you're quickly finding out by reading this thread, there are many, many different factors that could possibly change your time muskie fishing for you, whether you chose to admit it or not when that time comes.
Bookmark this thread....save the bookmark somewhere...and come back to it in 10 years when you're 31 or 32....then check back in again 10 years after that...when you're 41 or 42...and chime in to let us know what life has presented to you and if/how it's changed things for you. Would be interesting to see.
We were all young once, footloose and fancy free, a head full of steam, seemingly resilient to anything and everything, we could burn those long hours on the lake, all nighters, for days in a row and keep on truckin'. My oh my what I'd give to have that energy level back to still be able to do that!
Who here starts to look forward to the head hitting the pillow each night at 10pm anymore these days?! Ha!
These past few years, I've found while out night fishing...a time that I cherished and loved for so many years, because that was my "me" time to be out on the water...wife and young kids were in bed and asleep...had the lakes to myself....but....nowadays...I find when I'm out there...I'm "outta gas." After having worked a 40-60 hour work week, keeping up with the kids and their sports schedules and the homework...by the end of the week: I'm spent. By the time we'd get to the lake on a weekend for some family time...when the nights would roll around and the wife and kids get to sleep...that's when I force myself out there...out of sheer principle...because "I'm supposed to be out there doing what I used to do." Well...I found out quickly...that...my head and my heart wasn't into it 100%. I wasn't giving it my all. My energy levels were far too low to be focused and my numbers fell off and I started to question whether it was safe for me to be out there doing that if I was on the verge of falling asleep and only out there out of "principle." Started to find my pillow a lot more at night and instead, fishing smarter...not harder. Doing as others have said....try to hit those peak majors and minors to the best of my ability...schedule permitting...
Edited by MACK 10/8/2015 11:04 AM
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| Jaultman...
"Acceptable" is probably about halfway in between the amount of time you would like to spend fishing and the amount of time your wife thinks you should be fishing. If the boat sits in the garage all season and doesn't move? That's not acceptable. If the house is a disaster you're broke and your wife has wanted to go on "real" vacation for 3-4 years and you're taking 3 trips a year and fishing every weekend, that's probably not acceptable either.
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Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Musky952 - 10/8/2015 8:55 AM
I will add that I am just about to graduate college. I currently don't have a girlfriend or any other obligations. I feel like this time is short and I should be taking advantage of it, based off what I'm reading in these posts. Luckily I have done just that last summer and this summer.
I am sure there will come a time in my life where fishing slows down because of family/work/other priorities. For the time being I would love to ride this train out and fish as much as I can. There is something about being on the water and away from traffic while watching the sun go down that never gets old. I think I might have been close to spending the same amount of time on the water as land the past 4 months. I am sure many of you guys were in my shoes at one point in your life.
Still for me I will always have at least one setup with a couple lures to allow me to go on the hunt when the time arises.
Thanks again for all your comments. I really do enjoy reading every single one of them.
you sound like me about 5-10 years ago....things change. ( wife, girlfriend, job, maturation)
There's plenty of "Uncle Rico's" out there in the Musky world who have nothing going for them in life other than dodging bill collectors, forming zero relationships, and not realizing there is more to life than holding up muskies. As someone said earlier, the key is balance. |
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Location: Metro | MACK thanks for the post. I really like the idea of bookmarking this post and coming back to it every 10 years. I have a very strong feeling that my fishing hours will change but hopefully the passion doesn't. I love this sport and everyone that is involved in it. Its amazing what I have learned in just two summers fishing by myself and using this forum to better educate myself. I didn't think there was much more to learn but you would be surprised.
I was in a relationship for 5.5 years and that took way more time than it should have (aka why I am now single) away from my fishing. I actually at one point realized that I was hardly fishing at all and loosing my memory of why I loved to fish so much. I was able to renew that passion for fishing and I am very thankful. I wish it was easier to show people why you like to fish so much and why it keeps you out there for hours and hours. What I came to the conclusion of is it's not just the musky that makes fishing so fun and exciting. It's the whole process, Packing the boat, launching the boat, seeing the wildlife, watching seasons change, looking at stars on dark nights, seeing huge bodies of water become glass with a sunset on perfect nights. That is what people don't get to see and its because it doesn't happen every time you go out on the water.
Something about the lake makes me feel at home. My goal in life is to try and show this to other people. |
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Location: Detroit River | My health is the only thing that will make me quit. Though this year I said if my buddy out-fishes me one more time that I'm giving up musky fishing & taking up bluegill fishing. |
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Location: MN | Musky Brian - 10/8/2015 11:23 AM
you sound like me about 5-10 years ago....things change. ( wife, girlfriend, job, maturation)
There's plenty of "Uncle Rico's" out there in the Musky world who have nothing going for them in life other than dodging bill collectors, forming zero relationships, and not realizing there is more to life than holding up muskies. As someone said earlier, the key is balance.
I still don't know how you could live where you were Brian as much as you love fishing Canada. I see you are moving at least a little closer to God's country. |
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Location: oswego, il | ZIB, where you live I would take a break for some awesome bass, walleye, perch, white bass and salmon fishing too. |
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| As i lay in bed watching the smurf movie with my 2 year old son thinking about taking my 14 year old daughter deer hunting in the youth hunt this weekend. Than leaving for Canada in 8 days with my dad for a 9 day trip on eagle lake all after a 69 hour work week last week. I have to agree that it all about balance. I have an amazing girlfriend that understands and tolerates what i do. I on the other hand make sure to keep her happy. Life is short. As mud puppy said time goes by fast. I caught one of the greatest muskies of my like with him. Was not the biggest but the first of a great bite that we still have going. So just keep everything balanced take it day by day and enjoy every minute of it. |
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| Musky952 - 10/8/2015 1:00 PM
MACK thanks for the post. I really like the idea of bookmarking this post and coming back to it every 10 years. I have a very strong feeling that my fishing hours will change but hopefully the passion doesn't. I love this sport and everyone that is involved in it. Its amazing what I have learned in just two summers fishing by myself and using this forum to better educate myself. I didn't think there was much more to learn but you would be surprised.
I was in a relationship for 5.5 years and that took way more time than it should have (aka why I am now single) away from my fishing. I actually at one point realized that I was hardly fishing at all and loosing my memory of why I loved to fish so much. I was able to renew that passion for fishing and I am very thankful. I wish it was easier to show people why you like to fish so much and why it keeps you out there for hours and hours. What I came to the conclusion of is it's not just the musky that makes fishing so fun and exciting. It's the whole process, Packing the boat, launching the boat, seeing the wildlife, watching seasons change, looking at stars on dark nights, seeing huge bodies of water become glass with a sunset on perfect nights. That is what people don't get to see and its because it doesn't happen every time you go out on the water.
Something about the lake makes me feel at home. My goal in life is to try and show this to other people.
Sounds as if you and I come from the same mold. I'm not always concerned about catching fish. Catching fish is an added bonus. I'm out there these days...more for the time away from the stresses of daily life, work, the city, the traffic, to take in the peace and the quiet and just being out on the water: to relax.
We may grow older, we may have life stepping in the way from time to time, taking some of our time on the water away from us...but....the passion still remains strong. We all find ways to stay connected to the hobby/sport to pass the time.
I'm hoping that my kids take an interest in the hobby/sort of muskie fishing to give me a new boat partner or two. I've already been able to get my son his first at the age of 7. Still working on getting my daughter one. I contracted this sickness 35 years ago..will be interesting to see how long I'm still able to hang in there. I'm not old by any stretch of the imagination, but no spring chicken anymore these days either. I brutally beat my body pretty good back when I was a young adolecent and throughout my teenage years and into my early 20s with the BMX/Frestyle biking and the competition downhill skiing....and....now....my body is quickly reminding me of the abuse that I put myself through back in those days. It's creeping back up to haunt me. Much too young to feel this dang old. (yes...I know that a used, trite, cliched saying...but...very truthful). However, I'm always still looking forward to time on the water, either with the kids, with the friends, with my cousin and uncle or...solo.
Just know, there's no, one set of hard, fast reasons why anyone would quit doing anything that they once loved. Times change, people change, life happens...lots of variables....
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Location: Detroit River | ToddM - 10/8/2015 6:28 PM ZIB, where you live I would take a break for some awesome bass, walleye, perch, white bass and salmon fishing too. I haven't even caught a walleye this year. Back in April during the walleye run I waited over an hour & a half just to launch my boat on the Detroit River then once I got out there & had my drift caught off every 5 minutes I finished my drift & went home. That same week the DNR announced that bass would be open to C & R all year so that's what I fished for until musky opened. |
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| Zib - 10/8/2015 11:05 PM
I haven't even caught a walleye this year. Back in April during the walleye run I waited over an hour & a half just to launch my boat on the Detroit River then once I got out there & had my drift caught off every 5 minutes I finished my drift & went home.
That doesn't sound fun....at....all. That's not enjoyable or relaxing. Sounds stressful.
I've been in those situations in the years past on my "home" lakes when the fishing was hot and the amount of boat traffic and fishing pressure was so thick that boats would be congregated in a small, densely packed area, to the point where boats were nearly on top of each other, less than a full cast length away, to the point where you could hear every single conversation going on every single boat and that's when it just became a full-on testosterone chest-thumping match to fight for the space on the water.
Forget that crap! That's when I up and move. I don't need that. That's not fun. That's not relaxing. There's no fish worth fishing for or knocking boats together or snagging someone else's lure with your lure on each angler's retrieve. It's happened. Screw that! THAT's the part of this muskie hobby/sport I DO NOT miss one bit. Those are the situations that bring the worst out in people. I've had some First Class IDIOTS that have done some down right, inexcuseable, arrogant, selfish, self-centered, rude, inconsiderate, disrespectful, stupid things with their boat control, pushing their way into a spot on the water that's already occupied by one or more boats, because they "thought" they "owned the water" and "thought" they were better than anyone else on the water due to them supposedly having a new, bigger, higher-end boat with a bigger motor with the longest fishing poles on the lake. Overcompensation for other things in life? Maybe. I dunno. Topic of a different "winternet" discussion altogether. I leave it at that.
Once I start to see those scenarios building on a spot on any lake I'm fishing...I'm the first to move out of there. Don't need that crap. I already live and work in an overly populated city each and every day...I don't need that same situation when I'm out on the lakes trying to get away from the mass populations of people. Lots of water out there, lots of fish in other spots on the lake. Give me the peace, quiet, and serenity in an area on the water in a spot all by myself...
Edited by MACK 10/9/2015 8:26 AM
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| What makes a guy quit?
Kinda easy. The juice is no longer worth the squeeze.
Musky fishing is hard. It isn't for everyone. And when you lose the passion, why do it anymore? It tires your arms, back and legs. The older you get the longer those aches stay with you.
Then add in marriage, kids...etc and time becomes and issue.
All of that leads to giving it up. IMO. |
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Location: Money, PA | Why wouldn't you fish for anything else? The biggest draw to muskie fishing for me has been a couple things. 1 - The challenge of catching fish that just are not that plentiful since thats the way nature has made it. 2 - The desire to catch that fish of a lifetime.
I believe anyone who has the patience to fish for muskies and are actually good at it, will be good at fishing for just about any other species of fish. In my lifetime, I have targeted just about every freshwater species of fish and some saltwater species; I believe for one to truly appreciate muskie fishing for what it is, one needs to fish for others...To me, muskies are probably pretty close to the bottom in regards to the fight, but near the top in regards to the initial STRIKE!
What would make a guy quit? Fishing in the ocean perhaps, lack of patience or confidence, catching other fish which are far easier or more plentiful, the expense....who knows |
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Location: North Central IL USA | Reef Hawg - 10/8/2015 3:28 AM
gregk9 - 10/7/2015 6:22 PM
I'll never be selling all my Musky gear!!!
My wife will.....when I'm dead!
And you'll be rolling in the grave as she offloads it for what you always told her you paid for it...
There's gonna be some REAl good deals at my wife's garage sale after I put on the wooden overcoat!!!! |
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| gregk9 - 10/9/2015 10:13 AM
Reef Hawg - 10/8/2015 3:28 AM
gregk9 - 10/7/2015 6:22 PM
I'll never be selling all my Musky gear!!!
My wife will.....when I'm dead!
And you'll be rolling in the grave as she offloads it for what you always told her you paid for it...
There's gonna be some REAl good deals at my wife's garage sale after I put on the wooden overcoat!!!!
Just sit there for a minute....and imagine the possible fact that a lot of those widows probably wouldn't/won't/don't even bother to take the time to sell any of it at any kind of yard/garage sale and instead just toss it in a dumpster and off to the landfill it all goes....
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Location: varies | Only thing better than getting a headlock at a garage sale for a quarter, is haggling and getting it for 20 cents. |
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Location: Minnetonka | Life changes. |
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| So what you are saying is...the fact that my wife wants to start attempting to have a family is going to limit my fishing time? How well do you guys think it would go over if I said "more fishing time" as my reason now to start one? My guess...not well. haha |
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| you can always get a vascectomy and keep it secret. Then when u go to the fertility doc and your sperm counts come back low you can use depression from not feeling like a man as an excuse to fish more. |
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| Having a kid might limit the time a bit, it's all relative to the wife you picked though.
If before a child, you have a hard time getting permission from the wife to go, then you can sell the gear the day the kid is born. I've seen it enough with enough guys.
If you get out a lot before the child, then you probably have a wife who understands that you need your time on the water. Then, you start taking the kid along as the kid gets older. You might sacrifice some potential musky time for bluegills, but you'll learn it's worth it. Some outings will get cut short b/c the kid doesn't want to go any longer, but again, you'll learn it's worth it.
I picked the right wife, and my time on the water shows it. I have some buddies who didn't necessarily pick the right wife, and their time on the water is either drastically down or non-existent. Pick wisely young men. I cleared everything on how this would all go months before I even proposed. We went over it again before deciding to have a kid. When both parties are on board, it's a breeze to have a family and spend a lot of time on the water. |
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| Lumpy - 10/9/2015 1:14 PM
Having a kid might limit the time a bit, it's all relative to the wife you picked though.
If before a child, you have a hard time getting permission from the wife to go, then you can sell the gear the day the kid is born. I've seen it enough with enough guys.
If you get out a lot before the child, then you probably have a wife who understands that you need your time on the water. Then, you start taking the kid along as the kid gets older. You might sacrifice some potential musky time for bluegills, but you'll learn it's worth it. Some outings will get cut short b/c the kid doesn't want to go any longer, but again, you'll learn it's worth it.
I picked the right wife, and my time on the water shows it. I have some buddies who didn't necessarily pick the right wife, and their time on the water is either drastically down or non-existent. Pick wisely young men. I cleared everything on how this would all go months before I even proposed. We went over it again before deciding to have a kid. When both parties are on board, it's a breeze to have a family and spend a lot of time on the water.
This is exactly right. My boys are young and my time is shrinking, but my wife is becoming interested in fishing as she sees the value of relaxing on the water. As my boys get older my time will rebound and then it will be time with my family which is even better. |
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| Good marriage therapy on this thread.
I've always assumed that every post I have ever read was from a man. Are there any women posting on here? |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | Lumpy - 10/9/2015 1:14 PM
If before a child, you have a hard time getting permission from the wife to go, then you can sell the gear the day the kid is born. I've seen it enough with enough guys.
Poor is the man whose pleasures depends on the permission of another. |
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Location: Tennessee | One thing I've saw is drama being a big killjoy in muskie. Not everyone wants to butt heads and constantly fight and argue with people but it happens all too often. It's so frustrating at times when you just want to go and have a good time and not worry about other things besides catching a fish. one person wants you to hate this person because they do and expect sides to be chosen and vice versa. I see alot of where guys seem to think because they are fishing for an apex predator that they have to personify the behavior of this apex predator in human form and trample over everyone else and maintain the highest standard of arrogance. You do see this eventually in all species of fishing but it seems to be much more heavily pronounced in the muskie circle based off my firsthand. |
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Location: MN | Wood_Duck - 10/10/2015 9:21 AM
One thing I've saw is drama being a big killjoy in muskie. Not everyone wants to butt heads and constantly fight and argue with people but it happens all too often. It's so frustrating at times when you just want to go and have a good time and not worry about other things besides catching a fish. one person wants you to hate this person because they do and expect sides to be chosen and vice versa. I see alot of where guys seem to think because they are fishing for an apex predator that they have to personify the behavior of this apex predator in human form and trample over everyone else and maintain the highest standard of arrogance. You do see this eventually in all species of fishing but it seems to be much more heavily pronounced in the muskie circle based off my firsthand.
What kind of people do you hang out with? Wow |
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Location: West Central WI | Stay connected and fish with more than one partner. Join Muskies, Inc if you haven't done so already. Talk to others. I had a close call with quitting one year when I was fishing the same lake day after day. After weeks of not seeing a fish I was so burned out, I didn't fish for three weeks during a prime time of the year and went into a funk. I called a friend and long-time muskie fisherman to ask him what to do to get me back in the game. He said, "Two words. New water." I went to a different lake and the change was wonderful. It got me out of my funk even though I didn't catch a muskie. Now, when I'm having a bad streak, I grab a friend and head to a new lake or one I haven't been to in a long time. It totally resets the mind.
You'll work through it if you decide to do something about that day if it ever comes. It's a sad day when someone quits other than for health reasons. The friend I mentioned above did end up having health problems, but I drug him along on some of those trips and he thoroughly loved just being out and watching me fish. It's more about getting out and finding partners who enjoy not only the fishing, but the beauty of nature.
I wish you a long and wonderful muskie fishing life.
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Location: Illinois | I don't even know where to start with this thread! As sad as I am for some of you guys that decided to get married and have a family, which in turn lessened your hours on the water, .......wasn't that the deal? Marriage is based off of compromise, and that compromise is increased 10fold when kids are brought into the picture. I sacrifice my time and anything else I have to for the good of the group. What I don't give up or compromise is what makes "Me" me, the person my wife married. I still do all the things I love, maybe not as much as I used to, but that's my choice. My family is priority number 1, and then everything else falls into line. I fish for muskies or really any other species for that matter without my wife and kids once or maybe twice a year. I coach wrestling, hunt, lift,....and that hasn't changed from the first kid to the fourth. My wife doesn't necessarily like wrestling or hunting, and she could care less about fishing, but she knows I do, so we make it work.
I fished for muskies for 3 days this year, and prepared for 362 days to do so. I didn't catch anything. There was a moment when I forgot about having another opportunity to fish with my dad and brothers, and I started to feel sorry for myself. I don't own a boat(yet), and I don't live close to a good musky lake as far as I know. It only took seeing one +50" fish gingerly swim up to the top of the water next to the boat on eagle 4 years ago. It appeared more interested in eyeballing me, and giving me the fin, than the lure I was retrieving. I don't know how long that knee knocking moment will keep me fired up about that short window of hope I have once a year, but Im planning on it taking me through the next 50 years!
Quitting is easy. Embrace the grind and find a way! |
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| If your wife respects who you are and what you're about, and you give her the same respect, fishing shouldn't be over for you. I'd be out today if not for 3 yards of dirt and a garage full of boxes to unpack. But then Samantha would be parking in the garage if not for the new (to me) Ranger in the way, so it all works out in the end. I am just lucky that she loves to fish. I know we'll have to spend some days fishing for bass and walleyes and panfish over muskies, but they aren't going anywhere. And watching her get all excited about catching a fish reminds me that I shoudln't be scoffing at a 38"er like I sometimes do. Balance. |
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Location: Tennessee | Propster - 10/10/2015 10:23 AM
Wood_Duck - 10/10/2015 9:21 AM
One thing I've saw is drama being a big killjoy in muskie. Not everyone wants to butt heads and constantly fight and argue with people but it happens all too often. It's so frustrating at times when you just want to go and have a good time and not worry about other things besides catching a fish. one person wants you to hate this person because they do and expect sides to be chosen and vice versa. I see alot of where guys seem to think because they are fishing for an apex predator that they have to personify the behavior of this apex predator in human form and trample over everyone else and maintain the highest standard of arrogance. You do see this eventually in all species of fishing but it seems to be much more heavily pronounced in the muskie circle based off my firsthand.
What kind of people do you hang out with? Wow
you dont even want to know lol. welcome to muskie fishing in the south |
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| 3 Days on the water without seeing a fish is making me want to quit. JK I hate these dang fish right now though. |
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| I spent last weekend without seeing one. I quit. Til next time. |
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| Haha same here cant wait to get back out for another chance! Its amazing how just seeing a fish after a bad few trips can turn things around. |
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| I have quit for one main reason and a couple of others. I can't go fishing by myself anymore because it's physically impossible. I couldn't even load the boat any more. I'm retired and should be fishing my butt off, but I have a daughter in college who requires funding and I no longer have a boat. My phone never rings with invitations to go fishing, but even if it did, I'd have to turn most down because of living on a fixed income. So, I'm hoping to buy another boat in a couple of years, but I think my target species will change from muskies back to riverine species that live in The Mississippi River...ie: bass, walleyes, pike and panfish....all in trophy size. I hope to get out every September, my favorite time of years to fish for muskies, and again in the fall. The days of me being a muskie fisherman exclusively are over. |
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| dfkiii - 10/9/2015 5:21 PM
Poor is the man whose pleasures depends on the permission of another.
That is a quote to live by. And she sure sounded good when she sang it...
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Location: Lake St.Clair | Ice |
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Location: NW WI | * My oldest son is gone and the two remaining boys have zero interest in fishing. I will not force it on them.
* Wife doesn't fish.
* Don't like fishing alone.
* Less disposable income so no boat just sitting in the driveway getting used 2X per year.
* Too many hours on the water without even seeing a fish.....fishing got harder thru the years for me...not easier.
* Lastly (if I think longer I'll come up with more reasons) I guess I'm just a dick because several people that have taken me out I've never hear from again despite my attempts...and no I'm not cheap. Hard to admit this in oublic but it is what it is I guess. |
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| Make that 4 times out and not seeing a fish. Back at it again tomorrow. |
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| Age is a factor I would think
Family related activities another
But I think SLED nailed it pretty well---there are so many other outdoor opportunities for fishing and other things. I have also switched from just Musky fishing for 20 years to enjoying many other fishing opportunities.. I find fishing much more pleasurable now--year round --Ice and open water. I still get my musky fix by spending time chasing them occasionally-----but really love my walleye-smallmouth--and Crappie outings even more.. I also will chase some great lakes Salmon ever year.
Musky are nice----but I have found they are by far--Not the only enjoyable fishing available....
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What Makes Guys Quit?