|
|
Posts: 116
| Musky fishing interest peaked over ten years ago in Aug 2004 according to Google trends.
https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=musky%20fishing
Compare to Pfefferspray trends
https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=pfefferspray
I for one am happy to have less Musky fishermen around but I am not in the industry. Also Google trends is a crude tool to interest.
Thoughts? |
|
| |
|
| I've seen a steady increase in the metro year after year. As a whole, perhaps a decline? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1209
| I believe to see an increase in ND/MN |
|
| |
|
Posts: 859
Location: MN | Mn seams busy. When I go back to northern WI I get annoyed when I see someone else. Most of the time I don't see any other Muskie guys. |
|
| |
|
| That's really just the trends in the number of Google searches for the term "musky fishing" over time, and has no real tie to how many musky anglers there are from year to year. You get different results if you look for the trends for "muskie fishing". |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1901
Location: MN | curdmudgeon - 1/21/2016 8:20 AM
I for one am happy to have less Musky fishermen around but I am not in the industry. Also Google trends is a crude tool to interest.
Thoughts?
That's a two-edged sword really. I am not in the industry either, but there is no question that without the popularity and increased participation, none of us would enjoy quite the improvements and offerings that have been made in equipment, let alone the increased stocking, and the voice that comes from numbers when it comes time to fight for something for our sport. On a selfish note sure I'd rather have the lake all to myself, but at what cost? |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | Musky fishing vs. "pfefferspray" ?
I'm not sure you chose an appropriate topic of comparison to support your point unless we can expect a large influx of muskies immigrating to North America and harassing the female population at New Years celebrations.
One interesting point though is that the intra-year trend peaks for the topic "musky fishing" occur during the summer. I would have expected the peaks to be in the middle of full blown winternet. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | Musky fishing in decline? I wish!If that were the case I wouldn't see more musky boats out every time I fish LSC. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1000
| I can honestly say that the only reason why i don't see any more musky anglers on the metro lakes i fish than previous years is because the boat launch is completely full. If everyone who did this somewhat seriously got involved in muskies inc, we'd be able to double the stocking effort in MN. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 20192
Location: oswego, il | Fisherman follow hot bites, even though it may be in decline more of them will flock to places like lsc and MN lakes that are producing and producing big fish. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | ToddM - 1/21/2016 2:19 PM Fisherman follow hot bites, even though it may be in decline more of them will flock to places like lsc and MN lakes that are producing and producing big fish. LSC just doesn't have the out-state guys crowding spots, there's a LOT more local guys getting into musky that didn't fish for them 2 or 3 years ago. Some of the local fishing sites have a good dozen or more guys every year ask about getting into musky fishing. Hell there's a couple on new guys guiding musky on LSC that didn't fish for them 3 years ago. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 400
Location: Metro | I would say there is going to be an increase in the metro area. People of my age that are into fishing like going for the biggest and baddest fish out there. But that is just my honest opinion. I would hope that google is wrong. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1023
| Edit
Edited by Landry 1/21/2016 3:47 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 58
Location: South Elgin | All it takes is observing the ages of the people walking the aisles at any given Fishing Show. Spent the better part of two days at the Chicago Musky Show and four days at the All Canada Show this past weekend and I can with great certainty say that the average age of show goers is 50+.
I'm not in the business of predicting, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if fishing trade shows will be non-existent in 20 years from now. I've watched fishing magazines go from 125 pages to 70. I would happily be wrong, but I don't see the interest from enough younger people to keep a lot of the industry afloat. Musky anglers are dying faster than they are replaced...hot bites will always skew the perception. Sure bass fishing will always be because its still a staple of the south, but us northerners are just not passing the torch as our fathers and grandfathers had.
My opinion. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1023
| I agree. Hot bites concentrate people.
I do believe fishing is on the decline. But population growth may negate this |
|
| |
|
Posts: 239
Location: Madison, WI | J_mich - 1/21/2016 3:44 PM
All it takes is observing the ages of the people walking the aisles at any given Fishing Show. Spent the better part of two days at the Chicago Musky Show and four days at the All Canada Show this past weekend and I can with great certainty say that the average age of show goers is 50+.
I'm not in the business of predicting, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if fishing trade shows will be non-existent in 20 years from now. I've watched fishing magazines go from 125 pages to 70. I would happily be wrong, but I don't see the interest from enough younger people to keep a lot of the industry afloat. Musky anglers are dying faster than they are replaced...hot bites will always skew the perception. Sure bass fishing will always be because its still a staple of the south, but us northerners are just not passing the torch as our fathers and grandfathers had.
My opinion.
As a 24 year old in the sport i've wondered this as well. Even at muskie inc meetings I don't often see guys my age. i wish i had a few muskie buddies my age but I sure love fishing with you old fogies that have 10-20-30 years of experience. Lots to learn from you all! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 239
Location: Madison, WI | _
Edited by johnsonaaro2 1/21/2016 4:03 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 8746
| When I joined M.I. I noticed the same thing - I was one of the youngest guys in the room at our club meetings. Now after many years, there are a few guys popping up who are younger, but by and large most of the crowd is still older than me.
It's the same at the shows. Unless you grew up fishing, it's not something a normal kid would want to get into these days. Unless you can do it on your phone... |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | Zib - 1/21/2016 12:57 PM
Musky fishing in decline? I wish!If that were the case I wouldn't see more musky boats out every time I fish LSC.
That's because the host of the fishing show named the lake.  |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Chemi - 1/21/2016 9:57 AM
That's really just the trends in the number of Google searches for the term "musky fishing" over time, and has no real tie to how many musky anglers there are from year to year. You get different results if you look for the trends for "muskie fishing".
Bingo. |
|
| |
|
| I only went to one show last year, in Wausau, but I thought that had a pretty good mix of ages. The lake I live on is a Class A musky lake and I see a pretty good number of 20 and 30 somethings fishing for musky. Same thing when I volunteer at the boat landing, a mix of ages of those putting in and going out for muskies. One thing that might reduce the number of younger anglers at weekend shows is how many dads are hauling kids to sporting events on the weekends. By the time you are in your fifties, that has pretty well been there/done that. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1220
| I don't think the number of pages in a fishing magazine down by a third means a thing about the sport. All print publications are down, whether it's Playboy or your daily newspaper. In our case, we still have one great musky mag, but we used to have two. People are just carrying their reading material around on a little machine in their pocket. Some get their news right here on M1, (if Steve is out yanking crappies instead of posts ??)
I think the sport is growing, it's just skewed because the recession took down everything like a low tide. I've been fishing salt water for a month and there's plenty here to fight like the dickens on the end of the line, but back home in the musky range there is simply nothing like our fish. Naturally, without proper management and stocking investment we will fish ourselves out of a species. But, if we don't let it get mishandled...it'll grow plenty! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Muskie angling is one of the segments still growing. Crappies too. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 861
Location: NE Ohio | NOT IN OHIO |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1529
| I feel its just regional shifts. Canada with the lower dollar will have many more guest coming this year. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 18
| More and fancier boats at the angle every year |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1220
| If you pull up to launch at Young's Bay early enough on a Saturday morning in July (before the previous week's guys are leaving) you can drive around the biggest parking lot I know of and have trouble finding a spot to park your rig. This year, with gas a third of what it was, I expect LOTW, LSC and my favorite tournaments to explode. I predict this same thread next winter is going to be guys who say they're quitting because it's just too darn crowded out there. I've got this all figured out, when I finally win a big tournament, I'm gonna be the first one to actually get the maximum payout that's on the posters with the dreaded asterix and the words, "with a full field." I watched the Thrilla-in-Mannila and I'm going to rope-a-dope them guys and they'll never see it coming. |
|
| |
|
Location: MN | sworrall - 1/22/2016 1:12 AM
Muskie angling is one of the segments still growing.
This is what I've heard and it sure seems like it, in MN anyway.
It's a pain having the pressure at certain times or on certain lakes but we wouldn't have as much support from our DNR if our numbers were shrinking. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 66
| That's why I prefer fishing Wisconsin -- not because I think it's gonna produce a world record but because there are so many lakes to choose from. As great a fishery as Minnesota may be, there just aren't that many options and therefore every musky lake is busy. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | dfkiii - 1/21/2016 5:51 PM Zib - 1/21/2016 12:57 PM Musky fishing in decline? I wish!If that were the case I wouldn't see more musky boats out every time I fish LSC.
That's because the host of the fishing show named the lake. ;- ) Which show? I know of at least 8 different fishing shows that filmed musky segments on LSC all within the last 5 years. I remember when Musky Hunter did one of their first shows on LSC, Mike Hulbert fished with Jim & they never mentioned the name of the lake. Bass Pro Shops also shot there before the Next Bite was on the air. Pete Mania & Keith K. shot a show on LSC & I don't remember them naming the lake. I think some of these shows purposely exposed LSC to either help relieve some of the pressure on other lakes or to just help sell their sponsor's baits (I vote for the later). |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Zib - 1/22/2016 7:14 PM
dfkiii - 1/21/2016 5:51 PM Zib - 1/21/2016 12:57 PM Musky fishing in decline? I wish!If that were the case I wouldn't see more musky boats out every time I fish LSC.
That's because the host of the fishing show named the lake. ;- ) Which show? I know of at least 8 different fishing shows that filmed musky segments on LSC all within the last 5 years. I remember when Musky Hunter did one of their first shows on LSC, Mike Hulbert fished with Jim & they never mentioned the name of the lake. Bass Pro Shops also shot there before the Next Bite was on the air. Pete Mania & Keith K. shot a show on LSC & I don't remember them naming the lake. I think some of these shows purposely exposed LSC to either help relieve some of the pressure on other lakes or to just help sell their sponsor's baits (I vote for the later).
Woooosh.
(The sound of that joke going over your head)
Also, isn't the goal of most shows to sell sponsor's stuff? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2024
| Basementspeak should be a term here...
I must get the director's cut of these same shows Zib... |
|
| |
|
Posts: 265
| Howdy,
Not only that, but the number of them that have the same shots on the same spot is maddening.
I love catching muskies, BUT, if it means being surrounded by other fisherman I'll pass. As much as I hate to say it, there seems to be a direct correlation between an increase in muskie fisherman and an increase in unpleasant encounters on and off the water. Arrogant, paranoid, rude, unfriendly, entitled and inconsiderate all come to mind. Obviously that does not describe the vast majority of them but, even in moderation it can seem like a heavy dose.
Speaking solely for myself, catching a lot of fish suddenly becomes less fun when you have a navigate a sea of headaches to do it (your mileage may vary). It actually makes me avoid the hot bite and focus on waters with a lot less people and, at times, less fish but more solitude and a lot less hassle.
Take care,
Ruddiger |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1023
| I have noticed an increase in the number of annoying Muskie anglers but overall most are really good guys.
As I approach 50 I have forced myself to ignore the negatives and focus on the positives in life cause overall I have it pretty good - family, life and Muskie-wise. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 58
| Good!!!!!! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Pressure has increased on most waters I fish. While I have followed hot bites all over WI/MN/Canada for the past 20 years, the local stuff is getting fished harder than it did in the early 90's as well. Does that mean the sport is growing? Can't answer that. I don't think one can use whati alone see, Musky show attendance, interest polls or lure sector sales as a barometer of interest. I rarely go to Musky shows anymore unless working for a vendor friend, and feel more connected to the Musky world than I ever have been. There was a time that I went to shows to find and purchase the newest tools of the trade. While still likely the best place to find deals and items not available at stores, nearly every one of those tools is available with the click of a mouse now. I definitely agree that fewer fathers/grandfathers are passing down the up north/musky fishing experience to their children, which is unfortunate. However, based on population growth and other media outlets, I'd argue that the numbers could be growing overall.
One tidbit: For the past 19 years, I've operated a Musky club(Consolidated Musky Club Inc.) that began in 1980 to resurrect a population of fish that was eliminated industrially a hundred years ago. Recently, we've had difficulty gaining younger members, largely because they have a different approach to connect socially in the Musky community. More younger guys seem to be starting leagues, tourney trails, social gatherings on their own, and that is their way of connecting. Some of these leagues and tournaments are donating good $$ back to clubs like the one I operate, which we turn directly into stocked fish each year. Personally/selfishly, I'd like to see the growth taper off or decline. From a business/stocking/fishery/voice for the health of sport mindset, I think we're in the peak of the good times right now. |
|
| |
|
Location: Contrarian Island | good points Jason... having spent a lot of time fishing locally, MN, and Canada as well as other destinations I think pressure ebbs and flows w the hot bite... look at Mille Lacs or Vemilion in their hay days compared to now... having fished MN quite a bit since about 2005....I personally think the pressure has gone down by traveling fishermen the last few yrs...why? LSC and GB taking off...those 2 bodies of water are attracting a lot more guys to head there than MN ...fine by me. I do see more local fishermen in MN than before, just like in Madison where I fish a lot, I see new guys every year...the pressure is nuts here... I don't see it slowing down...
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 20192
Location: oswego, il | Lake Webster still produces fish but I have seen the launch completely empty on a prime weekend when in the day it was full by first light. |
|
| |
|
![](<a href="http://flmnetwork.com/content/generators/skinny-sig-generator/">")
Posts: 485
Location: On my favorite lake! |
Muskie fishing may be in a slight decline. I think people are just too busy and many don't have the money to do it. A new 18-20ft boat, many are some big dollars. There are also so many choices for hobbies. I am still fishing but all the extra stuff I have been skipping ,just to much going on. The Muskie show the last 3 years I skipped while being 30 minute ride from it in Chicago. I quit Muskies inc. I can't attend the meetings most months because of work. I have a friend that loves fishing but has no interest in Muskie. He fishes bass and bass is a lot more sexy of a sport. Tons of big $$ tournaments. Tv shows galore.
Right now my priority is that i am teaching my son to fish but he's a 3 yr old so we are fishing panfish and bass because he wants to see a fish. so far he loves it. Hopefully a future Muskie angler. Maybe mhe'll have more open water to himself if it's in a decline. I am guessing he'll see less fishermen but more pleasure boaters and jetskiers. There seem to be more of those every year. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Muskie fishing is not in anything near a decline. Folks we work with who have pretty powerful marketing departments keep careful track, and muskie, crappie, and catfish are growing. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 470
| ToddM - 1/27/2016 12:32 PM
Lake Webster still produces fish but I have seen the launch completely empty on a prime weekend when in the day it was full by first light.
No fish in Webster anymore Todd....
Wink Wink |
|
| |
|
Posts: 390
| Although irrelevant I have Found your issue with the google search, it is the "fishing" part that is in decline.
I fish Green Bay almost exclusively and since I began fishing muskies there, almost 15 years now there has been a huge increase in number. There are multiple boat launches that didn't even exist when I started now they are full on opening day/throughout fall. I guess this speaks for the success for the fishery, certainly not the ambiance.
Edited by bbeaupre 2/1/2016 1:07 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Eastern Ontario | I've noticed over the 35 years I have fished one small lake you see people come and fish very frequently at least 3 times a week for about 2 years and then seem to vanish.
I'm guessing some don't achieve the success they desire and give up
Some achieve some degree of success and move on to golf or other things
Some achieve some degree of success and move on to bigger water
Some achieve some degree of success and get married and have young families that occupy their time
Over the years the lake has gotten busier and busier with no shortage of replacements for the ones that leave.
Today the equipment and information is so much more readily available than when I started . I think the learning curve is now much shorter and I definitely don't think musky fishing is in decline at least (unfortunately for selfish old me) where I live. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 306
| I think it peaked shortly after the invention of the Double Cowgirl!
There are two types of musky fisherman: Those that do it year after year, and those that do it because it looked like fun in a magazine article or TV show, or someone convinced them to try it. Most of the latter type don't stick with it, thankfully.
There probably is a decline since 2004, but we are still adjusting to the massive influx of fisherman over the last 10 years due to the commercialization and exploitation of it, so it would be hard to tell.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 251
| I believe what Steve says about this topic. If the marketers are saying it is increasing they are probably not far off. I only got into musky about 4 years ago and I am not stopping anytime soon. I wouldn't mind if it slows down a bit more on my waters though. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Booch - 2/2/2016 1:38 PM
I think it peaked shortly after the invention of the Double Cowgirl!
There are two types of musky fisherman: Those that do it year after year, and those that do it because it looked like fun in a magazine article or TV show, or someone convinced them to try it. Most of the latter type don't stick with it, thankfully.
There probably is a decline since 2004, but we are still adjusting to the massive influx of fisherman over the last 10 years due to the commercialization and exploitation of it, so it would be hard to tell.
No, there is not, actually. Growth over the last two decades, and targeted by many manufacturer's marketing folks as a result. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | How many absolute unique visitors do you think MuskieFIRST acquired in 2015? |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | sworrall - 2/2/2016 6:24 PM
How many absolute unique visitors do you think MuskieFIRST acquired in 2015?
Out of curiosity, how is a "unique visitor" determined ? If I were to visit from home and then again from work as a guest with two different IP addresses, would it be counted as two visitors ? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | No. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1660
Location: central Wisconsin | How many? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 140
Location: Northern Illinois | Living in Illinois....forced to fish mostly the Fox Chain. Very busy out there
& seems to me almost every fishing boat is throwing for ski's. Seems like
more every year as well. Don't think it's in decline at all. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1985
| Decline since 2004? ..I can guarantee the number of muskie angler's in Iowa has more than tripled in Iowa since 2004. Heck I've introduced dozen's  |
|
| |
|
Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | sworrall - 2/2/2016 6:24 PM
How many absolute unique visitors do you think MuskieFIRST acquired in 2015?
I'm gonna guess 500,000.
Probably a lot more if you counted the guys with multiple personalities. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1220
| As a wierdo who fished a dozen (or more) tournaments a year and hasn't won one since 2008, (ouch!) I clearly must not mind fishing in a crowd. It's still fun, I still catch fish, I'm still learning, I'm still making friends, and I'm old enough so you think I'm probably not cutting off your drift on purpose. I know where I can fish (and when) if I really want some water to myself...and so do you all. Life is short: go where you want and do what you want. I'm always with a bunch of boats and I'm fine....I think the musky life (as I practice it) is great. Turn the TV off, get off the net, get a divorce if you need to, but find a way to be happy with what you have...and don't let anybody tell you golf is relaxing--been there--done that--have the tee shirt. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Close enough for these purposes. Multiple personalities are filtered out, they tend to use the came computers and telephones as their alter ego.Our growth continues at the same ratios it has been for a decade. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Golf is maddening. I can hit a ball a mile, but it goes where it wants. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | Golf sucks if you suck at it and is really relaxing if you can advance the ball consistently ... this is relative ... based on living on a course that is beautiful and other than a couple days a week is pretty much wide open and accessible by driving the cart from the driveway. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I need lessons. And left handed clubs. And time. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | There comes an age where fishing trumps golf. Golf ages down while fishing can continue to improve. |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | sworrall - 2/3/2016 11:36 AM
Close enough for these purposes. Multiple personalities are filtered out, they tend to use the came computers and telephones as their alter ego.Our growth continues at the same ratios it has been for a decade.
So unique by MAC address/UUID ? Good strategy, but it can also underestimate the user base.
Interesting stuff. Amazing that the growth is at a steady pace over a ten year period. Were there any notable spikes in any of the years ? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | It's evident The Basement has grown in the past year and we've enjoyed a big increase in new visitors as of late. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32833
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | dfkiii - 2/3/2016 12:40 PM
sworrall - 2/3/2016 11:36 AM
Close enough for these purposes. Multiple personalities are filtered out, they tend to use the came computers and telephones as their alter ego.Our growth continues at the same ratios it has been for a decade.
So unique by MAC address/UUID ? Good strategy, but it can also underestimate the user base.
Interesting stuff. Amazing that the growth is at a steady pace over a ten year period. Were there any notable spikes in any of the years ?
No, a measure more sophisticated than that. There were notable spikes up, 2012 to date have been really impressive. Not a single down year. |
|
| |
musky fishing in secular decline