Poll How long have you been fishing for musky?
How long have you been fishing for musky?
OptionResults
New to the sport0 Votes - [0%]
1 to 3 years32 Votes - [15.38%]
4 to 6 years45 Votes - [21.63%]
7 to 10 years24 Votes - [11.54%]
11 years and over63 Votes - [30.29%]
25 Years +38 Votes - [18.27%]
40 plus4 Votes - [1.92%]
50+2 Votes - [0.96%]
Add your own option:

Doug Bradley
Posted 2/23/2007 1:56 AM (#240970)
Subject: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 190


How long have you been fishing for these awesome fish and how many new comers are entering this sport after fishing for other species?

Edited by Doug Bradley 2/23/2007 1:57 AM
esoxlazer
Posted 2/23/2007 3:13 AM (#240971 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 336


Location: Lino Lakes, MN
I started muskie fishing in 2001 or 2002 I believe. I had fished them a few times with a family friend but didn't really start buying my own equipment till '02. I went out a few a few times from '02-'03 with very limited success. Late into 2003 and into 2004 I started getting into it more and more and after the '04 Sabaskong Bay outing I became completely obsessed. Bass fishing just got old after a while and I was looking for something bigger. I did a bit of pike fishing in Canada and after seeing some fairly large pike I knew I would never look at bass fishing the same. Now that I have been muskie fishing for a while I am starting to enjoy a bit of bass fishing again...sometimes its nice to relax and re-charge the batteries.
hftb
Posted 2/23/2007 5:02 AM (#240976 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Pretty similar story to esoxlazer. Was a bass fisherman who got hooked on musky fishing. Every once in a while I'll fish for bass, but nothing beats trying to catch a musky.
woodieb8
Posted 2/23/2007 6:06 AM (#240979 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 1529


if ya really wanna know. first time 40 plus years ago. . back in the day of eatin em
Steve Van Lieshout
Posted 2/23/2007 8:38 AM (#240998 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 1916


Location: Greenfield, WI
I started fishing intentionally for the toothy critters in 1986. This year I intend on catching a muskie that was a fry that year!
muskymeyer
Posted 2/23/2007 8:40 AM (#240999 - in reply to #240998)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 691


Location: nationwide
Started concentrating on muskies my junoir year in high school . . . . .that was way back in 1982 on the lake I grew up on, Lake Thompson in Rhinelander.


Corey Meyer

Edited by muskymeyer 2/23/2007 9:34 AM
kdawg
Posted 2/23/2007 8:54 AM (#241001 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 757


Since 1980. My first serious musky fishing trip was on Lost Land Lake. I was using my red 5500 Ambassaduer reel on a 5'09" Skyline Graphite rod, 27lb Cortland Musky Master Black Dacron,still use it today, and a silver and black Mepps Giant Killer. I was 14 years old but I thought I was in Heaven. Kdawg
Slime King
Posted 2/23/2007 9:06 AM (#241004 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 494


Location: midwest
Since 1988 or so. I started on Teal and Lost Land also.
esoxman50
Posted 2/23/2007 10:07 AM (#241016 - in reply to #241004)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 134


I started muskie fishing in 1972, every time I go I want to go more. Something about these fish, it's an addiction I don't ever want to cure. A lot has changed, some for the better, some not so much. I am amazed at the number of EXPERTS out there, albeit self proclaimed. You either muskie fish or you don't, I don;t know where the professional status comes in. The few of us that muskie fished in years past worked to expand the fishery, now most people new to the sport are in it to make a buck. Maybe I'm just getting old but these are my opinions.

Go Catch a Muskie, it's Good for the Soul:

Joe Wishin
MuskyHopeful
Posted 2/23/2007 10:32 AM (#241025 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 2865


Location: Brookfield, WI
Heading into my sophomore season. I hope to avoid the proverbial slump. I had done some fishing in the past for perch, walleyes, and bass. Took five trips to Cass with my father before he passed.

Most of my life I spent the fishing season on the links. I would occasionally fish a Titleist out of a pond, but usually just left them in there. Who wants a golf ball that already added a couple of strokes to your score?

Kevin

The dough is on the rise.
esoxaddict
Posted 2/23/2007 11:27 AM (#241036 - in reply to #241025)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 8776


Fished three days a week from about 1974 to 1989, multi species. Hooked my first muskie in about 1988, a "giant fish" of maybe 28"... That fish changed me. Something about the way that fish attacked my lure that was different than all the other fish I had caught. Fishing super clear water I got to see most of the fish I caught before I actually caught them, and they all just ate my lures. But this one, other than being the longest fish I had ever seen, just smashed that lure, it was violent, water was flying up in the air, I thought I was going to break my fishing rod. Lost the fish, last I saw of it it was swimming off at rocket speed. "holy $^&%" "holy $^%&"... "HOLY $^#&$!!!" My hands were shaking so bad I couldn't fish. From then on something was different. I became more serious about fishing, watched the fishing shows religiously, soaking up everything I could. (any of you guys still own a banjo minnow ?? ) Fished a couple times a week for about the next 8 years.

Then as often happened, life (ok it was a woman) got in the way of my fishing abitions for quite a few years. Got back into fishing pretty serious in 2003, had forgotten how much I loved it. Then in the spring of '04 a friend of mine called and invited me on a guide trip. "Guide trip, you mean the guy goes fishing for a living? Wow..."

About 1/2 hour into that first day of real musky fishing I had my first follow. As most do, I stopped reeling, and looked at the fish, sitting there looking at me...

That was it, I was hooked on the first day. Not sure what heppend between then and now, it's all kind of a blur. And what happened to all my money?
VMS
Posted 2/23/2007 11:27 AM (#241037 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 3480


Location: Elk River, Minnesota
I will be starting my 28th season fishing for these critters. Started in 1979 as an 8 year old when I found a 7 inch Cisco Kid on shore. My Dad took me out fishing that night so I could cast it a bit...and I hooked into a 5 pound Northern. Even though it was a northern, I was hooked and it was all downhill from there. I still have that bait...it is retired now, but I would have no problem pulling back out. I think I would get sick to my stomach, though if I lost it...

Hard to believe it has been that long already...

Steve
muskyboy
Posted 2/23/2007 11:39 AM (#241044 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?


30 years for me, some of them serious some of them not
Steve Jonesi
Posted 2/23/2007 1:28 PM (#241069 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 2089


This will be my 32nd season.My, how time flies when you're having fun.The "10"-denitis in my left elbow reminds me every day. Steve
esoxaddict
Posted 2/23/2007 2:04 PM (#241073 - in reply to #241069)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 8776


Steve Jonesi - 2/23/2007 1:28 PM

...The "10"-denitis in my left elbow reminds me every day. Steve


LMAO!

Yep...

"oh my God, why would anybody wanna throw something like this for more than a few minutes? This thing is stupid! No way am I gonna- ooh, there's one!"

Ok, maybe a few more casts!
pistol pete
Posted 2/23/2007 3:34 PM (#241091 - in reply to #241073)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 136


This year it will be my 3rd season fishing for musky. My bank account feels like it is my 30th season.
MuskyFlyGuy
Posted 2/23/2007 4:13 PM (#241099 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 275


About 34 years and the first lake was Teal. It still is a special place, because of all the memories.
tom
FYGR8
Posted 2/23/2007 4:58 PM (#241107 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Looks like the Hayward area is where alot of you got your start. Has been my back yard for 43 years!
fish4musky1
Posted 2/23/2007 5:21 PM (#241113 - in reply to #241107)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Location: Northern Wisconsin
i started a few years ago, this was my 3rd full season.

Edited by fish4musky1 2/24/2007 11:12 AM
Kazmuskie
Posted 2/23/2007 6:01 PM (#241118 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 194


I took up fishing again (I fished occasionally with my dad as a kid) about 6 years ago for whatever. We would sit on shore around Madison with some worms and beer. It was fun. Then we decided we needed a boat. More fun. We went to Mason Lake for an opener to try to catch a bunch of bass. We caught a couple bass, and I got into a 35" Pike. I thought, "Wow! And Muskies get even bigger!" That was the beginning of the end. I caught a small Muskie later that year. That was 4 years ago.
jonnysled
Posted 2/23/2007 7:09 PM (#241128 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 13688


Location: minocqua, wi.
grew up on water and always lived on water fishing ... bass seriously for 10 years prior to moving back north in '99 and got right into the musky fishing game .... been a constant in life since then.

first fish caught on trout lake in '99 ...
buddysolberg
Posted 2/23/2007 9:12 PM (#241140 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 157


Location: Wausau/Phillips WI
Started in the late 50's on Big Musky by Sayner WI. I guess that makes it about 40 years. The differance from then to now in equipment is about the same as going from using a slide rule to a calculator to a computer. Anybody even remember what a slide rule was? Started out using a South Bend rod, a Zebco reel ( a 33?), and a Marathon Slim Jim bucktail. From about 1972 to 1985 I fished trout alot more than for muskies, spending time on most of the good streams in the northern 1/2 of WI. Highlights were a 25" brown on the Tomorrow River in 1977 and a 18" brook trout from the Hay Meadow off the Prairie in 1979.

I think these are the good old days right now and there's a bright future for big fish.

Buddy
MLS
Posted 2/23/2007 9:44 PM (#241144 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Location: Carver
Ask my girlfriend and she'll say since I was born. I might have to trade her for a spool of tuf or maybe a dancin'mac if I'm lucky!

goin on 15 years, ouch has it been that long?



micmaclures.com
Got Esox?
Posted 2/24/2007 9:12 AM (#241179 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 350


Location: WESTERN WI
After a few "accidental muskies" while targeting pike in Jr. High on Northern WI waters I decided that fishing for anything but the top of the food chain was not even enjoyable and made the switch.
rpieske
Posted 2/25/2007 6:30 AM (#241311 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 484


Location: St. Louis, MO., Marco Is., FL, Nestor Falls, ON
I'm stuck in a rut. I started fishing LOTW in 1953 with my dad and am stilling chasing those toothy critters. This will be my 54th year muskie fishing on LOTW and I'm still learning the sport. I just added up the actual weeks on the water fishing muskies and it came to 177 weeks. So, I guess I really have only been doing it for 3 and half years. There....I feel much younger now.
Marc_Grattan
Posted 2/25/2007 11:31 AM (#241342 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 136


1998, back when Cave Run had no pressure....
ToddM
Posted 2/25/2007 9:50 PM (#241474 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 20212


Location: oswego, il
Been fishing for them since '98 as well, full time. I caught 2 back in the 70's and have been fishing since I was 5 for just about everything.
BrianSwenson
Posted 2/25/2007 10:09 PM (#241476 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 201


Location: Stevens Point
It all started after my junior year in high school, caught my first on Teal, barrowing all my gear from friends and relatives at that time.
Tom P
Posted 2/26/2007 10:29 AM (#241566 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 26


Location: Wisconsin
It has been 15 years, finally got my tackle collection built up where I want it. Wait there is always room for a couple of new lures.

Tom P
PANTLEGGER
Posted 2/26/2007 1:10 PM (#241601 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 176


Location: Tomahawk, WI
Been musky Fishing since 1992, so 14 years. Caught first intended musky on Spirit lake (40" on hawg wobbler), Price county WI. Then proceeded to cut my teeth on Butternut, Phillips chain, Winter and a few other local waters, now i mainly fish and live in the Tomahawk, Minocqua area lakes. Still looking for the true Wisconsin 50"er, came close several times, even got a 49-3/4"er, but still no 50.
walleye slyr
Posted 2/26/2007 7:49 PM (#241699 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 37


Location: searchin for the first legal.
i have been fishing muskies since i was 4 or 5. caught my first on a litte bass crank bait. i've been fishing for 9-10 years.
guideman
Posted 2/27/2007 12:06 AM (#241746 - in reply to #241699)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 376


Location: Lake Vermilion Tower, MN
I caught my first muskie when Ike was president, anyone have a calculator?

"Ace"
rpieske
Posted 2/27/2007 7:49 PM (#241923 - in reply to #241746)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 484


Location: St. Louis, MO., Marco Is., FL, Nestor Falls, ON
guideman - 2/27/2007 12:06 AM

I caught my first muskie when Ike was president, anyone have a calculator?

"Ace" :)


Well, somewhere between 46 and 54 years. Ike was in office from '53-'61. See there are other old farts around here.
Mikes Extreme
Posted 2/27/2007 11:29 PM (#241960 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: Re: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 2691


Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Going into my 35th year. I got my first legal 34 years ago and I am still fishing the same lake most days. It's nice to live on Pewaukee Lake. Well, now I have to drag the boat 1/2 mile down the street to the launch. I don't leave it on the pier.
curleytail
Posted 2/28/2007 8:21 PM (#242167 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?




Posts: 2687


Location: Hayward, WI
I voted for 1-3 years. I have been fishing pretty hard for quite a while, but decided to get after the muskies last year. Even with having what I considered a pretty good amount of fishing skill, those muskies gave me a run for my money!

curleytail
musky-skunk
Posted 3/1/2007 3:50 PM (#242336 - in reply to #240970)
Subject: RE: How long have you been fishing for musky?





Posts: 785


This will be the start of my 6th year chasing muskies, and probably my third year of seriously devoting time into the sport. I would have to say I am very close to having 4 digits worth of baits already, and every year I say I won't spend over $20 on a bait -$25-$30-$40-$55 this year which is the most money I've spent thus far. It kinda smarts in Thorne Bros. becouse I don't really look at price tags, pic up 6 baits and it rings up to $200 dollars. 07' has promise to be my best year ever... now if this blizzard stuff will get it out of its system fishing can commence!