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Posts: 129
| I was just wondering how long it took everyone to catch their first 50 incher. It took me 8 years and around 90 muskies to get mine. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | So far I've been fishing muskies hardcore for 2 years.....biggest is a 47.5 |
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Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | I think it is all in where you put your time in, so the question is relative to that. The bulk of my fishing gives me an outside shot at a 50 but not a great chance. This is mostly due to my geographic location and the size of my boat. Sure, I could put some more time into lakes that produce 50'ers but that time would be very limited. With that said, I have caught over 200 muskies and had probably around 350 or so in the boat. Biggest for me is a 46, biggest I have netted is a 47. I have seen bigger ones, not a ton but I have. |
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Posts: 299
Location: Ontario, California | lol...
Definitely not deserving..... it took me 7 hours for my first 50 incher (First trip)... Second trip I got my personal best though 
I know... I should have quit after those trips. |
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Posts: 232
Location: Sun Prairie, WI | When I catch one I'll have one |
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Posts: 395
Location: NW WI | In 20+ yrs of 'ski fishing I've never caught a 50 (47.75 is my best) and I don't care if I ever do. I have nothing to prove and dont really give a rats butt what people think of me because I haven't/didn't catch a 50. It's more about the experiences and comaraderie in my book.
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Posts: 34
| 20 years and still waiting.
Is a 50"er the only measure of a successful musky fisherman? |
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Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | 25 years before I got the first one into the net, had many on but no 50s into the net until the first Muskie First @ LOTW
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Posts: 785
| 6 years (4 years seriously chasing them), got it this season. Something like 85-90 fish in there with one 50. Just last year I switched from numbers lakes to trophy water and that makes a huge difference, seen as many or more 50+ fish this year than all the other years combined. Odly enough I'm sneaking up on my most fish in one season... go figure!
I can't help but notice a lot of guys getting upset with this thread haven't scored a 50 yet. I don't believe anyone on here feels you cannot be an awsome musky fisherman if you haven't caught a 50" fish. On some lakes a 47" fish is like a 52"er on others. I DO believe this is an interesting thread though to demonstrate to those who are struggling this year or who are bumbed about not catching a 50 that many anglers either don't get one or fish a really long time until they do, and theres no shame in that!!! |
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Posts: 2024
| Took me 6 years.
Catching a 50" doesn't mean SQUAT. Honestly (IMO), 50-75% of this game is luck. The other 25-50 requires you to have a good working knowledge of your lake and techniques to employ. Someone with five 50"ers isn't necessarily "better" than the guy sitting on zero 50"s. As Todd said, a lot depends on your geographic location. If you fish, for example, Illinois waters exclusively the chances of you catching a 50" are slim at best. I have more respect for the guys with 20 years of experience and zero 50s than the guys with three years experience and four 50s. I don't mean to offend anybody, but I'm just pointing out that the 50" mark doesn't mean anything. Yes, it's the number we all shoot for, but in the end catching one doesn't make you a great fisherman. When you start putting multiple 50s in the boat each season then you may be on to something.
I'm fishing this weekend and will be thrilled if I put a mid 30s in the boat!
Edited by esox50 9/7/2007 8:56 AM
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Posts: 317
Location: Grafton, WI | None for me. Been at it 13 years. I am happy catching fish.... and one of these times it might happen to be 50" (if not, I'm still happy catching fish). |
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Posts: 59
Location: Chicago western burbs | You guys arent going to like this, however, I caught a 52" beauty on a buchertail within the first 8 hours of fishing for musky. Needless to say there is no way I could appreciate it as much as those that have been trying for years. |
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Interesting that there is so much sentiment that a 50"er doesn't really mean your a good fishermen, that it's more luck and location than anything.
That may be true to a point, but if you're going to hire a guide on LOW, is it going to be the guy who catches a lot of big fish, or the guy that catches a lot of smaller fish?
On my local waters, I know guys that put several 50"ers in the boat every year, and others who have never caught any over the years.
I'd have to say there is a little more than luck to that.
To answer the question of the post, it took me 8 years to catch my 1st 50"er.
A 52" on Leech Lake.
JS
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Posts: 8823
| I don't think you can use 50" as a measure of "success" in this day and age without factoring in where it was caught. A 50" fish coming out of St Clair, Eagle, Mille Lacs, etc. is a pretty common thing. A 50" fish coming out of Madison, Webster, the Fox Chain, etc. is a whole different thing. The same goes for numbers. On some lakes a 4 fish day is tremendous. On others it's almost expected.
Using myself as an example, I'm in my 4th year musky fishing. This is the first year I've seen a 50" fish. Several 50" fish in fact. They were all in the same week, on Eagle. If I spent two weeks up there I'd be surprised if I didn't catch one over 50". Prior to this year, I had probably 120 days under my belt fishing IL, S WI, IN, KY. Never saw a 50. Am I just a great fisherman all of a sudden this year, or did something else change?
If you want to measure your skills as an angler, the only way to do it is up against someone else, on the same water, on the same day, throwing the same lure at the same spot. Even then its up to the fish to some degree.
Back to the original question:
4 years and counting. If I go back to Eagle next year, I feel like I have a pretty good chance at catching one over 50". If I don't, and continue to fish where I have always fished, I have a pretty good chance of fishing my whole life and never getting one even close to that.
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Posts: 620
Location: Seymour, WI | I've been fishing muskies for about 15 yrs. I fish the best musky water in WI each yr from Green Bay area to Hayward area, Vilas Co. My largest fish casting is 38". Largest overall is 45" (quick strike).
Grass |
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Posts: 691
Location: nationwide | Don't know, I am still on the way. I have fished alot since 1985 and have yet to crack 50 inches. I have a few at 49 to 49-1/2 but not the 50 mark yet. So I guess I am at almost 22 years with none yet.
Corey Meyer |
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| 20+ years without 1 yet. Has alot to do with the smaller lakes I fish due to boat size, but I have had a Great time trying for 1 and have no problem getting motivated with the hopes that the next 1 might be 50. Seen a couple--just not on the end of my line YET!! Sucker time is just around the corner and I really get pumped up for that so the next 6-7 weeks will be fun. JIM |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | 2 years/2 trips to Western Ontario 1997-> 51". On same trip I saw her mama. Mama was at least a foot longer. Life hasn't been the same since! On another trip 5 years ago I saw mama's sister-she was a pig too!!!! Words just can't describe either fish!
Have fun!
Al |
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Posts: 171
| Counting the one after the next one, I'll have 2......I'll have to get back to you how long it took......
(ref: Boat Phrases)
ErieBoy75
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| 24 years for me, first was 37 at 15 and then 54 at 39. So worth the wait, just enjoy the journey, it is all about the thrill of the hunt and still looking for the ONE! |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | I started fishing muskie in 1985. I caught my 1st (and only) a 51, some 75 fish later in 2001. |
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How long did it take?