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Posts: 265
Location: Manitowish Waters WI | Just wondering how many people this year have had a bummer year Muskie fishing. I will be honest, this has been by far the worst year Muskie fishing I have in the books. I know of people that are doing well but I am not one of them. The weather has been weird and I have not fished on days with water temps above 80 but I will not use this as an exscuss for failed tactics. I love fishing 4-8 ft weeds and stumps in June and early July then sliding out for deep structure fish and suspendos in late July. I fish alot of gliders shallow and dusas and rubber out deep. I have lost three mid fourties this year on glide baits but that is typical for me. My tactics have failed me this year which helped me boat 13 muskies (34-47) last year with very limited time to fish (57 hours June and July total). This year I am sitting at two muskies ( 30 ,36) with almost 70 hours in June and July. I'm anticipating a great August to season end but wow has it been a rough June and July. I would find solace in a response if someone else admits a struggle  |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | I have been out of the country for work and lost all of four weeks of my most productive fishing time, which is time which you don't get back.
This last weekend I got to fish with my son who is just getting into muskie fishing, so action means everything to him.
We found a little lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In three days, we raised 35 and boated 19! There were no monsters with the biggest only being 36", but it was a very, very special weekend.
Compared to the crazy water temperatures in SE Wisconsin, we found temps in the mid and upper 70's.
I have never had a weekend like this ever in over 25 years of fishing.
Edited by Steve Van Lieshout 7/31/2012 8:43 PM
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Posts: 54
Location: River | This is my second year chasing muskies. It's been a lot better this year. In the last two weeks I've caught a 26", a 37" and a 41" with only about 8hrs out. I missed a few more with weak noob hooksets and netting mistakes, but I'm learning. Others I've talked to agree that this year is poor so far. Temps mainly.
Edited by Triplethreat 7/31/2012 8:53 PM
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | Steve Van Lieshout - 7/31/2012 8:42 PM
I have been out of the country for work and lost all of four weeks of my most productive fishing time, which is time which you don't get back.
This last weekend I got to fish with my son who is just getting into muskie fishing, so action means everything to him.
We found a little lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In three days, we raised 35 and boated 19! There were no monsters with the biggest only being 36", but it was a very, very special weekend.
Compared to the crazy water temperatures in SE Wisconsin, we found temps in the mid and upper 70's.
I have never had a weekend like this ever in over 25 years of fishing.
Is it in Iron County? |
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Posts: 121
Location: Plymouth IA | It has been a no fish and no fishing all work year. Only fished 3 days this year between the equipment problems at work caused by high temps and company being sold. hope it is a good fall. I have to say i am envious of 70 hours on the water. |
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| Rough year on my end, too. Lots of hours with very little to show for it. The bites have not been very aggressive. Missed some of the best fishing from January to March (legal fishing in my area) getting the boat set up with motors and electronics. The water has been unfishable since the end of June, and doesn't seem to be getting any better anytime soon. Lost more fish than I care to remember. It's been a fun year, but lots of discouraging moments. |
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| Ive been out 19 times since opener and got a 42 tiger, 45 and 32 pure, and my buddy got a 38 in my boat.. Oh well still fun |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | My season started out great, especially the first week of the season, which included a 51 1/2" but since that fish I haven't boated a fish over 39" and only caught 1 ski in July. I've made 4 trips to LSC & on 2 of those trips I lost 2 small fish, another trip I was way too hung over to fish & got to net my buddy's fish & the last trip my trolling motor took a major dump & screwed up my trip. |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Get Borst up there. He'll put you on the fish.
Tough July for me too. Haven't fished enough. Is it September yet? |
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Posts: 619
| Havent really fished since early July as the water temps are way too high around Metro and most of MN. Mid June was O.k and good for one here and there, but nothing consistent. |
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Posts: 1530
| steady action here choose your battles with mother nature will help boat fish |
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| This started off with a real bang, got 5 all over 37inches in my first 3 trips. unfortuanaltly I didnt fishing until April and being in the south the water temp soared to the 80s by the middle of May. I have great anticipation for the fall though. |
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Posts: 785
| Water temps have made this a horrid year for me (and probably most of us) as I've not fished since the MN opener. 5 fish in the boat with the biggest 49.5 was alright then... now I'm pretty annoyed that over half the summer is gone and I've still not been able to go back out. Looks like I'll be cramming it into the end of August and start of September. Rough fishing is hard to deal with but 70 hrs on the water beats none, stick with it and keep an open mind and things will turn around sooner or later. |
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Posts: 127
| to put it plainly, my year has been somewhat of a "dissapointment" as well. i've seen multiple fish throughout the weeks, but have only boated 1 and that was opening weekend. it's never a bad thing when you can be on the water, but going 2 full months now without catching another one is quite a bummer. i think fishing a full week with my dad, sister and brother in law on the Chippewa Flowage and none of us getting a musky in the boat hasn't helped my confidence either, haha. |
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Posts: 1039
| I have a 41 and a 43 bagged this year. I've had on at least ten other fish that didn't make it to the bag. Some times they just get off. Then the water got really warm.
So, I started fishing gills on Pewaukee and I went north. Fished muskies for only a short amount of time, then switched over to crappies and bass. Had one of the better outings of the year on Sunday night. Tons of big pig like crappies. And unlike musky fishing, I was able to fish AND have a beer at the same time!
All I'm doing now is getting the gear ready for the fall. |
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Posts: 619
| with the popularity of fishing muskie now the average weekend joe will have a hard time catching anything now. |
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Posts: 2067
| Lots of fish in my boat this year, overall for time on the water its been good so far, doesn't hurt to spend 11 days on LOTW  |
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Posts: 265
Location: Manitowish Waters WI | IAJustin - 8/1/2012 4:55 PM
Lots of fish in my boat this year, overall for time on the water its been good so far, doesn't hurt to spend 11 days on LOTW :)
I'm depressed I don't have a trip on Eagle with AML this August.
A brilliant man once said " loyd just when I thought you couldn't get any dumber you go out and do something like this...........and totally redem yourself"!!!!! |
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Posts: 20249
Location: oswego, il | Last time i was out was may 6 and the water temp was 78 degrees. Only 11 fish so far, way way behind what i would normally have by now. Yearly weather patterns can mean everything. Took a few bass trips and did well, learned some new spots and fished local. Not all bad. |
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| tis the year of pike and giant bass! Fall's gonna be a beast! |
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Posts: 79
| definately a wierd year. Hard to catch fish when the boat is collecting dust. I had a great time going north to Canada where water temps didn't affect my ability to fish or the way the fish bit.
Edited by ande 8/1/2012 9:49 PM
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Posts: 1296
Location: WI | Very tough year. The flooding in the Duluth area in June really changed things and it's been a struggle for me to adapt. Still having fun though! |
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Location: Apple Valley | Its been so warm. I got 6 before this crazy heat started. Looks like a cool down is coming next week. I've been bass and crappie fishing. Still fun but I do missing throwing the big baits!
Brian |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | It's been a weird year with this heat. I live in NW WI and have never had to stop fishing due to warm water before. I haven't fished muskies since the 1st weekend in July. Before that I didn't have a very strong start so my numbers are down significantly.
Been fishing for walleyes rather than muskies. I like walleyes and it's been fun, but if I had my choice I would have liked to do some more musky fishing. Hopefully soon the water will cool off some and the August bite will be good.
Tucker |
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Posts: 200
Location: Minnesota | I've only been out once this year on opener and I didn't see a fish.
A new baby + a new house + high water temps = not much opportunity to fish. |
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Posts: 24
| I've heard from several guides, and other good fishermen, thinking that this is one of their worst years ever. Even when they go to Canada.
Take heart in the fact that Tony Rizzo always says that years even out. A good spring and summer means a bad fall, and a bad spring and summer means a good fall.
They are however doing well on Lake St. Claire. My dad and I went out around the 4th of July and caught 7 muskies and a 21" smallmouth with this guide: http://www.longcast.com/
If you really want to catch one I'd check him out. |
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | Since the opener I have been out a handful of times. 6 missed strikes, one lost and another 15-20 follows, non boated... BUMMER. I have not been out to fish Musky in over a month.
On the flip side.... This is, by far the best bass fishing I have EVER encountered in my life. There was a day that I was out with a buddy and we boated about 60 or so between the two of us averaging 2-3 lbs a fish, some bigger some smaller. Since I stopped fishing muskies and started bass I have caught a good amount in the 5lb range, pretty sure that one I lost right next to the boat (bent the split ring straight on the jump and head shake) had to be in the 6-8 lb range. One of the biggest bass I have ever seen in MN. I have no idea what my actual catch numbers are, however if I were to venture a guess I would say some where between 300-400 in the last 30 or so days. Some days on the water were non stop fish. It has been absolutly insane. I can only hope and pray that the musky bite in the fall is even 1/4 what it was for bass. If thats the case maybe this year wont turn out to be so wierd after all. |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | LIFE is good for me this yr.
Boated 16 since June 6th and all except one over 40".................. been out only 4 times in the last 3 weeks due to a tough work schedule........ So far ,...So good.
Jerome |
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| Warm water temps has not allowed most to fish. Was on middle eau Claire lake last week and water temp was above 80 and swimming I could no tell the difference 5-7 ft. down. The twin cities you shouldn't even head out water temps are even warmer and the thermocline is even deeper. Have not bothered to wet the line until a series of cool days and evenings pass through. |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | Haven’t fished since the 4th of July, and even at that time I fished very little due to water temps. Prior to that most time was spent with the kids in the boat. Outings for muskies have been short for me. The little bit I did get in thus far I will admit has been “weird” as well. Lots of short hitters, nippers, and bumpers. Usually something one would see early in the year with cool water temps, but this year the same was happening with the much warmer water temps. It is what it is. Looking forward to the fall, and cooler water. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | been out quite a bit this year spending a lot of time restoring the boat. fish have been right where they're supposed to be and have run on the bigger side for me vs. prior years with a couple nice porkers. was off the water a few weeks from the heat and back at it at nights now also looking forward to cooler fall water. |
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Location: Minocqua, WI | Im with sled. Good year so far despite conditions... |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | I'm with Travis, lots of short strikes this season for me, but I haven't thrown since late June. I believe those who are fortunate to have cooler water temps in Northern Wisconsin are reaping the rewards of intensified metabolism rates with the still warmer than usual water temps, but that's my own little theory.. whether it holds up to the water and fish biologists of M1, I don't know. I'm itching to get out and throw for ski's soon, though, that's for sure. I think the only weirdness I've had this season is going more than a month straight without wetting a musky bait.
Edited by Sam Ubl 8/3/2012 2:45 PM
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Posts: 134
| to all else... its been two years since i was able to get a fish into the net. I was laughing with my dad about the 10,000 cast theory. I'll bet i'm closer to 50,000! Regardless has been a good year of exploring new waters. I have only fished one lake that i have ever fished before. Just need some more time. It'll happen... it has to. |
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Posts: 582
| i have been doing terrible. Not a single legal fish yet. Water temps on my lake are high but even fishing deep, nothing... nothing at all. not even a follow. This year SUCKS. |
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Posts: 78
| Haven't fished in michigan since july 1.. Fishing was great before then and was catching more fish per hour than ever before. Then the heat came as we headed to Canada.. we only got 6 and fishing was terrible almost 90 everyday with hardly any wind.
Only had 1 front come through the whole wk. Go figure we caught 1 and had 6 misses in a 30 minute period at the boat. Finally cooling down so might be able to hit some inland lakes in MI again.. St. Clair is too far for me to travel to unless i ride in someones boat so that's unfortunate |
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Posts: 2377
Location: Chisholm, MN | I don't know if I am just lucky or what but its been a pretty good year for me. No 50s for me personally but have had one in the boat, a solid 52. I'm am on track to shatter my record for the year. My lakes have been dead however. I have been having success by picking good weather and moon phase days and driving a little further to "good" lakes. The night bite has been decent but moon rise and set have been key, along with moon up and down. I honestly can say that I have not seen a fish outside these time frames this year, whether that is the reason or not, I don't know. Weird year? In a good way! |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | Kirby Budrow - 8/6/2012 3:17 PM
The night bite has been decent but moon rise and set have been key, along with moon up and down. I honestly can say that I have not seen a fish outside these time frames this year, whether that is the reason or not, I don't know. Weird year? In a good way!
put your boat in the right position and align to above post ... yup! |
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Posts: 123
| FAT-SKI - 8/2/2012 11:29 PM:
On the flip side.... This is, by far the best bass fishing I have EVER encountered in my life.
**
agreed, Largemouth bite off the charts for 5lb+ !! best bite I've seen for LMB in 10 years
have not Musky fished since January. Good Musky January though...
Edited by curdmudgeon 8/6/2012 4:47 PM
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