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Posts: 95
Location: MN | I'm pretty new to Muskie fishing, and want to learn as much as possible. Throughout the last year or so I've been lurking on here reading what I can, but want to learn more yet. I've watched Angling Edge videos, and Keyes Outdoors videos so far, but who else should I be watching as far as videos go? I want to learn the right way to throw/retrieve all the different lures, as I think I understand the bucktail portion of things so far. Anyone make any "how-to" videos about casting/retrieving?
The search function on here is great for threads about which lure/rod/reel to use, so I'll continue with that for now. Thanks! |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Best way to do it is get out on the water!
But YouTube is a great way to watch some good footage. |
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Posts: 12
| Learning is still something I try to do daily and yearly on the water and have Muskie fished for 25 years. I'd give two little bits of advice. 1. Concentrate on learning to use a few good baits first and buck tail is best place to start. And 2. It's easy with Muskie fishing to get caught up with the baits so learn about the fish constantly (behavior, seasonal movement, location, food)the easiest way to do this in my opinion is fish from time to time with good guides. These guys or girls are usually super tuned into the fish. The money spent with a guide is usually much better spent then on baits. |
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Posts: 8863
| This sounds ridiculous, but it's something I did early on that helped a lot:
Go somewhere where the water is clear on a sunny flat day, where you can see your lures from a good distance, and play around. See what they do, how deep they run, and what you can make them do. |
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Posts: 393
| Any local Muskies Inc clubs near you? If there is, head to a meeting and let them know you want to go fishing. Someone will take you out and and show you the ropes. Good luck to you. If you are already interested, the first boat side encounter will be enough to make you a lifer  |
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Posts: 155
| If it is in your budget, hire a guide. You will learn more than you can imagine. Tell them before your trip starts ,that you are there to learn, they will accommodate you. |
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Posts: 705
Location: Alex or Alek? | Like others have said just get out and throw. The more you throw the more you learn. Don't get discouraged if you go out all day and don't see anything. It happens to everyone. There are some good tips on here and remember their is a search engine on here that also has a bunch of info.
Go Bison. |
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Posts: 95
Location: MN | Those are all awesome suggestions, and I'll probably do each of those things. Thanks!
And yes, Go Bison! |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | ndsumiller - 8/7/2016 8:40 PM
Those are all awesome suggestions, and I'll probably do each of those things. Thanks!
And yes, Go Bison! :)
Assuming you're at NDSU, you're not too far from some very good water. I'd also recommend the Fargo-Moorehead Muskies Inc chapter, some great anglers there.
If you want to get out, give me a shout. |
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Posts: 1220
| A little surprised nobody suggested a "School." I just finished my 5th Musky Hunter sponsored University of Esox at Sandy's Blackhawk Island. Although I still haven't received a diploma, that's a lot like how it was in public school for me. That said, I'd say there is nothing better than learning from those who really know. Sad, but true, I've seen a lot of old guys who have fished for years, thousands of baits and casts, and don't stand a chance against some young'uns who just sat down, shut up, listened carefully, and then did as they were told! Like the Popeil Pocket Fisherman, "It really, really, works!" |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | 80% of the fish live in 20% of the water and eat 10% of the time ...
1 week in Canada = 5 years otherwise ... find a good group to be a part of if you can. |
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Posts: 400
Location: Metro | I taught myself a lot through this site and there comes a point when you have confidence in yourself that you are doing the right thing. For a long time I thought I was doing things wrong because I was spending my whole summer with no fish to show for it. Then I moved to a different lake down in the cities and put two in the boat. Once you realize that if you aren't seeing any fish it most likely isn't what you are doing.
Have confidence and just keep throwing.
Fellow NDSU grad,
GO BISON! |
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Posts: 1150
Location: Minnesota. | All of this and more. Remember, if it were simple it simply wouldn't be any fun, would it. Muskies are SO different to pike!
And don't forget how many casts it REALLY takes to get into that 50" er.....just one!!!
You never know man. Just don't give up. |
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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | Something I think about a lot is that luck is usually what people call it when they don't understand what they did right. Unlike other fish, you have to regard catching a single musky as a pattern and exploit it while the conditions are right. Think about all the factors involved when you caught the fish--location, presentation, water temp, season, weather, moon/sun. Some people log every catch and break it down into statistics; others don't (I have a theory that there are two types of musky fisherman: analytical and instinctual, but that's a whole 'nother topic). Just do whatever allows you to learn from the catch and have fun.
Read Dick Pearson's Muskies On The Shield, Tom Gelb's Musky Strategy, Tony Rizzo's Secrets Of A Muskie Guide and The Summer Musky (both may be out of print and will have some outdated information like single hook sucker fishing but lots of still relevant info and historically very important to the evolution of the sport), and lots of Musky Hunter articles.
Join up with the Fargo-Moorehead club and fish an outing. Lots of very good fisherman there, and in my experience a club will pair you up with an experienced guy if you contact them prior to the outing.
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