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| Happened to get into a good conversation with a few fishing contacts up north last week and we got on the topic of loons. Seems as though we have all found the same thing: When the loons are are close, the muskies are not. I have NEVER had a take, much less a follow when loons have been within...oh...say 100 yards or so. The only thing I can think of that would cause this is the fact that loons are predators as well and thus are feeding on some of the same prey species as the muskies/northerns etc. I do know that it is frustrating that no fish are around when the loons are around, and don't get me wrong...I love seeing the loons up close, but I am out for fish.
Any thoughts and experiences on this "theory" to either back up my experience or negate it?
Thanks
Steve |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | We raised one of the largest fish I've seen in Wisconsin tonight, and another about 42", within 20' of a very active and noisy loon. Not sure if this means anything, but in this case, the loon and the muskies were fine with each other. |
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Posts: 239
Location: Madison, WI | Where there are loons there is baitfish. Where there is baitfish there are musky.
I like fishing the area due to the baitfish concept. A loon may intimidate smaller musky but obviously not the size fish Steve is referring to. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i like to look for two things on the water (1) loons and (2) perch fishermen over the age of 60 ... be friendly to both and fish where they do. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I have also done well fishing around Loons. |
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Posts: 2378
| on the way in the other night I stumbled upon a flock of seagulls (at least 50 of them) and about a half dozen loons hanging out over open water. the wife would not let me stop and fish. there had to be fish there!! |
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Posts: 320
| Steve,
In Tony Rizzo's old book "The Summer Musky" he talks about loons in one of the chapters. He pays close attention to where loons are fishing because they are there for a reason....FOOD. He has located sunken islands not on any maps by doing this. If they are in open water and there is no sunken island, they are more than likely eating suspended baitfish. Not a bad place to be fishing. He feels that loons are a positive thing and makes note of them. Last week I fished an area on the WI river where a loon was feeding aggressively, one time even swimming under the boat! In that area I had a 40 inch fish hit and miss a Bobbie and had two other follows all within 50 yards. I didn't see another fish anywhere else. I would say that loons are good too. Good fishing!!!! |
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Location: The Yahara Chain | I go along with the concept that if the loons are feeding in the area it is good.
A friend of mine once saw a muskie eat an adult loon. Huge commotion, loon disappears. Loon comes back to surface, trying to flee.It can't, it has a broken wing. One more giant swirl and the loon disappears for good. The loon's partner keeps calling out for it, it never reappears. How big is a musky that can eat a loon? Did a 50 pounder just become a 55 pounder? |
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Posts: 63
| On lakes I fish in Northwestern Wi, I always look for the Loons, as others have said in this posting, you'll fine structure you did not know was there, as well as suppended baitfish. Case in point this spring on Okauchee three Loons were in the shallows, woking very near the suface, caught three fish that day on surface baits. same area, checked out some other spots later on. No luck.  |
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Posts: 1058
Location: Medford, WI | Started paying close attention to loons after listening to Bruce Shumway speek in Chipp. Falls this last winter. Told my dad to follow the loons in Canada this spring and woola.....he nails one about 50 yards from where the loon was. Later on that evening he catches another one with a loon in the vicinity. Finally believes me!
Interesting that I just read this thread as I caught my personal best this last weekend (45.5") and we had a loon swimming in circles around our boat at the time.
"Follow the Loons..."
-Jake
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