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| An old friend contacted me about going to Eagle Lake end of July. He and a couple buddies have fished there for walleye for ten years or so. It sounds like a good time and we will spend our time walleye fishing. Originally, was to be 4 guys, 2 boats. My buddy and I were going to try musky fishing one day. However, now 3 in one boat. I am thinking of hiring a guide for one day. Not cheap but I don't know if I will ever get back there. They do great on walleye, but is that an OK time to try for musky? |
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Posts: 7010
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Yes. 8s/9s and topwater over both rocks and weeds. |
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| Thanks for the suggestion. Hope they have a guide day available. Got to admit, after hearing about how many walleye they normally catch, looking forward to catching fish. But my friend has also talked about the big musky they see when walleye fishing. |
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Posts: 7010
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | If you have only a few days, yes, get a guide.
The walleye fishing on Eagle is crazy good, as is the muskies, but it's still fishing so ya gotta know where to target them. Lots of amazing LOOKING spots, not as many actually amazing spots. |
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Posts: 1186
| I've never been to Eagle, but late July on a big Lake should be fine for time for a muskie (hire a guide take your shot at a muskie) and besides that when you are not fishing muskies you'll catch all the Walleye, Smallmouth, and nice sized Northerns to make your summer. I think there's a night fishing ban on Eagle. You going to have a good time. |
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Posts: 199
Location: Downers Grove, IL | Great time of year to be on Eagle. Everything is in play at that time including blades of all sizes, topwater, rubber, and cranks (my favorite). Throw what you have the most confidence in and adjust from there. Getting a guide would be money well spent, especially for only one day to musky fish. Good luck! |
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| FishHateMe - 4/17/2024 10:55 AM
Great time of year to be on Eagle. Everything is in play at that time including blades of all sizes, topwater, rubber, and cranks (my favorite). Throw what you have the most confidence in and adjust from there. Getting a guide would be money well spent, especially for only one day to musky fish. Good luck!
Thanks for the suggestions. The cost of a guide seems like a lot but last year we had planned a moose hunt on the Yukon. That was an unguided hunt, since my brother in law is an Alaskan but just the outfitter cost was almost a thousand a day per hunter. Finally canceled because outfitter did not have a pilot as of Memorial Day. But comparing that cost to a guide on Eagle makes the cost seem pretty reasonable. |
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Posts: 600
Location: Michigan | I'd recommend Cal Ritchie for a muskie guide up there. He's a great guy to fish with and knows the lake like the back of his hand. For lures, I'd go with shumway flashers, 8/9s, and dabble with some bigger blades a little. Swimming dawgs and Poseidons are great and super easy to fish. Mag dawgs and regular medussas are great around rocks and humps. In-line topwater baits can be fished throughout the entire day, but really shine in evening time IMO. We've done really well locating fish during the day and then coming back on those fish in the evening with weagles, creepers, etc and catching them.
Where will you be staying on the lake? |
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| We will be staying at Temple Bay Lodge. My thought is to take a handful of lures, one rod, after making sure that I can get a guide. Guys I am going with are walleye fishermen and I don't want to take up a lot of space with gear on the way up and back.
Sometimes I think we forget how much space our big boxes, etc. take up. I have an 18' tiller boat and one day last year I looked at how much deck was taken up by gear for just me and one other guy. Not a lot of carpet showing. |
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Posts: 600
Location: Michigan | A rod similar to the St. Croix Big Nasty will suite you for just about any lure up there. Sometimes fewer lures is better as you're not second guessing yourself all the time. If I had to take only a handful of baits, I'd probably take a martian flasher, a black/smoke or black/nickel 8/9, a black/orange mag dawg, a walleye medussa, a walleye Triple D, an Orange Toxic Fat Bastard, and a black weagle. If you're not able to go with a guide, there are lots of places very close to Temple bay which you could hit on your own. You could walleye fish all day and then just hit a couple close spots for muskies after dinner time. The biggest fish we've ever caught on Eagle was in view of Temple Bay Lodge
Edited by jasonvkop 4/18/2024 10:01 AM
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| jasonvkop - 4/18/2024 10:00 AM
A rod similar to the St. Croix Big Nasty will suite you for just about any lure up there. Sometimes fewer lures is better as you're not second guessing yourself all the time. If I had to take only a handful of baits, I'd probably take a martian flasher, a black/smoke or black/nickel 8/9, a black/orange mag dawg, a walleye medussa, a walleye Triple D, an Orange Toxic Fat Bastard, and a black weagle. If you're not able to go with a guide, there are lots of places very close to Temple bay which you could hit on your own. You could walleye fish all day and then just hit a couple close spots for muskies after dinner time. The biggest fish we've ever caught on Eagle was in view of Temple Bay Lodge
Thanks for the suggestions. I bought a 9' Shield rod from Musky Shop last year, paired with a 400 Daiwa that I planned to just use for bucktails but it is very versatile and that is what I think I will take. And while I have a lot of baits, I don't tend to use a lot each day. Fat Bastard is my favorite top water, so that will go for sure. |
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Posts: 1186
| If you fish with guide (for your Muskies only) use his rig then you don't have to bring a muskie rig) On that note I have a friend who never uses his own tackle just the guides and he catches some big fish but shotty guides tackle has cost him too. If I'm fishing with a guide only I'll bring one rod and a flat case with a few lures and flat case with extra hooks, spit rings reel oil and some tools. So get a little of both worlds. |
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Posts: 199
Location: Downers Grove, IL | Good point on using a guide's gear, if you book one. Just let them know ahead of time and I'm sure most/all will accommodate, and save you packing gear. Cal Ritchie is as good as they get up there, but I do know he's booked all summer, barring any cancellation. I've fished with him many times and talked to him at one of the shows this winter. and he told me he was about full for the 2024 season back in January. I'd bet that Temple could take care of you though, with someone who knows what they're doing. |
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| FishHateMe - 4/18/2024 2:50 PM
Good point on using a guide's gear, if you book one. Just let them know ahead of time and I'm sure most/all will accommodate, and save you packing gear. Cal Ritchie is as good as they get up there, but I do know he's booked all summer, barring any cancellation. I've fished with him many times and talked to him at one of the shows this winter. and he told me he was about full for the 2024 season back in January. I'd bet that Temple could take care of you though, with someone who knows what they're doing.
Thanks. I have heard mixed reviews on guide tackle, so not sure about that. |
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