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| Dear Muskie Firsters,
As I was riding to my local coffee shopt this morning, to grab some Jo and a paper, something came to me. I started looking the number of muskies being caught by individuals in Muskies Inc. Back in the late 80's, it only took 85-100 fish per year to be International Masters Release Champ. These days, the International Masters Champ, ends the year with as many as 220-300 muskies. The size has grown as well. In 1988 we had a true 65 lber., but less than 6 years ago, we had a 61 lb. 13 ounce fish....a true, certified HAWG from Georgian Bay!!
I look back on my records. I have kept very good records for years....I keep track of number of fish, versus number of hours per fish, and length of fish, on my favorite pond, EAGE LAKE!! HOO RAH!! (Sorry :-() So, if I have 3 guys casting, for 10 hours, that equals 30 hours of fishing for that day. I add these up for the year, and divide by the number of muskies...I then get an hourly rate per catch. Does this make sense? Anyway, the number of muskies, and numbers of hours fished for these beasts has doubled in number, and halved in hours/fish.(used to be one fish every 69 hours fished (three guys, fishing for a little more than 3 days), now it is almost one fish per 18 hours fished. Am I four times better than I used to be? I don't think so! Yes, there has been a learning curve, and I may have gotten better, but not 4 TIMES better. Then I look at size of fish...the length per fish has gone up over 3 inches as well....coincidence? I don't think so!
I then look at the HUGE fish Mille Lacs & Vermilion fish being caught....the HUGE fish coming from Georgian Bay, St. Lawrence, Ottawa River, etc. We, as a muskie community, are catching some VERY large fish. I think we are in the good ol' days RIGHT NOW!!!
Sincerely,
Donnie 
Edited by Donnie3737 10/1/2006 7:12 AM
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| You are so correct Donnie, on average hours per musky have been dropping and more and bigger muskies are being reported on a consistent basis. No virgin water advantage much these days, but I'll trade that off against the better equipment we have and the better presentations we use  |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Yes, Donnie you are so correct. These are the good old days. And if we protect our resources it will only get better.
Another reason is our knowledge has expanded 10 fold since then "back then". |
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Location: Northern Wisconsin | hopefully it will keep getting better. |
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| Way to many BIG fish being killed these days in Mn. People from all around are fishing these lakes and takeing home there 50 or 50+, the guys and gals that fish these lakes all the time catch these 50 inch fish all the time and don't think twice about releasing them. Lake Vermilion & Mille Lacs took a beating this year, and it looks like it's going to continue right into the fall with more large fish being kept.
Glory days ?
Glory days were in the late 1990's early 2000 when only a few folks were fishing for these fish not the uneducated masses we have today in Mn.
We're all ready on a downward trend and 5000 fingerlings every other year isn't going to fix it.
I know I'll be watching ebay the next few years because there's going to be a lot of stuff getting pawned off.
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Posts: 921
Location: Apollo, PA | Donnie,
Glory days, i don't know?? Good ol days?? Maybe in some areas. Musky fishing and Musky Fisherman are definitely on the rise. There are soooo many more people fishing for muskie than years ago. Bigger fish, yeah, in some areas and states where the musky population is managed in a lets say an intelligent manner. My state, PA is just starting to wake up and manage its musky fishery. Pymatuning was famous for huge thick fish, and it is starting to make a comeback. It seems Minnesota is on fire. I have internet friends that i talk to and the fishery seems incredible. Its like they live in Canada. I sincerely hope that it is not ruined. Over fishing, stressed out fish, plain old killing, it goes on and on. When i hear of massive tournaments, and lakes being over pressured it is usually the beginning of the end. Steve Cady had a post to this effect that i read and it just made me sick for some of those MN lakes.
Donnie as you know, things can change very quickly. Best, PS |
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Posts: 69
| I know in Canada it seems to be true.We are moving unbelievable amount of Muskies vs even 10 years ago.Northerns on the other hand have drastically taken a hit on numbers.We like to eat Northerns,and there's been many days it hard to find one in the 27" size slot to eat when we're up there. |
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| It is the good ol' days of everyone bragging about there catches on the internet that is for sure. A few very large lakes in MN may seem like they are on fire because there are 3 boats on every spot all year long. I personally haven't seen an increase in the number of lakes or fingerlings stocked or an increase in the water quality. Good yes but hopefully not the goo ol' days as we look back 20yrs. from now. |
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Posts: 147
Location: WI - Land of small muskies and big jawbones | Thank the MNDNR for the incredible musky fishery they created by stocking a strain of fish that are all capable of growing large and providing musky anglers the trophy fishing they desire. I was over there this weekend myself. Unfortunately we only landed small ones up to 47.75" this time. We did lose one over 50". Heard of a couple other small 48" fish caught while I was there as well as a 52". All of these were released. Also saw a picture of a 55" musky that was caught about a month ago there that I'm guessing was in the mid to upper 40lb range. Based on the fin clip this fish had and the stocking records for that lake the oldest that fish could possibly be is 13 years old. But remember, fish that grow this fast won't get big because it takes fish with slow to moderate growth rates for them to get big. Fast growing fish are bad if we want to catch big ones because you need to be stocking slower growing fish to get big ones. Remember that. |
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| Internet Hero,
Yes....we talk about big fish, and it is easier to do so with this means (MuskieFirst) of information dissemination. (sp?) I was talking about today, compared to 20, 30, or even 40 years ago. When you look at the ACTUAL big fish being caught, I think there has been some great conservation efforts by the DNR, MNR, and clubs like Muskies Inc. Even with as many as 10 times as many muskie fishermen as there was 20 years ago, we are catching LOTS of bigger fish.
The good news is this....I think fishing is getting better. (but what do I know??) To some, they may be seeing a different story....part of the reason I started this post.
Donnie |
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| But remember, fish that grow this fast won't get big because it takes fish with slow to moderate growth rates for them to get big. Fast growing fish are bad if we want to catch big ones because you need to be stocking slower growing fish to get big ones. Remember that.
you're always so positive Lockjaw. it really helps move discussion forward and gives everyone a nice big warm fuzzy about your cause. throwing mud on the research of reputable scientists like Casselman is a good strategy too.
or not. remember that.
good ol' days? yes. more fish in more waters surviving longer growing bigger!
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| Lambeau,
YEP ! ! ! Fishing is better today for most....if it isn't for some, well, it may have everything to do with attitude!
Go PACKERS ! ! !
Donnie |
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Posts: 136
| I agree that the muskie fishery in MN , and Ontario are bettere than they have been in a long while. I am not old enough to know what it was like way but but from what I have learned I believe this is true. So we have to appreciate this and take care of it. And as far as all the talk goes about fish getting killed I have a different theory. First let me say I would NEVER kill a fish unless it was a state/world record - just being honest. I don't like to see 50 inchers getting killed on my favorite lakes. I think the DNR and the overall culture of musky fishing has a lot to do with the fish being produced in MN. The only problem I have are the idiots killing small fish or even fish in the 42-48 inch range. I think that if people only took big fish then we could maintain a trophy fishery because only trophys would be killed leaving the rest to grow. I am excited to think that right now might not be just the good ole days but just the beginning. |
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