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Posts: 31
Location: Cleveland | I've never fished any other muskie lakes besides the several closest to my house in Ohio. But I have a trip to Ganglers planned with a few friends. I was wondering if anyone else has been there before and if anyone was willing to share any information about how their experience was or pike baits that worked well. Thanks |
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Posts: 45
| It depends on which system of lakes you're fishing...I fished Stevens/Nicklin which was really influenced by water level and it was tough...This time of the year the Lakers are starting to stage for the spawn along the reefs and boulder strewn shorelines and they are a blast...Bring some Husky junior dardevles in clown and copper/orange,#15 or #16 kwikfish in silver/ chartreuse, the size determines the depth they work at and a big white tube to toss at followers as lakers love to follow in their hooked brethren. Pike will still be in the remaining weeds so throw a big doctor spoon or troll a jerkbait like a sledge...grinders in white and black/orange blade are great too...remember it's already Fall up there so bring the longies !! |
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Posts: 264
| What time of year are you going and where are you fishing? Lure choices can vary depending on both. I have been to Ganglers a number of times over the years and stayed at the Main Lodge and Maria "Mini-Lodge". It has been a few years since I have gone but here is my two cents
In general: Spoons are still a good choice. Daredevel, Johnson Minnow with a twister tail, and Syclops for pike. Williams Wabbler for Lakers.
Personally, I have had the best success on pike with undressed Mepps and Blue Fox in-line spinners in the #5 and #6 sizes. Also try some in-line doubles #8's.
Small Rubber can also work really well at times. Spring Dawgs up to regular Dawgs.
If pike are deeper and on the weedbeds, spinner baits can be the ticket.
When the pike are on the deep weeds, I also throw some kind of glider both parallel and away from the weeds into the deeper water and work them slow with lots of pauses. Phantom Softail in the 7.5" Canadian Crush color has been good to me.
Big jig heads with swim bait bodies hooked flat (Doug Stange set up I believe) have also been very productive at times as well as 6" to 8" plastic worms rigged on a single big worm hook 6/0 to 8/0 with point just barely in the skin and then swim it over and through the deep weeds. Bubble Gum pink has been a great color for this, but almost everything works when they are on the bite.
If you plan on walleye fishing ( and I recommend it, it can be fantastic with some really nice fish and lots in the mid twenty inch size); the usual jig and twister tail combo always works as well as some small cranks, 3" to as big as 5".
And, just for fun, throwing a topwater of almost any kind can be a blast. Prop style have worked great for me on occasion over the tops of weeds.
Didn't do much lake trout fishing on my trips to Ganglers as it was deep water (60' and deeper) jigging with heavy jigs. The one trip we took at Labor Day to specifically get the lakers shallow was a bust becasue the weather was hot for weeks before and including the Labor Day week (80 degrees plus every day) so the lakers had not moved shallow.
If you are staying at the main lodge and it can fit in your budget, consider doing a fly out. Some of the flyout lakes Ganglers have are excellent for big pike. I would try either Sprott or a lake referred to as "Dog Sheet" (well not 'sheet' exactly, but you understand) because the native name is so hard to pronounce.
It has been a few years since I was at Ganglers but it is a top notch operation with great accommodations, especially at the Main Lodge. Maria was the only "outpost" camp we went to for a few years and it was nice and had some great pike fishing.
If I had to pick just a handful of lures I would put the small inline spinners, some spoons, some spinner baits and some medium to big plastic worms with single hook set ups in the box.
Good luck, you should have a great time.
Talmooner
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Posts: 31
Location: Cleveland | We are going to Clifton and our trip is actually scheduled for next year. I have a year to learn as much as possible. Thanks for the info. Did you enjoy your trip when you went? |
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Posts: 31
Location: Cleveland | Thank you both for your input. Looking forward to my first trip. |
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Posts: 295
| my father got invited up there a few year back... he's not much of a fisherman, but hes got reels upon reels of photos of fish over 40 inches all caught on 1/2oz blue fox vibrax spoons nickel/pink center. sounds like a blast. if it were me, id just fish what i like unless the guys up there told me otherwise. bring a big memory card for your camera you might just need it. |
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