|
|
| While I am already FULLY AWARE that musky fishing alone can be a dangerous propostion-----I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts/tips on the topic. Jobu |
|
| |
|
Posts: 646
Location: In a shack in the woods | I fish alone 90% of the time. I change baits often until I know what works. You don't have the benefit of a dummy caster to give them a variety. Keep the net close to you and figure out a netting style that works for you. I hold the net in the water and use the rod to drag the fish into the net. I know of a guy that puts his net between his knees and swings them in. That works well for him but not me. I am too tall. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | Be sure to have your release tools, hook cutters, cell phone etc. within in reach. Use some hook proof gloves.
Be sure to know how to use the self timer on your camera for pics of the big one. Test camera placement before you head out so that you know you'll get a good picture. I've had a few nice fish that I never got a good pic/no pic of because of the above. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 225
Location: Nordeast Minneapolis | +1 on the release tools. Anything you would normally have to go digging for, make sure you have readily accessible. And don't be afraid to NOT net a fish...
And I think I'm a little more deliberate on my lure selection when I'm fishing by myself. When someone else is in the boat, I may get a little more experimental. But if it's just me, I tend to take the time to really think about what's going on, where I'm fishing, and what lure/presentation I think gives the best chance for me to see a fish.
I suspect it's sheer coincidence that the lure I select almost always a black bucktail or suick-type jerk bait. :\ |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | Keep the net extended and clear of baits.
Fish slower or more casts to the structure than when fishign with a partner. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 45
| +1 on release tools and net within reach. Barbless hooks. Self-inflating life vest on at all times!
Edited by ILBOB 8/9/2011 1:26 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | I almost always work parallel weed edges and drop offs, I can make the most of my casts and cover a lot of water that way. And when I fish alone in rough weather I always ask myself what I'd do if if I actually hook something... say the wind is blowing you up onto a rock reef, sometimes it's best to bug out instead of making those last two or three casts. Or if the light is failing and you don't have a good headlamp. You always need to remember you don't have an extra set of hands to help out in those sticky situations. |
|
| |
|
| I fish alone most of the time. Have net open and in a convenient spot in the boat; be sure it is not by something it can get caught on (if it can catch on something it will). I have to play fish longer when alone to tire a little ( do not fish alone when hot) reduce drag. Do not try to pick the net up to soon when fish is still green. Put net in water and bring fish from the side not straight toward the boat. I put net in my strong hand and bring in head first; when head enters net I am then able to move the net to the fish to help in netting. Try to play the fish out from the boat a little. Have tools ready all of the time and cut hooks if fish does not come loose fast. Unhook fish in the net; wrap some of the net in your boat tie ons so you don;t lose in the water. Have your camera ready and know how to use it. Fishing alone certainly has it's adventures and you will definitely lose some fish but it also rewarding. The bigger the fish the more that seems to go wrong. |
|
| |
|
| Safety first....Not just hook cutters - REALLY GOOD CUTTERS. They should be able to cut the shank on a hook with your weak hand. Have them easily with in reach when dealing with a fish. Life jacket!!!!! Tell somebody where you are going and when to expect you back. Cell phone... I even make calls to my wife through out the day as a check in "Hey still I'm alive"..."No I STILL haven't caught anything..... Good Bye!!!" click!!!!
Other than the safety aspect there is really only one other thing that changes
Slow down.....not necessarily your presentation but your boat. It's only you so it should take you twice as long to fish a spot than with some one else. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1168
| I too fish alone quite a bit. I echo the statements about good release tools that are close by. I don't worry about the camera, I can grab a cell phone and shoot a pic of the fish in the net. No need to have me dragging a fish out of the water in order to stroke my ego by having my face in the shot.
I find that if your net is buried under tackle boxes you'll need it. When you have it extended and ready free of everything it will go unused.
What I love about fishing alone is that it is a time for me to experiment. I like to do off the wall wacky things and when I'm by myself I don't have to worry about a partner wanting to head off on a milk run fishing the same stuff we normally do. Over the years this approach as given me more confidence when going to an outside of the box type of tactic or location and it has paid off when the fish are off for everyone else. They don't have confidence in those options, but I do. Then if or when you stumble onto something and someone jumps in the boat with you, you can "think" a fish up based on your experimentation and look like a genius. You're not really a genius, you're just more willing to take on the challenge of becoming better. |
|
| |
|
| I often fish alone. I have a rope on the end of my net that I can tie off to the boat when I am dealing with the fish so that the net does not sink. I flatten all barbs. Don't want to be pinned to a fish with nobody around to help. Often I leave the fish in the water for a in water picture rather than bothering with a camera timer and tripod and all that. Here is a tip for the in water picture - make sure the fish is out of the net before you take the picture. Those nets are so big they can make a lot of fish look small. You might want to roll the fish on its back in the water before you take the fish. Seems to calm them down. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 60
| I fish alone a lot. I set up a ram mount for my camera so i can take pictures using the timer on the camera. I also put cleat covers over my cleats so when I'm ready to net a fish the net doesn't get caught in the cleat....lost a fish because of this! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1286
Location: WI | Loosen the drag or thumb the spool near the boat & walk the fish around the boat when you net it. I agree with the above comments about fishing spots slower, or double back over them.
I enjoy fishing alone, but not having someone to share a victory with or to help find a pattern is a downside to it.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 39
| Camera with remote control and a ram mount( I have one on top of the windshield facing forward). Take some practice photo’s, you can mark a standing spot if it helps you. A net holder, you need to hands to unhook, operate camera etc.
Practice climbing up in the boat(get a ladder in the back)! A lifejacket alone don’t save you, don’t expect to get rescued. Dry sack with extra cloths and surviving stuff, small dry sack for keys, wallet, mobile phone. Pack dry sack with air inside, they will float if your boat doesn’t.
Swiss Army knife and duck tape(if you look like Pete Thornton stay in the office);-)
|
|
| |
|
| Thanks for all the GREAT info guys. I will put some of it to use next week---hopefully while attempting to net my "WORLD RECORD"---haha! Jobu |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3861
| My #1 thought runs to safety, especially at night and X10 in colder water. Folks above have provided great suggestions but one I would emphasize is to have quality hook cutters within reach and you must be able to use your weak hand to cut off a thrashing fish that you've been hooked up with.
Folks who have never be careless or unlucky enough to get hooked up with a fish can't understand what it's like.
The biggest short-term, uncontrolable, threat to the fisherman is shock and passing out. Under this circumstance you probably won't know you passed out until you wake up. The biggest long-term threat is the damage you may do you to the appendage you happen to hook. Nerves, blood vessels, tendons, yer jewel sack, yer a$$, eyeballs, whatever.
I have hook cutters held against my seat in a home-made velcro sheath affair. I keep the cutters soaked down with WD-40 and practiced unlocking the lock on the cutters until I memorized how the lock deal works.
Being careless is what got me hooked. And "careless" for me was defined as being in a hurry and not using a safe release process/tools I had right at hand. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 642
Location: Richfield, MN | Nice to see that I am not the only lonser.... oopss meant loner out there!! I fish alot by myself. When the kids are freed up they go along but no where close to what I would like to see do with me.
Fishing alone has 1 advantage and that is no arguing where and when you are going to fish.
Before I got my own boat 3 years ago I was stuck fishing where my buddy wanted to because it was his boat. He never wanted to fish the metro area of which we never did. Now I have my own boat and I fish the heck out of the metro lakes and catch tons of fish. When I do I text every fish I catch to my buddy to let him know there are fish in the metro.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | Lots of good advice here. The important thing is one can fish alone safely. I do find fishing alone at night a bit more challenging though. The casting is no problem, but releasing the fish is a lot easier with someone holding a flashlight. I have one of those hanging flashlights which does help quite a bit. But its always more fun to have someone along. 
Edited by Herb_b 8/10/2011 3:45 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 158
| One of the best tips I ever read on a forum that I have used multiple times is to drill a hole in th end of your net handle, run some rope through it and put a carribeaner clip on it. I measured the rope so the net sits perfectly flat from the side of my boat and I clip the beaner on the rod locker handle on the other side of the boat (helps to have a deep net so the fish can be completely submerged if you have a high sides on your boat). This works very well and as soon as the fish goes in the net, you clip it on, and take a quick breather to gather yourself and enjoy the moment instead of trying to hold the net handle, not the let the fish swim/jump out, get your release tools, etc. People I fish with love this too...it just makes life easier for everyone.
Lots of great tips in this thread! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 127
Location: SUN PRAIRIE WI | Has anyone have pictures of that last post sounds like A great idea but I need to see pictures to fully understand |
|
| |
|
Posts: 313
Location: Bemidji, Lake Vermilion | I never let the whole bag of the net into the water until the fishes head and part of body is going into it. I hook the bottom of the bag with a finger when I grab the net. On most muskie nets, working them one handed and trying to control a fish one handed once that bag is in the water you're not going to move it very well. Just drop the bag when the fish is going into the net. Way too many fish lost when the whole bag is in the water and the fish makes an unexpected move and you can't move the net the way you need to. Mostly from getting hooks caught on it while the fish is not yet in it. |
|
| |
|
Location: Eastern Ontario | A big ditto on the barbless hooks and practice with your camera I have a wonderfull picture of my personal best missing 3/4 of my head. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 174
Location: Ontario | Be sober,and dont fish in the dark |
|
| |
|
Posts: 86
Location: colorado | I have learned a lot from the post above. I fish alone all the time and like it that way. I read that the number one killer of one man boats is peeing out of the boat when trolling. Don't risk falling off a moving boat! Use a bucket or coffee Can. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 201
| I almost always fish by myself, I like the solitude. While I am just getting into musky fishing I know when fighting a big smallie or walleye I always hit the spot lock button on the I Pilot. Lets me concentrated on what I am doing and I don't have to worry about being blown into shore or on some rocks. Makes it easier to concentrate on what I am doing. |
|
| |
|
| what everyone else said plus Let someone know where you are going, and have a long net handle. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 833
| I fish alone a lot as well. +1 on the rope tied to the net. BTurg showed me a trick using a hockey lace tied to the end of the net. Once you get the fish in the bag you just tie off the lace on the oppostie cleat. It basically turns the net into a giant livewell freeing you up to gather your tools, put on gloves, set up the camera, etc. while the fish sits in the water. The other positive is the fish basically start recovering immediately when it is warmer in the summer. Makes for a far less stressful situation for everyone and lets you deal with the hooks right and protect the fish. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 136
| After I land a fish I put the net handle in a rod holder, maybe not all boats and rod holder positions will work out, but a lot will. Makes things a lot easier. Also, if fishing the wind and you have co-pilot, keep the remote on you or your rod. Easier to avoid danger when fighting a fish or when your working on one. Good luck. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 968
Location: N.FIB | #1 thing I see when wacthing a video or dvd is how people net the fish by themselves,I wonder how many they lose because they are not very good at doing it.I like to drop the rod and grab close to the top middle of the rod and put the fish in the net from there,once I`m done reeling thats when I do that,kinda learned that from watching the bass guys on tv when they got to lip the bass,net needs to be extended,release tools on passengers seat and camera under windshield,if windy or something might grab the footpedal and extend it back by me so I can control the boat,have to hold the net in the water while getting the footpedal as I make my way up to the front and back.Also more than one headlamp and maybe a electric lantern for light in the boat,I don`t always like getting off the water when it gets dark,now that I`m getting older and a bit clumbys I need to get a life jacket thats comfy to wear while casting.fishing alone is where that spot lock would be great,also keep the first aid kit by release tools,I once had to take care of my cut from the fishes teeth before I could do anything else. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | There would be a lot fewer broken rods if guys didn't watch bass fishing on tv. Remember, those guys get their $200 to $400 rods for free. |
|
| |
