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Posts: 325
Location: Otsego, MN | What do you guys do to wait for opener? Its about 39 days away and I cant wait...
I have sharpened the hooks, re-read a few good books, bought several new baits, organized the tackle box and planned several trips for the year.
All I have left is prepare the boat and have all that pesky ice/snow melt...
Waiting is the hardest part! |
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Posts: 785
| Where I live in Iowa it should just about be open water... instead people are still driving trucks on the ice. So what I'm doing to pass the time is I'm going crazy.
Until now though I've started a good diet and exercise plan and done everything possible to be distracted and not think about musky fishing. I guess I planned all my trips out and started going through tackle but otherwise just tried avoiding it. Winter may disagree but my mind knows things should be happening now... no more avoiding it, I'm ready to fish. |
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Posts: 153
Location: MN | I sometimes make a trip to Iowa Or South Dakota to throw a few.
Turkey hunt.
Cruise the shorelines and weedlines looking for new fishing spots, the water is usualy real clear in spring.
Fish for walleyes after opener.
I don't fish for pike "wink wink" on muskie lakes, it seems to be quite common on Forest. |
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Posts: 1106
Location: Muskegon Michigan | We are heading down to Indiana for a two or three day adventure. They have open water now and The lake Webster area is only 3 hours from our home here in Michigan. Michigan's opener is the end of April. Indiana has a bunch of good lakes in and around North Webster . Hoping to spend at least one of those days fishing with Vince Werrick. So if you have a need, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky to name a few are all going strong right now. I heard cave run is really picking up right now. Mike |
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Posts: 1220
| I just sort of sit around and post a bunch of stuff on the internet trying to convince myself that I am a better angler than my actual record would suggest. It gets easier every single day that passes since the last time I really fished for musky and was forced to live with the way things actually turned out. I have almost forgotten every single mistake and lost fish and now am sort of sorry that I will soon have to stop living my well edited memories, trading them for the, more or less, ordinary reality that is soon to come. Two more months of winter and I would have convinced myself I was an "official" Internet expert angler. Then again, these posts are likely to be worth every single penny you paid to read them. |
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Posts: 470
Location: Blaine, MN | Someone... Anyone... pick me up on the way to Cave Run, Please... |
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Posts: 4266
| This year there is lots to do, but I'm heading to the Mississippi for walleyes just as soon as I can. But first I need to get my boat cover repaired that tore at the seams during our last heavy, wet blizzard. I have to buy three batteries. I was going to invest in gel batteries this year, but due to an economic crisis sweeping my wallet, it's back to Wal-Mart for Everstart batteries. Then I have to get everything out of the boat that didn't come out last November, and on the first warm windy day I will open all of the compartments and let it air out, that could be a month to do. I hope to spend all of April fishing instead of waiting for the Southern Opener. And when May comes around I'll still be on the river catching bass and panfish. I'm in no hurry to fish for muskies.
Edited by Beaver 3/26/2013 12:43 PM
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | I'm in southern MN but I believe if you want to know how to PACE the winter tasks talk to someone in the great white north! I don't ice fish, for some very obvious reasons. (either you get it or you don't) So to make winter disappear is a real task. Especially once all the bait repairs are done. Making bucktails etc...is only good when you need them. hooks, rods, reels are all done etc... tick tock tick tock. I'd like to hear what some of our Canadian brothers do to while away the winter and still keep a hand in it. |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | The best thing I have done over the last few years is I get a bunch of ugly dog baits. I tell the grandson to gather up 6 or 7 of his buddies that like to fish and I have them over to work on baits. At the end of a few weekends they have some brand new lures to take home. We tie up some bucktails, spinnerbaits, and paint and finish some hardbaits. They learn as they laugh and are fired up to get on the water. My oldest G'son just discovered that girls smell nice! Next year winter is going to be a long time going!! |
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Location: On the O | jakejusa - 3/26/2013 1:54 PM
I'd like to hear what some of our Canadian brothers do to while away the winter and still keep a hand in it.
Don't think things are all that different...
Obsessively checking MuskieFirst, Facebook and other Muskie sites for any scrap of Muskie talk....or is that just me?
Our show season seems to be a little later then yours so we're just now getting to attend some of those.
Boats will be coming out of storage soon and I always like to add something each year, upgrading my casting platform is in the planning sessions now.
Obviously drinking beer and watching hockey in the Great White North takes up a lot of time too, eh!
Edited by BigC 3/26/2013 1:53 PM
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | I to am awaiting the opener. However I just had surgery on my elbow about two weeks ago, so for the first time in my life im hoping it drags out so I can be healthy on opener. My opener is on the 1st of june, my Bday is on the 2nd of June. If I can't fish for my favorite target on my Bday... well... I just don't know what I will do? |
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | watching my new home being built... including the 30 foot garage for the Ranger! well worth the wait! |
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Posts: 8781
| I usually wait until about a week before the opener before I realize "crap, it's next week?!" Then I go downstairs and see everything still in a pile where I left it last fall and get angry because I had all winter to clean reels and organize lures, buy snaps and hooks and split rings, and instead I did nothing. Then I start the season just the way the last one ended - with all my gear in complete dissarray.
Some day I want to get to the point where I have a small lakewood and two rods. I know it will never happen, but it's fun to dream |
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Posts: 1529
| well i have not been skunked yet. our openers first saturday in june |
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Posts: 613
Location: Michigan | Already been out a couple times with a simple trip down to Indiana  |
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Posts: 2024
| 45 more days and I get 2 days on Cave Run! |
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Posts: 833
| To be honest, find other stuff to do. I go to the gym a lot, brew my own Beer, and spend a ton of time with my 2 boys.
Onec March shows up I start preseason work: Bait maintenance, boat maintenance, tying new leaders, making sucker rigs, etc. My goal is to get all that junk done so that come opener all I have to do is focus on fishing. Inevitably something comes up, but the more that is done the less I deal with later. With 2 kids and a full time job, I want my precious free time spent on the lake, not in the garage, so time spent now on less exciting stuff is well spent later. |
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Posts: 1220
| OK, here's a serious thing to do. I have been really, really blessed with no real mechanical problems for a long time except for one-wheel bearings! In the old days, I either took off the cup-like cover and stuffed grease in the hole myself or had a bearing-buddy I could keep my eye on and just pump up when it is down. These days, most bearing are not made for self-service. You have to check really, really, really well to make sure that there is no sign of leaking. If there is....now is the time to replace it. If you are asking me if I ever had to drive home 300 miles on 3 trailer wheels at 45 MPH with every single trucker blasting his horn at me.....well yes I have! |
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Posts: 706
Location: Richland Center, WI. | Well, this year I am sitting here waiting for the opener knowing that I probably won't get to fish! Had surgery on my right shoulder on March 8th. Started physical therapy this week and everyone just kind of looks at me funny when I say I need to be ready to go by May 4th.
Anyway, since I am not supposed to drive and the driveway is full of ice so I can't get outside (wife will kick my 4$$ if I go out and fall down), I spend my time reading about musky fishing, watching videos about musky fishing and going on Ebay buying goodies connected to musky fishing. Also on this board reading what you guys and gals are up to. So.... I figure that any day now I should be ready for musky fishing.
Ken  |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | I had delusions of putting in the pier in about 2 weeks. Nooooot happening without some devine intervention.
On the plus side, the eyes may spawn under the ice and get a chance to scatter before ice out. |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Looks like a nice thaw the next few days up here. Losing snow fast, it's 37 degrees and most importantly, sunny. Looks like open water late April if you look at the long term forecast. |
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Posts: 283
| work waaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy too #*^@ much |
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Posts: 269
Location: Oregon, WI | Hunter63 I'm in same boat as you. Had neck surgery March 12th. To make matters worse, I have a new boat sitting in the garage I'm anxious to get out and a couple tournaments mid May that I may not be cleared for. I see you're from RC. My inlaws are from there. |
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Posts: 410
Location: Wakefield, MI | I spend way too much money usually. Between the boat show in Duluth (new St Coix, 2 new reels, new tackle bag), enough trips to Rollie and Helen's that they say "you again" when I walk in, and the Internet, my wallet hates me.
Also getting ready for crappies. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | Vexilar/Jig-Pole/Wax-Worms ... |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | It is tradition for DHBuc and me to Turkey Hunt the weekends before the opener of muskie fishing.
The fishing equipment has long been ready.
It is time to make the feathers fly!
Gooble Gooble! |
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Location: sneaking out to get on the water ;-) | Going nuts also. Got every hook sharp, reworked baits that needed help, made new ones where needed, cleaned all the reels, watched all my movies. Went to wausau show and headed to MN show. Probably hit thornes spring sale. I'm excited for the river to kick open so I can at least do some catfishing. |
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Posts: 121
Location: Plymouth IA | Just blew the snow drift from in front of the barn so when the rest melts off I can get the boat out. This time last year it was aready out. Have everything ready but the boat. So other than work, ice fish work, check muskies first work, go to sports shows. I am ready for open water and time in the boat too try and get a better handle on Clear lake IA muskies. Even have a new rod. |
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Posts: 300
| I try not to think about it. With two months to go, if I start dreaming, I won't sleep. Hooks are sharp, everything is ready to go. I just have to put everything in its little spot. I also check Muskiefirst, rehash all the seminar material, think about all the "new" tactics I am going to try. I'm sure like most, I will be back to the same old stuff as last year. One of these years I will break the bad habits. |
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Posts: 373
| Never fished the opener in Northern Wisconsin was wondering what day that was thanks for your help |
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