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Posts: 369
| Hello everyone I just registered on the form and I need help, for the past 3 years I've been trying to catch one Muskie the only problem is is that no matter what I try nothing seems to work I know that these fish are extremely hard to catch and I know it won't be easy, for I have many Muskie lures the question I have is what do you personally recommend for fishing for summer Muskie, I will be fishing in Wisconsin. I already have a good setup for them which is a Cabelas dept master rod 2 peice seven ft with a abu garcia c3 spooled with 80 lb test suffix 832 ghost line with 20 lb mono underneath along with reel grips on the side, I also have a 100 b test titanium leader what do you all think and what should I change any help is appreciated,
Zachary |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Number one, is to keep at it! It can take time. Don't get carried away on lures...get a couple bucktails, one of which needs to be a double 10. Then get a couple of the biggest rubber baits you can throw. Just starting out, you can easily get by on just a few baits...heck, even years from now you can get by on just a few baits. But start casting the bucktails and cast them as long as you can. When after a couple hours, nothing happens, try the rubber baits as long as you can. There's a million miles of baits, techniques, methods, colors, sizes and places to discuss between here and there...but for working on your first fish, ya gotta pound the water with high percentage lures and tough it out.
Make sure above all, that your hooks are sharp and you knots are strong. If I'd tweak anything, I'd pick up some 130 or 150 lb flourocarbon leaders. Get the best ones you can find...I use Stealth and they're awesome. Watch your moon times and your weather conditions and use them to your best advantage. |
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Posts: 1040
| Where are you at in Wisconsin?
You may want to try looking up your local Muskies Inc. Chapter and starting hanging around those guys.
I'm in southeastern Wisconsin and our club has many members who routinely take out "rookies" and get them going in the sport.
Outside of that, there are a few very key things when it comes to musky fishing.... These are mine...
1) Boat control is very important. Know your weedlines. Don't scream up on them with the big motor. Use the trolling motor to keep you in position. And I always try to make sure the TM is off when the bait comes to the boat for the figure 8.
2) Know your lures and how they are supposed to work. Not every bait is created equal. Identify your top 5 baits and learn to use them flawlessly.
3) Sharpen your hooks. The last thing you want is a dull hook when a musky bites. I like the little flat files, but those double round files are better than nothing, and they are easier to use if you don't really know what you are doing.
4) Get out and cast as often as you can. The best time to fish is when you can. If you are planning a trip, check out the solunar tables and the weather reports to give yourself the best odds.
There are obviously a ton of other tips, but those should get you going. Good luck to you and post a pick of your first for us, I'm sure it is coming soon! |
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Posts: 369
| Thank you, I've heard great things from stealth tackle leaders and ill pick some universal heard though flurocarbon can be cut through though that's the only thing that worries me |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | If you feel more confident with a steel leader, use it. I use 150# or 180# fluorocarbon but that's my personal preference. Then again everybody knows the fish in Wisconsin aren't big enough to bite through a fluorocarbon leader.  |
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Posts: 369
| I am up by Hayward Wisconsin, I have jerk baits, buck tails, crank baits, tubes and some other crank baits to use, I really did not think too much about the hooks but some of them are dull and ill sharpen those up or try to replace the ones that are too rusted to use. Because ill be up there in July I plan to go in the morning at like 5am or so (that's what some of the locals told me.) or when it's starts to get dark at like 7:30 ish thanks for the tips and the support,
Zachary |
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Posts: 369
| I I just looked at the Stealh tackle leaders and I like how they are designed, I was worried about them being only tied or crimped and I'm glad to see they are both, I'm thinking of getting 2 150 lb test leaders.
-Zachary |
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Posts: 156
| N. WI. in July my best luck has always been with mid lake weed/rock humps,
as opposed to shoreline related stuff. If all else fails tie on a Suick and throw
it at the weed edges until you get bit. Don't be afraid to rip it through the weeds
once in a while. BE PERSISTANT, WATCH FOR FOLLOWS, FIG 8 - IT WILL HAPPEN.
ETA: Watch Steve's video for tips on tuning working a Suick
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/videos/08.25.2011/4313/Spring.Bay.R...
Edited by Makintrax73 5/8/2013 11:27 AM
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Get out on an action lake, Tigercat, Day, Moose, Lost Land, Mineral, etc. Get out early and throw a Topraider, reel slow enough that the prop is just barely going, or cast a black double 8 Shumway Flasher around weeds. Get some good polarized glasses, can't stress enough how important they are for seeing fish and gaining confidence in a spot.
Stay off the clear lakes! A seasoned vet could fish Round for a week a year in July for 3 years and not catch a fish.
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Posts: 369
| The suick sounds like a good idea, it's actually one of the lures I don't have but I'll pick one or two up, what size and color would you reccomend? |
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Posts: 369
| I do have some very good polarized glasses that I usually wear, the top raider ill try again I've tried before for the past year or so but have not had much luck so ill try it again this year early. The flasher I have is close to the one you're describing but when I throw it in the water the tail gets all stuck together, I've heard that the double blades work much better than the single so ill see if I have one, the lake I'm at is more of a root beer color but I've never heard not to fish on the clear lakes, so I won't be visiting them this summer
Thanks -Zachary |
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Posts: 150
Location: Appleton, WI | I think one of the easiest bates to use is a hawg wobbler. not much to working it and i tend to catch more fish on one then anyother lure in my box. |
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Posts: 369
| I have had used one before but I don't have it anymore. What color do you use I used a black one and because of the root beer color of the lake, even with polarized glasses its hard to see. |
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Posts: 621
Location: Seymour, WI | In the Hayward area I would recommend fishing Spider lake or Tiger Cat. Both are beautiful clear water "action lakes". Muskies are abundant and if you work the obvious structure, weeds, shorelines, islands you will catch a muskie, maybe even multiple fish. Pick a small lure that is easy to work like a bucktail, topwater or small crank bait and you will get bit.
Edited by Grass 5/8/2013 12:22 PM
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Grass - 5/8/2013 12:21 PM
In the Hayward area I would recommend fishing Spider lake or Tiger Cat. Both are beautiful clear water "action lakes". Muskies are abundant and if you work the obvious structure, weeds, shorelines, islands you will catch a muskie, maybe even multiple fish. Pick a small lure that is easy to work like a bucktail, topwater or small crank bait and you will get bit.
Good choices too. When I said the "clear" lakes, I meant Round, LCO, Grindstone and Whitefish. These are all fun lakes to fish, but I'd get a few fish under my belt before I attempted to fish them. |
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | my folks live on the tiger cat flowage.. i highly recommend fishing it. get yourself a regular cisco pattern bulldawg or anything else that looks like and imitates a crappie. YOU WILL GET BIT! once in a while you'll see a fairly decent fish out there. no giants.. but lots of action with 30"-35" fish. |
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Posts: 114
Location: Kingston, Ontario | Fish the structure on the lakes that reaches to deep water and you will find the muskies. Simple as that. Learn to troll and cast those structures. |
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Posts: 369
| I'm fairly close to those lakes ill try them this summer, thanks!
-Zachary |
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Posts: 369
| Consigliere - 5/8/2013 2:49 PM
Fish the structure on the lakes that reaches to deep water and you will find the muskies. Simple as that. Learn to troll and cast those structures. I would try trolling but its not legal on my lake anymore. I did not know you should fish where it gets deeper so thanks for that tip.
-Zachary |
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Posts: 369
| fishhawk50 - 5/8/2013 1:49 PM
my folks live on the tiger cat flowage.. i highly recommend fishing it. get yourself a regular cisco pattern bulldawg or anything else that looks like and imitates a crappie. YOU WILL GET BIT! once in a while you'll see a fairly decent fish out there. no giants.. but lots of action with 30"-35" fish. I've never been to the Tiger Cat flow age but I have visited the Chippewa flow age but Tiger sounds like another lake I'm going to have to try out this year.
-Zachary |
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Posts: 369
| dfkiii - 5/8/2013 10:21 AM
If you feel more confident with a steel leader, use it. I use 150# or 180# fluorocarbon but that's my personal preference. Then again everybody knows the fish in Wisconsin aren't big enough to bite through a fluorocarbon leader. ;) From what I've heard fluorocarbon is the way to go, Another member mentioned Stealth tackle and I think that's what I'm going to get.
-Zachary |
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Posts: 369
| Grass - 5/8/2013 12:21 PM
In the Hayward area I would recommend fishing Spider lake or Tiger Cat. Both are beautiful clear water "action lakes". Muskies are abundant and if you work the obvious structure, weeds, shorelines, islands you will catch a muskie, maybe even multiple fish. Pick a small lure that is easy to work like a bucktail, topwater or small crank bait and you will get bit. Tiger lake sounds good, Spider does to. The buck tail sounds like a good idea, crank bait is not a bad idea either.
-Zachary |
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Posts: 2384
Location: Chisholm, MN | Boat control and timing are the most important. Put your boat where the fish are and cast at prime times. (evening, morning, moon rise and set) |
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Posts: 131
Location: Lake St. Clair | You cant go wrong learning to use bulldawgs, you literally cant work them wrong. Anyway you work them is a good way. The more random and erratic, the better. Read articles, watch videos, etc and you can pick up a lot from those. Browse these forums and READ them. You would be surprised how much you can pick up from here. GOOD LUCK! |
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Posts: 369
| Kirby Budrow - 5/8/2013 5:42 PM
Boat control and timing are the most important. Put your boat where the fish are and cast at prime times. (evening, morning, moon rise and set) Thanks for the tip, Ill probably go at all the times but ill use a trolling motor. How far should the boat be from where ill be casting out to?
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Posts: 369
| waterwolfhunter - 5/8/2013 6:14 PM
You cant go wrong learning to use bulldawgs, you literally cant work them wrong. Anyway you work them is a good way. The more random and erratic, the better. Read articles, watch videos, etc and you can pick up a lot from those. Browse these forums and READ them. You would be surprised how much you can pick up from here. GOOD LUCK! Bulldawgs sound good too ill pick one of them up, what color do you have the best luck with? Thanks for wishing me good luck
-Zachary |
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | Eaglescout2012 - 5/8/2013 6:30 PM
waterwolfhunter - 5/8/2013 6:14 PM
You cant go wrong learning to use bulldawgs, you literally cant work them wrong. Anyway you work them is a good way. The more random and erratic, the better. Read articles, watch videos, etc and you can pick up a lot from those. Browse these forums and READ them. You would be surprised how much you can pick up from here. GOOD LUCK! Bulldawgs sound good too ill pick one of them up, what color do you have the best luck with? Thanks for wishing me good luck
-Zachary
stop in at Hayward bait and tackle.. those guys can be a huge help for you. natural colors for bulldawgs. |
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Posts: 369
| fishhawk50 - 5/8/2013 7:44 PM
Eaglescout2012 - 5/8/2013 6:30 PM
waterwolfhunter - 5/8/2013 6:14 PM
You cant go wrong learning to use bulldawgs, you literally cant work them wrong. Anyway you work them is a good way. The more random and erratic, the better. Read articles, watch videos, etc and you can pick up a lot from those. Browse these forums and READ them. You would be surprised how much you can pick up from here. GOOD LUCK! Bulldawgs sound good too ill pick one of them up, what color do you have the best luck with? Thanks for wishing me good luck
-Zachary
stop in at Hayward bait and tackle.. those guys can be a huge help for you. natural colors for bulldawgs. |
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Posts: 246
| Then after you get them figured out using a small set of lures, they'll give you the fin and you'll be bent over staring at your tackle box overflowing with baits wondering what will be easy on the shoulder and elbow to reel in next since nothing is working and it might as well be a bit easier on them, so you pick that lure that never produced and what happens? A fish shows itself on a piece of structure you've fished before but never had action. Have fun. It's an addiction no doubt. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: Chisholm, MN | Eaglescout2012 - 5/8/2013 6:16 PM
Kirby Budrow - 5/8/2013 5:42 PM
Boat control and timing are the most important. Put your boat where the fish are and cast at prime times. (evening, morning, moon rise and set) Thanks for the tip, Ill probably go at all the times but ill use a trolling motor. How far should the boat be from where ill be casting out to?
I keep my boat as far from the fish as my cast length will allow. So if the fish are on the edge, keep your boat far enough out from it to make your bait land just beyond where you believe a fish to be sitting. Once you have boat control and timing down, then you work on presentation. That is mostly learned from experience and personal preference in what baits you like. There are a million different ways to catch a musky. You just have to figure out which way is best for you. I throw bucktails a lot and catch a lot of fish in the figure 8, but a lot of people catch most of their fish on the retrieve. It all comes down to how you present the bait to trigger a strike. I found a way that works for me and that is to burn bucktails and do a quality figure 8. Its a pretty popular method but you don't have to do it that way. |
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