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Posts: 1660
Location: central Wisconsin | Reading the thread with the poll about keeping one is interesting in that hardly anybody seems to think they would keep one.
When I started over 30 years ago my goal to put one on the wall was 45". Then as time went by my target was 50" for the wall, I never have put one on the wall, neither my son or me has ever kept one. That is not to say that we haven't inadvertently killed a few. I imagine some did not make it especially in the swallow rig days.
Really the only way I see myself keeping a releasable fish nowadays would be if it was 60" or better which may not even be possible. But I would keep a biggie like that just to prove that they do exist.
So I ask the question especially to you older guys, have you ever kept a muskie? |
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Posts: 32955
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Yes I have. Quite a few, back in the days before CPR. |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | NO.... but if I ever thought I had something that could put O'Brien to rest I would... I have a number of friends that were at the Moon when the fish was brought in and I'm still confused. I know of people that claimed they were there and know they were not.
Edited by horsehunter 3/10/2014 10:36 AM
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| Yes, back when we first started as kids in the 80's, we actually ate them. They are extremely tasty. BR |
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Posts: 1300
Location: Hayward, Wisconsin | When I was growing up and introduced to muskie fishing by my Dad, he/we kept every legal fish we caught (30" and up). Almost everyone did in those days. None were wasted, we ate them all. My Dad, bless his soul, never did release a muskie, even after it became more the "norm". He even netted one I released once! How times have changed...and for the far better I might add! |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Yep, the smaller ones taste just fine. |
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Posts: 192
| Nope |
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Posts: 32
Location: Tower, Lake Vermilion | I'm dating myself now, but back in the 50's (Yes I said 50's) most people kept them and ate them. I can however say that I never ate a Muskie. I did however keep a couple to get mounted when I was in my teens. That was a long long time ago and I haven't kept one since 1967. That was the year after Muskies Inc started and It seemed like a good idea to me to start putting them back. I'm sure over the years that I may have killed a few that were difficult releases, but I hope it's been limited to a very few. Now I won't even consider keeping one even if it's a state record fish because none of that matters to me.
"Ace"
Edited by aceguide 3/10/2014 10:56 AM
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Posts: 362
Location: Western U.P. | Kept the first Musky I had ever caught. Fishing with my dad in the mid 70's, I caught one 31.5" long, and my dad had it mounted to give to me for my 12th Birthday. I'm pretty sure we ate it also. Still have that fish on the wall. |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | I have kept one, in 1986.
The skin mount is on the wall in my office, 44 1/2 whole inches. I was 16 at the time, and catch and release was just in its infancy, how times have changed. |
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Location: Waukesha, WI, USA | Ditto on what other gold timers like Steve have said. Last kept fish was in the 80's. My daughter at age 16 insisted because it was her bday and she caught 3 that day trolling with dad. It tasted absolutely great. I tried teaching her CPR that day. She agreed with the first two that were released. Started crying on the third. Couldn't break her heart. |
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Posts: 540
Location: Leech Lake, Walker MN | The only Muskie I have ever kept was 51" and I caught it the day I got married
Got it at 10:00 AM and got married at 2:00 the only one great day leech lake |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | Never kept one, and doubt I'll ever catch anything large enough to even warrant thinking about it.
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Location: Sawyer County, WI |
How did you prepare it ? I see quite a few recipes for baked musky online.
Pointerpride102 - 3/10/2014 10:46 AM
Yep, the smaller ones taste just fine. |
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Posts: 2893
Location: Yahara River Chain | Nope, I started fishing for trout and back in the late 70s and early 80s released many of those fish so I was not new to CPR. I started fishing muskies, in 1985 and released them all. I'm sure some have perished after their release and one comes to mine is a 37 on the Holcombe Flowage that swallowed a Bucher willoebuck and I had to cut the line and bring the lure out threw its gills. Its did take off and nosed into the mud, I pulled it back out and wiped off the mud and it slowly swam away.
I have eaten them (late 80s) as one guy had one die on him after a couple of hours trying to release it and failed. We fried it up that night as I remember, it tasted fine. lots of meat on a 41 incher.
Edited by muskie! nut 3/10/2014 11:28 AM
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Posts: 427
| I have only been chasing muskie for about five years so I cant talk about the good old days but we did keep a 38" last year to see how the taste. Probably will never keep another, was not bad eating but I would just as soon have catfish or walleye. |
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | nah |
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Posts: 183
Location: Grand Forks ND | No. |
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Posts: 1425
Location: St. Lawrence River | I've never kept one. My grandfather kept and smoked one probably 10-12 years ago. It wasn't bad.. |
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Posts: 93
Location: Des Moines IA | Back in the day when I worked at a resort on Leech Lake I would have to filet for the customers. Catch and release was just starting then. |
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Posts: 696
Location: Northern Illinois | We kept one that swallowed a mepps musky killer. We did everything we could to revive it but it kept coming back up every 5 seconds or so. After it went belly up for about the 15th time we kept it and ate it. |
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Posts: 216
| BenR - 3/10/2014 10:39 AM
Yes, back when we first started as kids in the 80's, we actually ate them. They are extremely tasty. BR
Oh man don't say that!! I've had a hundred ppl ask "do you eat em? How do they taste? I heard ppl say there good" and I say they stink like hell, are slimy full of bones that you'll choke on and there so fat it's just to fishy tasting you wouldn't want to eat one no way !! At least that's what I say.lol I've never ate one. |
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Posts: 576
Location: Elk Grove Village, IL & Phillips, WI | First one back in the 70's. Haven't since and never will again! |
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Posts: 1293
Location: Stevens Point, Wi. | guilty |
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Posts: 2083
| only one, 4 years ago.. found on its last "breath" belly up in the lake - 46", Y bones like toothpicks - fried up great! fed about a dozen hungry adults. Figured it was better than feeding it to the turtles. |
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Posts: 216
| Don thats funny,My good buddy Scott and I went muskie fishing on my wedding day too. He caught one I lost a few. Thought I was Probly the only nut that did that. My buddy said" wouldn't it be funny if we broke down out here on the river and you didn't make it in time?" no not really! I made it, the next day we wnent again and I caught two big pigs,with my new magic Muskie ring I called it! Redneck |
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Posts: 1041
| Kept my first one back when I was about 10 years old, 1984. 33 incher. Hangs on my wall today.
I'll never begrudge anyone for keeping their first legal fish. |
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Posts: 2893
Location: Yahara River Chain | Brozz88 - 3/10/2014 12:42 PM
I've had a hundred ppl ask "do you eat em? .
I just tell them I don't have a wife to clean them.  |
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Posts: 360
Location: Algonac, MI | Yes. Many of them. As already stated, it was the norm back in the day. Do I keep them now, no...have released most caught since the 80s.
They eat good, though. The tail meat has no bones, and the back strap is good too. Very mild, white meat. Broil a skinless filet with some butter and your favorite seasonings, wrapped in foil on a grill.
Cooked one two years ago, that didn't make it. Not one complaint from those who ate it. |
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Posts: 2389
Location: Chisholm, MN | No, I guess I'm too young for the keeping days. There is only one fish that I released that I think may have died. |
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