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Posts: 80
| If other please list. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | "That's a pretty big net there, buddy; what are you fishin for?"
"Mostly to get outta the house!~"
m |
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Posts: 8729
| For the halibut...
In all seriousness, though? It's the rush of actually seeing the fish coming after your lure and catching it on the figure 8. Fished for decades before muskies, and enjoyed every species. Still do. But the anticipation of knowing there might be one there and it night be a big one on every cast, and knowing you'll likely be able to see it happen, that's what does it for me. And topwater. Not only seeing a fish pushing a wake behind your lure, but the often explosive nature of it all when one decides to smash your lure in an otherwise calm and quiet place.
Muskie fishing is like a toddler with a jack-in-the-box. They sit there cranking that little handle, knowing that ugly f'ing thing is going to come flying out of that box. Sooner or later it does, and it cares the hell out of them every time. And they always laugh, and they always do it again and again. Some of us never grow out of that kind of stuff. That's why we like muskie fishing. |
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Posts: 368
Location: SW Ohio | Other. The frustration. The endless hours of not catching anything followed by the mere minutes of panic. I occasionally try for bass, white bass or crappie. But very occasionally. With them it’s like “oh, do I have a fish?” Not so when an esox grabs your lure. But they are a challenge. |
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| Other: Practice my casting. |
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Posts: 1216
| Being in the woods and on the water then looking down holy heck "what is that" ! Plus I have Wisconsin dad and a Minnesota mom. Just the whole thing is great I can go on forever. |
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Posts: 49
| I enjoyed the hunt just as much as the catch. The challenge, trying to lean something each time out, only to find out just how little I really do know about them. |
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Posts: 1191
| Other. Kind of a combination of things. In the 90s, I was getting serious into walleye fishing. Dabbled in tournament fishing (found out I couldn't afford it). 9/11 killed the small business I was running, so times were lean for a couple years. Didn't want to spend the money to go to trophy walleye waters, and noticed we had muskie lakes right here in town. In fact, I have 6 within 15 minutes of my house, and a whole bunch more within another 15 minutes of that. About this same time, I caught my first muskie by accident. Trolling a shad rap for walleyes. Just a dink, about 28 or 29 inches. But I was amazed at how vicious that little thing was. Totally destroyed the Shad Rap. Straightened 4 of the 6 hooks on the two trebles, and stretched out both split rings. Was also full of pi$$ and vinegar after unhooking. Did way more damage than even big pike I have caught on the same lures. My interest was piqued. Also don't hunt as much as I used to, and muskie fishing is more like hunting than fishing. Once I caught that first decent one (mid forties), it was all over. |
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Posts: 32803
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Because I love failing. A lot. I heard it builds character, and I have definitely been accused of being one of those now and again. |
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Posts: 8729
| "wow. It's HOT. I just might mummify standing here in the boat. Haven't seen a fish in two days. My shoulders hurt, my back hurts, can you spontaneously combust? What's the flash point of sunscreen anyway? I wish the sun would just burn the hell OUT! 'ya know... This is STUPID!! Oop, there's one. Here she comes. I GOT HER!! Wow, this is GREAT!!"
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Posts: 1212
Location: E. Tenn | Much like my 40+ years of flying for a living.. 99.5% boredom, and 0.5% of "what in hell is going on".
The similarity being when all hell breaks loose, there's a mental gear shift of sorts, and your entire focus is about taking care of business. At least with a fish on I get to enjoy it, and even laugh out loud. |
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Posts: 540
Location: deephaven mn | other.... i'd rather catch a 20 lb fish insted of a 2 lb fish |
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Posts: 2280
Location: Chisholm, MN | It's the challenge for me. Accomplishing a goal.
Also, just getting the adrenalin rush. Nothing gets me going but muskies or deep sea fishing.
Mikie has it right too. Get out of the house. |
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Posts: 2014
| Because I have issues therapy couldn't fix. |
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Posts: 20181
Location: oswego, il | There should have been it fits my gigantic ego poll option.:-) |
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Posts: 32803
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | ARmuskyaddict - 4/14/2023 8:04 AM
Because I have issues therapy couldn't fix.
There it is. |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Just being out there in God's World, enjoying what the day will bring...
The sights, sounds, the smells... The Peace.... and then the chaos of fighting a Crazy, Pizzed off 30-40 lb. monster that's fighting for its life !
The Hunt without all of the fancy toys... the satisfaction of figuring out "the what, where and when"...
And of course, the challenge that muskie fishing brings.
Most importantly the Friendships that are made along the way! |
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Posts: 156
Location: Alexandria, MN | Because I like chasing after the biggest, baddest thing in the lake.
The visual of a boatside or topwater strike is always something to behold. They behave in ways that set them apart from other species.
Muskie fishing can get old - especially after pitching big lures in the hot sun for 10 hours without seeing a fin.... but catching them NEVER does ! |
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Location: PA Angler | Always was a trout fisherman but started wanted to get into big fish and why not Muskie fish. |
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Posts: 599
Location: Duluth | Used to be a disease, now it's much more patterning and getting the payoff from a hunch. Technology has soured me on a lot of the premier musky waters and driven me to streams to chase cold water trophies (brook trout) |
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Posts: 1216
| TCESOX - 4/13/2023 7:48 PM
Other. Kind of a combination of things. In the 90s, I was getting serious into walleye fishing. Dabbled in tournament fishing (found out I couldn't afford it). 9/11 killed the small business I was running, so times were lean for a couple years. Didn't want to spend the money to go to trophy walleye waters, and noticed we had muskie lakes right here in town. In fact, I have 6 within 15 minutes of my house, and a whole bunch more within another 15 minutes of that. About this same time, I caught my first muskie by accident. Trolling a shad rap for walleyes. Just a dink, about 28 or 29 inches. But I was amazed at how vicious that little thing was. Totally destroyed the Shad Rap. Straightened 4 of the 6 hooks on the two trebles, and stretched out both split rings. Was also full of pi$$ and vinegar after unhooking. Did way more damage than even big pike I have caught on the same lures. My interest was piqued. Also don't hunt as much as I used to, and muskie fishing is more like hunting than fishing. Once I caught that first decent one (mid forties), it was all over.
A friend and I were trolling Shad Raps for Walleyes in a metro Denver lake and he hooks a fish I get the net and it's a Trout so I throw the net down and tell him "net your own Slimmer" and walk back to the front of the boat and we are still going forward and my rod doubles and I pick it up and I can tell it's a good fish (thinking I have a nice big Walleye) and it turns out to be a 26" Trout. Yes it tore the hook hanger out the side and did a number on the rear hook, but it also had a 2 1/2 Rapala in it's mouth along with a piece of line. We let it go and it would have made a good Rapala commercial. |
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Posts: 860
Location: NE Ohio | for me, it's all about the hunt..............
Edited by pklingen 4/14/2023 6:18 PM
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Posts: 93
| Because I am absolutely terrible at it and that eats at me. Also, I really do love lures. They are functional art. |
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Posts: 8
| It’s the hunt preparing for and planning |
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Posts: 487
Location: NW WI | Far too many reasons, a large one is because it's hard therefore the reward is sooooo much better. I really love that in the media world for muskies that Honesty still has a place. "Hey folks, we raised a few but couldn't get any to bite." That statement isn't uncommon, and I appreciate that. Also you don't have social mediaers farming muskies in their backyard to show off how big they made em grow.
Another thing I really love, and maybe I'm just lucky, but every musky fisher I've met on the water has always been super nice and respectful. Especially when it's cold water time. I'll call it "brotherhood through shared pain and equal goals". Reminds me of how duck hunting USED to be. |
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Posts: 1284
Location: WI | I’m drawn to extremes and things that are difficult to master. I love the mystique, I remember seeing huge Suicks at Kmart when I was a kid, a 30lber in a cooler at a baitshop. It was one of those things that I knew I wanted to do it before I even started. |
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Posts: 333
Location: SE Wisc | For me, because I don’t believe anyone can truely master catching muskies. That makes it something I can’t get tired of.
I’ve also always considered myself more or a hunter than a fisherman, so it’s the hunt too. And there are no tarpon in Wisconsin |
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Posts: 37
Location: Lower Peninsula | For me it’s the TEETH! Sharp and Dangerous! |
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Posts: 487
Location: NW WI | RikkiTikkii - 4/17/2023 7:05 AM
For me it’s the TEETH! Sharp and Dangerous!
Oh you would love to go to Petco/Petsupplies Plus/Petsmart/etc and try to look inside of other people's dogs mouths too than!  |
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Posts: 3791
| 1) If I'm not going to catch a fish it's going to be the biggest dang fish in the lake.
Also 1) Just like a Dead show, the sport is chock full of smart, happy misfits. I'm right at home, except for the smart part.
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