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| I went out fishing again last night with nothing to show for it. It was day after the new moon. Went at noon through the "major" feeding period, it was over cast, 10 mph winds. Fished deep breaks with bulldawgs with slow pulls, tried suicks, phantoms fished slowly then tried fast. Not a fish, follow, hit, or a sighting. Channel lake and Catherine lake in north illinois on the fox chain of lakes. What could possibly be going on? It's been a while since I hooked up with one. And there was a musky tournament last Saturday and there was only 3 caught out of the whole deal. Anyone have any insight? |
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| You could always consider moving to Florida. Never a dull moment when fishing saltwater. |
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Posts: 569
| What about turnover? I have been struggling too with only 2 small ones in over a month. I have been trolling and casting. |
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| I thought the turnover had already happened but the water is very murky still. Well murkier than it normally is. But during turnover the muskies still have to eat. I hooked one 2 weeks ago n caught a small pike. Fall is supposed to be the best Muskie time but it has been anything but. I jus don't know if its jus way to over fished. It's very very aggravating.
Edited by toothycritter88 10/28/2011 12:12 PM
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | It is called fishing. Not catching. |
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Posts: 8775
| Fishing has never been stellar on the chain. Now, with the prevalence of shad in the system? Well, first of all I suspect the muskies ae feeding in different areas, now that they have an abundant source of food that wasn't there a few years ago. Second of all? This is just my theory, but I think when they want to feed they pretty much just feed and they're done. If you're not catching fish? Well, you're either fishing where they're not, or they are there and they just aren't hungry. Probably some of both going on here. |
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| Obviously its called fishing not catching. But 2-3 years ago I would get one or 2 a week n see multiple other ones but this year has been bad.
Yeah the whole shad deal makes sence. But I don't know if its worth fishing there if its jus so tough? There aren't many Muskie lakes around here. There's the chain and silver lake in kenosha county but that is pretty much all that I am aware of. |
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| Have tried further south? Also current? Those two ideas had always paid dividends in the past. BR |
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Posts: 20211
Location: oswego, il | The chain has been off as of late. Only 3 fish caught during our tournament last week. '09 was an anomale for the chain. One for the ages and not to be compared to the norm. |
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Posts: 8775
| TC, I am sure there are fish to be had. Some of the guys in our club do pretty well out there. South is always an option, but if you're looking to stay within a few hours of here, there's the Yahara chain in Madison, Pewaukee, Ocauchee, Oconomowoc... Two hours away.
I honestly think that the Fox Chain may just benefit from this long term. Maybe the biologists can chime in on this, but since there's been an explosion of Shad the last few years, would it make sense that the fishing would decline initially and then once the shad populations balance out (i.e. the muskies start eating them in great numbers) we'll be sing a lot more quality fish? There's no natural reproduction, so obviously stocking will still be the key to good numbers of fish. But shouldn't the size and weight of the fish improve too? |
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| esoxaddict - 10/28/2011 1:29 PM
TC, I am sure there are fish to be had. Some of the guys in our club do pretty well out there. South is always an option, but if you're looking to stay within a few hours of here, there's the Yahara chain in Madison, Pewaukee, Ocauchee, Oconomowoc... Two hours away.
I honestly think that the Fox Chain may just benefit from this long term. Maybe the biologists can chime in on this, but since there's been an explosion of Shad the last few years, would it make sense that the fishing would decline initially and then once the shad populations balance out (i.e. the muskies start eating them in great numbers) we'll be sing a lot more quality fish? There's no natural reproduction, so obviously stocking will still be the key to good numbers of fish. But shouldn't the size and weight of the fish improve too?
I meant the southern part of the chain, those lakes and areas in the past were very good especially in the fall. BR |
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| South as in like spring,bluff,and petite? I've never stepped foot or boat on the south end for muskies.
I've been up to pewaukee before but with work I can only go in weekends and on weekends them guys on pewaukee hammer that lake. But another problem is, is because of how far I don't have a partner to explore new waters with. So staying close to home at the chain works well. But may have to bite the bullet and travel. When I fished the spring tournament last year we placed 5th place. I joined the SOB Muskie inc chapter but that hasn't been to much of help yet. |
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| I always felt the best fishing for muskie started at Bluff and went south, have not fished there in some time since I moved, but it was always better than the northern 3 for me. BR |
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Posts: 81
Location: Van Buren, Indiana | Try throwing a pearl white Kick' N Minnow or a Shadillac white, black or sucker pattern, in 8-30 ft (along drop offs) in good sized, area work it thoroughly, commit to the bait. Try another area, then come back and working that prior area again. I've learned the last few years on our shad based lakes that committing to "matching the hatch" is always a good choice for me. Commiting to one bait is always hard, but I always go back to it. The last time I was out was 2nd week in August, my son was thowing a Shadillac over 30' while muskies were chasing Large Shad to the surface, and a nice muskie tried to crush his bait, and he was jigging it back to the boat! Another favorite of mine is the 10" Krave, ripped with a pause. These baits get down to 6' or so and rise fairly slow. I had two good trips this May raising six fish each trip on Shadillac's, the fish did not want to commit, but is was fun seeing them right beside the boat, especially when other guys were reporting seeing no fish. Those were all moved on one weedline/dropoff on an area maybe 150-200 yds.
Hope that helps! |
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Posts: 463
Location: Sw Pennsylvania | One of two options, and not to be ignorant. You can either go out and fish and give hell, or sit around the house and watch tv. I know which option i'd be going with. |
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Posts: 720
| Give it a week and let the water temps drop. Also they are dropping the water levels for the winter. Let things settle and hit it again. Right now the water is a mess from turnover and I suspect that things will pick up now until ice up. Also you're fishing to deep. |
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Posts: 292
| The chain is a tough body to fish .but it will pick up soon,fish have been moving out there in the early morning (first light).There are other muskie lakes around ,but the chain has your highest percentage of run ins.I fish the same lakes you do for the same reasons .gotta keep casting and go shallow or work the 8' weed edge .if you want to fish let me know. |
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| Thanks for the advice guys. Was out on silver lake saturday and raised a 3 footer or so. Super lazy n then the trolling motor broke so it put an end to all that. That lake had floating weeds all over the surface but also weeds were still suuuper thick. |
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| I would say the explosion of shad on the chain has really put a damper on the catching part of fishing. Are there still muskies in the chain-absolutely. Green Bay is somewhat going through the same tough times due to the availability of bait fish-shad. Look at Mille Lacs a few years back, everybody was saying all the muskies died-the perch explosion was probably the culprit. Mille Lacs has come back around. I would imagine GB and the chain will as well. It is all a big cycle. Be patient grasshoppa.
Yes it is disappointing at times when you don't catch or even see a fish but it sure beats work. |
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| Haha grasshoppa. Yea I've been patient. How long did mille lac take to turn back around? And what caused the explosion of shad in the lakes? |
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Posts: 791
Location: North Central IL USA | I was out there a week ago last friday....didn't even see a fish of any kind. The guys at the launch I talked to didn't see any either. Tuff fishing out there lately!!! |
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