Am I the only one????

[Muskyjake]

So what gives? I caught more fish this year than ever before, but no monsters, I had some nice fish up, some really nice fish up but no hooks. I have talked to guys who have had the same problem, nice numbers but no real bigguns. Don't get my wrong 45 inch fish are still fun to catch but they're not worth bragging over. Anyone else have this problem this year?

[MachoBoy]

MJ

*****Boy, Homer and I put up huge numbers this year. 84 boated with 46 coming after October 1. 9 fish over 48 inches. It was our best year ever, for numbers and size. I am still trying come back to earth. Can't wait until next year.

What was the key? I think just shear tunacity, we just plain fished out butts off.

MachoBoy

[HerbB]

MuskyJ,

I have that problem almost every year. My biggest fish is almost always around 45 inches, give or take a couple inches. I suppose it depends how much time a person has to fish too. My chances of big fish always seem to increase dramatically when I have a chance to home in on a pattern. But it takes time to do that and a person can only fish when one can.

I think its all a lot of fun, whether one catches big fish or not. I just enjoy trying and giving it my best shot. Actually, my best days are when I take a newcomer to the sport out and they land a nice fish or two. Those pictures are absolutely priceless.:)

Good fishing.

[DrMuskie]

I am honored if this is the "real" Muskie Jake of Gananoque, Ontario who is perhaps the most prolific muskie fisherman the 40 Acre Shoals has ever seen! Are you the famous 1000 Islands legend? :-) :-)

[Jacques]

Musky Jake Huntley of Gananoque retired last year and sold his
boat to the Gananoque Inn. After 80+ years on the river, he said he had had enough. Capt. Dan Spencer (another guide) threw a big
party for him at the Inn. Musky Jake created quite a stir in the
local tourist industry when he grumbled to the newspaper that
the musky stocks in the upper St. Lawrence were in decline. Dan
Spencer invited Jake out fishing a few months ago, and Jake said
he didn't have the time. I doubt if he even wet a line this
year. Hope this helps Dr. Musky.

[Hotshot]

This year my numbers were good, but my biggest was only 48 inches. Been 3 years since a 50 incher. :(

[ToddM]

This year has warm and cold. No big fish yet (I live in il.). The spring sucked and summer was a blank. Pops got a 46" fish in july right after the hot spell but none for me. There was a hot bite in june when things warmed up but I was in florida and missed out. Left with cold temps and came back to the 90's. Things have picked up for numbers since labor day.

[MuskyDan]

#'s were okay for this being my third year, but I noticed a pattern. I put hooks into 36 fish this year, and landed twelve, from trolling to casting, and my buddies landed fish on the same baits just to prove some points. Lost four suick fish all of which were pushing 50"es in one day on LOTW. I sharpened the hooks after every fish. Don't know the problem. I did manage to land a 55" on a jackpot.
MuskyDan

[jlong]

Reviewing my results from this season, it is obvious that it should have been one of my best ever for numbers.... but due to unknown circumstances (probably operator error) I lost lots of fish. I'm talking fish that would totally t-bone a lure, get stuck, and in a split second were released (prematurely) after a few good headshakes. I'm guessing, but I bet I boated 1 fish for 10 hook-ups this season. Talk about frustrating!

I think it was because I WANTED those fish much more than in other years and simply pulled the lure away. Family obligations have greatly reduced my time on the water... so when I would finally get the chance to wet a line... I wanted to make the most of it. ##### no-stretch line and fast-action rods got the worste of me this season since I couldn't control my excitement. Fish hits, and I over-react and forget to use the classic "Bob Mehsikomer - just tighten the line" hookset. Instead, I'd rip their heads off and crank them in like a boat winch.

So, if I had better discipline... this season would have been better for both numbers and size. But the log book just shows that the average size was up (and numbers down).

Its interesting to hear how everyone else's season went.

jlong

[Duke]

Hey Dan- battin .333 ain't bad, by no means are you catchin the breaks, but I've certainly heard of worse. If you landed 1 of 36 and it was 55 I think you could still atek some solace eh?! What size Suick were you using- did it have split rings on the hooks? All but the 10"ers don't I think, and I believe they are very helpful in landing fish. I also might chalk it up to the soft wood baits partly. See ya

[Musky Alan]

Due to certain fortunate circumstances, place of work decided to cut back a salried mgr. last Janurary. I was able to fish more this year than anyother since I was that manager, and after 18 1/2 years I decided it was time to take a sabatical. Anyways I got 19 or 20 lost track of one with the biggest being a LOW fish of 48 inches and lost the biggest fish I ever had on. I thought I would really tear them up with the amount of time I put in, but as usual the Musky is the boss and showed me I still have alot to learn. Musky Alan

[HerbB]

Jason,

Good article in MH.:)

I rush things way to often too, especially on really big fish. And, like you, I have family obligations and limited fishing hours these days. I had one really good chance at a fish pushing 50 inches this year and flubbed the entire thing. I set the hook, brought the fish to the boat, she rolled, and there went my one chance at a really big fish. If I had just set the hook and not horsed her around I would have had her. Maybe next year.

Wish I still had my log for this year. It disapeared and I can't find it. I think my little girl thought it was garbage and put it in the waste basket.:) But, I did look at it a few times and it just read "didn't catch much".:)

Herb

[Steve @ G & S Guide Service]

MuskyJake,

Nope, you're not the only one with that problem, not by a long shot!

144 muskies were brought into my boat this year (all released safely) and for the longest time, I was stuck at 42 inches. 3 fish were boated that were all 42 inches, 18, 19 and 22 pounds.

Then, in November, the numbers stayed decent, but the size started going up. A 43, 44 and a 45 were caught, with 2 over 48 lost on the same day!

It was a good season though, 18 people got their first muskies with me. That is so much fun, I love the look on their faces when they realize that the fish is "theirs". Even better is the look on their faces after they released the fish. Every one of them said that they just watched the biggest fish of their life swim away and they didn't mind at all.

I'm also proud of the fact that 3 of those clients were under 12 years of age. One of the little guys was 5! He couldn't cast very well so I'd lob the lure out there and he'd reel it in. The muskie Sam caught I don't think made 30 inches but you should see the picture! Another muskie hunter has joined the ranks.

We did hook some really nice ones this year, but we just couldn't finish the deal, hooks would pull out, snaps broke, sometimes, they "Just came off" for no apparant reason. That part was very frustrating.

Oh well, what are ya gonna do?

Steve @ G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods. http://www.herefishyfishy.com

[GregM]

I am pleased with my numbers this year. This is my first "serious" season musky hunting, have been dabbling for 3 years now. I have been a little down about size (muskies that is). I have put about 10 in the boat, biggest was 37". From listening to new found muskie friends, they assure me that they will come. Joel Tinker on a musky hunter post also shed some light on this subject also, don't beat yourself up too badly when others are landing slobs and I am not.

[kmon]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with problems landing big fish this year. This fall I had big fish after big fish take my suick swim off with it and when I set the hook, swim free. Some pretty exciting moments, two were on figure 8s and two I had super clear views of as the fish came up and smacked the lure.
What did I do? I bought a new rod! I went from a 6'3" southbend heavy to a Fenwick 7' medium heavy. I bought it on Thursday and Saturday I boated a 49" that came in on a tiny piece of cartilage. No way would I have caught that fish on the southbend. I also went 5 for 5 catching over 60 lbs of fish that day.
So all I can say is buy a new rod :-) .

[Mother]

Team -
It was a solid year for me , being a weekend warrior. I don't
fish at all during the week .
I boated around 20 fish , the largest being 46-47 in. and fat.
About 5 at 40 - 44in. , another 8-10 at 36 - 40in. and the rest
under 35in.
I did not lose a fish on or after hook-set -SAGE 569-. A quick
little shoulder turn/rip for hookset and then let the thumb and a
light drag do their job.
Could have done better if I fished more in the fall instead
of wasting my time Grouse and Deer hunting.


Mother

Ps- Guideman , Kid Derringer and maybe Jackpot would know.