just starting out need some help

[jerry]

i can use the help please..just starting out fishing for muskie and i would like to know where to start fishing for them and whats the best type of lures and set up to use..i will be fishing the susquehanna river in pa and i know it holds a good number of these fish..thats to all that help......jerry

[jerry]

sorry should have said thanks to all that help not thats.typeo

[Jim McCullough]

Jerry,

I live in Minnesota, but I know a number of people from PA post here. One of them is Tom Varner. He has helped new people out in the past. My suggestion is to go with this thread for now, but if you don't get a reply, start a new one stating that you need help in Pennsylvania. That way people from PA that are just browsing the topics, will be more likely to see it.
By the way, welcome to Muskie Central. I hope you stick around. :)

[drew]

Hi,
good to know i'm not the only one out there who has ever heard of the susquehanna river,lol. where are u near on the susquehanna?
Two of the five largest muskies recorded in 2000 were taken from the Susquehanna River. One of those fish came from Lycoming County, and biologist Lorantas recommends the lower West Branch as a muskie hotspot.
From Williamsport downriver to Muncy, the lower West Branch is big, deep water. In Williamsport, two bridges cross the river at Arch and Maynard streets. Many a muskie has been taken from the deep water surrounding the bridge abutments. Below the Loyalsock Creek entrance near Montoursville is a deep hole known as the Cannon Hole and Racetrack Island. Both the hole and the eddies around the lower end of the island are good places to find muskies. King Island, about two miles below Racetrack Island, has a similar flow-and-eddy pattern that's attractive to muskies. The Muncy bend has numerous musky lairs and the deep water around the Route 405 bridge also holds plenty of these toothy fish.
Lycoming County launch sites are at the Linden access west of Williamsport on Route 220, the Arch Street bridge on the north shore, the Loyalsock access in Loyalsock Township off Canfield Lane, the Montgomery access on Route 405 and the Muncy access off Route 405 three miles south of Muncy.
For more information on fishing the West Branch Susquehanna River, call the PFBC's Area 3 office at (814) 359-5118.


go to www.muskyshop.com and order a 6501 abu garcia ambassadeur reel a 6'9 premiere series st croix rod. also buy 65 pound test power pro line. fun a search of our archives and find out what tackle people reccomend.

how old are u and what part of pa are u from

Andrew_Everett@excite.com

[Ketamine]

From one newbie to another, if you can't find a buddy in the area who knows this sport consider hiring a guide. This really helped me to determine how to fish them and with which lures and what equipment. Overall I would say it was a pretty inexpensive 'lesson' for me considering the time and money I might have spent getting the wrong equipment and possibly fishing in a less productive way.

I am, or was :), a bass fisherman. For me it was structure and more structure. Now I plan to find the baitfish first and then work the structure.

You'll also have the luxury of learning on one of your local lakes where certain lures might have the advantage. Take a friend and split the cost. Also take a notebook and make notes about your specific questions. I asked what would be a good set of lures to get started in my area and received a list of 10 or 12 I should look at first. Many guides are sponsored, as was mine, but a good guide will tell you why they like specific line, lures, or rods and might give you other options to look into.

From what I've gathered it seems the most common reel is the Abu Garcia C3. I went for the C4 after realizing I would primarily be using mine to take up slack while jerking baits. I was able to try some nice reels with St. Croix rods. The trip even helped me to pick my rod holders. I was not interested in Scotty's because they're plastic until I saw them in action. Now I'll probably have those and maybe a couple of Down East holders.

I had heavy muskie cord on my reel and I couldn't cast nearly as far as the line on the guide's reels and my line soaked up the water. Now I have different, and in my opinion, better line. I'm sure my guide's sponsors are happy but, more importantly, so am I.

He volunteered his email address for other questions that might come up. I've offered to take him out in my boat and it surprised me how quickly he began looking at his schedule. It seems he doesn't get out enough to just relax and not have to operate the boat all the time.

For what it's worth he recommended Rollie and Helen's as a great place to buy my lures, etc.

Sorry for the long post but I wanted to make it obvious how much this has influenced my new sport. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Our first day for our Canada trip we plan to hire another one to get a good start on locations and how best to fish the area.

Good luck,
Doug

[Musk Rat]

I wasn`t going to post this because I feel it is important to support thorne bros. who advertizes on this board where your getting your info. They have been good when I used them but since someone recomended Rollie = Hellens who haven`t been as helpful in my mind I will again give Howard a plug more for your bennifit than his Try calling the fish education center in fombell P.A. (724)452-4464 ask for Howard he probably knows more about P.A. muskies than anyone. He isn`t shy about sharing info either thus fish education center. Try placing a small order and asking R+H about fishing spots they`ll hang up in your face.

[tomyv]

Good to see another PA musky head. I've never fished the susquehanna, but I know there are people who use this board that do. My first suggestion is to try to find people like that, and take them fishing. I fish a lot of Rivers in western PA. The thing to remember about river fish is they are completely differant than lake fish. Mostly because of a differant forage base. It's been my experience that the first place to look for river muskies are shallower current areas above larger holes in the river. I often find fish chasing bait fish in these areas in as little as 1 ft. of water, all year long. If the fish aren't in these areas, I look for the deeper water, sometimes the fish suspend in this water, but usually they will be holding near the bottom if they are in there.

If the fish are shallow, I like to throw a grim reaper spinnerbait, or if the water is ultra clear, I fish a jig.

If the fish are in the deeper water, deep diving cranks like a slammer, or a pikie work well for me.

DON"T ever leave home without some top waters. Clear water, and the fish are deep, go with a top raider or a triklops.

Clear water shallow fish calls for a jackpot.

Muddy water my favorite is to use a believer and just reel it real slow on top, the fish will kamikaze this bait.

Hope this was some help.

[jerry]

hey guys thanks for all your help..i do live in the williamsport area of the susky and hopefully i will be able to put one in the boat..and i'm strickle C&R..THANKS AGAIN...JERRY

[drew]

Hi.
hey jerry ever heard of scranton if so i live about 30 minutes north of there. i to am a newby but i have some tackle and a boat. i u wanted we could get together sometime and fish. at the very least we could split the cost of a guide for a day.

little andrew
petasucks
aol im Drw_Everett
Andrew_Everett@excite.com