View Full Version : What can i do you help my partner out?
What can I do to help my dad slash fishing partner out? Ok we have been muskie fishing for about 7 years now and my dad has been with me on about every occasion. I have boated several nice muskies in the 45 to 48 inch ranges, and also the smaller ones. But my dad has been with me for every fish, fishing right along with me with basically the same lures. But the thing about my dad is that he hasn't caught a muskie in his seven years of muskie fishing. They say it is the fish of 10,000 cast and I think he is at like the 30,000 make about now, and he is getting a little bit tired and think muskie fishing is since less now. I just want to get him a muskie. I have watched him fish and he doesn't do bad at all. He does everything right and has had a strike or two. I am wondering does the guy in the front of the boat get the advantage. I am always in the boat and him in the back. Please give me some help, he is put his time in and need to get a fish to stay in it. Thanks
a couple of things come to mind,i fished with my dad alot too,he had a bad habit of letting the rod lay on the edge of the boat while trolling,no fish,hold it up away from the edge and he caught fish. also cologne? my dad used old spice for years. he would splash it on before going out fishing,without washing it off his hands,then he would handle the baits and line,after getting him to wash his hands he seemed to catch more fish.just some thoughts maybe i am crazy but those things effected his fishing.
Jim McCullough
07-24-2002, 10:59 AM
Rod,
You guys have certainly put in your time, so I can tell you 3 things that will be as close to a sure bet as you can get.
1. Hire a guide.
2. Hire a guide.
3. Hire a guide.
Now, you may say, "I really don't want to spend that kind of money." I would counter that with- How much money have you spent on gas, lures, food, and everything else people spend money on when they go fishing? I am positive that if you have fished as much as you said, that it would add up to ten times what a guide would cost.
Post the area that you want to fish in and there will be plenty of people who could recommend a good guide to hire.
Jim McCullough
07-24-2002, 11:04 AM
Rod,
A couple more things. Most guys would tell you that the guy in the front of the boat does have the advantage.
Also, if you are in an area that allows trolling, put your lines out and wait until you get a fish on. Let him have the fish no matter whose rod it is on. If you can't troll where you are, take a vacation to a numbers lake where you can. Trolling is one of the surest bets for putting a fish in the boat.
Marc Thorpe
07-24-2002, 11:09 AM
Jim,I disagree,the best spot is the back of the boat!
Trolling or casting,little secret,the dude at the front is frothing the water to cover fast but the dude at the back picks it apart!
That gets fish.
Be good
marc
Jim McCullough
07-24-2002, 11:12 AM
See Rod, no absolutes. Marc knows of what he speaks, so pay attention to what he has to say...:)
JohnF
07-24-2002, 11:41 AM
I chuckled. I fished with Mark Martin once (of course in the back) and could swear I was following a vacuum. I think he started feeling sorry for me and started leaving me one here and there.
Haven't done it fishing, but when hunting I have dedicated trips to getting the partner's prize. Won't even carry a weapon. Maybe you could declare that you won't make another cast until he scores!
John
herb_b
07-24-2002, 11:46 AM
I catch most of my Muskies when I am alone. When others are with, they seem to catch most of the fish lately. It seems I'm often messing with the boat and they are just concentrating on fishing. So they usually get the first cast on a spot and that often produces the biggest fish. Many times I've been putting the trolling motor down and one of my fishing partners had a fish on before I can even wet a line.
Rod, your Dad may be doing some very suttle things that could be costing him chances at catching fish. I had one friend that had a bad habit of slowing the bait down as the lure got closer to the boat. He had fished with me many times over a two year period and never caught a Muskie. I noticed the slow-down thing and after correcting that he then caught five Muskies and a very large Northern within a week. Other things like not letting the water settle after throwing out a topwater or crankbait can cost one fish too. One other thing, is he twitching his lures or just doing a straight retrieve? Most lures will draw more action if some sort of stop-and-go, twitching or jerking is added to the retrieve. Are his lures down near the weeds or structure or are the lures riding high in the water column to far out of the strike zone? It has always seemed to me that its the suttle things that make the difference in catching Muskies.
Just a few thoughts. Good luck.
Herb
JohnF
07-24-2002, 11:54 AM
I think Jim's idea of a guide might help with this. Nothing like an experienced eye to notice the little things...
John
topH2O
07-24-2002, 02:45 PM
Rod, don't get your dad caught up in the stupid little things like what type of after shave he wears....come one.
Only have your dad throw lures that he can work properly. or have him stick to a bait or two that is a known producer...large spinners, suick, bulldog. make sure he's getting in as many casts as you do a day, productive casts. make sure his lure isn't coming in w/ weeds on it everytime...all that jazz. i would just say for him to stick w/ a good few lures and make sure he's working them properly.
topH2O
I disagree with all of those who stated that the advantage is to the fisherman in the front of the boat. For the past 5 seasons I have boated more muskies out of the back of the boat by a long shot (at least 12:1).
I also agree with Jim, hiring a guide will increase your chances. Another thing to consider is that fishing for muskies isn't as easy as eating pancakes. Some people will go a lifetime and never catch one (although they aren't on the water every day..). A lot of catching muskies is timing. Focus on locating as many muskies as you can, then make sure that your dad is throwing an appropriate lure to get the job done. Other than that, I would suggest to keep on casting.
Good luck!
Rod,
First off you are fortunate to have your father being able to fish with you..... cherish that for as long as you can. Spend as much time as possible and in later years you will be happy that you did.
The cologne thing is difentely something to look at and I myself tried many different approaches, as I went four years without a skie when I contracted this disease. My first one was a 46" and I was by myself. Chinese firedrill followed.
I think that I would put out a couple of lines and troll at prime time and your father would have the first fish and maybe a few more.
Good luck I hope that you can get him a couple of good ones this year
BJ
Muskie Treats
07-25-2002, 10:18 PM
Checkout some of our Muskiesfirst.com outings. During the outings we communicate to eachother thoughout with the hot patterns. There are also a few guides and big sticks that attend as well that will do what they can to get him a fish. During our Iowa outing, Steve Cady tried like heck to get one guy his first fish. Too bad the tornado's, lightning, 35mph winds, and torential rains cut the day short. We're having one on Lake Minnetonka this weekend and we're having a week long event where we're going to be hitting Cass, Leech and other lakes in that area the last week of Sept.