Nebraska muskies?

[Randman]

Does anyone here have any firsthand knowledge of muskie fishing in Nebraska?

Randy

[ToddM]

To get some info, goto the muskies inc. webstite and you can link to the nebraska dnr site there. They have musky info on it.
www.muskiesinc.org

[Fishwiz]

I've fished about every lake in Nebraska that has muskies. What are you looking for?

RA

[NE musky hunter]

Just got another nice one from Elwood Tues.......11 1/2 pounds, 36 1/2", and had one earlier this year that was a little over 10, and another that was almost 7. Yeah, they're small for muskies, but in a few years, Elwood will be good. Now I want to make a trip to Merritt....what can anyone tell me about that lake??

[Fishwiz]

Very clear for Nebraska, can be a tough lake. The action is usually feast or famine. The muskie population isn't too tremendous, but plenty of nice pike will keep you throwing. Beautiful scenary comparably, haven't fished there in a couple years, but is always an interesting experience. I haven't bothered putting my boat in any home waters in almost two years for that matter. If your headed up there then it would be worth your time to hit Watts on the refuge for half a day. The last time I was there a friend and I had a four fish day with over 15 other follows. The largest was in the boat was a 44, if I recall, with a couple of four foot follows. Very small electric only lake with a shallow ramp, so it's pretty limited to the boats you can put on it. The water was tremendously low the last time I was up there.

What have you been catching the Elwood fish on? Hope this helps, let me know if there's anything else I might be able to answer.

RA

[walleye4]

Sounds good, thanks for the info. I'm in the beginning phases of muskie fishing, but it seems to be going well at Elwood. I know a lot of lakes in Nebraska pretty well, but Merritt is pretty close to the bottom of the list. I need to do more reading up on muskies, like where to get them, when to get them where, and so on. I know Merritt has a lot of good cover, and probably has a few coves and such, but just don't know the lake very well. When do you use bucktails? Primarily in warmer weather in grass and cover? Also, what are muskies' tolerances? I guess they tolerate warmer water, unlike pike? I'm pretty much doing one thing at Elwood, and it's working from time to time, but I know I can't rely on it forever. Basically just tossing Huskys up on the shore and coming away with fish. I think right now, location is the most important thing at Elwood. The most and best fish I've caught over there have been in either early season, like April, or late season like now. I'll eat up any more information you can give me, RA. Thanks again!........
NE Muskie Hunter

[NE Muskie Hunter]

Oops, sorry about that FishWiz, that was me, just at a buddy's house on his computer when I replied......so what do you think?
NE Muskie Hunter

[Snowcrest 6]

Just another few tidbits of info....

- Watts is best in early Spring. And it's HOT!!
Bring a jon boat.
- Elwood is THE place right now for 'skies
- Merritt fish seem to prefer smaller lures.
Also, look for the next State record Northern to come from
Merritt. She was raised during a sampling survey this last
Spring in the Boardman area. That's as much info as you get!



If you...or anyone for that matter...are in the Valentine area, look me up, I'm always open to time on the water!


Brian Sanger
SLM

http://www.snowcrestluremfg.com/

[Fishwiz]

Location is the key to all muskie lakes. Muskies are very structure orientated, much like bass. Other than what you are already doing such as focusing on the obvious visable shoreline structure, any points, drop offs, brush piles, the greater the variance in structure the better. Bait fish concentration is pretty important this time of year and can be casted even in open water if there are enough present. The minnow baits and cranks are typically your best bet right now. I usually limit bucktails to spring and summer, but I've never really been a big fan of them. I throw alot more saftey pin spinnerbaits. Depending on your tackle and bait selection there are lots of other baits out there. Even with the baits you have such as the husky, a variety of things can be done with. Weighting the larger ones to sink or suspend then working them down and twitching them in and pausing every now and then. Being at the right place at the right time is more important than bait selection. As for as reading goes there are a few good muskie magazines out there, such as Esox Angler, Musky Hunter, Muskie (which you recieve as part of being a member of Muskies Inc.), and of course In-Fisherman. In-Fisherman also has an outstanding line of muskie videos that you can learn a lot from, plus they're very entertaining.

I was thinking that my season was probably done with no time left in the near future to head up north and the upcoming freeze. I might have to give Elwood a shot some afternoon in the next couple weeks. I wasn't really ready to get the boat winterized anyhow. Have you been out recently? If so what's the water level like, still way down? How have you done?

Ryan Anderson

[NE Muskie Hunter]

Thanks a lot for that info guys......Thanks Brian for that site; where is Snowcrest located? I would love to make it up there to Valentine sometime, been wanting to get up there for quite some time now, and just never do. I haven't been up there for probably 16-18 years I bet, so really know nothing. Got a buddy that goes up there all the time in the spring and catches lots of bass and northerns. I would like to hit Merritt specifically for muskies though. And Ryan: been out to Elwood quite a bit lately it seems. I live only about 20 miles away, so I've been really hitting it. The water level is fine, they always lower it in the early fall every year, and you can check the water levels at all times at http://www.cnppid.com/. In fact, the water is a little higher right now than it was at this time last year. Caught three fish Tues, only a couple last Sunday, and one nice 13 1/2" crappie last Wednesday. But I think it can get better now, I just hope I can fight off this cold and get a nicer day to get back out there. I'm not ready to winterize the boat either. You can contact me at huskerduu@yahoo.com if you would like.
NE Muskie Hunter

[Jim Smith]

Randy;
Send me your Email address and I'll send you an article I wrote for MUSKY HUNTER Magazine back in the Sept/Octr 2002 issue. It covers all of the muskie lakes in Nebraska. I just sent it to NE Musky Hunter by mistake. I thought it was your Email address.
Jim

[NE Musky Hunter]

NO PROBLEM, thanks a lot!! I'll read it the first chance I get, and I'm glad you sent it to me by 'mistake'!! Thanks again.....

NE Musky Hunter

[Joe Rounsavell]

I have gone up to Merritt the last to years in Oct. Last year I saw a guy camping by us get a 35er. This year I got a 30 and 1/4. Both fish came on rat-l traps. Merritt has alot of trees in the lake so I tend to use cheeper lures to fish with. A good lure retriever is a must have it can save you alot of money on lost lures. I plan on going back in mid may next year to see how it fishs then. I like this lake cause it has ture muskies in it and lots of cover to fish. Most of the lakes I fish have tigers in them and this is the nearist lake to me that has tures in it. If someone can let me know when the best time of year to fish merritt for muskies is that would be great.

[NE Musky Hunter]

35....pounder?? Or incher?? It's been a long time since I even saw Merritt, but I but there are lots of weedbeds and corners and places to throw bucktails and Husky's, among others.....would Suicks work well up there? Do you have to fish the creek/river arms for the muskies? Where do you go? I gotta get up there...

[NE Musky Hunter]

35....pounder?? Or incher?? It's been a long time since I even saw Merritt, but I but there are lots of weedbeds and corners and places to throw bucktails and Husky's, among others.....would Suicks work well up there? Do you have to fish the creek/river arms for the muskies? Where do you go? I gotta get up there...

[Joe Rounsavell]

Unfortunely it was a 35 incher. Most of what I fish is boardman creek and snake river arm. When I've been there the weeds were gone so I fish the trees alot. I have done some trolling but you still have to watch out for trees that are under the water. I lost a lure trolling I was in 30 feet of water the lure was only about 8-9 feet down. Make sure that your drag is set so if you do snag line will come off the reel and not over bend the rod breaking it. Suick might work when they have weed but I would not want to throw them in the trees. I know that the muskies are not fished for much there. Most of them are caught by walleye fishermen.

[Joe Rounsavell]

Unfortunely it was a 35 incher. Most of what I fish is boardman creek and snake river arm. When I've been there the weeds were gone so I fish the trees alot. I have done some trolling but you still have to watch out for trees that are under the water. I lost a lure trolling I was in 30 feet of water the lure was only about 8-9 feet down. Make sure that your drag is set so if you do snag line will come off the reel and not over bend the rod breaking it. Suick might work when they have weed but I would not want to throw them in the trees. I know that the muskies are not fished for much there. Most of them are caught by walleye fishermen.

[NE Musky Hunter]

Well hey, nothing wrong with a 35 incher. I've gotten 2 over 35" this year, so as soon as I feel confident enough to head up to Merritt, I might just have to do that to see if I can hit a couple nice ones up there. I'm sure there are probably some 30 pounders up there, though. Hopefully this spring I'll be able to make it up there and to the refuge and check all that out. I don't have a 4x4 though, so I hope I won't get buried back in some of that slop. By the way, here's a good site to check out if you're going to be up that way.....

http://www.merritttradingpost.com/

TIGHT lines....
NE Musky Hunter

[NE Musky Hunter]

Well hey, nothing wrong with a 35 incher. I've gotten 2 over 35" this year, so as soon as I feel confident enough to head up to Merritt, I might just have to do that to see if I can hit a couple nice ones up there. I'm sure there are probably some 30 pounders up there, though. Hopefully this spring I'll be able to make it up there and to the refuge and check all that out. I don't have a 4x4 though, so I hope I won't get buried back in some of that slop. By the way, here's a good site to check out if you're going to be up that way.....

http://www.merritttradingpost.com/

TIGHT lines....
NE Musky Hunter