View Full Version : Newbie to Muskie fishing...what is a good presentation?
karpbuster
09-08-2005, 10:55 AM
I have fished for Northerns, is it the same thing? We have Tiger Muskies stocked in some of our trout lakes (overrun with gold fish) and it has been a couple of years now. The fish should be getting over 7# by now.
One lake in particular is a trout lake and somewhat close (gas), so I normally would not be hot to fish there but the muskies make it desirable.
Thanks in advance,
karpbuster
Tom B
09-08-2005, 06:48 PM
If they were put in to control goldfish, I would use gold color rattle traps, or gold colored suicks or gold colored gliders or..... anything that looks like goldfish.
Tom B
karpbuster
09-09-2005, 11:03 AM
Thanks for responding...beginning to wonder. LOL
Thats a good idea, what is a glider or a suick? The Musky ambushes like a pike I would assume, so look for cover and more cover? I have seen some goldfish looking spoons. I did notice in Canada fishing for northern that cranks are ugly to try and get the fish back in the water, and all tiger muskies must be returned to the water unharmed. So a single hook would be the way to go even barbless probably.
Thanks again,
karpbuster
karpbuster,
If you have the correct release tools, getting muskies unhooked and back in the water isn't too difficult. You need a large net which can be used as a holding pen over the side of the boat, the musky should be kept in the net with head under water as much as possible, not brought into the boat. Long handled pliers will move your hands far from the hooks and teeth. Bolt cutters are a must - first to free any seriously fouled hooked fish and perhaps even more importantly to quickly free an unlucky angler from being attached to a musky should he/she find themselves impaled by the hooks on a bait holding a thrashing musky. This happens more frequently than any of us (musky hunters) would like to think about. Knipex cutter are considered the best cutters on the market.
As for baits, the suggestion to imitate goldfish is sound given that you said the tigers were stocked to control the goldfish population. But with that said, don't be afraid to show them something different either.
A glider is slang for a glide bait. These are baits which for the most part run beneath the surface of the water but not too deep. They have an exaggerated side to side movement when properly worked by tapping the rod tip. They are dynamite baits. Mantas, Smuttly Dogs, Eddie Baits, Belley Dancers, Slidin' Shads, and Phantoms are all various forms of glide baits.
A Suick is a jerkbait (some refer to them as a chop bait) which are floaters but will dive beneath the surface when properly worked. They have an up and down motion more than side to side. They will dive down and then slowly rise to the surface if unweighted and can be made to suspend or rise/sink ever so slightly with the addition of weights.
If you go to www.muskyshop.com (that's the Rollie and Helen's website) you will find photos of most of the popular musky baits. This is a good site as they show most of the popular musky baits and sell their products over the internet. They will have photos of the baits I have mentioned here which will help you identify the different types of baits. There are other fine websites too and others will likely list their favorites for you.
If you have fished for norhterns, you are pretty well informed as to how to go about fishing for muskies. The same baits and presentations work for both species, but northerns are considered to be more aggressive where baits are concerned meaning that they are easier to get to strike. Muskies are known for their frustrating habit of following baits and then sink away at the side of the boat. That is why you will find most musky anglers figure 8 their baits at the side of the boat before making the next cast. This practice isn't so necessary with northerns.
Hope this answers some of your questions. If you have other questions or want to discuss any of this further feel free to email me. Michael_L_Kagel@dom.com
Cheers and tight lines,
Musky Mike
karpbuster,
If you have the correct release tools, getting muskies unhooked and back in the water isn't too difficult. You need a large net which can be used as a holding pen over the side of the boat, the musky should be kept in the net with head under water as much as possible, not brought into the boat. Long handled pliers will move your hands far from the hooks and teeth. Bolt cutters are a must - first to free any seriously fouled hooked fish and perhaps even more importantly to quickly free an unlucky angler from being attached to a musky should he/she find themselves impaled by the hooks on a bait holding a thrashing musky. This happens more frequently than any of us (musky hunters) would like to think about. Knipex cutter are considered the best cutters on the market.
As for baits, the suggestion to imitate goldfish is sound given that you said the tigers were stocked to control the goldfish population. But with that said, don't be afraid to show them something different either.
A glider is slang for a glide bait. These are baits which for the most part run beneath the surface of the water but not too deep. They have an exaggerated side to side movement when properly worked by tapping the rod tip. They are dynamite baits. Mantas, Smuttly Dogs, Eddie Baits, Belley Dancers, Slidin' Shads, and Phantoms are all various forms of glide baits.
A Suick is a jerkbait (some refer to them as a chop bait) which are floaters but will dive beneath the surface when properly worked. They have an up and down motion more than side to side. They will dive down and then slowly rise to the surface if unweighted and can be made to suspend or rise/sink ever so slightly with the addition of weights.
If you go to www.muskyshop.com (that's the Rollie and Helen's website) you will find photos of most of the popular musky baits. This is a good site as they show most of the popular musky baits and sell their products over the internet. They will have photos of the baits I have mentioned here which will help you identify the different types of baits. There are other fine websites too and others will likely list their favorites for you.
If you have fished for norhterns, you are pretty well informed as to how to go about fishing for muskies. The same baits and presentations work for both species, but northerns are considered to be more aggressive where baits are concerned meaning that they are easier to get to strike. Muskies are known for their frustrating habit of following baits and then sink away at the side of the boat. That is why you will find most musky anglers figure 8 their baits at the side of the boat before making the next cast. This practice isn't so necessary with northerns.
Hope this answers some of your questions. If you have other questions or want to discuss any of this further feel free to email me. Michael_L_Kagel@dom.com
Cheers and tight lines,
Musky Mike
karpbuster
09-12-2005, 06:18 PM
Wow! Yes, thank you very much. I think I will print this off and read it over, a bunch of information. Yes the Northern is pretty easy to catch in canada, a spinner bait buzzed on the surface pretty much did the trick, they were fighting each other for it.
Whole new world for Muskie, I had no idea. Thanks again.
karpbuster
karpbuster
09-12-2005, 06:18 PM
Wow! Yes, thank you very much. I think I will print this off and read it over, a bunch of information. Yes the Northern is pretty easy to catch in canada, a spinner bait buzzed on the surface pretty much did the trick, they were fighting each other for it.
Whole new world for Muskie, I had no idea. Thanks again.
karpbuster
karpbuster
09-15-2005, 05:23 PM
It looks like I will try out this lake during the week. This is today's fishing report for this lake:
A ONE-DAY REPORT on BLUEWATER: Excellent trolling early last week for rainbows in the 10-inch range. My wife, Kathy, and I caught and released 21 in about two hours. Also, I caught and released a 30-inch tiger muskie that hit a small gold Panther Martin trolled for trout along the shoreline.
Joe Haley, Albuquerque angler
(Bill's Note — As of Wednesday, this tiger muskie catch was the biggest out of Bluewater reported to Game & Fish).
A gold panther martin...hmmm.
karpbuster
karpbuster
09-15-2005, 05:23 PM
It looks like I will try out this lake during the week. This is today's fishing report for this lake:
A ONE-DAY REPORT on BLUEWATER: Excellent trolling early last week for rainbows in the 10-inch range. My wife, Kathy, and I caught and released 21 in about two hours. Also, I caught and released a 30-inch tiger muskie that hit a small gold Panther Martin trolled for trout along the shoreline.
Joe Haley, Albuquerque angler
(Bill's Note — As of Wednesday, this tiger muskie catch was the biggest out of Bluewater reported to Game & Fish).
A gold panther martin...hmmm.
karpbuster
Congrats on your fine fishing at Bluewater. Panther Martins were always good baits for me for trout. Never caught a musky on one though.
Cheers and tight lines,
Mike
Congrats on your fine fishing at Bluewater. Panther Martins were always good baits for me for trout. Never caught a musky on one though.
Cheers and tight lines,
Mike