Musky / Pike live separate lives?

[1900Tyee]

Hey guys...

I love the St. Lawrence and have been fishing there ever since my dad took my brothers and I there to fish many, many years ago.

I too have taken all my children there to fish and we have made it our annual vacation destination for the past 15 years or so. My boys learned to fish there...and two of my three daughters have become darn good in the boat too! As you guys all know very well...there is a lot to learn and take in trying to learn to fish in water where fishing conditions change so quickly. Weeds, drop offs, big cuts, current etc. It’s a lot different than trolling 180 feet of clear water in Ontario (which requires it’s own significant skill set, I know).

To get the kids interested, keep their interest and provide some decent success, most of the time we spend casting for pike anywhere from 8 foot of water over weeds to jigging in 30 or 40 feet. We mix in some bass fishing around islands with crankbaits or drowning worms.

Here is the thing...I have NEVER caught a musky; ever! I talk to so many people who have caught a musky “by accident”... while fishing for pike.

So I’m thinking....do musky and pike live separate lives? I mean...I would think that after all these years I would catch one somewhere along the line!

The past few years I have been building an arsenal of bigger baits and rods that can accommodate musky... Two years ago I took in a two day musky charter and we trolled the 40 acre shoal no different than when I troll by myself for pike; just bigger baits.

Last year I spent a few days by myself trolling in late November and I put my boat up for the winter in early December immediately after a long day trolling.

Seasonal aspects aside...do pike and musky live separate lives? I’ve done quite a bit of reading and most of the areas and water described as good “musky water” seems to be the same kind of water I fish all the time for pike.

I purchased a really nice musky rod/reel for casting and I used it to toss my larger baits during our vacation. My kids were all laughing at me...and I practiced my figure eights at the boat side just about every cast.

So here is a funny story. I was standing at the bow with my older son; casting together..and I was talking about everything I have read/learned about the figure eight. He turned his head as I was finishing a retrieve with a Grandma (about 6”) and I had a pike following a few feet behind. I said “Look at this!”...and as he looked back I made a quick “L” turn followed by the first loop of a figure eight and the pike ate it as the Grandma rolled over on the eight. Hysterical and totally fun!

Anyway...I’m determined to catch a musky this fall/winter. Just gotta figure things out I guess.

I’m just jawing about fishing....thanks for reading!

1900Tyee

[Tooltech]

Musky's and pike are in the same areas. I have been trolling regular 2.375" size crank baits for pike and have caught three musky's so far this year, the largest 51". Every musky I have caught is like a pike on steroids, they fight harder, tend to jump, and swim faster. Lots of fun.

Just stay at it, someday it will happen.

[turtle chain]

I know Musky;s love to eat northers I have seen musky chowing a northern more than once. I have probably caught 8 Musky while fishing walleye and bass,They love wacky rigged bass worms rapalas and jig and minnow. last year we fished musky all day later in the evening we decided to jig for walleye on my first cast I caught a 45 in musky go figure

[1900Tyee]

And there you have it...more proof.

I’m cursed...plain and simple.

[AllenW]

Wife once caught a 28# musky fishing for crappies.
I think if you have bait fish, you can have Muskies.

Try larger baits mid summer, smaller in fall and spring, seems to work best for me.

Keep at it, when you least expect it...it will happen.

Al

[Esoxchaser]

Muskie spawn later than pike. Big muskie are much more tolerant of warm water than big pike are.

[rzep]

Not to start an argument ... have no first hand experience but I heard that musky tastes more like walleye than northern.. white flakey meat .. any truth ?

[BreezyPoint]

Originally Posted by rzep

Not to start an argument ... have no first hand experience but I heard that musky tastes more like walleye than northern.. white flakey meat .. any truth ?

Musky tastes more like largemouth bass...yuck


Frank

[BreezyPoint]

Originally Posted by 1900Tyee

And there you have it...more proof.



I’m cursed...plain and simple.

I sent you a PM


Frank

[AllenW]

Best I remember, musky tastes just like northern, been a few years though.

Thanks to musky inc you'll probably never find out here though.

Al