lpmaure

Thanks for those helpful replies. I'm fishing the Kawarthas for muskies & walleyes when the bass are not in season, and I want to avoid giving fish wardens the wrong impression.

Seeking info on enforcement & penalties for fishing violations, specifically want to know about accidentally catching bass out of season.

Reporting back on our 23-30 September fishing trip in Georgian Bay/Moon River. There were three of us fishing out of two boats, two of us focused on muskies, the third guy switching around between bass and muskies. Weather was gorgeous (warm and sunny w/ little wind) until the last day when it rained. We fished Blackstone Harbor 1½ days and caught only small pike - I called it a "pike nest"- and no action at all around the sunken island. Moon River, both east and west of Woods Bay was also unproductive for muskies, but there was lots of bass and pike action. All our musky action was out in Moon Bay, from the mouth of Captain Allan Strait out to the islands above Loon Island. The muskies we found were out in open water, not very shallow, and most of the time the bottom was flat. They seemed to be relating to small schools of small minnows and presumably were feeding on the other predators chasing the minnows. We threw topwater, cowgirls, crank baits and spinnerbaits of various sizes and colors. But the only productive musky lure for us was the Shallow Invader in bumblebee pattern (black & yellow). Our catches included a 44 ½" musky (caught on day 2), 25+ bass (biggest was a 22" smallmouth), 40+ pike (biggest was 35"). We lost at least 3 muskies and had 9 follows, most of which were in the 40"+ size. I'll try to post some pics...

OK I'm packing for my Musky trip to Moon River next week. When I get back I'll post a report and pictures of any muskies caught. I'll leave you folks with another question though. A lot of replies talked about throwing big baits for muskies, yet the Ontario record was caught on a small Rapala. And that's not the only instance I've seen of bass and walleye size lures catching huge muskies. So my question for you to mull over while I'm gone is, "Must you use big lures to catch big fish?" When we haven't caught a fish all day, my brother and I often comment to each other while chucking oversize muskie lures, "If you're not catching anything, you might as well not be catching anything big!"

Thanks for those maps and all the other suggestions and comments. I believe you when you say it's tough musky fishing there, so every bit of info helps. I finally got the 4" Rapala and yellow raincoat teaser - - make like Ken O'brien. I'll agree it's more of a crap shoot than a science. So we must make our own luck.

I've been fishing for muskies for several years in both Canada and the USA. My personal best stands at 48" caught in the Kawartha Lakes. I fished in the Moon River for muskies a long time ago, probably 10 years or more, and caught just about everything that swims there except a musky. Overall, I think Canada has the best fishing waters in the world, for variety of species and scenery. I'm strictly catch and release and prefer to cast rather than troll. My brother owns a bait and tackle shop in Pennsylvania, so I'm usually well equipped when I go fishing.

Being an optimist I'm sure there's hidden meaning somewhere in that reply.

Look forward to hunting muskies this September in the Moon River area of Georgian Bay. I'd appreciate any tips on lures and colors for muskie fishing in this area, as well as any other advice for fishers new to the area.