MuskyGreenHorn

X-rap strikes again....

Weeds brought up the Diawa Saltist during the winter. I haven't used it but some guides in the states love it. fast gear ratio for sure. Liek peopel have mentioned, bigger spools and power hangles make up the difference for gear ratio. a higher gear ratio means you will give up some torque. Soem guys are tossing big inline bucktaisl using shimano saltwater reels with no levelwind. Some models bring line in around 40 inches per full crank, talk about super speed. Get ready for a second morgage though. I use a 400 TE, a couple of abu 7000i HSN's and a Shimano Tekota. My Musky Fishing partbner loves his penns, 965 and 975. I used his 975 quite a bit last year. Great Reel. These all pulled lien plenty quick. He also had record, died pretty quick throwing double 10's. End of story. The nice thing about abu's is you can easily get parts for them and it won't cost an arm and a leg. Check out Mikes Reel Repiar from out west online. I recommend anyone using abu 7000's to get your hands on the ceramic line pawl the he sells. This guy sells a lot of stuff to "pimp" reels out. lol

hooks are cheap and when u cut a hook, all parts come out. I haven't cut many either, more for big pike than muskei as they really seem to inhale baits deeper. Tom Gelb has an article about romoving hooks off teh split rings to make it wasuer to unhook the fish in teh latest issue of musky hunter. Now thats cheap and kills fish... Way to much time operating on a buck or less... I just got a bunch from lebarons's 1.85 for 3 4x strong 5/0. VMC's. nuff said.

It simply boils down to the skeaky wheel wheel gets the oil. Susan Irving is squaking the loudest and relentlesly, so she is getting the most attention. I say let her keep it up, if we keep fighting back fair like Ron and Micheal have been, she will dig herself a deep deep hole.

I grew up fishing the kawarthas and now guide on LOTW. the difference in the fisheries is almost not decribable. I have had days where we boat 150+ wallye and some guys report catching 100+ smallies in day. Pike and muskie fishing is also just phenominal. Many of the fly in lakes and portage lakes in the area where i guide are even better. Not to say that some places don't false advertise, but honestly the fishing is usually with out a doubt an experience you will never forget and will keep you coming back time and time again. Crappy wether, biting/swarming bugs and mayfly hatches are the three things that I feel can sour a back country adventure. But if you come prepared it is easy to deal with these things.

even if were out there in a month from now targeting pike up shallow, there hopefully won't be many musky vruising around. If you do come across them, simply move along. My buddy and I have been talking about fishing percy reach/boom? on the trent for pike. anyone have any experience there? Where do you think the biggest pike in zone 17 live?

I will try to make it if I am not working. Chances are I will be working though. What do you need for nets?

Oh and look for creek mouths that may dumping warmer water in, baitfish magnets in the spring...

when pike first move in shallow they will be looking for the warmest water. Bays that are protected from the wind and on the north shore get the nod. Darker bottom will also warm faster. Also look for bays with last years standig dead weeds or reeds. Pike do not lay their eggs in the sediment, they need something standing. they will go in water so shallow that their tail and dorsal fin will stick out. They love areas of flooded vegetation as well for spawning. the watar will be cold so they will be slow slow slow, like everyone has noted. Jerkbaits and light weight spoons that sink slow like williams wablers are a good choice. Do yourself a favour and bring some soft plastics. Dark colours and longer stuff, lizards, reaper tails, berkley leeches, pike will eat leeches and salamanders/mudpuppies that they find in these flooded areas. so imitate them. Drag these really slow and let them rest twitching them a little on the rest. Large tubes and grubs bodies work well as well. Also try slugos and pork rind if you can find it.

Nevermind the farm water, its all the nuclear waste that may actually produce a fish like the three eyed one in the simpsons.

Wierd. That doesn't add up. If you pay for membership you should get to use it.

Could not have said it any better MJL and thanks for the post Ben

Location location location. 3 most important words ever for that type fo place. I'd be concerned that is on a dead end low traffic road. Its not in Bewdley, Hastings or Keene, the three major traffic spots on Rice. Next to that you'd be looking at Gore's landing and Harwood. Did i miss anywhere?

LOL, Good on ya mate. I have been offered the ultimatium myslef before in more indirect terms. Why on earth do some women think they can change a man. And why oh why would they want to snuff out our greatest passion. So they can have a shell of a man mope around the house? Just beyond me. It stopped being an addiction for me years ago. Its my life now, they day i stop fishin' is the day I die.

One reason i am advocate of x-rap (even though they are cheaply made) is they are easy to work. One of the easiest jerkbaits out there to work. I do want to try out the max-rap this season and the husky jerk is also great. X-raps seems to work no matter how fast or slow you work them. I have trolled them, ripped them in super fast and also caught fish on super long death pauses. I have caught musky, northerns, bass, and walleye on them, and i here guye nail trout and salmon on them too. Once the water warms up though, i move on to bigger jerks for musky. Just be prepared to break lots.