Musky help

[dough_boy_99]

Hi all this is Mark. I have been chasing musky for about five years now and have been getting more and better results each year. Having said that, I am still after that 50" giant. I am just wondering if any of the members here would have info on where my best bet would be to get a 50" musky. I have fished the Niagara River, most of the Kawartha lakes, and the Moon River, so far a 46" pigeon fish is my PB. With fall coming on I will definitely be booking a few upcoming trips and would like to hear some ideas about where would be a good bet. Ottawa River has been recommended to me by a couple people but as with a lot of the other trophy waters I have no familiarity with where on the River to start and can't really afford to hire a guide on every different system. Any info would be much appreciated, definitely willing to share info about the Kawarthas where I have had success in return. Thanks, Mark

[canadianboy]

lake of the woods

[Casey123]

French River basin, when the pinks are running is IMHO the best place in the province for high % hook ups, but I have never fished the Ottawa River or Upper Niagara.

[outllaw]

try lake st clair. the best chance at a 50

[GbayGiant]

Well, no doubt you've fished trophy water with many 50+ and potential WR's in the Moon and Niagara just a little harder to find them and lots of hours and lot's of water. I would say Lake of the Woods and St.Clair as well, they seem to have a higher population with less water to cover but still have huge fish. Next the French and lake Nippising, but still a difficult water to find fish, similar to the Moon.

[Musky or Specks]

1 Ottawa River

2 St Clair

3 French

4 Byng Inlet

5 Mcgregor Bay(seems like only 50's exist here but you need to go for a week)

 

All of these are excellent trophy musky waters. But you need to spend time learning them and fish them for long periods of consecutive days to have your best shot at landing a 50

[Rizzo]

magnetewan river at Britt (see #4 above). Not that I've ever caught a 50 there, but they do exist.

[Rich]

50 inch fish exist in all the waters you have fished. I'm no expert, my biggest is 42, but I have seen kawartha fish that I know were 50 +

 

Just keep at it. There's no easy place to catch a trophy musky .. and if it was easy, what would be the point?

[BillM]

All depends on what you want to spend to get that 50incher

[brickNblock]

Without hiring a guide...........

Youve fished the Kawarthas....they do hold 50+ fish

As others have said, you have to put the time in and look for the structure you learned to locate and be there at the right time............TIME ON THE WATER

That about it.

If'n you want larger..youve reciev3ed a couple of great suggestions already without hiring a guide.

If your seriously considering the Ottawa or Larry............PM ROY as a start.

He'll steer you in the right direction.................Right Roy?

[Sebastian]

Get your 50"er without a guide. Muskie is about hard work. Dont rely on paying someone to put you on a fish. At the back of your head you will always think that you didnt catch it. My buddy got a 50"er on the Kawarthas last year. Georgian Bay, St Lawrence, Ottawa, St Clair, LOTW, etc are your best chances.

[ChrisK]

If you want a place thats close(within 4 hours) of Toronto go visit the West Arm of Lake Nippising in July or August when the muskie are in full tilt feeding mode. You can stay at a number of different lodges up there . I prefer Lakair Lodge because it is more central to that side of the lake,between West Bay and Warren Bay which hold some pretty decent size fish. I havent fished it as much as I have in past years but I did get my 50 incher out of West Bay when I was more actively fishing for muskie....

 

Good Luck !!

[fishinggeek]

Yes I agree and don't hire a guide, even if you can afford it. Much more satisfying (and cheaper) to do it on your own.

[4thgen]

If you weed through enough smaller Kawartha fish, you will get big fish. I find the best time for big musky is in June, on Stony at least.

[brifishrgy]

Lake St Claire is my pick .. fish there in the fall mostly .. havent got the 50" yet but I do have a few at the 48" mark