same musky same result

[Rizzo]

Three weeks back I found a real nice musky. Would be a personal best for me if I could land him. He hit a big white grub, then casually let go of it only to follow it back to the boat and scare the bejeebers out of me. An absolute submarine. The next week I went back to the same spot and speed trolled a big black/orange spinnerbait over his house. Wammo the fight was on. Made a jump where only part of his body got out of the water, came down with a mighty splash and spit that bait right back at me. Yesterday we tangled for the third time in a row. This time it was a magnum bulldawg that caught his attention. I reefed as hard as I could to try and set the hook, but I don't think i dislodged the bait from his toothy grip (these soft baits are starting to wear me down!) After about a 5 second tussle he let go and I was left shaking in my boat again. Its great that i find him in the same spot each week, and amazing that this fish has been willing to bite each week (naturally I am assuming it is the same fish)! This is starting to get personal though, with me on the losing end each week. Anyone ever had a similar battle? how many times before you actually won (or did you never win)?

Edited September 20, 2008 by Rizzo

[SlowPoke]

Edited September 20, 2008 by SlowPoke

[johnnyb]

can't see SlowPoke's post....but this is sounding pretty exciting, Rizzo...I unfortunately do not have any presonal experience on this one. I worked at a lodge on Nipissing, and the owner said that the same massive musky showed up in the same spot every year, and would not hit a bait. It was distinctive because it would jump in the evenings, same time every year. Sounded like someone doing a belly flop! This was pre-musky fever for me, so I never took a crack at it.

[Wild]

Rizzo alright! alright! stop twisting my arm! Yes I will help you catch the monster just give me a few days notice OK?

[Rizzo]

hahaha thanks for the offer wild. My partner the first day guestimated it at 50+ inches and 30+ pounds. i'm not sure what numbers I would give it, but I don't think he's too far off. fish is in a system that comes off GBay so it is possible

[johnnyb]

I now see SlowPoke's post. I lol'ed

Edited September 20, 2008 by johnnyb

[Carp]

ROOKIES !!!

 

I just had a good chuckle after reading your post.

Just imagine how hard the ski is laughing?

 

The fish is obviously comfy in that spot. Must be lots of food around.

Probably waiting for some more anglers to come by and throw food at it.

[bigugli]

I've got a big old beastie that does almost the same thing to my spinnerbaits. Over the summer I've been to the same hole 8-9 times. I'm standing on a ledge 6 ft above the water so I get to see every movement. Toss a spinnerbait and tail out and half way in the retrieve this fish comes up and smacks it. Once or twice and then turns. Won't hit the same bait twice. I've gone through the same ritual every time with a different spinnerbait each outing. He swipes at it, never opens his mouth and turns away. Hasn't chased body or jerk baits at all. Before season's done I'm gonna get him. And if the spineerbait won't work, dynamite will

It's frustrating Rizzo. Just keep at him and you'll finally get him.

Edited September 20, 2008 by bigugli

[jwl]

I've got a big old beastie that does almost the same thing to my spinnerbaits. Over the summer I've been to the same hole 8-9 times. I'm standing on a ledge 6 ft above the water so I get to see every movement. Toss a spinnerbait and tail out and half way in the retrieve this fish comes up and smacks it. Once or twice and then turns. Won't hit the same bait twice. I've gone through the same ritual every time with a different spinnerbait each outing. He swipes at it, never opens his mouth and turns away. Hasn't chased body or jerk baits at all. Before season's done I'm gonna get him. And if the spineerbait won't work, dynamite will

It's frustrating Rizzo. Just keep at him and you'll finally get him.

 

I know where there has been a couple big ones hanging out near my camp Bruce,maybe one of us will get one after tommorrow on our trip You guys are stuck with me for a couple hour musky adventure Monday morning anyways..cuz who ever is in my boat, that's what I am doing, so you are stuck for the ride

 

I have a spare musky rod if someone needs to use it, and a pretty good range of baits

 

Keep plugging away at it Rizzo, getting them to follow your baits is half the battle, the big ones didn't get that big because they are stupid a 50 incher 30lbs plus fish is 25 years old or better

[Rizzo]

Hasn't chased body or jerk baits at all

 

same problem here. I tried a variety of hard body baits (topraider, sledge, burt, super shadrap) hoping to find something he couldn't as easily sink his teeth into. When nothing worked, I went back to the big soft plastics and had the same result as our first encounter...can't sink the hook in

[jwl]

same problem here. I tried a variety of hard body baits (topraider, sledge, burt, super shadrap) hoping to find something he couldn't as easily sink his teeth into. When nothing worked, I went back to the big soft plastics and had the same result as our first encounter...can't sink the hook in

 

don't feel bad man, sometimes they are just stubbourn....you think you have one hooked but you really don't, they will battle you all the way to the boat, and hold on like a pitbull with brain damage only to open thier mouth on you and out pops your bait

[maybe]

One of these teensy little Northland "Snelled" Sting'r Hooks nailed my first muskie a few weeks ago. Maybe something similar would help you?

 

[Ramble]

I've played this game with big pike more then once. One pike i had seen come out twice one day at a spinnner, then a day later at a spoon, then a few days later a spinner bait. I left her for about a week came back and she slammed a walleye 3/4 of the way back to the boat. Never did get her to the boat...

 

But i have boated 3 other fish "i knew were their". I find that in-line spinners are better for hook ups when they are being difficult AND you can stick a big twister tail on it without much trouble. Maybe you should try a bucktail? If she hits that and doesn't hook up you're going to have to get really creative lol

 

-R-

[chickenhawk]

Yeah I played that game with a few pike this summer.....one REALLY big pike.....biggest I'd ever seen and she would show herself everytime I went for her but she never hooked up....

[Jigger]

I've come across this situation with a fish that was in the same spot for over a month. The only thing that stuck it was a jig'n pig. Muskie candy. has the illusion of a bulky bait but without any substance between the bait and hook. Musky innovations has a big one that I've been using for a few years now. At first I didn't have confidence in it, but it now has a designated rod. Very few negative ques and very good hook-up rate.

[jediangler]

I'd say burn a bucktail by him, and man, sharpen those hooks.

[Rich]

I usually give up and move on.. lol no fish teases me, I'll just get him next year

[Rich Clemens]

I just returned from the French River a few hours ago. I knew where a musky hung out and tried each day for a week, different times, different lures, and saw here a total of 6 times. Wouldn't even once open her mouth

Edited September 20, 2008 by Rich Clemens

[kemper]

There is a musky on Buckhorn that I have been chasing for quite some time now. I have watched it follow me three times and hooked up once only to have it break me off three seconds after the hookset. (was fishing bass, had the drag cranked right down and 30 lb PP, really hope that it shook that spinnerbait)

[Jigger]

That was your problem, Kemper. You shouldn't have been using the 30lb. I bought some 30lb PP once and snapped off a bunch of times before smartening up and moving up to 50lb. Do the same and you won't regret it. You can set the hook into a tree and not break the line. The rod might snap, but you'll still have your lure...

[kemper]

Oh I wasnt fishing FOR musky with the 30 LB...So far I have not had a problem with 30 and the bass, used to use 50 PP on my heavy stick but went down to 30 because I found that it cast easier and was plenty strong enough. Like I said I crank the drag right down.

 

On the contrary, I have a buddy who says that he wont use 30 because it breaks too easy, maybe a bad batch or two?

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

Sounds like your hooks aren't sharp enough Rizzo!!!....I sharpen my hooks as soon as I take a new Muskie lure out of the package and also each time after I land a fish...

[BillM]

50lb is even light if you are chasing muskies... 80-100lb PPro and 130lb Flouro leaders are a must. All that timing fishing only to break off when a fish is hooked? No thanks!

[Jigger]

I wasn't implying Kemper uses the 50lb on a musky rod, but on his bass rod. Even still, and I'm sure some will disagree, 65lb is fine for Kawartha fish and the Haliburton 'skis that I fish for. The rod I use with oversized jigs is rigged with 65lb test. Its more limp and works better than my other rod thats rigged with 80lb. Set the drag properly and you can fight any fish. My pb fish is only 46in, but I horsed it in with that same 65lb thinking I was using my other rod. I'd think twice about using it on GBay, Ottawa river or any other trophy waters. But judging by the amount of fish landed on bass gear every year on the Kawarthas and Haliburton, I'd say heavy bass gear is suitable for most casting applications on non-trophy lakes.

[jwl]

you will always get people with mixed opinions on what kind of gear to use......to be honest a couple of the biggest muskies I have ever caught including 2 in the 52-54 inch range,30lbs plus, and a couple 4 footers have been incidental catches on my 7 foot med rod, 8lb test..no leader ..this isn't recommended by no means, but do-able, come to think about it, i have probably caught more muskies on that gear than I have on my actual musky gear