2nd attempt at a Muskie

[limeyangler]

Went out for only my 2nd time ever targeting musky. Went with my buddy Lew who is an avid and experienced musky fisherman, he took me up to Thaddeus and Ord lakes about an hours drive north of Dryden.

 

I was kinda ambigous about the whole Musky thing......to be quite honest i did not think i had the patience to cast what seem to me to be giant lures all day with the likelyhood of catching nothing. In the end we did not even get a follow, but i was surprised how quickly the day went, and how the anticipation of a bite was sustained all day.

 

For me, I think what helped sustain the anticipation was the fact we were catching relatively small fsh (not muskie) on these big spinner baits, crankbaits and jerkbaits. Although i know these big baits catch muskie, it was hard for me to imagine anything going for them...especially some of Lew's homemade contraptions....but even the most outrageously bright coloured , non fish like creations were catching fish.This helped my confidence no end, which helped me believe i could actually catch one....lol...which made me feel like every cast was gonna be the one.

 

Another spin-off benefit from the day was getting waleye on the large natural and firetiger jerk baits. Again a confidence thing but i'm warming to using hardbaits for walleye more and more, and this trip certanly re-inforced this. I went into a Bass tournament a few weeks ago and during the pre-fish and the tournament itself we caught more walleye on "wigglewarts' than we did bass....maybe should go in for a walleye tounament instead....lol. And whilst fishing local small lake a week ago when the bite was slower than slow, i decided to try the wigglewart and caught fish after fish when live bait could not get a fish for love or money.

 

So i guess the point of my rambling is...... that even a 'bad days' fishing is a learning opportunity.

 

 

Anyway...here's some pics and vids from sundays outing with Lew.

 

 

 

ONE OF THE WALLEYE

 

 

 

 

SOME OF THE BASS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOME NORTHERNS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KINDA COOL GOING THROUGH THE CULVERT CONNECTING THE LAKES

 

 

 

SOME COOL PICTOGRAPHS TOO IN THADDEUS LAKE

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst fishing for muskies was fun, these 2 lakes have some awsome bass fishing, we were watching 4 and 5lbers swimmng over the boulders all day...definitely worth a trip again.

[BillM]

Nice fish! I've gone out on many many occasions with no follows, no strikes, no nothing. I still enjoy tossing monster baits with the hope that something might engulf them

 

I did get a 5lb+ smallmouth bass inhale 1/2 a TopRaider before... Poor thing that the entire treble and prop in it's mouth (the hooks aren't small, lol)

 

Keep at it, I'm sure you'll be rewarded soon enough.. You are in prime time muskie water.

[MCTFisher9120]

Sad to see no Musky but I'm sure you will hook up with one before the year is done, but kinda surprising to see average sized bass hitting those big baits lol.

 

Thanks for sharing, btw how's the boat...sounded like some rubbing up against that culvert

 

Tightlines,

MTBF

[TC1OZ]

Thats neat in the culvert there!

 

Looks like a good trip! Any fish is better than no fish!

[Guest gbfisher]

You need bigger baits from seeing what you did catch.....

2 days is not a long time thats for sure. You sound like a guy who was asking for info because he couldnt catch one....then he goes out and gets a fish of a life time the next trip out.

Keep at it. You'll get one sooner or later.

[Basscat]

I agree with what you said about Bait size. I am not sure if there is a bait that is to big. I caught this fish this past weekend on a 10" Phantom it was one of the worst removals I had to do. The fish swallowed the entire bait It was like performing oral sugery thank good I pinch down the barbs. The fish made it. but it goes to show you that with one quick move the can swallow a 10" mid day snack whole.

[Leecher]

Great report, pics and videos Simon

I'm sure that it's just a matter of time before you hook into your first... and don't be so hard on yourself about it!!!

Last year I gave ski's a go and spent 15 to 20 hours without a sniff so I know how you feel about the hole thing.

 

Keep working at it and soon enough you will be rewarded!!!

Again great job on those beauty reports

Jacques

[muskeybugged]

Awwww Thaddeus, spent a week at the camp there a couple of years ago..... When we first went to the Culvert I turned around thinking no way that's the way to the other lake......

Great little action lake there though......also where I got my first ski!

 

It's only a matter of time/timing (right place right time).

 

Great pics and vids

Thanks for sharing!

 

That was the easy way through how was it coming back?!?!?!? Great arm workout

Edited July 29, 2009 by muskybugged