Accidental Muskie

[ADB]

While on the bus to YorkU earlier this morning, as a drifted in and out of consciousness, I imagined this scenario. (It musta been the less than two hours sleep I'm working on.)

 

Imagine you're ultralite fishing for panfish. 5'6" ultralite rod, 500 series reel, and 4 pound mono. You get a hit and when you set the hook you know right away it's not a perch. Too big to be a bass, and they're aren't any pike or carp in the water...it has to be a muskie, and a big one at that.

 

Now, you can either:

 

A) Cut yout line: you know that IF you land the fish it'll probably be as good as dead.

Fight the fish; in the heat the moment you take your chance to land a trophy of a lifetime.

 

WWOFND?

 

Answer in the poll if you like, but I'm more interested in your rational.

Edited November 12, 2009 by ADB

[Mr. Follow]

Fight the fish it'll probably break the line anyways. Muskie are tougher then most people give them credit for. it also depends on where you are time of year and water temp. But I say fight the fish.

[jediangler]

It happened to me while crappie fishing out of a kayak. The musky was a little one, 24" long, so it wasn't impossible to land. It had been hooked right in the corner of the mouth with a 1/16oz jig & grub combo.

[ChrisK]

Fight the fish of course..Once you get it close enough to the boat and confirm what it is then break it off if its an issue. Be careful though cause a swallowed bait may do as much or more damage if left in the throat of a larger fish.

[DRIFTER_016]

Had it happen with a giant Laker while fishing Brookies in Lake Nipigon.

Fought the fish for an hour but was never able to raise it mor than a foot or two off the bottom.

Finally admitted defeat and snapped the line.

Sure would have liked to have seen the fish, I'm guessing that it was in the 40# range.

[mike rousseau]

i would and have cut the line...if its a larger fish...your ods of landing a 50 inch musky on 4 pound test is slim to nil so you will not only tire out the fish but also leave your lure in it when it breaks your line...if its a smaller fish than you have a shot at landing it in an acceptable amount of time for it to servive

[Skud]

I would just throw my rod in the water, grab my backup and keep on fishing.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Skud

[bare foot wader]

I would fight it and horse it in, put max pressure on with the setup i'm using...either get lucky and land it or break it off laying the heat on it...

[archie_james_c]

I don't know anything about Musky, but with ANY giant fish on light tackle, all you're gonna do is spool your line and lose your lure.

 

Better to keep your spool of line, lose the lure and fish and keep fishing for whatever you were intending to fish for. Especially if you have 20$/per spool Braid on .

[Syn]

I'd reel it in. Sometimes the big fish I catch just play dead and are easier to reel in than the wild snot rockets.

I've landed medium size pike (30") on ultralight 5'6" rod and 500 spool with 6lb (was fishing for perch with thill bobber). Sure the rod was bending like crazy but it just took longer to reel in.

 

 

four year old little girl caught a 50 pound fish.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Syn

[fish_fishburn]

Why not fight the fish? After all thats what your there for. It would be nice to get one rise out of him and when he decides he doesn't want to play anymore, and goes for a run. Put the brakes on em with all your rods got and snap goes the line. Then get your heart beat back to normal and retie.

[Beans]

The first fall we lived up here (north shore of Pigeon Lake) my bro-in-law and I were fishing for bull bluegills and lost six to mucksies in six different areas...each time they immediately broke us off as we were only using 4 lb test mono...

 

The one that grabbed my bluegill right beside the boat looked like a big log with a head...Uncle Dave said "If that jumps in the boat, I'm jumping out" !!!...

 

Didn't have to worry about releasing them, They did that themselves...

[ch312]

the best part of fishing is not knowing what you may hook into...fight em!

[bare foot wader]

I don't know anything about Musky, but with ANY giant fish on light tackle, all you're gonna do is spool your line and lose your lure.

 

I dunno about that....we talking world record potential fish or what? why not have a chance at it?.....who would actually let a fish spool them on purpose anyways? if the fish is running lay the heat on it before it spools you, most failures occur near the knot/lure....

 

ON steelheaders love to use incredibly light leaders, 3lb fluoro...what's the diff there? do that out west coast and you're gonna get carped out right quick for playing it too long and holding up the water....

[archie_james_c]

ON steelheaders love to use incredibly light leaders, 3lb fluoro...what's the diff there?

 

 

The difference is probably the 9-12 foot rod that the keep loaded up when the fish is fighting. The scenario the OP is talking about is UL rod's, 4-5'6" rods don't load up quite as well.

[bare foot wader]

The difference is probably the 9-12 foot rod that the keep loaded up when the fish is fighting. The scenario the OP is talking about is UL rod's, 4-5'6" rods don't load up quite as well.

 

agreed to some degree...but you're still gonna land it a lot quicker with more appropriate leader and lose less fish....

[SlowPoke]

I'd fight it in.

Pick up as much line as possible and then really lean into it. If it breaks, it breaks but at least it isn't going to be swimming around with 110yrds of dental floss.

If you're in a boat, chase it down.

[GoneFishin]

I'm going to have to fight this one out haha. Just because every time I talk to either one of my uncles about musky fishing they start going on about a 48" Musky one of my uncles caught out of scugog on a size 2 mepps black furry using a 6 foot ultra light with 4 pound line. They also said they took out another very small spinner from it's mouth after they finally landed it. It took them almost a half hour to coax it in but apparently it swam away. That was probably about 20 years ago now, and I still hear about it 10 times a year lol.

[Terry]

I assume it's in season

 

why wouldn't you reel it in...it's just another fish, equal to all others. not better then any other fish

[JohnF]

My buddy Rob (the artist) has been fishing his whole life and until I corrupted him recently never used anything but junk reels, cheesy rods and 4# mono. The day after I left our campsite up at Joe's Lake (west of Ottawa) he called me all excited because he'd landed a 34" Northern on one of my cheap rods that I'd given him. This thing was so whippy it was like a berry cane. I bought it at Gander Mtn in a $6 sale bin. He had a miniature Skaespear spinning reel with 4# mono on it and was just casting off the rock for some sunfish for dinner. The pike was unexpected but he's been playing big bass with his lousy rods for so long he just took his time and landed it. He ate it instead of sunfish and it lasted for a few meals.

 

So it can be done if you just go slow. Ironically he later broke the rod landing a smallmouth.

 

JF

[Billy Bob]

I didn't VOTE because I didn't like either choice as I have hooked and landed 2 muskies over the years while fishing for crappies on Chautauqua Lake...Both times using a light rod and 4# line and each time I release the fish unharmed...

[GoneFishin]

I'd reel it in. Sometimes the big fish I catch just play dead and are easier to reel in than the wild snot rockets.

I've landed medium size pike (30") on ultralight 5'6" rod and 500 spool with 6lb (was fishing for perch with thill bobber). Sure the rod was bending like crazy but it just took longer to reel in.

 

 

four year old little girl caught a 50 pound fish.

Lmao, listen to that barbie scream! That's one dam smooth drag haha.

[JohnF]

Lmao, listen to that barbie scream! That's one dam smooth drag haha.

 

She'd loaded it with 80# PP.

 

JF

[archie_james_c]

I assume it's in season

 

why wouldn't you reel it in...it's just another fish, equal to all others. not better then any other fish

 

 

He's trying to see how many bleeding heart C&R's there are that will chime in and say "I'd NEVER play a muskie that hard, because it would surely never survive after such a long fight, to play a fish with such inadequate tackle is irresponsible and you should be hung for it."

[TJQ]

Great thread.. id get a camera and fight it!!