Live2fish85 Posted November 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 trolling is where i get cheep i use a diawa accudepth line counter...$60 they hold up just fine... i catch 90% of my musky trolling with these reels... im sure your dipsy reels are ok... but ive snapped 50lb braid like dental floss on big musky... it can dig into itself on the spool of the reel... then you lose your fish and have to cut your line off the spool... you can give it a try... but i use 100lb power pro and 50lb mono... if you can afford it... id get another counter reel and 80-100lb braid... im sure some would disagree.... it kinda depends where you fish... there are lots of 50 inch fish caught here every year... so i need heavy duty gear... if you fish kawartha musky...you may be able to get away with 50lb test and a MH st.croix musky rod... thats your call... just remember... with trolling... your going 3-7mph... thatll strain the best gear... Thanks thats good info I will throw some heavier line on for the trolling rods forsure. I have seen a bunch of 50 + musky pictures from my cousin who has fished this lake for years so I would rather be ready and prepared with the right gear. What is best a net or a cradle. I am thinking more in terms of the fish best interest i noticed a twice the net get caught in the teeth and both time scrap my fingprints off and more getting the net off so the fish didnt rip his mouth of rolling. Does the craddle keep them from going nuts like they do in the net, I didn't take the fish out of the water until he was unhooked either as supposed to. Just wondering so I can get the fish back as fast as possible. I think the net I had may have been a bit over kill. Thanks for all the help and hopefully before season closes I will get my chance at a 40+ and have another musky report. Now time to go throught my bass gear and see what I can do with out. haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 i say get a net... a cradle pretty well requires two anglers... i got a frabil power catch... but the musky were actually cutting the mesh... so i replaced the mesh with a beckman fin saver mesh... love it... my brother has the "big kahuna" from frabil... its ridiculous... way too heavy for one person and very bulky in the boat... and pricy as well... i like the magnum fin saver xd http://www.muskyshop.com/modules/cart/products.php/nav_id/19/page/1/id/129/name/BeckmanNets or start cheep like i did... and in a couple years... replace the mesh on the cheap frabil with beckman mesh... and its the almost the same price in the end... frabil was 100 and the new mesh was 60... or the beckman is 140 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live2fish85 Posted November 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Thats awesome Mike, thanks. I am going to start getting my things together for my next trip. Looks like I am going in teo weeks. Hopefully they will still be active. If not the excitment waiting for the next one is still fun haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esoxansteel Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 trolling is where i get cheep i use a diawa accudepth line counter...$60 they hold up just fine... i catch 90% of my musky trolling with these reels... im sure your dipsy reels are ok... but ive snapped 50lb braid like dental floss on big musky... it can dig into itself on the spool of the reel... then you lose your fish and have to cut your line off the spool... you can give it a try... but i use 100lb power pro and 50lb mono... if you can afford it... id get another counter reel and 80-100lb braid... im sure some would disagree.... it kinda depends where you fish... there are lots of 50 inch fish caught here every year... so i need heavy duty gear... if you fish kawartha musky...you may be able to get away with 50lb test and a MH st.croix musky rod... thats your call... just remember... with trolling... your going 3-7mph... thatll strain the best gear... x2 what Mike said, I use shimano tecotas line counters with shimano TDR rods model 1804 8ft hvy rod is around 40.00 althouigh their cheaper by the dozen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esoxansteel Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 By the way, most important congradulations on your 1st of many more to come, and a great report, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 x2 what Mike said, I use shimano tecotas line counters with shimano TDR rods model 1804 8ft hvy rod is around 40.00 althouigh their cheaper by the dozen kinda a twist on my words... i didnt say to use his dipsy rods... there are fiberglass st.croix rods designed for trolling fast with up to half the rod in the water... http://www.muskyshop.com/modules/cart/products.php/nav_id/23/page/1/id/1558/name/StCroixPremierGlassMuskyRodCastingRods salmon rods may be ok for a while... but they are a bit floppy... i dont think they would set the hook as well... also... plastic rod holders are a no go... a big musky will rip them right off your boat... trust me... these are good holders... http://www.muskyshop.com/modules/cart/products.php/nav_id/22/page/1/id/340/name/DownEastRodHolderTheSalty just my 2 cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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