KraTToR Posted June 13, 2015 Author Report Posted June 13, 2015 Very very true... Your getting them to strike which is more then some other anglers can say... Im sure the rest will sort itself out because you sound like you'll rack your brain until you figure it out... I used to lose fish and choke on follows ALL THE TIME... But year after year I got better and now my opportunity to success ratio has improved a lot... Another thing I do is use 50lb mono for trolling... I literally cannot remember ever losing a fish on that rod... And I troll a lot... I run braid and mono and I lose some fish on the braid rod but the mono rod keeps em hooked up better... It also helps keep your baits up higher... Gives you some options to play with... Thanks Lew, that's a great idea... As my trolling rod has plenty of action (bend) I'll swap out the braid for mono on the next trip. You say you use 50lb. What brand? Big Game? XT? Thanks!
shimano19 Posted June 13, 2015 Report Posted June 13, 2015 I prefer to keep the drag locked, you don't want any of that pulling when you set the hook on a muskie 50-70ft out. If the fish starts going crazy boat side I freespool and use my thumb just to give her a bit of give.
mike rousseau Posted June 13, 2015 Report Posted June 13, 2015 Thanks Lew, that's a great idea... As my trolling rod has plenty of action (bend) I'll swap out the braid for mono on the next trip. You say you use 50lb. What brand? Big Game? XT? Thanks! Big game 1/4 pound spool is like $10
SuperDave Posted June 13, 2015 Report Posted June 13, 2015 With muskie, you win some, you lose some. Sometimes you think a fish is well hooked and it is just holding the lure in its mouth. Sharp hooks for sure. I would be careful about re-setting the hook if you're not too sure. I did that and pulled the lure free. Keep fishing for them and have fun!
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted June 13, 2015 Report Posted June 13, 2015 I'm by no way an "expert". I've lost many, many musky. Some by no fault of my own, some because of amatuer mistakes I made. Looking back at all the catches and lost fish I've learned one thing for sure: every fish is different. Some fish have required 2-3 hook sets. Others I could just tell were barely hooked and the initial hook set was enough and when they ended up in the net, a thin piece of skin was all that was holding them on. Another hook set would have easily torn that free. Try not to get too discouraged. There's going to be lost fish. It happens to everyone. You'll get better with experience. I'm still learning things with every success and failure. Not every hit is equal. Some hit square and hard and a good hard hook set will get some hooks into that fish. Some barely grab the bait and might get a single hook in it's nose and need to be coaxed in more. Then there's the blowups. Every musky angler has seen a fish just explode out of the water behind the bait and never even make contact with it. It's not always the angler's fault when you lose a fish. Just getting them to bite is half the battle. Keep plugging away and you'll get a feel for each fish, don't get discouraged too much.
KraTToR Posted June 14, 2015 Author Report Posted June 14, 2015 Thanks for everyone's input! Some great advise here and a lot to think about. I'm usually diligent with hook sharpness, something from my steelheading days but I've already started going through my baits just to be sure. A little story on my very first intentional interaction with a musky.. Again it was a Super Shad Rap.. It followed the bait right up to the boat and hit it broad-side with his snout. I guess they do this to "stun" the bait for an easier grab.. Well I was so excited with actually seeing one of these beasts that I didn't even think to figure 8... Another one that haunts me..lol
KraTToR Posted June 14, 2015 Author Report Posted June 14, 2015 Sorry about that Patrick, I absolutely remember meeting you that day but a I have met up with so many OFC members over the past few months that my brain fails from time to time! Nothing wrong with those setups, a super shad rap on that MH rod is fine as far as hooksetting goes. I prefer a minimum of 80lb test myself. Like others have said, we all lose muskies - it's just a part of the game. On my LOTW trip last year on day 2, I hooked and lost two 50+ fish in 15 minutes and was heartbroken. The next morning at our first spot I nailed a 48.5" and at the second spot a 51". Don't read too much into lost fish - and the fact that you are contacting fish is half the battle! Keep those hooks sharp, and remember that hooksets (and second hooksets) are free Cheers Pete And that anchor works great! I've never fished LOTW - the fresh water fisherman's holy grail. And to lose 2 monsters back to back... I can't even begin to feel your pain. Sounds like it ended well tho..
Fisherpete Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 (edited) Scott and James - I'll try take some pics of my hook sharpening method later - I use the same Luhr Jensen file that Andrew mentioned, it's the best we have found (and we have tried a lot of different files). I basically sharpen each point on 3 sides, front (outside) and 2 sides. I don't sharpen all the way down to the barb, my focus is on making a super sharp cutting point area. One more hook sharpening tip - don't think that hooks are sharp on a lure because it is new - often they are dull as heck or even have bent points right out of the package! Patrick - muskies do 'bump' lures all the time with mouth closed - like you said, to stun or if they are a smart fish maybe test the waters lol... had a day on Pigeon last year when that happened a half dozen times in the morning... I went back to those same fish in the evening and caught 4 of them! Pete Edited June 14, 2015 by Fisherpete
lew Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 It followed the bait right up to the boat and hit it broad-side with his snout. I guess they do this to "stun" the bait for an easier grab.. Very often while cranking in your bait you'll feel a bump or even the line go slack for a second. I guess their trying to figure out what it is but just keep cranking and more times than not they'll grab it within a second or two. Always nice when they broadcast their about to hit your bait LOL
Rizzo Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 What flavour supershad rap you using? We had success on perch flavour and firetiger
KraTToR Posted June 14, 2015 Author Report Posted June 14, 2015 It was strawberry...lol I have perch as well and did get some strikes on the perch Jake. The rap I was using is what Rapala calls the Original Pearl Shad and it comes with galvanized hooks (SW?) which are in the process of getting swapped out. As they usually come from below, the orange belly stripe may be the trigger. Rapala also have a new "Walleye" pattern that I've heard gets good results on LSC.
Tom McCutcheon Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 George Unis (outlaw) has been making baits for quite some time that work well on LSC as does Mike Parker and his Handlebarz baits. Not saying to switch up on what seems to work for you, but a muskie guy can never have enough baits. It comes with the lighter wallet....and extra tackle storage cabinets etc. etc.
lew Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 but a muskie guy can never have enough baits. I just sold off 43 baits that hardly ever got used anymore Tom, my boats gonna be riding alot higher in the water this season. LOL
Loonietoon Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 Hey Lew, You are right I have a few that work so I also will be selling quite a few of at a reasonable price. Just got to take pics then get them on the board
Tom McCutcheon Posted June 14, 2015 Report Posted June 14, 2015 Sorry Lew, I should have clarified that a bit and I'll add "never enough until he finds what works" when you get to that point, just follow Lew's lead....
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