Went to Newton at about 9am fished for about an hour. When i first got there, i rigged up a jig tipped with a worm, I was trying for panfish. First cast out and hooked onto something big, at first i didn’t know what it was until my line goes ZING! then i realized i hooked onto a tiger muskie. Fought it for about 5min, it was about 6-7ft out from shore i could see the swirls in the water from it when my line broke. I was only using 6lbs test so i was not rigged up right for the fish. But it was fun at the moment. Never fished for them really. Before i was leaving the muskies came really close to shore and i could see a few of them in the water so i decided to dangle my jig infront of one and when it took the jig i set the hook but the line snapped right away. From this experience i might try for the muskies one day just to get a photo of it.
Thanks for the report. It’s good to hear the musky are on the prowl again. Sounds like it’s time to go chase them.
Thanks for the report, and welcome aboard the board! Those musky sure can surprise you! You can land them on light tackle - but you gotta let 'em run. And let the rod do the work, not the reel.
One suggestion someone had that I remembered as I hooked one up - they’ll often bull-dog down to the bottom, and push up behind a log or rock. Suggestion was to let OFF any tension, and wait - they’ll think they’re free and start swimming, then the fight is on.
It worked for me. I was fishing for perch - so was the Musky!
I heard the water is high there now. Is it still very muddy, or has it started to clear up? Want to get up there and chase some bass!
Light tackle is fun. I caught one there on a jig. I was using 8 lb test. Got it to the surface then the fish rolled and snapped my line. It was a good fight.
The lake was full and the water crystal clear when I was there two weeks ago.
For the most part the waters pretty clear. When the sun hit the water just right i could see the muskies swimming back and forth
They really do seem to like smaller jigs. I caught my first half dozen of them on a light spinning rod with 8lb test, a 1/8 ounce jig and a 3" grub. I lost quite a few too, but it was a lot of fun.
Thats cool you guys landed muskies on light tackle. I’ve always heard that you need either spider wire or a steel lead line to land them.
I would recomend using steel leaders for those toothy fish. At least from my experience of muskie fishing, it seems that you will lose way more without a leader than with. I’m not saying its not posible, I just don’t like to feed the fish gods to many lures.
I’ve tried to have one rod rigged for Musky attacks. Heavier rod, braid line, steel leader. Go figure - the musky takes on my light rod (ate my perch I’d just caught) - what a rush!
Had one grab either a gulp minnow, or plastic worm the week before. HE broke off as he took off under my boat!
One thing I don’t like about the steel leaders is the way they mess with the action of a lure. Especially trying to get a Musky to chase a top-water. That leader just drags the nose down. But I think even the loss of “flexibility” on the line messes with crankbaits’ action.
One of my goals this year - have a Musky come and slam a topwater on a slow-retrieve! Bring it!
Just use a larger crankbait/rapala, and then you don’t have to worry about your 8 lb. test breaking.
Unless of course you have a weak knot.
Steel leaders definitely help. I usually use them when I’m after musky. I don’t like what they do with soft plastics, though. I know they have a tie-able leader that would probably better, but it’s a little pricey.