Fishing Articles and Information

Muskey Fishing Techniques and Tips

The number one concern for catching Muskey successfully is your gear. You must remember they are a large and toothy fish. I would personally recommend a rod between 6' and 7 1/2'. Shimano makes several great compre rods, such as the CPC 60 XH, CPC 66 XH, CPC 70 H and the CPC 70 XH.

Made for the passionate few by master craftsmen using only the highest quality materials. Each blank is fashioned from advanced SCIII high-modulus graphite - sensitive and powerful, with a moderately fast action for a smooth, light feel in the hand.

The guides are the revolutionary Fuji® Alconite® Concept guides, designed to increase strength, sensitivity and casting distance while helping to reduce line twist.

The ergonomically correct select cork handles with lightweight skeletal-cork reel seats provide much-needed all-day comfort. 1-piece rods. Made in USA.

Your next major concern is your reel. It just to be of good quality, large in size and line capacity.

A high speed retrieve of 5.5:1 ratio is a prerequisite. Load your reel with 17 lb. monofilament and a 12 inch steel leader rated for 30 lbs.

Now you are off to a good start. Just add large spoons, large bass spinnerbaits or jerkbaits. Try experimenting with different lures because environmental factors such as water clarity, water temperature, daylight, time of year all contribute to your success.

So now you've got one on the line. Remember, now you have to land your catch in the least amount of time and with the maximum care so you don't injure the fish. Read the excerpt below for keeping your prize. Personally, I would just use a camera and tape measure.

If your Muskey is to small you have to practice catch and release and if it is to big, I would rather release and keep your breeding stock for the future.

The tools to land and release your Muskey include, a extremely large net, a landing cradle, long handled needle nose pliers or side cutters and jaw spreaders.

Note: If you wear your Muskey down to much, it will not revive and you will kill it!

Just because you don't own a boat doesn't mean you can't enjoy fishing. Modern anglers have become so enamored with their fancy high-performance boats, they've forgotten about shore fishing.

That's too bad, because there are certain times of year we'd all be better off leaving the boat in the garage, and early spring can be one of those times.

The mighty musky conjures up a vision of immense size, razor sharp teeth, and acrobatic jumps. Perched at the top of the freshwater food chain, the Esox masquinongy is an ornery and fierce competitor, giving the angler spectacular thrills and chills with each and every battle.

But does it really take 10,000 casts to catch one of these "fabled" fish?

Not in the least bit, especially if you equip yourself with the proper lures and baits in order to get the job done right.

A problem you can face when looking for sure-fire action from Mr. Pike is deciding what lures to toss his way. It may seem easy when rooting through the tackle box, but northerns can be picky at times, so arming yourself with the right lures for the right conditions is paramount for uncovering success.

* excerpt from Ontario's 2001 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary

Managing Ontario's Muskellunge

A number of new size limit regulations came into effect for the 2001 fishing season.
New minimum size limit regulations are based on biological characteristics of individual muskellunge populations, with the aim of minimizing the number of different size limit regulations in the province.

All muskellunge will be protected until they reach the age of seven years and have the opportunity to spawn at least twice. This corresponds to a 36" (91.4 cm) minimum size limit.

Some other waters, where muskellunge have the potential to grow to extremely large sizes, will be managed to provide "trophy" or "record class" fishing.

Minimum size limits on these waters may be 40" (101.6 cm), 44" (111.8 cm), 48" (121.9 cm) or 54" (137.2 cm). New regulations for some waters in southcentral Ontario, came into effect in 2002.

By Iain Loveman