x

Join the coolest online fishing community. FREE!

  • Get the latest local fishing reports
  • Find all the best fishing spots
  • Show off your catches, photos and videos
  • Read and share top fishing tips
  • Meet other anglers in your area
  • And it's all FREE!
Sign in with Facebook
or

Musky fishing tips

Add a new tip View Tips By Topic
5

Landing a Big fish

If you hook a powerful, explosive musky, striper, or pike don’t bring it near the boat unless you’re prepared to land it. A still-green fish can do a lot of damage and cause you numerous problems if brought to boatside too quickly.

One thing greenhorns do a lot is to reel the fish in too close to the rod tip. Never have a fish any closer than the full length of the rod away. Reeling a big one within a few feet of the rod tip is just inviting trouble. It reduces line stretch, rod flex, and reaction time, giving the fish a better chance to make a last-ditch escape.

If your fish is going under the boat, don't fight 'em, either let them take some line or better yet steer them away by not pulling up out of the water, but to the side and turn their head. They cant swim down if you turn them, but watch out if your using anchors. I've lost plenty of fish on the anchor rope trying to be too gentle.

Watch my latest videos of people breaking rods trying to bring a fish out of water from directly below them rather then pulling from the side into them.

Topics: Landing fish,
9

Muskies

Here in Minnesota a good time to fish for Muskies is late Fall/early Winter. When the ice is building up on the shoreline. Most people on the lake have there boats out by then. The ice is a thin layer about 20 feet from shore. I like to take the paddle boat around the edge and troll for Pike and Muskies, even walleye.

Topics: Late, Fall, Fishing, for, Musky, and, Pike
12

The Follow-Up

When reeling in, after a cast for a Northern Pike or Muskellunge, make a figure eight with your lure every time. When the fish is following the lure, it makes the lure look more realistic, like the lure is actually struggling to get away from being eaten by the musky or pike. You can do more then one figure eight in the water with your lure, but do it smooth and quiet so the fish does not get scared away.

Topics: Musky, and, Pike
20

Switch it up New rods, lures, baits, and Fishing

Keep the fishing interesting, exciting and unexpected. You never know what you may find. I've made a goal for myself to try and catch and take a picture of every species of fish in the State of Idaho. Not only does this create a challenge for myself, but it forces me to get out of the old habit of using the same lure or bait on the same old stretch of river. You really have to get out there to the high mountain lakes with a new fly fishing rod, or into some of the more famous rivers for a nice Brown or Golden Trout or even Steelhead or Chinook Salmon. I'll also be heading to Hells Canyon and get me a huge Cat and farther north to get my Pike, Musky and Walleye. This Challenge will force me to find new amazing waters and help me to explore the great state of Idaho.

Topics: Fishing, Idaho, Challenge