Midnight Musky Mania

Looks like you guys had some tremendous fun! Thanks for the pics and congrats! Doesn't get much better than that

nice fish glad you did well congrats

very nice fat boy there. Midnight stick baits ay hmmm

Just want to say thanks to all. Sorry I'm not that good at posting a run of photos so I loaded them into my webshots for viewing. Avidangler, that hog you released and some of your Musky tips kept me interested in the Musky hunting. I can't tell you how many hours of casting on lakes and rivers we did over the last few seasons. Musky fishing is not for the weak of heart and it can get very discouraging to say the least. It does have it's rewards when you finally score. Hope too post more Musky photos in the future............hopefully soon.

What lake if I may ask. Congratulations! That one is a hog. A trophy anywhere.

We just did two weeks in Ontario. First week was a bust. The late cold rainy spring took it's toll on us and we only boated 4 muskies. Biggest 37.

The second week was quite different. In 7 1/2 days we boated 160 muskies trolling board with crankbaits. 113 were over 30 inches. Biggest 49, 47.5 AND 45.... but nothing like the hog you guys got there! Heck my biggest for the week was only 37! My 2 man crew got all the big ones. :-( Sounds like non stop action BUT, just like your story, & my first week compared to the 2nd, muskies are feast or famine. One day we only caught 6. The next day was something that's never happened to me... we got 47 in the boat with 39 over 30. next day we got 11. day after that 39 with 28 over 30. Don't ask me cause I don't know what the heck was going on. The other boat in our cottage had steady 20+ fish days and ended with 166 for the week with a 49, 50.5 and a 54. The week before two boats of friends got 99 and 154 fish for the week but only a couple over 40. Thanks to catch and release the good ol days of muskie fishing are right now! That myth about muskies being a fish of 10,000 casts is outdated. I'll get a couple pics on when I download them from my camera.

This week was the new moon, seems to help the fishing for me.

Nice job HOOK! Those fish look like a healthy clear strain of muskie. Congrats on your nights with your persistance paying off!

Wasn't trying to beat you up on those Canada fish but it's a tuff game in these waters due to more activity. No doubt it was a special bonanza to hook up with that many Musky anywhere. I'm having Higgins Brothers out of Linesville doing the mounting. They are 30 miles away but well worth the trip. Chip Higgins did a beautiful job on a local Striper I caught. They are real good with fish mounts and are a couple of nice guys that have been around. That Musky I kept did have a ulcer scar that looked like the red disease on the left side so it's days may have been numbered in the future. Maybe this time next year I'll post a finished photo...........good fishing!

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It was 9 fish that Nov. Joe....9 for 15 that day - All over 40" with the largest being 46 1/2" and a 40" - 20lb. pike there in the mix....I believe we could have ended up with 9 more had we stayed. The next day we got 5 more. There were over 72 muskies caught in a weeks time period by 4 or 5 boats! Never saw anything like it again and its been 10 years or so now....My how time flies!

The other nite bite!   

You night owls are crazy. I'm always jealous.... and curious, but too beat up by the end of the day to think about a second shift. I'd love to try the striped bass on Arthur. I have a friend who guides there and always has good stories about the topwater action. This year they seem to be off though like everywhere else.

We got some quick limits of hog walleyes on Erie out of Conny Friday on dipsies and meat. Chautauqua was slow for muskies this weekend although I only gave a half hearted effort. We got a 41.5. Fat as usual for that lake. A buddy released a nice 50.5 though.

Now back to walleyes before Chautauqua really turns on. You guys should give it a try up there. If you're willing to work that hard you'll do good there. Better than Pymie for sure. You can have days like you just had more often. Daytime boat traffic can be a pain in the butt weekends but fishing is good anyway and you'll have it to yourself at night. Muskies, walleyes, bass etc. Cast or troll. Give it a whack man you'll thank yourself! Best muskies fishing in the area and well worth another hours drive. Camp at Prendergast campground. Nice and cheapest way to go. Minutes from launch and great fishing.

Don't forget to change your batteries! ha ha

P.S. My pictures are "too large" to upload. Can anyone tell me a way to get them to work?

Released this 14 lber ! I'll keep that in mind............thanks.

Caught all on artificials none you mention. Don't spoonfeed too much but they are common plugs you can by at any Sport fishing store I do customize all mine. I had a 15 lber. mounted by Higgins Brothers out of Linesville ....did a great job! I'm not a big fan of repo's just the fact that any one can have it custom made. I like to photo and release a lot but I do keep a few for memories and fish dinners.

Those Ellwood City guys sure do know how to make (and use) muskie lures!

Back in the day I'd get 1 to 3 a year. Then I met Dale Wiley and the rest of the Ellwood gang. That year I got 7. Then I fished around Dale a bit, asked alot of questions, and paid attention. Got 29 that year. The next year I got a cottage beside him at Lake X & had a few beers (truth cyrum) with him. Got 69 that year and the wife got 27. The rest is history. 160 in the boat the other week. I think I have about 700 now. The wife has 7 over 50! Wiley Lures folks.... beware of imitations!

Not to say that Leo Lures aren't of the same tried and proven quality. They are! Todd Leo got 99 including a 52 incher a few weeks ago fishing with his wife and 2 kids. His cottage mates slayed 154! All released.

You won't hear the hardcore release crap from me CH. I hate repos too. They are expensive and what's the point. Might as well get a painting or just blow up the picture right? My wife has a 55 replica from Ron Lax won in Muskies Inc. It is truly awesome. I wouldn't have paid for it though. I'm not afraid to say that when the right one comes aboard and I'm paying the bill it'll be a real mount for me. But the right one will be fairly large and the only mount I'll ever get! I have a 50 on the wall but it died on me at Chautauqua. Sounds crazy but I tried to revive it from 3 oclock until 5 or so and she finally went belly up so off to the taxidermist Bob McGinnis in Boyer's Pa.

CH.... I never got one that heavy in Pa. I look at that pic every time I open this thread. A real hog indeed. Congrats again!!!

I think the most common scenario... or mistake if you will.... is a guy catches his first muskie, the mystical beast of 10,000 casts. He gets the hog 36 incher mounted. Next week or next year he catches a real nice 43 incher and maybe or maybe not makes the same mistake. I totally realize that a trophy is different to different people. But these days is doesn't take 10,000 casts to catch one and the fact is that if a guy wants one on the wall he can realistically set his goal above 45 and expect to get it eventually. Others who realize the true potential of the fish set the mark for a mounter at 50 inches which they may or may not get. My wife and I have 16 over 50. I'd have to re finance the house to have all those mounted. For me weight is a big deal. So is where the fish came from. I have a 10 pound walleye on the wall. Common in Erie but it came from Hereford Manor and was also my biggest at the time caught casting for muskies. There are 54's and then there are 54s when it comes to muskies. Most of my friends won't keep anything but if I reach the 50 pound mark out comes the club.... and the wallet. LOL