I know they're there. I know the game commission releases their netting reports with growing number over the past few years, and also the high number stocking figures as well.

I fish for these creatures atleast once per week, but considering I only live 5 minutes from
Wilhelm I have no confidence in it. So my question is: Do you fish lake Wilhelm for skis and if you do, have you had any success?

Im not looking for a spotburn or anything like that, I just haven't heard one wisper from any locals about the lake for musky. Hell, I only think ive ever seen one other guy musky fishing on the lake.

That has been a tough lake for me for some reason. I think part of the equation is where the Fish Commisson traps fish in various lakes may not be representative of the populations.

Another is that the gizzard shad population is extremely high right now and it is difficult to find a musky that is not in a neutral or negative feeding mood.

I have had 6 trips with nothing to show for it. I am going to drive a little further and hit Pymy from now on.

The other Musky guys I know that have given it a try have not had good results either for what ever reason. I think some time soon that lake could take off though.

I was mainly trolling in approx 10 feet of water with the big shad raps to mimic the shad and tried some casting the weeds with both spinners and shallow crank baits to no avial.

drift and jig bondys and fuzzys  :)P

The lake isn't all that big....If you live 5 minutes from it, you should certainly be fishing it more often. Enough said.

Don't expect any big numbers from any PA lakes...When I put more time in with muskies, years past, PA was always good for 30 to 40 fish a season and that was putting a lot of time into it. I spent most of my time at Arthur and the most I got from it one year was 29. Not because it was better, but because its 15 mins from my house and thats where I spent most of my time. If you don't have confidence in a lake, its probably because you haven't put enough time into it and finding out what the best techniques are to use there. Time is the key, not necessarily the place except for maybe a couple of bodies of PA waters which are a cut above. Most know which they are.

I have put enough time in Western PA lakes that each has its own characteristics and I find myself using different tactics/lures/structures, etc at any given PA lake....It took me 20+ years of muskie fishing to get to this point.

Ive put a few trips into wilhelm for musky but have also nothing to show for it. But while fishing for bass we had one smack a spinnerbait last year

ORIGINAL: ShutUpNFish

The lake isn't all that big....If you live 5 minutes from it, you should certainly be fishing it more often. Enough said.

Don't expect any big numbers from any PA lakes...

I bet I have over around 60 trips on the water musky fishing this year alone with around 10 fish to show for it, if there's anything I know about musky fishing around here (which isn't a whole lot, im still a rookie) your not going to succeed every trip.

Im just trying to decide if i'm gonna spend alot of time on this lake in the future.

Thats muskie fishing....especially here in PA. Although it has gotten better because of certain efforts, it is still hit and miss. On another note, 60 trips and 10 fish? Those odds aren't too great anywhere bud....you may want to rethink your tactics on that particular body of water and try to become more progressive or try something different. The netting surveys don't lie...

I will say no more, I said fr too much more than I normally do in this regard....IMO and to be totally honest with you, this whole thread is a spot burn to a lake this size....please don't take offense to that either....you are the one who lives 5 minutes away from it, not me.

ORIGINAL: ShutUpNFish

Thats muskie fishing....especially here in PA. Although it has gotten better because of certain efforts, it is still hit and miss. On another note, 60 trips and 10 fish? Those odds aren't too great anywhere bud....you may want to rethink your tactics on that particular body of water and try to become more progressive or try something different. The netting surveys don't lie...

I will say no more, I said fr too much more than I normally do in this regard....IMO and to be totally honest with you, this whole thread is a spot burn to a lake this size....please don't take offense to that either....you are the one who lives 5 minutes away from it, not me.

Your the one the internet trying to be a know it all hardass, Im just trying to save a little time by getting on the right track sooner. Am I acting like I'm the king of musky fishing in western pa? Didn't I say I was a rookie???

Please refrain from posting on threads you can not add information to/or post a reasonable response to. Or better yet, just find another forum to troll on. 

lol you tell him Ymesss. i am also a rookie. for what it is worth..............woodcock, tamarack? :) i like me some tamarack.