Nite eyes....

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?

They bite during the day just got to figure them out!

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

Nice job CH ! What type of plug did they eat? I know Dale puts out some nice baits just curious if you used his. Not to say wrong or right the choice is clearly yours but, why not a reproduction mount ?

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.

Understood. Dale Wiley puts out some nice muskie baits and is located in SW Pa as are Leo's. I was just curious. Thanks for the reply and enjoy your trophy. OA

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!!!

ya... ive seen alot of reproductions, they dont even look like the same fish most the time ...

i dont see a problem with keeping a musky. prolly took hundreds of hours and yrs to catch, its a trophy

i understand that there are a ton of hardcore musky guys out there. buuut i still think keeping one big fish a lifetime isnt much of a problem

if i caught 100 a yr i would probably have pretty high standards lol

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