You're asking the wrong person that question. Every one I've caught has been caught accidentally.  I can't figure out for the life of me, why they always go after a 2 inch fat head minnow all the time, but they do. I'm going to try it myself this year, but I'm going to use a Med/Heavy 7 ft rod with braided line.

I do like to use live bait. With a med/heavy rod you can't use those large plugs, it's not a good idea to. A friend of mine said, if you are going to fish for muskies, fish for bass. He meant to down size your lurers and use bass fishing plugs instead. It seemed to work for him.

ORIGINAL: JUSTGOTAWAY...AGAIN

SmMouthSeeker,

Thanks for your response in the Southwest PA area.

I am going to try for musky below the Pymatuning dam in the stream some time in the next week. Do you have any suggestions for lures. I generally don't fish with live bait, and I'm new to musky and pike fishing.

Thanks ahead of time for your help.

check your inbox

mymuskyateyourbass: i wouldn't mind a PM either. heading up there today for work but fishing tonight and 2mrw morning

ORIGINAL: Jefff

mymuskyateyourbass: i wouldn't mind a PM either. heading up there today for work but fishing tonight and 2mrw morning

Yeah me too, please.

I have caught a few wipers out of the lake over the years.

I caught a 45" musky on an ultra lite rod with 10lb fireline this October, and that was after fishing the exact same waters for 3 hrs straight with musky gear and not even getting as much as a follow. I switched up to a Minnie under a float for crappie and within 5 mins hooked into that pig. It confuses me too.

I have caught a fair share of muskys on bigger plugs and such but I will agree most have come on bass sized cranks and spinnerbaits. The fall is the best time to throw big baits because they're putting the feed bags on for winter, plus the forage base had all year to grow also.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a wiper?

ORIGINAL: JUSTGOTAWAY...AGAIN

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a wiper?

It's a cross between a stripe bass and a white bass. They are very fun to catch and good eating. In May, you can catch them any where in the Shenango river, with a white 1/8 oz rooster tail.

Not to say that there isn't any Pike there now but I've fished that lake since 1973 and never caught one or saw anyone catch one.

Good luck.

ORIGINAL: coldfront

nor i, ridge. just reports. i know that mosquito lake across the line in ohio has pike and a sizable following of pike fanatics, especially at ice out.

good to know thx

wow..i have to respond to this.....there is NO PIKE in pymatuning lake the commission does not want pike in the lake and will drain the lake to extract them if they ever hear of a pike in the lake..just go to the linesville hatchery and mention pike in the lake and they will throw you off the property and bann you,,,im exaggerating of coarse but the commision does not want any pike in the lake and if anyone ever puts any in there im sure they will see jail time..