I lost a giant musky yesterday.

[Further North]

4 minutes ago, gimruis said:

How do you take a photo?

I usually don't.  certainly nothing under 40", and 40" - 45" only if there's a reason.

This 43" was only because we were with a guide who had donated a trip to my RGS banquet.

 

...this works just fine, if I even need a picture.

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, Further North said:

Fish grips are a terrible way to handle any esox, just so you're aware in the future. 

I didnt have a net so thought that was my best option . I wanted to land it.

[Further North]

4 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I didnt have a net so thought that was my best option . I wanted to land it.

I understand - that's why I said "In the future."

Those things are jaw breakers on a big esox - they zig when you zag, and crack...I've watched it happen and it made me sick.

[gim]

Just for reference, the PMT had a 2 day event on Lake Vermilion in northern MN a few days ago and only 27 muskies were boated by 100 teams.  That is a lot of angler hours to catch a fish, and these are the top muskie anglers in the country.  The winning team boated 4 in 2 days.  Big fish was a 50.5 incher.

 

https://promusky.com/fish-list#87007732-1ebd-43ea-85c7-a2e13006fd37

[Susky River Rat]

@gimruis the big V isn’t a numbers lake anymore. Most people are going there for mid 50s.  Todays angler did a whole thing about it. Lee was guiding up there in its hay day. 

[gim]

8 minutes ago, Darnold335 said:

the big V isn’t a numbers lake anymore.

Basically hunting for big foot huh

[guidoStow]

On 8/20/2023 at 8:45 PM, gimruis said:

How do you take a photo?

For a photo of a Musky or Pike that does not harm the fish, take the picture of the fish in the net. 

On 8/20/2023 at 9:02 PM, scaleface said:

I didnt have a net so thought that was my best option . I wanted to land it.

A snake grip right behind the gill plates is a safe way to handle the fish without doing it damage.

[gim]

2 minutes ago, guidoStow said:

For a photo of a Musky or Pike that does not harm the fish, take the picture of the fish in the net. 

That's not good enough for me.  I don't catch that many to begin with, even when I'm specifically targeting them.  I'm capable of handling a sizable esox using my hands without harming it.  Simply support the body horizontally.

 

I have all the right tools to do it.  A muskie net, jaw spreaders, hook cutters, heavy duty pliers.  10 seconds out of the net to take a photo isn't going to hurt the fish if I do it properly.

[guidoStow]

Properly is the key.

Tight lines!

[scaleface]

6 hours ago, guidoStow said:

A snake grip right behind the gill plates is a safe way to handle the fish without doing it damage.

My hand  was not big enough.  I've been taking a net since , a big one.

[scaleface]

I finally caught a musky this year . Its a little one . Only my third one ever.

[Further North]

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

I finally caught a musky this year . Its a little one . Only my third one ever.

 

They all count.

[Harold Standish]

I love to catch Bass However Pike and Muskys are right up there. My avatar fish is a 50 incher. Caught in SW Michigan. I have caught some 65 Musky's the seven years. Bass & Pike numbers are just a blur

[Bluebasser86]

On 8/20/2023 at 8:07 PM, Further North said:

I understand - that's why I said "In the future."

Those things are jaw breakers on a big esox - they zig when you zag, and crack...I've watched it happen and it made me sick.

Good information to know. I'm hoping to maybe target them from my kayak next year and this was my plan to land them. I guess I might be looking for a cradle or hauling the big net with me.

 

I've caught 13 muskie in my life, every one has been from Missouri. 12 were from 1 lake, 1 was from the most popular muskie lake in the state. My biggest was just barely a "keeper", but was of course released after a quick measurement and picture. Not sure what it weighed but nowhere near what it sounds like the fish you hooked.

 

[Further North]

On 12/14/2023 at 1:04 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I guess I might be looking for a cradle or hauling the big net with me.

I tried a cradle and didn't care for it - I found it nearly impossible to use by myself.

I've been using the Stowmaster 94" nets since then, they collapse down to a very unobtrusive size ans leave my decks clear to strip fly line onto.  With a little practice, they can be used solo.

On 12/14/2023 at 1:04 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I've caught 13 muskie in my life, every one has been from Missouri. 12 were from 1 lake, 1 was from the most popular muskie lake in the state. My biggest was just barely a "keeper", but was of course released after a quick measurement and picture. Not sure what it weighed but nowhere near what it sounds like the fish you hooked.

The thing with muskies is that "They all count".

I'd much rather catch fish in mid 30" the low 40" range in shallow waters than the bigger fish...they fight harder, IMO.

Keep plugging away, and you'll get to where you want to be!

[Dwight Hottle]

16 minutes ago, Further North said:

I tried a cradle and didn't care for it - I found it nearly impossible to use by myself.

I've been using the Stowmaster 94" nets since then, they collapse down to a very unobtrusive size ans leave my decks clear to strip fly line onto.  With a little practice, they can be used solo.

The thing with muskies is that "They all count".

I'd much rather catch fish in mid 30" the low 40" range in shallow waters than the bigger fish...they fight harder, IMO.

Keep plugging away, and you'll get to where you want to be!

 

It's impossible to cradle a musky or pike of any size using a cradle by yourself. It's a two man operation period. 

[Further North]

17 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

It's impossible to cradle a musky or pike of any size using a cradle by yourself. It's a two man operation period. 

Yep.

If there was a way to attach it to the boat it might work...but getting a net was the easier solution.

 

[scaleface]

The past two years I lost huge musky and sturgeon . I bought the biggest net I could find locally .Its awkward to carry but if I had it I probably land these two fish. The sturgeon looked like a shark . I have a screen shot of its head. This fish was 5 to 6 six foot long. You can see its body under water if you look carefully. I hope some day to use the net on a worthy fish and not a dam Asian carp. I've caught some huge carp.

[gim]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

The sturgeon looked like a shark . I have a screen shot of its head. This fish was 5 to 6 six foot long. You can see its body under water if you look carefully.

That is wild.  Closest fish to a freshwater shark I can think of.  How did you even pile into that thing?  Usually they are bottom feeders being that they have a subterminal mouth with barbels.

 

There is a limited open season on lake sturgeon in northern MN on the Rainy River each spring.  Its on my bucket list sometime.

[Bluebasser86]

2 hours ago, Further North said:

I tried a cradle and didn't care for it - I found it nearly impossible to use by myself.

I've been using the Stowmaster 94" nets since then, they collapse down to a very unobtrusive size ans leave my decks clear to strip fly line onto.  With a little practice, they can be used solo.

The thing with muskies is that "They all count".

I'd much rather catch fish in mid 30" the low 40" range in shallow waters than the bigger fish...they fight harder, IMO.

Keep plugging away, and you'll get to where you want to be!

I have the largest size Frabill Trophy Haul net I  carry in the boat that easily fits 30lb catfish and it has the lift assist handle. I'm thinking that may be a good option.

 

That fish was 41" I think, it was just over the size to be a keeper, which was a big deal at the time for me. It was a great fight and a super exciting bite. A very shallow fish that kicked up a huge wake behind my bucktail and exploded out of the water when it ate it. I'd love to go back and get one from the kayak.

[scaleface]

54 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 How did you even pile into that thing?

I was tight lining in a flooded river where a creek dumps into it. 

[Further North]

55 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I have the largest size Frabill Trophy Haul net I  carry in the boat that easily fits 30lb catfish and it has the lift assist handle. I'm thinking that may be a good option.

 

That fish was 41" I think, it was just over the size to be a keeper, which was a big deal at the time for me. It was a great fight and a super exciting bite. A very shallow fish that kicked up a huge wake behind my bucktail and exploded out of the water when it ate it. I'd love to go back and get one from the kayak.

A good story!

 

Muskies in shallow water rocks.  There's not much more exciting than watching a shallow water eat.

 

...I know trolling for them works well, but I don't have any interest in it.

[gim]

27 minutes ago, Further North said:

I know trolling for them works well, but I don't have any interest in it.

I have no interest in that either.  Or sitting there with a sucker.

[TnRiver46]

I always thought a paddlefish looked like a basking shark…..

[Harold Standish]

On 9/25/2023 at 8:40 PM, scaleface said:

I finally caught a musky this year . Its a little one . Only my third one ever.

 

On 9/25/2023 at 8:40 PM, scaleface said:

I finally caught a musky this year . Its a little one . Only my third one ever.