First musky and some questions

[TrippyJai]

I hooked onto my first musky this year and it was a thrill to fight it. It jumped a few times and literally flew in the air. When the fight was over, I took a few snap shots, measured it (30 inches) and when it came to releasing it, I had no idea how to hold it.

1) How do you hold a musky by the gill plates like I see in other peoples pictures? I know not to touch damage the gills, but I heard there is a blade somewhere there so I didn't want to attempt it. Can someone explain in detail?

2) When I released the fish, it slipped out of my hand and I couldn't revive it. I then saw it floating around and it eventually disappeared, so did the fish survive after it rested or did someone bigger eat it for dinner?

[sodaksker]

Nice musky.  I have always thought that the 30 to 40 inch fish were the most fiesty.  He looks nice and thick too.

I would bet the fish survived.  A 30 inch fish bounces back a lot quicker say than a 45.  When holding them you actually are grabbing their jaw bone or gill plate next to the gills.  It is easiest to locate when slide your hand up under the gill slit right behind the mouth.  Always try to ssupport the rest of the body with your other hand.

As for the release, place them in the water holding them just in front of the tail.  Lay them on their side slowly  trying to resuscitate them with forward movement.  When the turn upright, they will normally swim off.

[A-Jay]

WTG ~ Nice clean looking fish.

The Blue Chrome Rattle trap has accounted for may trophies.

I bet when it hit you were thinking " If this is a bass.... It's a Beast !"

I'd say the fish made it OK, especially if it was not totally played out before you landed it.

A-Jay

[Dwight Hottle]

Nice first ski! The other choice to holding them would be with a boga or suitable lip lock holder.

[NateFollmer]

Have a look at where this guy has his hand. That's about where you want to slip your hand in. There's a sharp piece of bone along the gill, I think Walleye and Pike have this bone also, but that is what can cut you.

Nice musky! I'm still working on mine!

[J Francho]

I use a Fish Grip from Hook1.

Get the grip on the fish's lower jaw, and lock it down.  Remove the hooks in the water.  Lift the fish out by the grip, and support the mid body with your other hand for the picture.

Not like this, you'll wet your pants, LOL.

[NateFollmer]

J that has to be the funniest picture I have seen in awhile. That muskie was out for blood!

[Dwight Hottle]

Hey Nate, that's a pike.

[J Francho]

Yep, one of the MANY little northerns that live in the ditch behind my house.

[NateFollmer]

Ah, I knew the middle one was (holding it up to the camera) but I couldn't tell on that one thrashing around... They are both mean and will snap at you any chance they get

[J Francho]

In my experience, pike are snippier and more nervous than Musky, though my pike catches outnumber my musky catches like 20:1.

[TrippyJai]

I have caught pike in the past, but they were small and I could easily release them.

When this fish hit my bait, the first thing I thought was I had a huge bass on, but when it jumped in the air, I was disappointed for a second. I was using 10lb mono with no leader and it was the fight of my life. It took so much line and splashed around, I've got to say it was so much fun that I might head out and purchase a musky combo and a few lures. I had no net so I asked my girlfriend to borrow one from a little kid playing with his. The fish didn't fit in it, but was enough leverage for me to lift him onto land.

After I let this one go, I was teaching my girlfriend how to cast her spinnerbait further and BAM! another one hit, only 24" and no pictures, but it tore up my spinnerbait and again the fight was awesome.

I must be hooked. A kid came by to watch me catch it so I asked if he wanted to be in the picture as well.

[Nice_Bass]

Best bet is to learn to slide your hand carefully in by the gills, without the use of gloves which will remove your feel if/when you grabbed the wrong portion and could hurt the fish. I would not use lip lockers, I have only heard it can hurt larger fish, especially when they thrash. 

Plus, pictures turn out 1000x better when one hand in, one hand supporting the weight, held out far in front of you! 

[Vinny Chase]

In my experience, pike are snippier and more nervous than Musky, though my pike catches outnumber my musky catches like 20:1.

The fish of 10,000 casts is what they like to say in MN. Don't be afraid to get your hand up into his gill plate and hold on, i have never been cut by a muskie. Also im sure he lived, i had the same thing happen last week because he slipped out of my hands.