Damn Muskie!
 

Hi to all!
I'm an Italian fishing-maniac ;-) who resides in Chicago and who doesn't
enjoy little fishes (I always like aiming to medium/big fishes).

Yesterday I went fishing in an harbor in Chicago downtown, just for
trying various lures I bought at BPS and studying how they work when
suddenly I saw a beautiful and relaxed 6pound like Muskie resting 3 feet
under the surface.
I casted far the lure I had at the moment, a Martin Panther like spinner
and I achieved to make him aggressive speeding my reel and flipping with
my wrist, he chased my lure and he tried to bite the spinner twice
softly, not in a determined and hard way.
Then he saw me and he went slowly away. I tried a lot o other lures but
unusefully :( and I can't imagine what I wronged, if I wronged anything.

--
ciao
Vittorix

"Vittorix" wrote in message
...
Hi to all!
I'm an Italian fishing-maniac ;-) who resides in Chicago and who doesn't
enjoy little fishes (I always like aiming to medium/big fishes).

Yesterday I went fishing in an harbor in Chicago downtown, just for
trying various lures I bought at BPS and studying how they work when
suddenly I saw a beautiful and relaxed 6pound like Muskie resting 3 feet
under the surface.
I casted far the lure I had at the moment, a Martin Panther like spinner
and I achieved to make him aggressive speeding my reel and flipping with
my wrist, he chased my lure and he tried to bite the spinner twice
softly, not in a determined and hard way.
Then he saw me and he went slowly away. I tried a lot o other lures but
unusefully :( and I can't imagine what I wronged, if I wronged anything.

As a muskie guide for over a decade, I can positively tell you that you did
nothing wrong. Pike species like northern and muskies are very curious
creatures and will follow a lure just to see what's up. The only thing that
you might have done differently would have been to stick your rod tip into
the water about a foot and draw as large of a figure 8 in the water as you
could.

Sometimes the change in the lure's speed and direction will trigger a
strike, other times it won't.

If he really wanted that lure, believe me, he would have had it. AND, if
muskie fishing was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Welcome to the often times frustrating world of toothy critters.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote:

If he really wanted that lure, believe me, he would have had it. AND,
if muskie fishing was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Welcome to the often times frustrating world of toothy critters.

Dear Steve, thank you for your stimulating answer and for that
suggestion, so you experimented to put the tip of the rod in the water
and drawing a big 8 is an attempt to do. very interesting, I didn't know
it.
And I'll take advantage to ask you a suggestion.
I'm planning to fish small live fishes like rock basses and bluegals (?)
to use them as bait for pikes. is it a good idea?
I use a green 30lb Spiderwire Original braided (thick as a 6lb), pikes
are used to care at them?

I agree with you that it's better it's a difficult fish to catch, that
makes their fisking so interesting!

--
ciao
Vittorix

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 15:38:24 -0500, "Vittorix"
wrote:

(snipped)

I'm planning to fish small live fishes like rock basses and bluegals (?)
to use them as bait for pikes. is it a good idea?
I use a green 30lb Spiderwire Original braided (thick as a 6lb), pikes
are used to care at them?

That may be just a tad illegal. Check with your fish and game
department as to what you can use for bait before you get yourself in
trouble. Minnows are legal most places. Minnows are not just small
fish, they're particular species of fish. Chubs may be legal to use
as bait, but, as I said above, check with fish and game first.

(side note, it's bluegills, since you had the question mark after it.
Named for their colouring on the gills).

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

Cyli wrote:

I'm planning to fish small live fishes like rock basses and bluegals
(?) to use them as bait for pikes. is it a good idea?
I use a green 30lb Spiderwire Original braided (thick as a 6lb),
pikes are used to care at them?

That may be just a tad illegal. Check with your fish and game
department as to what you can use for bait before you get yourself in
trouble. Minnows are legal most places. Minnows are not just small
fish, they're particular species of fish. Chubs may be legal to use
as bait, but, as I said above, check with fish and game first.

Thanks for alerting me Cyli, I had no idea there were limitations in
using live baits!!

(side note, it's bluegills, since you had the question mark after it.
Named for their colouring on the gills).

ehehe thanks again, I couldn't find in fishbase.org for that reason :)
it's just 1 year I moved here from Italy, so my English it's mediocre.

r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

you have her rapresentation?

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

I really like those paintings, are they yours?

--
ciao
Vittorix

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 20:18:42 -0500, "Vittorix"
wrote:

(snipped some more)

Thanks for alerting me Cyli, I had no idea there were limitations in
using live baits!!

I thought you might not know. It's not an obvious thing, but it's
covered in most state game and fishing laws and regulations.


it's just 1 year I moved here from Italy, so my English it's mediocre.

Figured that, too. Lots better than I could do in any foreign
language, so be proud of your learning so far.


http://www.visi.com/~cyli

I really like those paintings, are they yours?

Yes, they're mine. You can download a copy for personal use, should
you wish to.

Cyli
r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels.
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli
email: lid (strip the .invalid to email)

"Vittorix" wrote in message
...
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote:

If he really wanted that lure, believe me, he would have had it. AND, if
muskie fishing was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Welcome to the often times frustrating world of toothy critters.

Dear Steve, thank you for your stimulating answer and for that suggestion,
so you experimented to put the tip of the rod in the water and drawing a
big 8 is an attempt to do. very interesting, I didn't know it.

***Figure 8's in the water at the end of each cast is standard to a muskie
hunter's arsenal of tricks. Many times you won't be aware of a following
muskie or pike and it will seemingly come from nowhere and strike the lure.
It's fairly exciting to have a 3 foot or longer fish strike your lure with 8
inches of line from the end of the rod tip.

And I'll take advantage to ask you a suggestion.
I'm planning to fish small live fishes like rock basses and bluegals (?)
to use them as bait for pikes. is it a good idea?

***It can be a great idea but you'd have to check the regulations for the
state of Illinois. Here in Wisconsin, it is legal to use gamefish or
panfish for bait providing you follow the following restrictions.

You cannot transport the fish intended to be used as bait to another lake.
You must use them in the lake you caught them in.

If there is a size limit to the fish intended to be used as bait, the fish
must meet the minimum size requirements.

If there is a daily bag limit, the fish being used as bait must be
considered to be part of the daily bag limit. In other words, if you wanted
to use walleyes as bait and there was a 5 fish daily bag limit, with a 15
inch size limit, you could only use 15 inch or larger walleyes for bait, and
INCLUDING the one you have out for bait, not have more than 5 in the boat.

I use a green 30lb Spiderwire Original braided (thick as a 6lb), pikes are
used to care at them?

***I typically use 50 pound PowerPro when fishing pike and muskies. It's
very tough stuff and resists bite-offs better than 30 pound Spiderwire. If
you're going to consistently fish for muskie and pike, you might want to
consider getting some 50 pound or stronger leaders made of SevenStrand
leader material.

I agree with you that it's better it's a difficult fish to catch, that
makes their fisking so interesting!

***I'm glad you think so, it keeps me going.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 21:55:15 -0500, "Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers"
wrote:


"Vittorix" wrote in message
...
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote:

If he really wanted that lure, believe me, he would have had it. AND, if
muskie fishing was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Welcome to the often times frustrating world of toothy critters.

Dear Steve, thank you for your stimulating answer and for that suggestion,
so you experimented to put the tip of the rod in the water and drawing a
big 8 is an attempt to do. very interesting, I didn't know it.

***Figure 8's in the water at the end of each cast is standard to a muskie
hunter's arsenal of tricks. Many times you won't be aware of a following
muskie or pike and it will seemingly come from nowhere and strike the lure.
It's fairly exciting to have a 3 foot or longer fish strike your lure with 8
inches of line from the end of the rod tip.

And I'll take advantage to ask you a suggestion.
I'm planning to fish small live fishes like rock basses and bluegals (?)
to use them as bait for pikes. is it a good idea?

***It can be a great idea but you'd have to check the regulations for the
state of Illinois. Here in Wisconsin, it is legal to use gamefish or
panfish for bait providing you follow the following restrictions.

You cannot transport the fish intended to be used as bait to another lake.
You must use them in the lake you caught them in.

If there is a size limit to the fish intended to be used as bait, the fish
must meet the minimum size requirements.

If there is a daily bag limit, the fish being used as bait must be
considered to be part of the daily bag limit. In other words, if you wanted
to use walleyes as bait and there was a 5 fish daily bag limit, with a 15
inch size limit, you could only use 15 inch or larger walleyes for bait, and
INCLUDING the one you have out for bait, not have more than 5 in the boat.

Illinois has practically the same regulations as Wisconsin with regard
to using other species of fish as bait. There is one addtional rule
however regarding their use, if the fish is over 8" in length you MUST
use a quick-set rig instead of a plain hook. This is to ensure the
health of muskies in particular in case you catch one that is below
the minimum length limit which is 48" in most Illinois waters.

Jay
Lake Shelbyville Muskie Club www.shelbyvillemuskie.com
and
Illinois Muskie Tournament Trail www.illmuskie.com

Cyli wrote:

it's just 1 year I moved here from Italy, so my English it's
mediocre.

Figured that, too. Lots better than I could do in any foreign
language, so be proud of your learning so far.

ehehe I'm trying to learn, I have to survive here :-)

Yes, they're mine. You can download a copy for personal use, should
you wish to.

I did, they're beautiful

--
ciao
Vittorix

Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote:

***Figure 8's in the water at the end of each cast is standard to a
muskie hunter's arsenal of tricks. Many times you won't be aware of
a following muskie or pike and it will seemingly come from nowhere
and strike the lure. It's fairly exciting to have a 3 foot or longer
fish strike your lure with 8 inches of line from the end of the rod
tip.

so, you usually have your reel friction opened?

And I'll take advantage to ask you a suggestion.
I'm planning to fish small live fishes like rock basses and bluegals
(?) to use them as bait for pikes. is it a good idea?

***It can be a great idea but you'd have to check the regulations for
the state of Illinois.

in Italy there are no limitations, so I didn't imagine there could be
here.

I use a green 30lb Spiderwire Original braided (thick as a 6lb),
pikes are used to care at them?

***I typically use 50 pound PowerPro when fishing pike and muskies.
It's very tough stuff and resists bite-offs better than 30 pound
Spiderwire. If you're going to consistently fish for muskie and
pike, you might want to consider getting some 50 pound or stronger
leaders made of SevenStrand leader material.

ok, I have the 50lb Spiderwire, I'll use for muskie fishing.
I don't know PowerPro, is better?
did you compared PowerPro and Spiderwire having the same strenght? (50lb
for example)
I don't know SevenStrand either, is braided or steel wire?

--
ciao
Vittorix

On Mon, 25 Jul 2005 23:52:11 -0500, "Vittorix"
wrote:

wrote:

however regarding their use, if the fish is over 8" in length you MUST
use a quick-set rig instead of a plain hook.

what is quick set rig?
thanks.

you are from Illinois?

Yes, I am from Illinois.

A quick strike rig is designed so that you can set the hooks
immediately when live bait fishing. Historically, live bait anglers
used just a large single hook so when the fish took the bait, they
waited until the fish swallowed the hook and bait which resulted in
fish being killed. I searched for a diagram for you but all I can find
is a supply company picture of what is included in them;

http://www.muskyshop.com/modules/car....php/nav_id/24

Try calling some local bait and tackle stores near you and they can
probably help. If not, check out some local muskie clubs.

Jay

wrote:

you are from Illinois?
Yes, I am from Illinois.

Chicago?

A quick strike rig is designed so that you can set the hooks
immediately when live bait fishing.

I saw, I found another some
http://www.walleyecentral.com/quikset.htm

do you prefer single hook or treble for quick-sets?

--
ciao
Vittorix

Howdy, Being in Chicago, I'm doubting that it was a Muskie you saw,
perhaps was a small Northern Pike, and I wouldn't be too worried about
needing to use 50lb test line in any lakes near the Chicagoland Area.
Sure, Lake Michigan can harbor fairly large Salmon, and Trout, and lakes
like Heidcke, and Shabbona can harbor some big Stripers, or the
occaional decent size legal Musky.

If you really want to catch big musky, you need to travel to the "Land
of thr 10,000 Lakes.
Yep,that's right Minnesota.

There are quite a few good lakes in Wisconsin in the northern part of
the state (Minoqua-Woodruff-Lake Tomahawk, Chippewa Flowage-Spooner,
Hayward, etc) But sometimes, I believe these lakes are mostly tortured
from just too darn much fishing pressure, and are overfished.

You wanna catch world class muskie, then take the trip to Leech Lake,
Big Winnie, or one of the fine lakes in the northern-northwestern part
of the State of MN (Detriot Lakes Area) A 10 hour drive, and you're
there!

My friend who lives just 35 miles east from Fargo ND, took a friend out
yesterday eve, and the fella caught himself a 45 lb Musky Measuring 55".
They're murdering the Musky out there right now. Sure wish I was there!

Mark D wrote:
Howdy, Being in Chicago, I'm doubting that it was a Muskie you saw,
perhaps was a small Northern Pike

probably, I still don't see many difference between them :)

Sure, Lake Michigan can harbor fairly large Salmon, and Trout, and
lakes like Heidcke

this seem to be very nice spot for the variety of the fish - 63 miles
from Chicago
http://pages.ripco.net/~jwn/heidecke.html

and Shabbona can harbor some big Stripers, or the
occaional decent size legal Musky.

nice, this promises to be really interesting for muskies - 69miles from
Chicago

If you really want to catch big musky, you need to travel to the "Land
of thr 10,000 Lakes.
Yep,that's right Minnesota.

I went once but I couldn't fish, what a pity!!
but living here, I can easily go there again

There are quite a few good lakes in Wisconsin in the northern part of
the state (Minoqua-Woodruff-Lake Tomahawk, Chippewa Flowage-Spooner,
Hayward, etc) But sometimes, I believe these lakes are mostly
tortured from just too darn much fishing pressure, and are overfished.

I'd love to find some natural unknown spot in the future, for fishing
with the float tube and fly/spinning fishing

You wanna catch world class muskie, then take the trip to Leech Lake,
Big Winnie, or one of the fine lakes in the northern-northwestern part
of the State of MN (Detriot Lakes Area) A 10 hour drive, and you're
there!

for now it's too far for me.. in the future will be easier

My friend who lives just 35 miles east from Fargo ND, took a friend
out yesterday eve, and the fella caught himself a 45 lb Musky
Measuring 55"

IT'S NOT THAT FAR AFTER ALL! :-)))

They're murdering the Musky out there right now. Sure
wish I was there!

I have to find the right mate and go!

thanks for your really precious suggestions.

--
ciao
Vittorix

If you want to catch nice muskies, make a trip up to Lake of the Woods.

We go up there a few times a year and nothing compares to the fishing in
canada!

":Maiðen of Mayhem:" wrote:
If you want to catch nice muskies, make a trip up to Lake of the
Woods.

We go up there a few times a year and nothing compares to the fishing
in canada!

I can imagine!
but it's really far from Chicago (700 miles).
I think I should get a plane to go there

--
ciao
Vittorix

"Vittorix" wrote in message
...
":Maiðen of Mayhem:" wrote:
If you want to catch nice muskies, make a trip up to Lake of the
Woods.

We go up there a few times a year and nothing compares to the fishing
in canada!

I can imagine!
but it's really far from Chicago (700 miles).
I think I should get a plane to go there

Heck, that's less than a 12 hour drive. I've driven a lot further than that
to fish, northern Wisconsin to central Florida in 23 hours, got down there,
napped for 45 minutes and went fishing for the rest of the day........

Ya gotta be tough if you want to catch big fish!
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote:

If you want to catch nice muskies, make a trip up to Lake of the
Woods.

We go up there a few times a year and nothing compares to the
fishing in canada!

I can imagine!
but it's really far from Chicago (700 miles).
I think I should get a plane to go there

Heck, that's less than a 12 hour drive. I've driven a lot further
than that to fish, northern Wisconsin to central Florida in 23 hours,
got down there, napped for 45 minutes and went fishing for the rest
of the day........

wow!
driving all those hours seem very minimal for you.
too boring for me, I prefer to get a plane and rent a car there.
I could not be a truck driver

--
ciao
Vittorix

"Vittorix" wrote in message
...
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote:

If you want to catch nice muskies, make a trip up to Lake of the
Woods.

We go up there a few times a year and nothing compares to the
fishing in canada!

I can imagine!
but it's really far from Chicago (700 miles).
I think I should get a plane to go there

Heck, that's less than a 12 hour drive. I've driven a lot further
than that to fish, northern Wisconsin to central Florida in 23 hours,
got down there, napped for 45 minutes and went fishing for the rest
of the day........

wow!
driving all those hours seem very minimal for you.
too boring for me, I prefer to get a plane and rent a car there.
I could not be a truck driver

I could do that too, but I've found it's terribly difficult to get my 21'6"
bassboat on the airplane. I would rather tow my boat to a far away fishing
spot and have all my tackle with me. My boat IS my tackle box and I refuse
to fish without it if I don't have to.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote:

If you want to catch nice muskies, make a trip up to Lake of the
Woods.

We go up there a few times a year and nothing compares to the
fishing in canada!

I can imagine!
but it's really far from Chicago (700 miles).
I think I should get a plane to go there

Heck, that's less than a 12 hour drive. I've driven a lot further
than that to fish, northern Wisconsin to central Florida in 23
hours, got down there, napped for 45 minutes and went fishing for
the rest of the day........

wow!
driving all those hours seem very minimal for you.
too boring for me, I prefer to get a plane and rent a car there.
I could not be a truck driver

I could do that too, but I've found it's terribly difficult to get my
21'6" bassboat on the airplane.

THIS is a perfect reason to drive alla those hours

I would rather tow my boat to a far
away fishing spot and have all my tackle with me. My boat IS my
tackle box and I refuse to fish without it if I don't have to.

I agree

--
ciao
Vittorix

some fish just dont like italians....


"Vittorix" wrote in message
...

I'm an Italian fishing-maniac ;-)

and I can't imagine what I wronged, if I wronged anything.