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12:52 am
August 28, 2013
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This board is kind of quiet, so to create a little traffic I figured this would be a good topic. How did you get into muskie fishing, what was your first muskie encounter,or do you have one that really stuck out in your time fishing. Lets hear it.
My first muskie took me 25yrs to land. Growing up, my father was strictly a panfisherman, and stories of muskies were reserved for in-fisherman, and the wealthy who did fly in trips to Canada. We fished out of a small 14' starcraft, and were never without minnows/worms/ect... In fact, unlike some of the northern waters, most of PA has very little in the way of muskies. My chances of ever catching a muskie seemed like something for dreams and tv shows.
Then, a few years ago, a friend offered to take me out on the Susquehanna river fishing for bass. My dad sneered at the idea, as bass aren't a fish any bluegill fisherman wants to eat. I went anyway, and had a blast. So much more exciting than waiting for a bobber to go down, and I was hooked(pun intended)! I went out quite a few more times over the next year, and built up a bunch of tackle. I enjoyed the river so much that the following year I purchased a small 15' flat bottom with a 25/20 jet. I took my dad out, and reluctantly had a great time. He was sold too.
Then it happened.. I was out on the river, chucking a small crayfish patterned bandit crankbait along the shore and my line hung up. I bounced the rod tip to free it, and the "rock" took off, and came hauling out of the water! IT WAS A MUSKIE! A million thoughts went through my head as I fought this fish, and I was sure that he would cut the line and I would lose the fish. MY dad fumbled for the landing net, and by a huge stroke of luck I got him to the boat, and landed him. He wasn't a very large fish (28") but it was right there in front of me, a muskie. I couldn't believe it. That is when my fishing focus shifted to where it is now. Since then I have had many stressful, fishless days, but every time I hook one it gets my adrenaline going. No panfish/bass has ever been able to do that. This is why I muskie fish!
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2:43 am
July 8, 2015
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Cool story wish my first went that well . Mine was on a row boat with my 2 younger brothers I was mabey 11. I was fishing for big bass using a sunny . I didn't event know what it was ,my youngest brother started crying screaming for my Mom on the beach . My other brother was screaming at the top of his lungs. Tommy has a alligator I was scared to death and hoping it would break the line . I was gonna chuck my rod finally I cut the line . It had to be quiet a scene my Mom was screaming at me to get back to shore . My youngest brother crying screaming Mommy and my other brother screaming Tommy's got a alligator . The people on the beach started getting out of the water looking all around .My Mom was yelling at me I told you not to go out to far get back in. And a huge long monster thrashing and splashing on the side of our rented row boat . I rember I couldn't wait to get home and go through all my Field and Stream magazines to find out what the hell it was . I did as soon as we got home and been chasing them ever since . The good old days took me 25 years to get one lol
5:16 am
August 28, 2013
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BushkillTom wrote:
Cool story wish my first went that well . Mine was on a row boat with my 2 younger brothers I was mabey 11. I was fishing for big bass using a sunny . I didn't event know what it was ,my youngest brother started crying screaming for my Mom on the beach . My other brother was screaming at the top of his lungs. Tommy has a alligator I was scared to death and hoping it would break the line . I was gonna chuck my rod finally I cut the line . It had to be quiet a scene my Mom was screaming at me to get back to shore . My youngest brother crying screaming Mommy and my other brother screaming Tommy's got a alligator . The people on the beach started getting out of the water looking all around .My Mom was yelling at me I told you not to go out to far get back in. And a huge long monster thrashing and splashing on the side of our rented row boat . I rember I couldn't wait to get home and go through all my Field and Stream magazines to find out what the hell it was . I did as soon as we got home and been chasing them ever since . The good old days took me 25 years to get one lol
. Haha that's a great story though... I could only imagine having a big muskie boat side at that age and not knowing what it was. Would be a bit intimidating.
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4:18 pm
March 19, 2004
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Good thread Lenny, typically you start seeing these discussions when cabin fever starts setting in. ;D
I grew up in a fishing family and I've been fishing with my dad and grandfather for as long as I can remember. I was born in MN so I must have caught muskie fever before we moved to NY then eventually to PA. At any rate, my grandfather had passed away a few years ago and on one of my last trips to see him in TX, he had given me some of his old fishing gear which included a Penn 965. After he passed I had the reel cleaned and decided to add it into the rotation. On my first outing with the reel, I took my son for his first muskie trip. As we were heading out, I gave him a mini Muskie School overview, taught him about the net and what to do when we get a fish. We spent the morning out there and I could tell he was getting restless so I said let start heading in and maybe we'll troll for a bit. I noticed a puzzled look on his face and then he finally asked "What kind of trolls are we looking for?". Too funny. Just then, the rod goes off and I could tell it was a monster fish. Not 30 seconds later and without asking, Brendan was standing next to me with the net! The muskie measured out at 47.5" and we had a clean release. After many high fives I then sat him down and explained that this doesn't happen every outing, this was a special day. Back at the ramp as I was getting the boat set on the trailer, an old man drove thru the parking lot and slowly drove down by the ramp. I glanced up and did a triple take as he looked exactly like my grandfather. The old man looked over and just had a big smile on his face as he drove past and out of the parking lot.
Strange circumstances, but a day that I'll never forget.
Chad T
11:08 pm
August 28, 2013
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ChadT wrote:
Good thread Lenny, typically you start seeing these discussions when cabin fever starts setting in. ;DI grew up in a fishing family and I've been fishing with my dad and grandfather for as long as I can remember. I was born in MN so I must have caught muskie fever before we moved to NY then eventually to PA. At any rate, my grandfather had passed away a few years ago and on one of my last trips to see him in TX, he had given me some of his old fishing gear which included a Penn 965. After he passed I had the reel cleaned and decided to add it into the rotation. On my first outing with the reel, I took my son for his first muskie trip. As we were heading out, I gave him a mini Muskie School overview, taught him about the net and what to do when we get a fish. We spent the morning out there and I could tell he was getting restless so I said let start heading in and maybe we'll troll for a bit. I noticed a puzzled look on his face and then he finally asked "What kind of trolls are we looking for?". Too funny. Just then, the rod goes off and I could tell it was a monster fish. Not 30 seconds later and without asking, Brendan was standing next to me with the net! The muskie measured out at 47.5" and we had a clean release. After many high fives I then sat him down and explained that this doesn't happen every outing, this was a special day. Back at the ramp as I was getting the boat set on the trailer, an old man drove thru the parking lot and slowly drove down by the ramp. I glanced up and did a triple take as he looked exactly like my grandfather. The old man looked over and just had a big smile on his face as he drove past and out of the parking lot.
Strange circumstances, but a day that I'll never forget.
My sister's first time out for muskie went like this. She said, idk what all the fuss is about fishing for muskies, they're easy to catch. Haha
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1:08 am
January 19, 2009
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cool reads!!! thanks!
1:18 pm
August 28, 2013
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To coincide with this topic, what did you all catch your first muskie on?
As stated, my first fish came on a crayfish pattern bandit.
My first intentional muskie, a 40" fish, I caught on a brass/cisco DCG.
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3:18 pm
October 1, 2008
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Great stories and good job on starting it Lenny. Thanks
I was about 12 (1976) and fishing the Schuylkill River for smallmouth. Having no knowledge that the PFBC had stocked Tiger muskies in the area 3-4 years ago, my brother and I were both wading in mid May throwing floating rapala minnows below some points in the river that created a back eddy and had some downed trees. My brother hooks a 2 foot tiger which jumps 3 times before he lands it. We were amazed and thought it was the fish of a lifetime. Of course we release it. We did know it was a muskie but knew nothing of hybrids vs. pures. After all of the excitement I cast into the same area and I also hook about a 2 foot tiger that jumped several times as well. We were hooked on fishing the river for tiger muskies for about 3 years and caught tigers up to about 33" mostly on rapala minnows and 1/4 oz. roostertails ??? We didn't have the gear to throw large baits but we caught some. Then I turned 15/16 was playing HS football, discovered girls and never really muskie fished again until about 4 years ago when I joined MI50. My brother and I will always remember that day of fishing until the day we die.
4:35 pm
March 22, 2004
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I caught mine on a 10" black Bomber. We were fishing the Delaware and it seemed like the 10,000th cast was long surpassed before I caught this fish. It was worth the wait to me. Even though it was only 38 inches.
DL
DL
11:12 pm
April 29, 2007
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Never forget my first musky, great topic! Wading the Grasse river near Canton NY. I was using spinning gear, 10 lb mono and an old steel leader. The wrong tackle but I was targeting muskies. The fish hit a 6 or 7 in plastic storm bait with a single hook. Great fight, I brought him in a couple of time to shore before finally landing him. My knees were shaking so bad, what a great memory.
Team MTF
1:28 am
October 1, 2008
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With no one posting reports anymore I thought Lenny starting this thread was an awesome idea. We need to get this board breathing again. Anyone else have some good 1st muskie or biggest muskie stories to share?
1:08 am
January 19, 2009
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i was wit Matt L at mercer and a 34 hit a black grandma wit white specks, Awesome day!
8:33 pm
February 7, 2005
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I taught my sons to fish, (by fish I mean trout, bass, suckers, etc.) They discovered the larger species on their own, while I was mostly absent from their lives. My 1st time fishing for muskie was in 1997 on a FATHER'S DAY outing with my son Bob, (yes, THAT Bob,later FOUNDER & 1st PRESIDENT of this VERY CLUB). We put into the delaware at the Water Gap and cast the Pa. bank as we motored upstream. About 1 hour later I got a snag on what ( with my bad eyesight) I thought was a log near the bank. I pointed it out to Bob, who said it looked like a fish with my spinner hanging from it's mouth, and told me to set the hook (again). That got the fishes attention and a short time later we netted a 40"er ! What luck!!! After only 1 hour, landing my 1st muskie!!! But was it good or bad luck?? The fish was released right away; I stayed hooked into chasing these things for the next 14 years. Pa., NJ, NY, St,Clair, the Cave, (my PB 49"er from here) . I havn't fished for the past 2 years, (it's not an old man's game !) I do all my fishing on the website now, A funny ending: I hiked & backpacked over 1000 miles, and gave it up to fish for muskie; Bob has given up fishing to hike & backpack !! ??
Fred Jones Sr.
3:25 am
August 28, 2013
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Great stories guys!
My personal best came just a few months ago at LOTW. Not a huge fish by most people's standards, but none the less....
After our first day at LOTW, my father and I had each boated a muskie. We started the second day in good spirits and with high hopes. We were less than a mile from the lodge, and fishing a small island group with some nice weed growth. I was casting a 10" walleye pattern jake over a saddle of two islands. On my 3rd or 4th cast patterning the area, I made a righthand sweep going into a figure 8 and the fish came out of no where and absolutely inhaled my lure. My father was quick with the net and the fish was still very green when landed. I needed a moment to collect myself. I was shaking and breathing heavy. This was also when I realized that my rapala hook cutters were garbage. haha. I cut the hook at the split ring after an unsuccessful first attempt, and got the fish out of the net for a quick picture/measurement. 43" 
The fish took a moment to revive, but gave a strong kick and away she went.
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