musky tips?

[kodiak88]

anyone ever target musky through the ice? i have never been after them, but was thinking about trying this winter. do they bite decent in the winter?  would a tip up set-up be similar to a pike set up? thanks guys

[bigbass25]

i have never targeted them either but I have heard they are tough to catch through the ice because they are not as active as pike are in cold weather.... But i would say that a tip up with a big sucker under it would be the best bet to catch one hope that helps

[river_scum]

i set chubs on tip-ups, a couple times at ball, years ago. never caught one but i didnt try too hard either.

[musky8it]

Just one request. Please release if you catch one.

[kodiak88]

Just one request. Please release if you catch one.

will do if it's under 36 in.

[musky8it]

will do if it's under 36 in.

Thats the main reason I would never post any tips.

[kodiak88]

haha don't act like you bought them all and they all belong to you...by the way can i make a request for people to stop shooting coyotes and mature deer

[muskyjoe]

Thats the main reason I would never post any tips.

X100

How many recipes have you herd for musky??? NONE!!! They are a sport fish not to be eaten

[kodiak88]

X100

How many recipes have you herd for musky??? NONE!!! They are a sport fish not to be eaten

how many muskies you see on the wall?

[wax_worm]

X100

How many recipes have you herd for musky??? NONE!!! They are a sport fish not to be eaten

There are recipies out there for musky.  A simple search will bring up several.  Any recipe used for pike can be used for Musky.  They make great fertilizer too.

[bigr]

Pickled Musky is great. Usually only takes one big one to make all you need for a season. Never caught one thru the ice but would like to try sometime. My pickle jars are empty.

[WELL.......]

SAVE A BLUEGILL...... EAT A MUSKY!!!

[river_scum]

yes you can eat them but yuk!!!!!!  they are a far cry from pike on the table.

[imob34]

yes you can eat them but yuk!!!!!!  they are a far cry from pike on the table.

and a heck of a lot harder to find and catch through the ice, i'd just drive up the road a little farther and chase pike

[musky8it]

No I didn't buy all the musky's, I don't own them. They are few and far between so why kill something just for the sport of it. There are many other fish that are great eating.


There are sportsman fisherman and hunters, then there are those who kill fish/animals/ducks/etc just for the sport of killing them even if they are not that good to eat. A snake 20" pike is great eating, a 40" pike is not. There is a 36" length limit on Muskys, its that big for a reason.

Did you know that on average the male musky stops growing around 36", the females are the ones that keep growing. The Ind. DNR are debating on increasing the length limit more than 36", I am hopeing they do.

Anyone interested, here's some DNR input on Muskys

For immediate release: Apr 13, 2011
Posted by: [DNR]
Contact: Jed Pearson
Phone: (260) 244-6805
Email: [email protected]
Indiana DNR studies muskie growth in Lake Webster
NORTH WEBSTER - A fish-tagging study being done by the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife is shedding new light on how fast muskies grow in Lake Webster.

The results could affect the number of  muskies stocked in the popular 774-acre lake in northern Kosciusko County. The results will also help DNR fisheries biologists determine if the 36-inch minimum size limit should be increased.

"Based on what we know already, Lake Webster has one of the densest populations of muskies in the Midwest," said Jed Pearson, DNR fisheries biologist for the area. "That's because we stock fingerling muskies each year in the lake at the rate of five per acre."

Other states typically stock one or two muskies per acre and sometimes do so every other year.

"What we don't know is whether the high density of muskies is affecting their growth," Pearson said. "A lake can hold only so many fish. When fish densities get too high, there may not be enough food to go around."

According to Pearson, some anglers claim the average size of muskies in Lake Webster is declining and fewer trophy-size muskies, those more than 46 inches long, are being caught.

Although length data recorded each spring from adult muskies captured during egg-taking operations do not back the claim, DNR biologists are taking a closer look at muskie growth in Lake Webster.

"Adult muskies average around 36 inches long but we occasionally catch some over 46 inches long during our hatchery egg-taking operations in spring," Pearson said. "What we want to know is how much a muskie grows each year and how its growth rate in Webster compares to other lakes."

To study muskie growth, Pearson has tagged more than 1,300 muskies with tiny PIT (passive integrated transponder) tags since 2005. Each fish is measured before the tag is inserted into muscle tissue along the dorsal fin. The tag has a unique numerical code that's read with a special electronic scanner. By noting changes in size from when a muskie is first tagged compared to when it is recaptured, biologists get an accurate account of how much the fish grew.

"Although we're just now getting long-term data on growth, we've already seen a big difference between male and female muskies," Pearson said.

Most male muskies stop growing after they reach 36 inches long. In contrast, females continue to grow about 1-2 inches per year after they reach 36 inches. Biologists call this "sexual dimorphic growth." They think it is an evolutionary adaptation in how a fish uses energy and helps the species survive and reproduce. The difference has management implications.

"This means we may want to ignore the males. For management decisions, we plan to focus on how big the females grow," Pearson said. "As long as female muskies get bigger at normal rates, we don't think there is growth problem."

[kodiak88]

dnr also claims on webster they average 38 in. and 6 adult fish per acre...interesting read, but like i said if i happen to tangle one if it's under 36 i'll throw it back

[musky8it]

dnr also claims on webster they average 38 in. and 6 adult fish per acre...interesting read, but like i said if i happen to tangle one if it's under 36 i'll throw it back

Ya anyone would unless they wanted to take the chance of getting arrested if caught with a undersize fish.

Don't know what if would cost if anyone got caught with a undersize musky but it probably wouldn't be cheap.

[muskyjoe]

how many muskies you see on the wall?

I look at at 52 1/2 every day

[wallydiven]

No tips here especially if you mention keeping one of the most elusive fish in the water. Strictly  100% CPR (catch picture release). I work very hard every year on the soft water to catch the few that I do. It's not called the fish of 10,000 casts of no reason. I strongly urge you to please release all muskies you catch. At 36" the fish is to big to taste any good.

[muskyjoe]

No tips here especially if you mention keeping one of the most elusive fish in the water. Strictly  100% CPR (catch picture release). I work very hard every year on the soft water to catch the few that I do. It's not called the fish of 10,000 casts of no reason. I strongly urge you to please release all muskies you catch. At 36" the fish is to big to taste any good.

X2

Kept mine years ago before i realy got serious about the mighty muskie

[wallydiven]

X2

Kept mine years ago before i realy got serious about the mighty muskie

I was serious the day I started hunting. After  3 years I finally bagged my first fish and biggest to date. I've raised a few bigger fish but at 49.5" at could be tuff to top in Indiana waters. Let me know when you wanna get out.

[kodiak88]

I was serious the day I started hunting. After  3 years I finally bagged my first fish and biggest to date. I've raised a few bigger fish but at 49.5" at could be tuff to top in Indiana waters. Let me know when you wanna get out.

did it taste good? 

[ice dude]

Just search the site for your info. Some of them guys up north get into them

[william bennett]

well all i can say about this. and i have many years talking about this exact thing..  these musky's do take alot to keep them in our waters.  with the dnr and our club and another M.I. chapter do alot to keep the musky program going..   we raise alot of money for stocking fish every year.  i put alot of time and hours into my positions on the board to do as much as i can for them.. i am the Vice President, Pr, communications director. i run the GFAD program and organize our huge online auctions each year to help raise money for fish and more.. but enough an me i guess.  as being a musky guide too my rule in my boat is all fish get released. I preach and teach CPR its the only way to keep the sport going.. now Indiana is a put and take fishery and i do see guys keeping fish , its their right, they payed for the liscense. its their right to have 1 fish over 36 inches per  day. that is it.  but as for our fish. they are getting bigger and Indiana is gettingmuch better on our fish becouse of CPR.  thats no doubt its working. otherwise we would not be seeing or catching the quality fish that we are .   i love to teach this sport to anyone who wants to learn. that has always been my thing. weather they are a client or  someone who has called me or emailed me.. thats how i am. i love these fish that much.  anyway  i really dont feel that someone whould downgrade someone for keeping  a fish. i have learned years ago it dont help..  heck i have even seen fist fight on the ramps with  guys who have kept fish.. now if its under sized by all means  bust them.. thats the law..  anyway i just wanted to put in my 2 cents for whats its worth.. Let'm Go & Let'm Grow   ....William Bennett

[william bennett]

did it taste good? 

 also Garrett let all his fish go  so dont go there dude

[kodiak88]

well all i can say about this. and i have many years talking about this exact thing..  these musky's do take alot to keep them in our waters.  with the dnr and our club and another M.I. chapter do alot to keep the musky program going..   we raise alot of money for stocking fish every year.  i put alot of time and hours into my positions on the board to do as much as i can for them.. i am the Vice President, Pr, communications director. i run the GFAD program and organize our huge online auctions each year to help raise money for fish and more.. but enough an me i guess.  as being a musky guide too my rule in my boat is all fish get released. I preach and teach CPR its the only way to keep the sport going.. now Indiana is a put and take fishery and i do see guys keeping fish , its their right, they payed for the liscense. its their right to have 1 fish over 36 inches per  day. that is it.  but as for our fish. they are getting bigger and Indiana is gettingmuch better on our fish becouse of CPR.  thats no doubt its working. otherwise we would not be seeing or catching the quality fish that we are .   i love to teach this sport to anyone who wants to learn. that has always been my thing. weather they are a client or  someone who has called me or emailed me.. thats how i am. i love these fish that much.  anyway  i really dont feel that someone whould downgrade someone for keeping  a fish. i have learned years ago it dont help..  heck i have even seen fist fight on the ramps with  guys who have kept fish.. now if its under sized by all means  bust them.. thats the law..  anyway i just wanted to put in my 2 cents for whats its worth.. Let'm Go & Let'm Grow   ....William Bennett

nice post, i never really was all that serious about eating them until all the CR musky people jumped on me about CR before i even said anything about keeping them, don't understand how someones passion for a fish means they can try to dictate to me that keeping a legal fish is a sin, but because of all of this i kind of do want to try it to see what all the fuss is about, know some people in the U.P. who eat them all the time...

[gruntngrin]

nice post, i never really was all that serious about eating them until all the CR musky people jumped on me about CR before i even said anything about keeping them, don't understand how someones passion for a fish means they can try to dictate to me that keeping a legal fish is a sin, but because of all of this i kind of do want to try it to see what all the fuss is about, know some people in the U.P. who eat them all the time...

U ever catch one? I too am a ski fishing hooked fool and wont keep them. They  r just way to fun to catch to waste eating them. And if u ever caught one and held it for a pic u wouldnt want to eat it either. Cause they STINK bad. U get that nasty smell all over u, u wouldnt want to eat it. No kidding they smell like road kill. My boat and rain gear stinks for weeks after catching one.

[pgaschulz]

How about tip ups for carp or gar people eat them also....

[pokey]

I would love to try for musky through the ice, but what I really wanna do is target them out of my kayak. Ever since I have started kayak angling I have really gotten into the idea of extreme kayak angling. My hero is Jim Sammons. He has taken extreme kayak angling to the brink and back with some of the fish he's chased. I know I am crazy but for me a musky out of my kayak would be the pennicle (sp?) of my kayak angling cause the odds of me every chasing sails, marlin or giant bluefin are out of reality for me.

[FelixD]

There are recipies out there for musky.  A simple search will bring up several.  Any recipe used for pike can be used for Musky.  They make great fertilizer too.

Ouch!! LOL