Muskies thru the ice

[punkinhead]

Anybody have any tips on rigging tip up for muskie in deeper water?  I've been fishing in 15-30 foot of water instead of my usual 5-10 foot.  Where do the muskie like to hang out? Suspend or laying on the bottom?  I've tried working both areas with little success.  By little I mean none. LOL!! The only muskie I have caught have been in about 12-15 foot of water.  I have seen lots of guys out in deeper water and have heard of bigger fish coming from the deeper water.  Figured I would give it a shot.  Thanks for the help!!

[fishgalore]

Anybody have any tips on rigging tip up for muskie in deeper water?  I've been fishing in 15-30 foot of water instead of my usual 5-10 foot.  Where do the muskie like to hang out? Suspend or laying on the bottom?  I've tried working both areas with little success.  By little I mean none. LOL!! The only muskie I have caught have been in about 12-15 foot of water.  I have seen lots of guys out in deeper water and have heard of bigger fish coming from the deeper water.  Figured I would give it a shot.  Thanks for the help!!

First off, what are you using for bait? Large Shiners, even extra large ones, might NOT be BIG enough   to attract 'em. The one I caught in September was on a very large Golden Shiner.    You'll need bait bigger than you can find in many bait shops.   Trout from the Muskie-Trout hatchery are a good source of bait. They love trout...so I'm told.... but you'll also need your receipt if you use them as bait if you are checked by the CO.   If you're not catching them on tip-ups you might try jigging but a little pole will likely break if you hook into a big boy.   A super large Crocodile spoon jigged may just be the ticket. Tip it with a minnow head or tail or even a dead one.  

I've got some buds that'll be there tomorrow. If they hit it well we might venture over on Sunday.   I have to see what their success proves or lack thereof. Seems like some of you boys are catching them including your 33"er.
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=163819.0 Mimic whatever you did on that occasion.

Electronics can be helpful but it's no guarantee. BIG BAIT for BIG FISH!!!!! Probably to big even for the  . How will you keep the bait from causing the   from   (tipping up)? That's how big the bait needs to be!!! Big enough to make your   flag fly when no fish is chasing it!!! A quandry of sorts but hey that's Muskie fishing!!!

Buy some balloons and attach them to your line (blown up of course) with gigantic bait. Then see what happens!!!

[Itsallaboutcatchingem]

First off, what are you using for bait? Large Shiners, even extra large ones, might NOT be BIG enough   to attract 'em. The one I caught in September was on a very large Golden Shiner.    You'll need bait bigger than you can find in many bait shops.   Trout from the Muskie-Trout hatchery are a good source of bait. They love trout...so I'm told.... but you'll also need your receipt if you use them as bait if you are checked by the CO.   If you're not catching them on tip-ups you might try jigging but a little pole will likely break if you hook into a big boy.   A super large Crocodile spoon jigged may just be the ticket. Tip it with a minnow head or tail or even a dead one.  

I've got some buds that'll be there tomorrow. If they hit it well we might venture over on Sunday.   I have to see what their success proves or lack thereof. Seems like some of you boys are catching them including your 33"er.
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=163819.0 Mimic whatever you did on that occasion.

Mr. Galore,

You are a wealth of information and I enjoy reading your responses.  Keep it up and hopefully someday, we can fish together.....Ice or River..

Electronics can be helpful but it's no guarantee. BIG BAIT for BIG FISH!!!!! Probably to big even for the  . How will you keep the bait from causing the   from   (tipping up)? That's how big the bait needs to be!!! Big enough to make your   flag fly when no fish is chasing it!!! A quandry of sorts but hey that's Muskie fishing!!!

Buy some balloons and attach them to your line (blown up of course) with gigantic bait. Then see what happens!!!

[FishinHardWater]

How will you keep the bait from causing the   from   (tipping up)? That's how big the bait needs to be!!! Big enough to make your   flag fly when no fish is chasing it!!!

planerboard or downrigger clip. if u dont have them use a clothes pin

[punkinhead]

My tipups have a drag on the spool which works pretty good.  I've used creek chubs in the past along with trout and they have worked pretty good.  I have had success in the past with large and x-large shiners in shallower water but caught nothing of any real size.  A couple mid twenty inchers and a 30" muskie.  I'm just wondering about rigging for the deeper water,  Usually I just throw on a single split shot and let 'em swim.  Does anybody do anything different for fishing the deeper water?  Thanks for all the replies.  I appreciate the suggestions.

[NJ PIKER]

Like clips better than tightening drag[8+ " baits]
want spools to run freely as possible without getting backlash
caught most of my deep water [30-40'] in top 1/3 of water collum
others tell me they fish off bottum
tuff to pattern because you don't get enough of them
dont use much weright either
have one of those match book lead strips on my rigs
with a 40# ti leader
most fishing done at Mtn lake
where did you get yours

[punkinhead]

Thanks piker!  I caught mine along the southern shorline at Mt. Lake near the lodge in about 12' of water.  Fishing just outside a weedbed.  Had on a large shiner set about 18" off bottom.

[fishgalore]

Thanks piker!  I caught mine along the southern shorline at Mt. Lake near the lodge in about 12' of water.  Fishing just outside a weedbed.  Had on a large shiner set about 18" off bottom.

Mine was also along the southern shore weedline in September (circle hook). First and only one ever but I did have a few nice ones follow big lures to the boat. One went after the lure when I started the figure 8 but missed it.

[baitdipper]

when fishing lg bait just cilp off most of the tail fin   the fish will still swim but have no power 

[punkinhead]

To Fishgalore,

I hear ya on the follows.  I had quite a few follows up there this year.  I'm amazed at the rush I get from just seeing one.  I love the way you can be cranking yer butt off and they just seem to glide along through the water.  Have a good one.

[punkinhead]

Thanks baitdipper!!!

[fishgalore]

To Fishgalore,

I hear ya on the follows.  I had quite a few follows up there this year.  I'm amazed at the rush I get from just seeing one.  I love the way you can be cranking yer butt off and they just seem to glide along through the water.  Have a good one.

It's quite a rush ain't it??!!

[Ski Hunter]

Big Bait for Big Fish....I think nothing of dropping down 14-17" baits     All my fish taken over deep water have been 10-15' below the ice, you can get them down deep over deeper water too though but seems more often than not they will be suspended, but the more you target these fish the more you will learn there is no patterning them, atleast through the ice