Cusking questions

[Fish Slayer_15]

well cusking friday night was a faill... i put them in bout 30 ft of water righ on bottom with crushed bait??? didnt get a flag for 5 hrs.. Anything i could do better???

[pdolewa]

Maybe next time try jigging, set some traps closer to shore and live bait with cut tales. That's always worked for me.

[Fish Slayer_15]

cut the tails right off?

[pdolewa]

Yeah it makes it so they can kinda swim and attract fish but not swim away from them. I like u use large shiners and cut the tail mostly off

[Fish Slayer_15]

right in by shore.. like a set for brookies?

[icewoman]

I have better luck on the bottom!

[parker08]

Ive always had the best luck close to shore.

[pdolewa]

Like 40-50 yards off shore on bottom or a ft off. It varies a lot lake to lake though.

[skidooguy]

5-15 feet of water. Preferably muddy/soft bottom. they move into shallow water bout this time of year to spawn.

[buddah]

Find another lake.They're not hard to catch once you find them,8-20 ft. of water for the rest of the month anyway.Any dead bait on bottom will work.

[WishnIwasFishn]

Try using suckers cut right down the middle length wise so ya have a piece of the head and a piece of the tail on every bait. My buddy and I slayed em one night last year, not sure if it was more being being in the right spot or more having the right bait but. . . . . . . . . .I think we iced 15 of them that night if not more

[Relentless Pursuit]

I catch cusk on a few different lakes and I fish all of them differently. I use dead smelts (fresh and saltwater) on bottom in 2 lakes. But 2 other lakes I use live shiners about a foot off bottom. I also catch them in rocky areas usually. Shallow water at night but on one lake we Catch them in deep water (50Ft or so) during the daytime. Hope this helps.

[TightLinesMaine]

.Say i'm fishing on a lake with a 2 line limit but has the rule "Open to the taking of cusk in the nighttime with 5 lines and bait

1. When can i put out 5 traps, is it any time after the daily Sunset? or does it have to be completely dark out... (i'm assuming its just after Sunset but ill ask anyways)

2. [Main question]  Say i hooked a different species other than cusk/burbot would I have to toss it back? or can i keep it providing it's legal

any info to either question is appreciated thanks

caught my first cusk today (about 14-15 inches) so im getting more interested in this whole cusking thing

[Relentless Pursuit]

I am very familiar with the lake you are talking about and you can set five traps at sunset. If you catch other species while attempting to catch Cusk then general law applies for that body of water.

[TightLinesMaine]

I am very familiar with the lake you are talking about and you can set five traps at sunset. If you catch other species while attempting to catch Cusk then general law applies for that body of water.

sweet thanks, great

just to clarify so i can keep another species than cusk after sunset?