Properly outfitting a new Muskie fanatic

I have decided after much reading and getting the juices flowing from my accidental muskie catch last fall and putting my buddy on his first muskie a couple weeks ago (both properly released without touching the inside of the boat), it is time for me to join the club of 10,000 casts and fish for them on purpose. I have been reading a lot about muskie fishing (both here on IDO and a few other sites found via your favorite search engine) and have learned a lot. Before I purposely target them, I want to make sure I am properly outfitted for as close to ideal CPR tactics as possible to keep the big fish healthy to release for the next (hopefully as conscientious angler) to enjoy the pleasure of catching the same ski. To make a long story short, I just want to confirm my choices in equipment to put on my wish list for acquisition over the winter to ensure I can do this properly next season. Please confirm that my research on desired equipment is proper for a starter muskie arsenal or recommend changes/expansions to my choices. In advance, I really appreciate all the help/advice. The rod and reel set up will be a multipurpose set up for the first one, but gotta keep that budget reasonable to keep the W happy.

Reel: Abu Garcia 6500 C3 series baitcast reel

Line: Minimum 50 lb braided line of choice to ensure a not too long and lethal of a fight for her (open to recommendations…i currently use 30 lb fireline on my favorite pike set up)

Rod: St Croix model TRM76HF from Thorne Bros (http://www.thornebros.com/muskie/rods/st_croix/triumph_musky.html)

Lures: I have basically read that to start with 3 colors–black, blacker, and blackest in a variety of bucktails, jerkbaits, and crankbaits and build from there.

Net: Large hooped rubber coated net from the Frabill conservation series

Proper set of pliers/wirecutters

Titanium leaders of atleast 12 inches

Camera: Not a cellphone because they just don’t make bigger pictures like a real camera does. Gotta be sure to share the memories with the friends and IDO family.

Welcome to the club. It is a good thing to start this hobby now that will not become addicting before you are married…

That being said, first and foremost, alot of quality gear can be found on the swap boards. Watch closely and deals are there for quality rods, reels and lures. When purchasing a rod a reel, always keep in mind what you will be using it for.

Reel: Abu Garcia 6500 C3 series baitcast reel – nice reel, if properly maintained, it will serve you well for a number of years. You should be able to throw most lures very well except the double 10’s. It will throw them, it just will not perform great in my opinion.

Line: Minimum 50 lb braided line of choice to ensure a not too long and lethal of a fight for her (open to recommendations… Yes, I suggest going to up 80, cortland bronzeback is very good

Rod: St Croix model TRM76HF from Thorne Bros – St Croix makes some great rods, I was just at their WI factory. You might want to look at a bit longer though if you want to throw the double 10’s and rubber. There are some great rods at the same price that would give you a lot of lure range for your first.

Lures: Yes, start with the basics, a black body with silver blade for a bucktail, a black water chopper and a big game or giant shad rap crank. It will not take long for you to be addicted to having multiple colors of your favorites. A nice single blade spinner bait is a good one to have also.

Net: Large hooped rubber coated net from the Frabill conservation series = yes

Proper set of pliers/wirecutters =yes, knipex if you can swing it

Titanium leaders of atleast 12 inches – perhaps flourocarbon is a better choice in the 130 variety.

Camera: yes

It might not hurt to join Muskies Inc, there is plenty you can learn from a local muskie club. I am a member of the North Metro chapter.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help with, seeing as with the current weather I am not going anywhere….

65# master braid will work fine, I’ve watched to many trying to horse the fish in and lose it, you supply to much pressure you can rip the lure right out of their mouth..imho

Newer 6500 Garcia’s seem to have a bad rap with the serious musky guys, seems the older ones were made better, not sure if that’s true or not.
I have 5-6 older 6500’s and they work ok, but the Shimano Cardiff is a better reel for not much more money, the Calcutta is even better but starts to get a bit more spendy, I have 2 of each and they are my go to reels, all spooled with 65# master braid from Thorne Bros….good place to go look at stuff btw..:)

I make most my leaders out of Seven Strand wire, works well for just about all the basic lures your going to throw.

Rods are up to your preference, whatever feels good to you.
I have a few of the Tooth Tamer rods in Med heavy and heavy weight and they have been working fine for me, they run about the same cost as the Musky Innovation rods.

I stopped at 8 foot for rod length, some like 9 foot and longer, but 8 foot works for me.

Baits?
How much money do you have?
I’d start with a few basic ones, bucktails or dream catchers, a couple of larger tandem spins, a few hard baits like a Believer in 8″ and several ones like that, add a Whopper Popper or two, maybe a few of the smaller swim baits like a Double Dawg, start small, the big ones get heavy.

Oh…bend the barbs down on your lures, makes releasing much, much easier and if you keep a tight line, you won’t lose any…I can count on two that got away in almost 30 years of fishing, both my fault.

Maybe be a bit frugal until your sure you want to do this, it’s pretty easy to get a lot of money tied up in Musky fishing.

Good luck.
al

I wish everyone who just started muskie fishing would be as smart as you and get the right info. before they start tossing baits.

Do yourself a favor and get good release tools the first time. Buying crappy release tools the first time will just cost you more money in the long run as you will soon find out that you need better ones.

A Knipex (cutters) is a must for every muskie fisherman. Safe for the fish and the fisherman. Look around, you can find some pretty good deals in that $30-$40 range.

Get a good quality net. Don’t buy a cheap crappy one. Just because a net looks big enough to put a muskie in, does not mean it will work. Frabill and Beckman make a few pretty good ones…get the treated/coated mesh, tangle free…there are a lot of nets out there that look like they would work, but are junk. My bro has an older Frabill muskie net that is worthless…the fish get tangled so bad in the netting that it is a headache to even use….it now sits in the girage and will never be used again.

Long pliers is a must as well. I keep a couple on me just in case.

Bump boards are nice if you feel the need to measure your fish. Laying fish on the carpet of the boat is not good for the fish as it removes the protective slime off the fish. Just wet the board before you use to not remove too much protective slime off the fish.

Make sure you have quality line and leaders. I use 80-100 lb. test. Stealth Leaders.

And one of the most important tips for a beginner to the sport, is to learn how to correctly grab a fish for a picture. When I take people new to the muskie game out I try hard to catch a fish that day so I can teach them this grip. I see many guys who have been fishing for them for a few years and still don’t know how to hold a fish.

Your thumb should be placed underneath the mouth below the jaw bone, while your other 4 fingers are placed in the gill area towards the jaw bone (do not put your fingers in the actual gills) Make a fist, hold on tight. After I learned this grip I have never dropped a fish using it. Then obviously support the weight in the belly area with your other hand.

Good luck and thanks for taking the time to ask questions before you get on the water.

Stop in at Thorne Bros. some time if you need additional help.

I agree with all the above comments. I myself will have to look at the Shimanos, the older Abu Garcias are great reels, I just had a spring break on one of my newer 6500’s. The other thing I would add is that I make my own leaders and I am very dedicated to the stay-lok snaps! I had a leader pop open and bust on a nice fish a few years ago, it was the first time in the water for that leader. It was a cross lock snap, never again!

Nets, I like the Frabil Big Kahuna or Power Catch series, used to own a Beckman and it worked but hooks tangled in the finer netting way to easy.

Line, my preference is something in the 80-100 range, alot easier to pick out a backlash and alot less chance of sending a spendy bait to to bottom of the lake.

Leaders, my choices are 174# soild wire and 130 or 150# Stealth flouro, Titaniums are my last choice as I have seen to many new new ones break. Couple of my 130# Stealths are on season 3 and multiple fish on them.

Nipex are a must have, no room to skimp on hook cutters, cheapies will work for awhile but will fail at some point. Try cutting 200 16 penny nails in half then try cutting a 5/0 hook with a cheaper pair, I can attest to Nipex still cutting like new. Also a couple pair of long needlenosed pliers and a hook pick.

Reels, still looking for one to last more than 2 seasons without needing fixed, so far the only one I have that fits that bill is a Shimano Curado 300 DSV. Shimano Calcuttas are a close 2nd as well as the Abu Revo Toro 60’s. Lunas, Round Abu’s, and about every other brand you can name most haven’t lasted us 1 season.

Rods, I’m a fan of go long and learn to use the rod to your advantage, IMO anything under 8′ is to much work. Almost all my rods are Tackle Industries except 2, one is a G Loomis that collects dust the other is a Thorne Brothers Custom Predator that see’s little use.

Baits, thats tough, every lake/area is different and each have their preferences. Myself my top 5 are a mag bulldawg, 9″ weighted wades wobbler, double 10 of some sort,hellhound and a 10″ Weagle.

Just my obsevations from our boats and spending 100-130 days a season on the water chasing skies….

Good advice so far. On the rod, I think you’ll be happier with an 8′. The St. Croix premier series has a good extra heavy 8′ rod that is great for the popular double 10 and big rubber baits. I have one and strongly recommend it for the money. There are several other good rods out there, as well. I’ve heard good comments about the tackle industries brand rods, for example.

On the reel, I’d strongly advise against the 6500. They were a good reel in their day, but there are so many better ones now. A Shimano 400 Calcutta is more expensive but much, much better. You’ll use it forever instead of stuffing it in the closet in a few years like you would the 6500.

Good luck and have fun!

Thank you guys for all the advice. I really appreciate it. I will definitely be putting it to use when I go shopping. I always like to try and do things the right way….especially when it comes to the outdoors.

Maybe try and get out with a few of the guys and get some first hand experience?

Al

That would be fun once I get myself outfitted.

I would also suggest getting a “fish handling glove”, like the Lindner fishing gloves that are pretty much hook and gill proof. They cost $20 but they are great and give you much safer handling of a thrashing fish in the net with big hooks flying around.

Dave