# Muskie Casting Combo Recommendations



## eyewish (Apr 16, 2004)

I'm officially inching my way into the Muskie thing. Will be spending 10 days at Chautauqua in Aug and want to start then if not sooner close by at CC. Accumulated a handful of casting lures over the holidays (few Bulldawgs and huge Mepps spinners, etc.) Need to get a proper rod/reel combo. Nothing I have for walleye/bass is close to beefy enough (i think). I'd love to hear any recommendations for rods and reels that would work well. Would probably want to go not to the very high end, but something quality in the upper-mid range. I'm thinking it needs to be casting reel, but am listening if folks think a beefy spinning reel would do. Also, I've become pretty devoted to braid + fluoro leader for jigging walleye and perch - even use it for bass. Know I need steel leader, but am thinking I need to go w/ mono (20? 30?) main line for stretch if nothing else w/ this muskie combo, no?

Thanks in advance!


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Couple of suggestions:

1). Go with someone who has done it before, preferrably a guide that can show you the in's and out's. Also, if you have never handled a musky a guide or experienced musky guy can show you the proper way to catch and release these fish. You dont just scoop em in the net and bring into the boat. It might be a bit of drive, but I would highly recomend Danny Wade on Salt Fork as a guide. Also, I am certain that Chatauqua has some guides(you could do a google search). 

2). The proper release tools should be the first order of business to include a very large net with a big, deep bag. This enables you to unhook the musky while it is still in the water. I suggest two sets of heavy duty long nose pliers. Trust me, it's good to have 2 sets. Then, a good set of hook cutters that are good enough to cut the very heavy duty musky hooks. 

Now that I got that part out of the way. Here is some advice on fishing gear.

Line - braid in 65-100 lb test. Most common is probably 80. I run 65 lb on my main casting rod and 80 lb on my trolling rods. Popular brands are Cortland Spectron/Bronzeback, Spiderwire Ultracast, Power Pro, Viscious(made in USA) and Suffix. 

Leaders - I like 12" wire for casting. My favorite are by Stringease(90lb). For trolling a 36" flouro leader in 100 or 130lb are popular. Stealth Tackle makes a good leader as well.

Rods - a good all purpose rod would be 7 to 8 feet long. Lately, some folks have gone to 8.5' and 9' rods, but that's going to be a little pricey for a starter rod. BPS has some 7' rods for $45 and they will work as a good starter all purpose rod. Might find a 7'6" rod by Browning or Gander Guide Series for around $80. Most other options are going to get you up around $120 or more. 

Reels - My first choice of a good all-around reel would be an Abu Garcia C3 in 6500 series. After that you could look at Abu Garcia C4, Abu Garcia Record, Abu Garcia Revo Toro 50, Shimano Calcutta, Daiwa Luna, or Shimano Curado.


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## Stripers4Life (May 2, 2007)

the shimano compre musky rods are the best deal around. amazing rods. lifetime in-store warranty.


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## Mason52 (Aug 21, 2009)

eyewish,


If you fish CC try to make a SOMA meeting and maybe join the club. Caesars is our home lake. Lots of good Musky fisherman in that club that you could learn from.


Our web site. SOMA56.com


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## dmgonfishin55 (Jan 8, 2009)

I second Crittergitter on the Abu C3-C4 and the Toro, if you are going to be tossing double 10's the Toro winch is the only way to go. As for a muskie rod I use St. Croix but I am finding out others such as Fenwicks, Cortland, Shimano, etc. Are noticelably lighter in weight. Which makes a difference at the end of an 10 hour day. Line I use 80 lb. Power Pro for casting, and use a leader of 80 lb. Fluoro usually about 18". I make my own leader by tying a uni to uni Knot from braid to Fluoro, then put a Stringease staylock snap on the end. This works great, if the fish rolls it won't cut them up with the fluoro being thicker and less abraisive. The uni to uni knot has never sliped on me either. Mono has it's place, but not on my reels


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## DnD (Jun 11, 2008)

Chautauqua Lake...Oh the memories...

Consider this...Once you hook into one of these bad-boys...U will be forever HOOKED...Don't limit yourself to only casting...TROLL also...

Without spending a ton of money on numerous set-ups...U only need 2 of the same rod and reel...These will cast and troll...

Med/Hvy 7' to 7 1/2' rods...And get the Abu Garcia 6600 C4 Reels...6600 is RH retrieve...6601 is LH...These reels will hold a ton of line and best of all they have a Clicker...When trolling u set this clicker to ON and when a fish hits u know it...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...lol...

I have 4 of this set-up and can troll all day and cast anything I want...

Read this...Joe Bucher...Some good info...

http://www.muskyhunter.com/articles.shtml


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## DnD (Jun 11, 2008)

Mason...Is the SOMA site up to date???...I'd like to attend the meeting on the 13th...

I'd sure like to see that Leesville map...It's coming up "The system cannot find the file specified."

Caeser Creek works...


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## eyewish (Apr 16, 2004)

Thanks much to all for all the replies! Special thanks to crittergitter for the time and effort into your reply. Very useful info. Just so you know, am very committed to keeping these fish alive. If you saw the lengths father-in-law and I go to keep every bass we catch alive, you'd know the desire to do the right thing is there. Some good points got me thinking I do need to add a few tools to arsenal as the various cutters and pliers we have do need looonger handles. Will make a trip to the hardware store on that... Like the idea of having a handle/photo/release gameplan thought through in advance. A bit like the thinking through worst case scenarios in advance for ice fishing I've done. Am ordering the Beckman net rec'd in another thread. Was researching cradles but determined since I'll b alone doing this probably one-third of the time it's not practical. Am looking at the C4 reel as it seems quite nice and is one that is actually in stock a few places. Someone mentioned trolling - definitely planning to do so a bit, but probably a bit more casting. Have a set of four trolling rods w line counters I use for Erie walleye (normally keep my boat up there most of summer). Was planning to use a few of those spooled w/ some heavier line.... along with the new casting rod. I know folks use leadcore to troll on Chautauqua and elsewhere. I use Jet Divers w very good success on Erie. Any reason I cant use those to troll for Muskie at depth.... I know it may limit choice of baits? Thanks again. And yes, maybe I'll see some of you at CC. Despite my profile, we now live in Springboro. Will also try to catch a SOMA mtg at some point.... maybe this fall.


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## MuskieLuv (Oct 29, 2007)

A lot of good advice on here. Here is my $.02. 

reel - C4 6600

Rod - Think about an 8'6". I would never go back to a shorter rod. The figure eights are so much easier and takes some of the effort out of throwing the big lures. A Gander mountain Guide Series 8' or 8'6 muskie rod is a good deal. I use two of them. If you want something a little better, look at the Okuma telescoping rods. Great rod and easy to store, this is what I use the most. 

Trolling - most line counters will do and I wouldn't troll without a line counter. Got to know where your lure is. Lots of rod choices for trolling, don't spend much on a trolling rod. I found Diawa Heartland down rigger rods on sale a couple years ago and they work great. They are 10'ers and I use them for my out rods and then I have a couple 8' Berkly catfish rods for my down rods. they are ok but will probably upgrade those when I find a deal on something better. 

Jet divers - Played with them 2 years ago for muskie and I couldn't get them to work at the speeds I like to troll. They would blow out. I went to using lead hooked to the top of my 4 foot leader. I have several different weights and use them for all kinds of set ups. 

Hope this helps. Try to come out to a SOMA meeting, it's a good bunch of guys.


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## Fish With Teeth (Mar 1, 2008)

The Shimano Calcutta is a great reel for casting. 

I would get a rod in the 7-1/2' range for casting.

Jet divers do work for the smaller baits like the Sissons.


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## Mason52 (Aug 21, 2009)

DnD said:


> Mason...Is the SOMA site up to date???...I'd like to attend the meeting on the 13th...
> 
> I'd sure like to see that Leesville map...It's coming up "The system cannot find the file specified."
> 
> Caeser Creek works...


Should be, meetings are 2nd Tuesday of every month at Marions pizza, on I think Wagner Ford Rd

Not sure about the Leesville Map your asking about.
C U there


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## eyewish (Apr 16, 2004)

thanks again to all who chipped in with advice. had a great time up at chautauqua. as this was a family vacation with lots of friends and family visiting, i wasnt able to be on the lake 10-12 hrs/day like i mightve wanted. also did a lot of perch/bass/walleye. (man that lake is full of perch!) did however get in about 10 hrs of muskie trolling. probably only spent 0.5 hr casting w/ no results. in 10 hrs trolling, had 7 certain strikes (and another ~2maybes). fought 4 of the 7 at least briefly and landed 2. first one landed was a FAT 45" and second one was 32". neither required hook cutting or extensive surgery - both somewhat lightly hooked, tho the 45" took ~ 10+mins to revive/stabilize boatside, then another 20 mins of us circling/shadowing it until it swam down strong ... we were concerned another boat might hit it as it slowly swam on surface ... is that post-release behavior common? got struck at speeds from 3.6 to 5.3, including a strike instantly once when i sped up quickly from ~4 to 5+ ... wonder how long that one had been following? trolled from 2 to 4 lines, having to use boards on outer lines most times due to my mostly-walleye-oriented setup. actually got the 45" off a board - probably lucky to get it in. interesting to me was that all but one of all the strikes weeklong came on a single bait - bucher depth raider - perch. trolled the 2 legend perch baits at most times - the one other strike was a paint-chipping strike on one of them. one question: i have plastic roberts/atwood rod holders that are fine for Erie walleye, but seem not enough for this trolling. did have one shear off on second to last day - not on a fish strike ... and we were LUCKY to recover the rod and gear that time. Seemed like these holders were mighty stressed tho even just by the drag/action of the big Legends doing their thing at a speed near 5. Any recommendations for an upgrade on the holders? Noticed most trollers at Chautauqua have holders that enable rod tips to be submerged. That wouldve been helpful, with the weed issues on that lake.
Thanks again. Will probably see some of you at CC this fall.


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## Muskie Man (Aug 15, 2006)

I love saltys they are a stainless steel holder that allows you to lift straight up on your rod when you get a strike. Had a friend with those attwoods and the same thing happened to his. Scotty powerlocks is another rod holder that I have you can find these at Buckeye outdoors along with the saltys the scotty is the same style as the atwoods only a little stonger.


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## MuskieLuv (Oct 29, 2007)

Can't go wrong with the Salty's, but I went to the Folbe's. It is a lift off style that any rod will fit in and is easy on your rod handles. Super easy to lift off and they are very tough. I'm on CC a lot in the fall in a Tracker Targa, with 9.9 kicker. Stop by and check them out if you are interested. 

folbe.com


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

I've seen the rod holders on Muskie Luv's boat, they look pretty slick. They operate in the same lift off fashion as the Down East rod holders I have. Listed below is a link. The "Salty" series models are what you want for muskie fishing - the other Down East models won't accomodate the thicker grips on muskie rods.

http://www.down-east.com/clamp-on.htm


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

I'll throw in a varying opinion on the rod holders here....I used to use the Down Easts, which by the way are NOT made from Stainless, but rather a cast alloy that is coated with a protective material. They ARE very strong and sturdy rod holders, however, not my personal choice for two reasons. One, I didn't like how they tore up the cork on some of my rods. And, more importantly, Two because I don't like the limited adjustability of them....what I mean by this is quick adjustment such as comin up to a shallow hump or weedbed....I'm a pretty aggressive troller and when the bottom comes up on my screen, I want to quickly be able to get that rod tip in the air....I don't have time to loosen a thumb screw to re-adjust the rods. With my Fish-Ons, I simply push the rod butt down and the tip is in the air, that quick, that simple. Been using the Fish-Ons for nearly 15 years and wouldn't go back.....never had one break due to stress or on a fish strike. I had one rail mount crack due to overtightening and one of the huge rivets on the side of a holder pop out (replaced with stainless nut&bolt) Other than that, IMO the best rod holder for muskie trolling application...FOR ME. Keep in mind, I'm speaking of the rail mount system....Fish-On mounted on a rail, not flush on your boat.


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

??? I have the rail mount Down East holders and you can move them up and down pretty easily if you don't over tighten the bracket to the rail. However, it's a fine line... if you leave the bracket to loose on the rail your holder may tend to bind when you go to pull your rod out.


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## danjaquino (Jun 2, 2005)

I couple weeks ago I picked up an Abu Garcia 6600 C4 and paired it with a Gander Mountain 7ft 6' MH Extreme Musky rod. I primarily plan on throwing bucktails, big spinners, Rat-T-Traps. I've only been out 3 times with this rig and so far I love it.
The musky rod was on Clearence, so that is why I picked up the Gander Mountain one. Also, I usually don't get to go fishing that much, so I didn't want to buy something too expensive.


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

I just bought a 6600 C4 on sale at BPS for $99.99. I used it for the first time last Saturday. I like it but have noticed that it is harder to reel in line with a double cowgirl than my Pete Maina reel and it doesn't have a drag clicker. I can live without the drag clicker and may change the handle on the reel to one that has a bigger radius. I am coupling it with a St. Criox PM69XHF (Premium Musky 6'-9" Xtra Heavy Fast Action) rod for glide and jerk baits. I have a 9' rod I use for casting and it is great for the heavy lures and figure 8's but it sucks for getting the whipping action you need for glide and jerk baits. I will also be using these combos for Tarpon and Big Bass fishing so I will get good use out of them.


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## DnD (Jun 11, 2008)

Ol'Bassman said:


> I just bought a 6600 C4 on sale at BPS for $99.99. I used it for the first time last Saturday. I like it but have noticed that it is harder to reel in line with a double cowgirl than my Pete Maina reel and it doesn't have a drag clicker. I can live without the drag clicker and may change the handle on the reel to one that has a bigger radius. I am coupling it with a St. Criox PM69XHF (Premium Musky 6'-9" Xtra Heavy Fast Action) rod for glide and jerk baits. I have a 9' rod I use for casting and it is great for the heavy lures and figure 8's but it sucks for getting the whipping action you need for glide and jerk baits. I will also be using these combos for Tarpon and Big Bass fishing so I will get good use out of them.


The 6600 C4 DOES have a Line Clicker...It's really hard to see against that awesome Blue Color of the real...

It's on the opposite side of the crank...And it's black...Drove me NUTS looking for it when I got my first one...


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