# Bass fisherman catching muskies



## sbino18 (Oct 19, 2013)

I'm not a musky fisherman but have caught many fishing for bass. In last 2 years have had 5 over 40" in my boat. All have come from West Branch in the spring and just recently caught 5 muskies (2 over 40 and 1 high 30s) at milton a week ago. I catch them on small cranks and flipping baits 6' or less. Many bites come right at the boat. 

Typically I see guys throwing large baits or trolling which I'm sure work but from what I gather the catch rates are low. I've probably had 30 bites in 2 years fishing west branch and and milton over a total of 8 or so trips to those lakes. 

I'm no expert but figured I'd share my experience so guys can possibly expand their efforts. Such a fun fish to catch. I always take upmost care because I know we have limited quantities and places they can be caught.


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## The Outdoor Connection (Jan 21, 2012)

And they are a very delicate fish. Its best not to even take them out of the water, to increase their survivability. Many hit near the boat, on the surface, using a Figure 8 pattern.


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## sbino18 (Oct 19, 2013)

I rarely do, mostly for quick pic. Don't even take time to measure. Then revive until they storm off. That was in the spring. The ones in the summer stayed in the water and released quickly.


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## The Outdoor Connection (Jan 21, 2012)

Figure 8 sure is an interesting way of fishing, if you wanna call it that. For such a large fish 50"+ it must have a small brain - that it doesn't get spooked by the lure a foot or two tops from the rod tip, the boat itself, sticking your rod into the water as you make an '8' pattern, and you, a human trashing side to side. Every other fish would be 'outta' there!


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## joebertin (Mar 26, 2010)

Yeah Outdoor, the figure 8 is kind of like the last lady, and last call, at the bar.

She's a ratty meth-head, but his 20th beer makes her look pretty good...and she's about to get away!


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

sbino18 said:


> I'm not a musky fisherman but have caught many fishing for bass. In last 2 years have had 5 over 40" in my boat. All have come from West Branch in the spring and just recently caught 5 muskies (2 over 40 and 1 high 30s) at milton a week ago. I catch them on small cranks and flipping baits 6' or less. Many bites come right at the boat.
> 
> Typically I see guys throwing large baits or trolling which I'm sure work but from what I gather the catch rates are low. I've probably had 30 bites in 2 years fishing west branch and and milton over a total of 8 or so trips to those lakes.
> 
> I'm no expert but figured I'd share my experience so guys can possibly expand their efforts. Such a fun fish to catch. I always take upmost care because I know we have limited quantities and places they can be caught.


Nice fish and congratulations! 

Musky are opportunistic feeders. I've caught a few smaller sized ones on a 3" twister tail when I was fishing for saugeye. Muskie die hards don't have low catch rates, at least not all the time. Also, they load up with heavy tackle to prepare to deal with the biggest of the bunch. A 48 - 54" musky is going to be very difficult to land with bass tackle. I'm not saying impossible, but the odds of it breaking the line and swimming away with a mouthful of treble hooks is high. What if the hooks have it's mouth pinned shut? That could cause the fishery to lose a special trophy fish that took upwards of 10- 11 years to grow to that size.


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## Bassthumb (Aug 22, 2008)

I catch them on small baits too, personally I think musky guys outthink themselves a little bit with those 18 inch lures. I can never figure 8 them, I always mess it up or they bolt when my tip enters the water. Musky, the most delicate apex predator in nature apparently. Do any of you guys have success speeding the bait up to induce strikes on follows? Slowing down def does not work. I get the most follows and bites on spinnerbaits without a doubt.


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

Catching Muskies on bass gear at both of those lakes tends to be a timing thing. Always happens for a month or so in the spring at WB, and the same at Milton in the summer. It can be a killer tactic, but does not work all year round consistently.


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## sbino18 (Oct 19, 2013)

crittergitter said:


> Nice fish and congratulations!
> 
> Musky are opportunistic feeders. I've caught a few smaller sized ones on a 3" twister tail when I was fishing for saugeye. Muskie die hards don't have low catch rates, at least not all the time. Also, they load up with heavy tackle to prepare to deal with the biggest of the bunch. A 48 - 54" musky is going to be very difficult to land with bass tackle. I'm not saying impossible, but the odds of it breaking the line and swimming away with a mouthful of treble hooks is high. What if the hooks have it's mouth pinned shut? That could cause the fishery to lose a special trophy fish that took upwards of 10- 11 years to grow to that size.



That's why we try to take care with them. We typically don't have a net to support them and try not to take them out of the water. Release at the side of the boat and revive until they swim off. 

We have landed them in 12 lb floro, typically hooked in the side of the mouth. Just loosen the drag and let them swim. The last couple gave a good aerial show but rarely have them break off. We know how to fight a fish and understand light tackle can cause them to wear out harder than bringing them in on heavy gear.


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## sbino18 (Oct 19, 2013)

dtigers1984 said:


> Catching Muskies on bass gear at both of those lakes tends to be a timing thing. Always happens for a month or so in the spring at WB, and the same at Milton in the summer. It can be a killer tactic, but does not work all year round consistently.



That's what I'm saying. Go bass fishing at West branch in the spring and you'll get a fair amount.


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## dtigers1984 (Jul 24, 2007)

sbino18 said:


> That's what I'm saying. Go bass fishing at West branch in the spring and you'll get a fair amount.


Or use traditional muskie fishing tactics and catch a bunch. Put 59 in the boat at WB last year, and my top lure was over 10 inches long. To each his own.


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## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

I don't count a fish that your are not specifically targeting. Just never married sense to me. If I am bass fishing that is what counts. Pulled a 28 in walleye out of the branch musky fishing. Maybe the walleye fisherman should start musky fishing as I have pulled quite a few this year. I don't know just how o feel.


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## kx36594 (Feb 6, 2010)

Love how these posts turn into us against them...lol...nice fish. I'm an avid Musky fishermen and have boated 40+ this year...it's not that they are any more delicate rather they tend to fight themselves beyond exhaustion....all I said that we all do our part in treating them with care and do the best we can to revive them..bassthumb speeding up can cause a reaction bite....I like to start my figure eight away from the boat and rip it away from them...this has gotten me a lot of reaction bites over the years.... great job to everyone that lands these awesome fish....


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## sbino18 (Oct 19, 2013)

Thanks kx36594. Just trying to show my appreciation for a fish I don't target. Im out there for sport and they are a bonus fish and glad to catch a few for fun although in a tournament they can take up a lot of time.


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## TopRaider15 (Mar 10, 2015)

Bassthumb said:


> I catch them on small baits too, personally I think musky guys outthink themselves a little bit with those 18 inch lures. I can never figure 8 them, I always mess it up or they bolt when my tip enters the water. Musky, the most delicate apex predator in nature apparently. Do any of you guys have success speeding the bait up to induce strikes on follows? Slowing down def does not work. I get the most follows and bites on spinnerbaits without a doubt.


The key on your figure 8's is to keep the turns real wide..wide enough for the fish to fit inside the turn. Also I typically get them to strike when i speed up going into the turn on the 8 and dont give up after 1 or 2 8's, I've seen them hit on the 7th time around after disappearing for a few seconds. 

The figure 8 is the most under utilized tool to getting skeez to bite. Most guys half ass it and make tiny little turns, this does not work. When turns are wide and speed is kept up you will get more musky to bite than swim away. This is honestly why i dont troll much, miss too many strikes and dont get a great indication of the mood of the fish.


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks for taking care of them sbino18 and congrats!
Muskie are not afraid of people or boats- its a predator / prey relationship- as soon as that bait acts like its getting away- the muskies chomp and its usually at the boat because they are watching/following the whole time (eerie huh?) and then you pull your bait out of the water urgently in the last 3ft or so and their instinct kicks in... gotta appreciate a fish like that.


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## sbino18 (Oct 19, 2013)

BaddFish said:


> Thanks for taking care of them sbino18 and congrats!
> Muskie are not afraid of people or boats- its a predator / prey relationship- as soon as that bait acts like its getting away- the muskies chomp and its usually at the boat because they are watching/following the whole time (eerie huh?) and then you pull your bait out of the water urgently in the last 3ft or so and their instinct kicks in... gotta appreciate a fish like that.



Absolutely, they are a bonus fish for sure when I'm fun fishing. During a tournament is a different story as they eat up your time and lures. Definitely can be an intense, fun experience though.


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

We were fishing at Piedmont Lake a bunch of years ago and we saw a mama raccoon come to the waters edge with 5 little ones.
A musky took one of those baby's, like an orca or something. Happened really fast and awesome to see, but not for that little one. :-(


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## trekker (Feb 18, 2013)

The Outdoor Connection said:


> Figure 8 sure is an interesting way of fishing, if you wanna call it that. For such a large fish 50"+ it must have a small brain - that it doesn't get spooked by the lure a foot or two tops from the rod tip, the boat itself, sticking your rod into the water as you make an '8' pattern, and you, a human trashing side to side. Every other fish would be 'outta' there!


Top of the food chain. No fear.


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