# muskie newbie



## LmitingOut

Im new to muskie fishing and looking to hit one of the lakes next week, I have a 18 foot lund.

I live in cleveland, looking for something within 2 hours, whats my best bet and what ramp should i use thanks


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## BITE-ME

This info is off the ODNR webpage. The rivers/lakes in red text should be the closest to your neck of the woods...

_*Most Ohio muskie are caught from April through October when the water temperature is 55 to 75 degrees. The best lakes to fish for muskie are Leesville, Clear Fork Reservoir, Salt Fork, West Branch, Alum Creek, Piedmont, Caesar Creek, Cowan, Milton and Pymatuning. Berlin Lake has a low density muskie population which is maintained by natural reproduction. Good muskie streams are Paint Creek, Grand River, Sunfish Creek, Little Muskingum River, Rocky Fork Creek, Salt Creek, Wills Creek, and the Mahoning River. Some of these stream fisheries are dependent upon reservoir stocking within the same watershed.*_

Listed below is a link to the page I copied it off of if you want to read further. Good luck.

http://ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/PDF/Muskellunge Fishing in Ohio_07.pdf


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## Barney

Hey Lmitingout. Too bad you dissed the rodmakers shop. That really would have been your best bet for local advise and expertise. I guess you can't go there now. Maybe the girl a Dick's can like really help you pick out a GaGa color LOL


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## LmitingOut

Barney said:


> Hey Lmitingout. Too bad you dissed the rodmakers shop. That really would have been your best bet for local advise and expertise. I guess you can't go there now. Maybe the girl a Dick's can like really help you pick out a GaGa color LOL


actually theres a guy at dicks that knows a lot and is WILLING to help you. 

I guess I can hit some lakes and figure it out myself


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## ShutUpNFish

> I guess I can hit some lakes and figure it out myself


Thats typically how it works.....git 'er done!


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## 1roofmusky

Join your local Muskies Inc chapter and start fishing the local outings. The people are friendly and helpful. It's $35 a year. Cleveland area is Chapter 23 and Akron Canton is Chapter 19. Keep in mind that you're not crappie fishing so people on the internet aren't about to "out" their patterns and spots to someone they don't know. I keep my success and patterns in a tight group of people and so do most good muskie fisherman.


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## Lundfish

Barney said:


> Hey Lmitingout. Too bad you dissed the rodmakers shop. That really would have been your best bet for local advise and expertise. I guess you can't go there now. Maybe the girl a Dick's can like really help you pick out a GaGa color LOL


What's the rodmakers shop?


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## Legend killer

1roofmusky said:


> Join your local Muskies Inc chapter and start fishing the local outings. The people are friendly and helpful. It's $35 a year. Cleveland area is Chapter 23 and Akron Canton is Chapter 19. Keep in mind that you're not crappie fishing so people on the internet aren't about to "out" their patterns and spots to someone they don't know. I keep my success and patterns in a tight group of people and so do most good muskie fisherman.



Sportsmen are supposed to help each other out. I don't understand why some people that fish are such a holes. People are on web boards to learn, when I start fishing ceaser creek I will share everything I learn.


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## dtigers1984

Great start there Legend Killer, I'm sure your attitude will be well received on this site.


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## Legend killer

Why, isn't that true though? "Cause I musky fish I don't tell any secrets." Does that sound like a sportsman?


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## MuskieJim

There's no secrets to tell, it's all about learning. Get out with a few guys who fish for muskies or like someone mentioned above join your local Muskies Inc Chapter. There is a lot of time, effort, and money invested in the sport of musky fishing. Heck, average trolling lures run about $20 a pop. Long story short you're going to have a better chance at getting real advice by meeting or fishing with real SPORTSMAN on a lake or club meeting, NOT on the internet.


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## bubba k

Jim is right. There really aren't any secrets. I initially thought the same thing until I got really into sport. With musky fishing it's not about specific lures or areas to fish. It has more to do with specific lakes and the style of fishing that fits you best. I would consider two primary aspects:

Style of fishing - what kind of boat do you have? Do you prefer trolling or casting? What does your equipment allow you to throw? Get comfortable with a specific style FIRST and master it, and then expand to other techniques. 

Lakes - check the stockings of area lakes to find one locally that has good #s of fish, and dedicate yourself to that one lake for an entire year. Don't worry about "spots" as much as the movement of fish throughout the season. 

Musky fishing is TOUGH compared to other species. You might catch a few fish one day, and then go 3 trips without a sniff. Learning a specific lake and getting good at a certain style of fishing will allow you to get comfortable with the sport without having to spend thousands of dollars on equipment and wasting a ton of unproductive hours on the lake.

Hope that helps!


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## MuskieJim

Well said bubba k. Get a map of the lakes you plan on fishing and pick out a few areas that you think look good. Ohio lakes have a huge shad forage base and you can catch suspended fish nearly year-round both casting and trolling. If casting, focus on weed edges, points, timber, or any other spot that allows for ambush. Muskies are the top-notch predator, so if you find a good spot the fish will be there. If not now, maybe in a few hours. Another key aspect of muskies are feeding windows. You can go a whole day with nothing then 45 minutes with 3 or 4 in the boat. When you get one, get the pic and put the fish back quick as there are likely more to be had!!


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## road rage

give me a call lmitingout i will help you out as much as i can 330-637-1193


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## Whaler

For a quick answer to your question and to save you a little fuel I would say West Branch or Milton. Look at a map of these lakes on the ODNR website and you can figure which ramp is best for you.


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## WISH IT WAS YOU

dtigers1984 said:


> Great start there Legend Killer, I'm sure your attitude will be well received on this site.


ohhh yea you can bet on that


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## discoii

I am still new at this after a couple of years, read the boards, ask questions it will save you time and money. The most important thing is you must put time on the water IMO.


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## Legend killer

1roofmusky said:


> Join your local Muskies Inc chapter and start fishing the local outings. The people are friendly and helpful. It's $35 a year. Cleveland area is Chapter 23 and Akron Canton is Chapter 19. Keep in mind that you're not crappie fishing so people on the internet aren't about to "out" their patterns and spots to someone they don't know. I keep my success and patterns in a tight group of people and so do most good muskie fisherman.



The way I read this is that muskie fisherman keep secrets.


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## ShutUpNFish

No Secrets is right....Its about time, money and hard work invested for most who have put that time in. Some of the guys in here, have thousands invested in rods, reels, lures and gas money over the years and thats not even mentioning the boat and motors. I'll be damned if I'm going to give out what I have learned over the coarse of 20+ years of hard work through trial and error and post it out on an open forum for everyone in the world to see. Its pretty simple really and this debate has been gone over through and through....its about differing attitudes and generations really....But the bottom line is this...EVERYONE learns eventually and its usually the hard way. Like when you have a nice little spot with some solitude and you know you've worked hard to find on your own and you enjoy it (Or maybe some out there have never experienced that)....until someone blurts out your "secret" and the next time you go there, its not so discreet anymore.(Don't take that to heart, its just a SIMPLE analogy.) Its not really about selfishness, its more about the disrespect that others have anymore. I'd be the first to take you out for a day of fishing so you could see how things are done in my boat, if you really want to learn. No hand outs here though....Trust me, you will learn a hell of a lot more through your own experimentation and trial and error, rather than someone just handing you all of the expert info AND appreciate it alot more.....you will also develop your own unique approach to fishing that way and a sense of pride to go along with it. With nobody else to take credit for it but, non other than, yourself....Now wouldn't THAT feel real good?? 

OH and finally....THIS AIN'T STEELHEAD FISHING!


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## shymdog

Shut up and listen,it's life laws that says" help enough people get what they want and you will get everthing that you want" PERIOD. Go to "You Tube" and put in rigging for pike and musky in the header, you will find videos by experts (Free)that you see on the Outdoor Channel or the In-Fisherman programs and this should help. Enjoy your Day!


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## ShutUpNFish

shymdog said:


> Shut up and listen,it's life laws that says" help enough people get what they want and you will get everthing that you want" PERIOD. Go to "You Tube" and put in rigging for pike and musky in the header, you will find videos by experts (Free)that you see on the Outdoor Channel or the In-Fisherman programs and this should help. Enjoy your Day!


Again....as I said before, but you obviously chose to so conveniently ignore...I will help ANYONE out who will put forth a little effort to want to learn and I'm positive most other experienced muskie anglers here would agree and do the same - I'll even take a person out, which I have often offered and even done so with some members here...I just don't appreciate begging for free handouts and I'm NOT saying thats what the initial reason for this thread is, just saying that some are just downright ignorant with the asking of free info which took some people many years of hard work and time to figure out.....

By the way, thanks for the bible study bud, but should I remind you that this is fishing...not a life or death situation or people in some sort of danger that need help. I'd certainly help when people need REAL help...The "Getting something for Nothing", "Get Rich Quick", "Instant Gratification" attitudes are pathetic and annoying to say the least.

By the way, how many "experts" do you know that learned what they know because someone gave them all their secrets or told them how to do something? Ummmm none....they become experts through hard work and time spent doing what they do.....Anyone looking for the easy way out or handouts should, IMO, hire a guide.

You Have a Nicer Day!


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## shymdog

Wow, do you belong to Local Muskie Chapter,Legend Killer says the people in the group are friendly and helpfull. Just a little confused. Don't go to church or study the bible just enjoy all types of fishing and hunting. Donate venision to hungry, volunteer my time to feed the less fortunate and just enjoy the outdoors. Was looking for a new species of fish to try my luck at. I guess I won't fit in because I fly fish for steelhead in the rivers.

Best of Luck!


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## shymdog

Wow, do you belong to Local Muskie Chapter,Legend Killer says the people in the group are friendly and helpfull. Just a little confused. Don't go to church or study the bible just enjoy all types of fishing and hunting. Donate venision to hungry, volunteer my time to feed the less fortunate and just enjoy the outdoors. Was looking for a new species of fish to try my luck at. I guess I won't fit in because I fly fish for steelhead in the rivers.

Best of Luck!


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## ShutUpNFish

Where ya from? If you want to give it a try, I have all kinds of equipment and all the gear....all you have to do is pay for the gas. I'd gladly take you out for a day. I can explain then why I feel the way I do, we'll have plenty of time to talk, trust me. Sometimes its hard to read how people feel through txt, chat, discussion forum. If interested, just shoot me a PM.

And IMO, theres a BIG difference between a local Muskie Chapter and the Internet.


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## shymdog

Live in Mantua,just around the corner from LaDue Reservoir. Heard there were muskie in Mogadore Reservoir,not sure. Invested in some lures and I'm not afraid of paying for a guided trip. That's how I got hooked on fly fishing with a guide. Caught a Fish Ohio steelhead my first time out (12.5lbs and 31.5 inches on a fly). Walleye fish on Erie with my good friend and now I bought my own boat to fish inlet lakes, a 14ft boat to try my luck at other species.


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## ShutUpNFish

You are certainly welcome to PM me anytime if you have any questions....I'd be more than happy to help you get started or answer any questions you might have to help reduce your learning curve. Wouldn't be a problem at all...Good Luck.


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## Burks

Sort of a late post here but I can attest to Clear Fork being a good place for muskie.

I've yet to land one (only went twice), but my friends have landed some nice ones including a 46.5" one. We fish from the shore and at Clear Fork basically the entire northern shore is off limits. Our "spot" is secluded and can be a pain to cast in (tons of shore shrubs/trees/etc), but it works well. They've been averaging 4-5 fish each trip. Not bad for completely new muskie fishers.

Being so new, I'm ok with not catching much. I'm used to catfishing so not catching much is the norm for me. Still learning and reading...


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## LmitingOut

wow I only looked at this tread for a few days after i started it. I figured it was dead. I been hitting lake erie lately, I have only ran up to westbranch once, seen a couple muskies roll up on top of the water. 
thanks for the replies

what kind of depth range are these muskies in now


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