Do any of you Hoosiers fish up north, MN, WI, MI, or Canada for muskie?
Michigan Fishing, Minnesota Fishing, Oregon Fishing, Wisconsin Fishing
Trip D
Loc: West Lafayette, Indiana
Comments and reports please....
I do a little, what can I help you with?
Trip D
Loc: West Lafayette, Indiana
Just curious to know where you fish, what you use, and what kind of success you've had?
I have caught Musky in the ST Croix River, Lake Minnetonka and Lake Miltona. The largest was in the ST Croix 45 inches. Muskies love spinnerbaits, swim baits and jerk baits and I have caught them on all 3. Almost better to start with a northern bait and catch a few then start throwing the big lures. Lake of the Woods is the place to go if you are looking for over 52, I just haven't been there yet. I am sure there are fish that size everywhere I fish just a lot more pressure near the cities. The one in your pic looks pretty nice!
Trip D
Loc: West Lafayette, Indiana
I just passed my 76th birthday and didn't start muskie fishing until 6 years ago. Have been to Lake of the Woods 3 times, and fished muskie on Lake Vermillion in MN last summer. I'd been to Vermilion many times, the first being in 1978, but had always fished for bass and northern. Got a 48 1/4" and a 44 at Vermilion last summer, and the
50 1/4" in the picture came from LOTW during opening week last summer. The two biggest ones were on a black and orange Rad Dog spinner bait, and the 44 was on a Bondy Royal Orba.
Nice, black and orange has worked well for me too and a black and white swim bait. I just got back into fishing last year after about 15 years with little to no fishing and lot's of golf. I am 56 so still working around my day job. Going up to Rainy this June for walleye, northern and smallies. My present boat is only 14 ft, a little small for Lake of the Woods. It is on my list for sure.
Trip D
Loc: West Lafayette, Indiana
Ever fish on Vermilion? I went back there 3 years ago for the first time in over 20 years. Used to fish for bass and northern, but muskie fishing there has become a big time event. Lot of pressure, but catch and release, which is what muskie fishermen do is ensuring the population remains. Just makes them a little more difficult to catch....
Never fished Vermillion or Leech lake but they are both on my list as is the Rainy River for Sturgeon.
Trip D
Loc: West Lafayette, Indiana
Used to catch a lot of nice pike at Vermilion, but those numbers seem to really be down, from my experience and from what all the natives say.
Yeah, the MN DNR is promoting keeping small Northern which I believe cuts down on food pressure for the Musky but lowers the Northern population. People are Musky crazy now, so they are catering to them. No one keeps Musky that I know of so that helps the Musky pop but of course there are fewer Northern. From what I understand the younger folks don't fish for Northern so DNR is covered. Bass population is ok, and panfish is awful since some keep the smallest of fish. Fished catfish for the first time last year and that is fun, they put up a great fight.
I’m in northern Wisconsin and we have a very good population of Muskie
Trip D
Loc: West Lafayette, Indiana
Calvinw88 wrote:
I’m in northern Wisconsin and we have a very good population of Muskie
Thanks Calvin. I was primarily interested in Indiana fishermen who fish for muskies up north....
So where do the monster Muskies hide in Wisconsin?
The Chippewa flowage, big LCO,grindstone
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