# Muskies



## Madison

Well for all of you that fish muskies or just getting into it, the opener for these beasts is this weeknd (6/1).

Hustad, Indiana was a TRIP!! ONly managed to hook into couple of fish a 41"er and 37"er..

Happy PIG Hunting

Keep it reeeeel

MAdison


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## nodakoutdoors.com

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Let's see.....It looks like I'll be in your boat in about 4 weeks.............CAN'T WAIT!!! :rock:


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## Madison

Well did anyone go after any skees this weeknd???

Went out on saturday and sunday ended up with 12 follows, and 4 boated. 28", 40", 42" and BONUS 28" walleye..

Keep it reel.

madison

"don't let your kids grow up to be jetskiers!"


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Mav and I went out. Pretty dang slow still in the ND sloughs. We couldn't keep the perch off the bait, so it was kind of hard to tell you what the heck was going on.

Our other boat picked up a nice pike around 10 lb. , but not a lot cookin otherwise.









Don't forget to leave a lake virgin Maddy!!! :wink: :beer:


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## WhakGreenie03

hustad, what did you use for bait? Perch going after your bait for muskies?!?! Everytime i go out i usually get a few heart stoppers (follows), a few decent pike, and every now and then a muskie especially during optimal water temp.


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## bebedragan

hello,

do you use soft plastics ?

thanks !


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## goose killer

I can't wait for muskie opener in minnesota
:fro:


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## Brad Anderson

I hope I can make it out on the opener. :beer:


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## Madison

Couple more weeks and it skees full time!!!

BRad- Did you get it mounted?

keep it reel
madison


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## Brad Anderson

Yep. I don't think this one was going to live.


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## The Dogger

CPR!!!!!


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## smalls

There is a place for CPR and a place to mount a fish. Assuming that the gill hanging out of the fishes gill plate was torn up by a treble hook on a lure of some sort, I would agree that BA's beast wasn't going to live.

Just as well put it on the wall if it is going to suffer and die anyway. Sometimes there are reasons to keep big(ger) fish.


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## Brad Anderson

I was thinking of releasing the fish, but yeah decided against it.

I'm not sure if the gill came out when I was fighting the fish, or before. Either way, the fish fought for a good 20 minutes (I was using 8 lb mono).


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## Bull_Can

Unfortunately, some fish do die. The best thing to do is find a taxidermist that needs to make molds of the large fish for reproductions. That way, your fish can help many people out when they want a repro made of their catch (also, most taxidermists will give you credit towards a mount/repro). Repros (done by a pro), IMHO are nicer than real mounts. They don't age like a real fish, and if an accident happens and you break a fin, that can be replaced. Just take good measurements and photos and make the repro...then go out and catch the fish again when it is bigger.

Two openers ago, my wife and I went out and she found a 50" pig that was run over by a boat (prop and skag mark on back). We tried to revive her for an hour, but her back was broke. All the taxidermists in my area had there molds for a 50" fish, so I gave it to one to mount in trade for a duck mount for myself. My brother had one die from heat stroke (fishing during heatwave days can really stress fish out), he was able to give it to his guy for a credit on a 53.5" repro he was having done.


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## USAlx50

cant say ive ever heard of muskies with heat stroke???

The best thing we can do for these fish is handle them well...30 seconds out of the water should be a solid maximum. think about it, the fish just fought to total exhaustian and now after it is totally exhausted it can not breath because you have taken it out of its element..


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## Madison

IF you catch a fish in 73 degree water its almost like the fish is about to die of heat stroke... When the waters warm you definatley need to get them unhooked quick and back in the water.. There are times when the waters too warm that I shake hooks out right at the boat and not even bother with a picture...

Gotto let em go and let em grow.


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## USAlx50

yea warm water can be hell on the release...Ive never had any problems in up to 76 degree water, maybe i haven't caught enough ski's yet :-? . Anyways, I dont know your landing and handling methods but for you or any others it works great to have a deep musky net or cradle to leave the fish in the water while being unhooked and then just lift for a quick picture or 4 and then measure the fish in the water with one of those floating measuring tubes..

I have also never caught a musky over 40" on anything less then 50lb test and a musky rod so the fights do not last long like it would with a lighter action rod and lighter line.

:beer:


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## USAlx50

yea warm water can be hell on the release...Ive never had any problems in up to 76 degree water, maybe i haven't caught enough ski's yet :-? . Anyways, I dont know your landing and handling methods but for you or any others it works great to have a deep musky net or cradle to leave the fish in the water while being unhooked and then just lift for a quick picture or 4 and then measure the fish in the water with one of those floating measuring tubes..

I have also never caught a musky over 40" on anything less then 50lb test and a musky rod so the fights do not last long like it would with a lighter action rod and lighter line.

:beer:


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