Northwest Fishing Reports

Hi All -
I am very interested in learning the in's & out's of Muskie Fishing @ Silver Lake (Spokane, WA).
I am primarily a Trout angler and would like to teach my youngest son that there are other fish out there besides Trout. I want to expand our horizons and experiences on the lakes.

My knowledge about Muskie fishing is sadly pretty much nothing, but want to learn & teach my son.

Can others tell me the basic gear, lines (weight/pound test, etc) , leaders (lengths & weights), lures (brands & styles), techniques & best times (mornings/afternoons/evenings) ? All that type of stuff ?
What do I look for in environment ? Is it like Bass, being ambush hunters ?

I saw an earlier posting regarding Muskie Gear, but it stopped short of lures, etc.

Anyow - I sort of feel as if I am asking for alot - you know, asking other fisherman to give up tips & techniques, but I have always shared my knowledge with aspiring fisherman in areas that I am familiar with and am hoping that there was someone else out there with the same mindset. So PLEASE - don't hold back...

Well you have come to the right place. I don't know why the guys around you haven't offered to take you out on the water. If you were close to me we would be setting a date to give the toothy critters a try.
I fish lake Tapps near Sumner on the wet side of the hills. If you go to the lakes index look at last year on Tapps and it will give you a little insite.
To answer the question are Tigers like Bass I would say yes [well like small mouth bass anyway]
Use the same tackle that bass fishing requires except the plastic worms. Crank & jerk baits, spinner & buzz baits, swim baits & Jigs. The sporting good stores should be able to help.
Get the In-fisherman vidio's from the library on bass and musky techneques.
Hope this gets you started.
Good hunting
Bill

Hey there Bill G...
Thanks for the info...I will definitely check out the video's suggested...as I am not against "earning" my knowledge...Anyhow - as for the sporting good stores...I have asked around, and found that the larger "Corporate" style stores generally want the dollar from your pocket and typically go straight for the big ticket items, and end up being of little worth...(sometimes)...[past experience with Salmon & Trout lures/riggings].

I have always found that info & knowledge straight from those who have a passion for what they do are the BEST to learn from...and those big ticket items - sometimes useful, but well - when a $5 Crank works better by experience & usage of others that have been using it for years vs. the $12 Corporate Crank advised from someone who has never fished for Muskies - well guess what Crank I will get... =)

Anyhow Bill G - can you fill me in on the typical size/weight/pattern of Cranks that you like to use ?

And by the way - I also appreciate the offer of hooking up to learn first hand - maybe someday... =)

Larry (a.k.a.: glastron876)

Larry;

I would be happy to show you around Silver Lake. My major problem is my schedule. I usually know about 5 minutes before I go fishing that I actually am going. So until we can meet I'll give you a quick run down of my selections for this lake.
First off, do you want to go with something universal that you can use at multiple lakes? Or something that is tuned for Silver Lake? I use a 7' medium heavy (1/2 - 1 oz.) Shimano caster with a Abu Garcia 5601 reel spooled with 15 lb. florocarbon line and a 12" 35 lb. terminator leader. This is my small lure set-up for being sneaky. I've caught 7 muskies with this set-up since April 15, so it works. I use multiple set-ups each outing, but this one is my first choice on Silver since the fish aren't huge yet.
If you want something a bit more universal grab a 7' or 7 1/2' casting rod rated for something like 1 - 3 oz. you can use the 5600 series reel, I use 6500's, but spooled with 20 lb. florocarbon or 50 lb. braided line. I stick with 50 lb. braided because I like the small diameter in clear water. I Use 35 - 50 lb. terminator leaders. Lighter leader for Silver help retain lure action. For the most part, I'm using stuff that would be considered "small" at Silver lake.
I'm going to have to continue this later, I've got to run. And Bill is right, go grab a couple In fisherman videos. "The greatest muskie film ever made" and "the great muskie hunt" are classics. Both are down at White's Boots for free. They have some great prospective on mid-western muskie angling and history. But they are filmed with mid-western anglers as their target audience, so check out the "how too's and when too's" but don't worry to much about the 12" lures they use. Ha ha. We'll spill some lure info real soon too.

glastron876 welcome aboard!!! I must warn you before you get started this can become a very addictive behavior!!!
Do you really want to do this to your Son? The first time you see "Old Esox" follow that lure up to the boat and wink at you, and then turn away, my friend he'll have you under his spell. I am sure "Muskie Guy" will get you started down the right track... so be it for now this is the life you have chosen. Have fun and if you have any questions please feel free anytime. Muskie people are great people to have as friends. (a little "touched" but great!!).

Bad Esox =d> =d>
Very well said, the tigers hooked me about 7 years ago and I have spent a kings ransom on tackle from all over the US and Canada. Of corse I have infected around 20 poor souls with the disease.
Larry To answer your big question! I have learned what I catch the smallies on that day, I up size by 1/2 oz and catch the tigers. For example If I can catch smallies on a 1/8 oz white spiner bait I will hit the muskie spots with a 1/2 to 3/4 oz white spiner bait. In my lake there are 10,000 smallies and less than a thousand Tigers. This techneque lets me be prove what works faster.
Waiting to see you holding the first one.
Bill

Bad Esox, Bill G, and Musky Guy - thanks for your insights

Just an FYI - I did go to White's last night - checked on the videos mentioned - nothing but VHS tapes, but I wil go back and see if they have any on DVD as soon as I can - work hours makes me get there just around closing unfortunately.

As for getting "addicted" - probably already am in sorts - as I love the fight/play from those larger trout, but always yearned for something more...more than just trolling or bottom fishing - when I feel the need for more I go to the Little Spokane River out in Chattaroy - got a sweet spot up there that lets me use casting & mental techniques when I feel the need to do more...a challenge...

I also want to thank Musky Guy for the set-up on the rods - I knew that I would need to get other gear, just never sure what to get for certain. With his advice I can get the proper set-up now for the rods - as for lures/baits I have perused though some of his other postings and found some that he has listed in the past so I will also use that info - as well locations/fishing patterns also mentioned.

You guys have been great help...and I will probably make my way up to Silver in a couple weeks or so...maybe I will run accross one of you guys out there - I run around on a tan & blue 72 Glastron Tri-Hull, Open Bow, always wear my red Spokane Indians ball cap (for good luck), usually with wife in tow - the fishing gods love me as she likes to fish as well - can't cast worth a darn, but she tries and is learning =) and yes - if I land one of these big old toothy critters I will more than gladly post it up here for all to see. Even if small =) Hopefully my cap won't let me down =)

Thanks again guys and anyone else that has insight, tips, etc...please feel free to continue on with this posting...I am like a sponge.... =)

Tight Lines...

Larry

GT876;
I'm glad to see your so enthusiastic, and thanks to everyone for chipping in advice. It sounds like Bill and I think alike! White spinnerbaits are always a go-to bait for me. And starting with smaller lures seems to move fish on Silver. I like 3/8 and 1/2 oz spinnerbaits but it's hard to find one's in this weight range with the closed eye. My son landed his first musky on a 3/8 oz. white and nickle spinnerbait while fishing from the shore. It destroyed that bait, straightened it right out. I use the terminator titanium, they don't get wrecked by ole toothy. I would suggest you grab a white/nickle, perch/gold and black/nickle terminators in 3/8 or 1/2 oz. I've said it before, swimbaits are great. I like the Charlie's but they get broken after a few fish. Storm wildeye swimshads are my next favorite 3"& 4" perch and trout. Smaller, single treble mepps musky killer bucktails are a good bet as it get's a little warmer too. I like yellow/nickle, black/brass, white/nickle colors. I use Buchertail 500's in early season, now, but you would need to order those from Rollie and Helen's. Muskyshop.com, I shutter to think of the money I've spent there over the years buying lures for mid-wester fishing while I live considerably farther west. Oh well, live and learn. I am very hopeful that my new bulldawgs will be a hit too.
Fishing up at Curlew requires a step up in lure size and rod to comfortably throw them, but you could use the same bait on Curlew and Newman. I'll keep adding to this as I get time. I hope this will help get you going without breaking the bank. If I were to pick 3 to get started it would be a black/nickle bucktail, white/nickle spinnerbait and a perch swimbait.

Musky Guy -
Awesome input - especially on the Lure Styles & Brandnames - very handy - as I could probably find several types and pick the wrong types which would be too light, etc... =)
The 3-pick to get started with is just the type of info I could use...Thanks again.
Not trying to break the bank getting started either - but knew it would be an expense - as long as it pays off in the future, it will be worth it.

Thanks again and I look forward to future advice and putting it to good use...

Larry

You know so many people ask me what Tigers taste like. My response is almost always the same. I have no idea I don't eat fish and the darn things stink so bad I don't think I would advise eating one. This seems to satisfy their mind set of always keeping what they catch and opens the idea of catch and release.
Does any one else have to deal with helping people understand catch and release?
Bill

Bill,
Musky is good, really.... white flakey meat. Usually baked. With some sort of breading. Pretty good though. Its been quite a few years since I've had some. Like Musky Bass get a bad rap too. Tastes fishy....I hate that. It doesn't taste fishy at all. Some people just don't know the secret. You cut the mudline out. It the strip that runs just above the ribs on a filet. You can see the line. Run your filet knife just above and below that lateral line. Its maybe a 1/8 of an inch wide remove and throw it in the garden. Then that "Fishy taste" is gone. I guarantee that you wouldn't be able to tell the differnce between Bass and Walleye....I swear...true story...Todd

OK you convenced me they don't taste like they smell. We will have to contenue the conversation on the water.Bill

Hey Bill,
Yes, I have to explain the "Catch and Release" philosophy all the time out here. It seems many anglers out this way understand the concept when fishing Trout or Steelhead... but many do not know enough about fishing Muskies to know how it applies or why they should practice this philosophy. Ironic that "Catch and Release" had its start with Muskies Inc.
The most common question I seem to get is: what is it? Do they taste good?... It is hard for many people to imagine a fish that can be so "challenging" to catch, that when caught, you would simply let go.
Believe me I know. It took my mom years to grasp why my father and I would spend all our time fishing Muskies simply to let them go. These were the early days of Muskie Inc. when we fished on the Chippewa Flowage outside of Hayward Wisconsin. For me it's not the records, not the meat, but a chance to be on the water with a good friend against a worthy competitor. The most gratifying thing for me was to watch that fish swim away so it could grow and fight another day:) When we would catch fish for a meal we went after Walleyes, Crappies, and Pan-fish. These guys were always far more abundant and much easier to catch...not to mention they all taste great!!! and most importantly when we brought some fish home my mom would believe we actually went fishing!! I believe "Catch and Release" well come with time and education out this way also. It will have to since we are only dealing with "Tigers".

It sounds like we are in the same boat, so to speek. We will have to encorage the department to make this a CPR Fishery. Maybe have a part in the reg's to encorage CPR. If we all work together the fishery will be here for my grandsons children.
Bill

I figured that thick coating of disgusting slimy goo all over them would deter most from keeping a musky to eat. I know I'll never keep one, though I do hope to have a nice replica of a 45 incher hanging on my wall someday.

I have always figured the best way for people to understand CPR is to teach the younger generation how important it actually is, while you're teaching them everything else on the water.

I have been giving positive reinforcement to our younger boy when we go fishing about the benefits of CPR.

As for myself - the ONLY fish that I keep ( be they Trout or otherwise ) are those that I KNOW will not survive if let go. There seems to be nothing worse than watching a fish dieing at the surface. Just floating out there, trying to get beneath the surface and off it's side, struggling to survive. (Even though it is an easy pick for the Osprey's)

In addition to the concept of CPR, I also teach the younger boy the importance HANDLING, TREATMENT, and HOOK REMOVAL techniques,to increase the fish's chance of survival.

I guess what I am trying to clarify is that there are more things to consider other than just catch & release, I think people sometimes tend to forget about the things between the landing of the fish and the return. If we also focus on teaching the importance of all other things in addition to setting them free for another day - fish survival rates go up and hopefully the younger generation will remember what is taught and not only utilize the given knowledge but pass it on as well.

Larry very good point I do try to do all of that with the fishermen I take out . I realize I should be talking more at the others also about handling and hook removal or cut the line. Thanks

Nik don't sell yourself short there are bigger one than 45" look for the 50".
In my picture I am holding a 48" fish caught in Tapps.
Bill

Hey, thanks Bill and Musky Guy. These posts have been great! I too am a beginning musky fisherman you might say. I have never fished for one and I am already hooked! I have checked out most of the forum and you guys have been very helpful. Not only with what to use and where but with stressing the catch and release part! Most people, like myself until about 2 weeks ago, don't understand that these fish can't breed and that they aren't detrimental to the lakes. I have recently heard stories as I have been going around inquiring about muskys, from people who say they catch them, kill and release them. Another one from a guy who spears em and leaves em. All because they are a "damn predator fish". I plan to be out on silver lake as soon as I get a boat, hopefully tomorrow! I hope with all your guy's help I might hook one in the near future. Well I look forward to reading about more adventures in musky fishing and learning as much as I can, so keep posting! thanks - Keith

Hey Gone Fishin,
Welcome to the crazed club of the Musky fisherman. Nice to have you along for the ride. Any q's or anything you need help with throw it at us and we'll try to help you the best we can. By the way if you see that goober that spears Muskie call the WDFW/ Sheriff or somebody with his boat # if he has one and report his Butt!! That would be illegal to spear that fish....Take care, Todd

Does anyone have any advice that they care to disclose for a good spot on Silver Lake? I can’t believe I have lived here my whole life and never been. I know, I know…
I primarily fish for bass, and when I can pike. I would love to get into some of these local muskies.
The northern end of the lake looks pretty good judging by Google Earth. (North of the bridge) it looks like it’s pretty weedy. I am assuming there are bass in there?
What are the muskies doing right now? I am assuming they are kind of like pike (I don’t mean to offend any hard core muskie guys with that comment – I know they are different than pike) Pike have already spawned, have the muskies? What is the best bet this time of year, buss baits, spinner baits, buck brush, cut bait?
I know that is a lot of questions…. Just want some good sound advice for my first attempt at catching a muskie. I plan on going mid week next week if not sooner
Thanks,
Wilkstr – Spokane