Northwest Fishing Reports

Hi guys. Im a member of chapter 50 in PA. Just wanted to ask you guys about some of your favorite tiger lure choices that you throw and have success on. I have only caught 3 tigers and the biggest was a 34. Just wondering what size baits you guys throw and what you seem to have success on. I'd like to put a 40 plus in the boat. Theres a lake nearby where i've had follows from some 40 pluses but no takers, also seen 2 over 48 this year, one we should have had in the boat. Just looking for some advice, thanks guys i really appreciate it. Cory

Basically, you just want to fish a little smaller than you would for the pure strain fish. I run bucktails with #6 blades that work well. I also like bass size swimbait in forage colors. Bucktails I usually run in black, purple or chartruese. Baits in the 5-6 inch range do well down here. Mike.

I have had the best luck this year using a 4" hard swimbait, sexy shad color.

Yes, I also would say if you're getting followers but no takers, try downsizing your baits. Bass baits aren't too small for tigers, if you have a rod and reel that can throw them. The trick to casting lightweight baits is using a long and limber rod, and light line.

Siegfried & Roy make GREAT bait for Tigers.

Twinkle toes...

That is pretty good advice from "Jigman". He has been our "Angler Of The Year" for the last two out of three years! Yeah, he is that good! 30 plus Tigers a year!!! awesome!! If you were in the area I would tell you to come meet him in person at our next Chapter Meeting on the 19th. There...he will be showing us all just how to make those "magic" bucktails of his! Oh, yeah...he is a pretty good guy too!:)

Hi musky nuts. I have spent the last 14 years passionately chasing muskies. The tiger is my first choice in the chain. The tiger has not been stocked here in Indiana for 10 years. I have been a MI member for most of the last 14 years. I am the type that prefers not to share wealth of information about my catches. I have only logged 2 muskie ever with MI and that was done with the hopes of saving a well kept secret lake that was about to lose their stocking program that was done by the lake association. Glad to say chapter 49 Webster lake muskie club came to the rescue and it is getting stocked. No longer a secret spot but it is an outstanding lake to fish with very little traffic and many opportunity's. The tiger muskies that I have caught have been caught on a small crank bait made by storm It is called a hot n tot. Brass /chartreuse color works the best the pure strain love this bait also, also many on a jack pot,either perch or blue. There is one bait in particular though that I would like to pass on to a select few and and some of the techniques how I use this bait. I am curious to see if others can have my luck that I have had with this bait. I have caught many, many tiger muskies on this one bait. The bait has caught me a tiger or tigers on almost every fishing trip to a lake stocked with tigers in it. You may wonder why I now want to share this information. Sad to say that in January 2008 I was diagnosed with ALS. Lou Gehrig s disease. It is slowly robbing me of my strength but not my mind. I am hoping to turn a few members on to this information and see how it does for them. If it does I would hope you will pass it on to others. The first month I used this bait I had many people stop me wanting to know my bait. This old guy that fishes this one lake told me he has been keeping a close eye on me and said he has watch me land more muskies in the last month than he has witnessed caught on the lake ever. I felt honored, glad to know he fishes for bass. I tried to share this information with one of the top guides in the business and he came across as arrogant, so I decided now way will I share this. Need less to say I did get another guide call me various times wanting me to give him a guided trip. I just couldn't do it. Besides the guides don't need the help..... I would rather pass it on to some one that would get the most out of it. Maybe give them an edge on other fellow members. I will share this with a select few if they would like to contact me. My name is Rick Olson and you can e-mail me at indianatigermuskie@hotmail.com.

Welcome to Washington Lakes. :-)