In the past, my lack of success catching size and numbers of musky directly resulted from two factors, logistics and tactics. If we use smaller lures to target these beautiful fish, they should be teamed with beefy enough tackle to bring them to the boat quickly and efficiently. They are not a particularly durable fish, and it's not worth wearing them out just because we can, and just because they will bite smaller baits. We owe these powerful fish a better chance at survival, and light tackle just isn't going to cut it. Catching them by accident is one thing, but targeting them with light tackle is another. It's his fault I'm currently obsessed with musky fishing.Ĭan you target musky with that tackle? Yes, but maybe the answer is that we shouldn't. My brother Kyle with a musky caught from shore while targeting walleye. Walleye were on all of our minds at the time, but the toothy bigger muskies had my attention too.
We still fished smaller baits and lighter tackle because, quite frankly, we liked the action that bass and walleye gave us. Until recently, we targeting other species and muskies were bonus fish, but our tactics didn't change. He introduced me to that type of fishing, and that began my infatuation with muskies. A few years later, my brother Kyle decided to target walleye and managed to catch several muskies. I didn't get a musky on that trip, but my friend Bob caught one that went about 54 inches long. One year, my buddies and I planned a trip to the French River in Ontario for a week, and I purchased my first musky rod and reel combination along with a few musky lures. And, I think that before long, it will be my next addiction. Although I've always been fascinated by these magnificent predators, it wasn't until recently that my fascination turned into an infatuation, and even more recently, into an obsession. I've only caught a few of them over the years, mostly by accident while fishing for bass or walleye. After all, it's also known as the fish of ten thousand casts. Esox masquinongy, or muskellunge, affectionately known as musky or muskie, often seems like mythological creature to many anglers.