Fishing gurus, experts, or just hacks like me???

[dpear]

Guess this thread won't die so may add a few things in the process of cleaning out some computer space.
Primarily an old Article or 2 from Esox Angler or elsewhere.Some REAL old so....getting what you paid for most likely)

BE IT RESOLVED,�����..

Hi Folks.Well its that time again,time to think about and set my goals for the upcoming season.What follows are some resolutions I intend to pursue this year and hopefully you�ll find something informative and helpful here.
First I�m definitely going to fish some new water.That used to be my thing but recently I�ve let the �business�of muskie fishing deter me from scouting new waters and that will now end.It isn�t just that I like to see whats over the next hill,or that I may find a new big fish nirvana,its that fishing new waters is a challenge that tests your skills and knowledge.I�m a person that tends to do the �same old,same old� if I�m not challenged so its clearly time to get back on the road.Where?Lots of options out there.Eastern Canada?New lakes in the States?Maybe the Great Lakes-now there�s some serious new water to explore.
Mainly though,my resolutions deal with new presentations.The more I experiment with presentations the more I realize the only rule when it comes to muskies is that there are no rules!The last couple of seasons have been amazing.Whether its high speed short line trolling of 5oz Grinders in heavy weeds or pausing(totally stopping)surface baits for extended periods of time,most anything seems to work if given a fair chance.Couple that with ever increasing pressure,pressure utilizing largely traditional presentations, and the idea of trying new things makes great sense.
Given that I hope to be on new water quite often this year-therefore having to efficiently cover lots of water-many of my resolutions have to do with trolling.Here are a few of them:
1.High speed surface baiting.Trolling surface baits has been going on for a long time-heck some friends from Thorne Bros Tackle in the Twin Cities have been doing it at pretty good speeds as well for years-but that�s not what I�m talking about.I�m talking about really high speeds-with strange lures.
This idea first occurred to me many years ago on Leech Lake in northern Minnesota after observing schools of muskies chasing schools of tulibees on the surface.The tulies dancing, darting and leaping out of the water,the muskies chasing.High speed chasing.Just like bass and shad or sailfish or marlin chasing those squid type lures on TV.(I�ll digress here with a bit of history.I think this is likely how the �walk the dog�thing-�crackpotting�if you will- got started with respect to muskies.I think it was this chasing of tulibees by muskies on Leech that led a respected guide,Dick Pence,to develop what I believe was the first �crackpot�lure designed for muskies.)Regardless, I intend to pursue it with salt water high speed lures or modified existing lures such as weighted Docs or Lee Lures,unweighted Sledges,Hell Hounds,etc.
I know.I know,I�m crazy because even if they chase them,hooking them will be a different story.Perhaps but tulibees get eaten,squid lures get nailed,so�One thing for sure,I believe they�ll chase them like crazy-especially out over open water-and then at least I�ll know where they are.We can all agree that�s not a bad thing.
2.Use of trollings aids/devices/trinkets/attractants/whatever you call them.
My friends at Cat�s Tails Tackle have convinced me to try bucktails trolled behind Dipsy Divers(52 inchers will do that to me)but what about other lures?I just have to try jerk baits such as Hell Hounds and Suicks.
What about using attractants in front of or around our lures?Remember Cowbells-that leader full of flashing beads and blades in front of your lure?Or Dodgers,most often used for salmon or trout?Talk about flash,vibes,appeal to lateral lines!Years ago I went there and after only a couple of hours of trolling I remember that big muskie flying out with the Cowbells,not my lure,in its mouth.I gave up the idea shortly after that.Hello???If I�d given up on every lure or idea I lost a muskie on I�d have run out of ammo and had to quit long ago.Nope I suspect it was my dislike for trolling in those days that caused me to give up what I believe is a solid idea for attracting and catching muskies.I�ll be trying them again this year.(Please,will someone start producing muskie size,muskie quality versions of these attractants?)
Finally,this year I�ll also be trying planer boards coupled with surface baits along walls,windswept shorelines and over shallow reefs and rock flats.Running them in and across areas my boat can�t get to under the conditions.
3.Now my favorite resolution.One I�m sure will put big fish in my boat-or yours.I�ll call it �rattling up�a muskie since the idea came to me while in a bow stand �banging bones�(I know,technically its antlers)trying to attract a trophy whitetail.
In the past I�ve written and talked about my trolling experiences.How I�ve gotten pretty effective trolling,even in open water situations,but that nearly all of my big fish caught trolling have been on or near traditional structure,often striking right after lure contact with that structure.(the tactic does not seem to work early in the season however,possibly because the big girls simply aren�t there or aren�t in the aggressive feeding mode due to spawning.)
I consider rattling for deer an aggressive tactic and it occurred to me that at times maybe I�m not aggressive enough when I�m hunting for big muskies.I started thinking why don�t I get more aggressive toward big muskies by banging structure instead of horns.Its a proven tactic that I�ve really never thought through and likely have underutilized.Sure I�ll purposely bang a point or the tip of a reef a few times,probably at different depths,and sure I�ll occasionally dip in toward a structure break and bang something,but why not get really serious,really aggressive,and bang structure a lot?Why not make banging structure the rule rather than the exception at times,make it the primary trolling goal-bang as much structure,at various depths(never below the twilight zone,the zone within which photosynthesis takes place,however.)as possible?Pass after pass,structure after structure,over and back,across,down the sides,repeatedly.
Good questions.Ones I suspect should have been asked before.This year I will and bet the number of big fish I catch increases substantially.
4.Finally,I resolve to ask myself more often;Why do I fish?Why do I fish muskies?
This past year I run to Mille Lacs lake and see 20 boats fishing the area I�d planned to fish and I ask,as I depart, why?What enjoyment could they be getting out of that?
Or I arrive at a favorite spot on million acre Lake of The Woods and see 2 or 3 boats already there and think the same thoughts as I again depart.
Or I read about a muskie tournament with 50(or more) boats and think why would anyone want to try catch this elusive fish with that many others(often others with tremendous skills)on the body of water at the same time?
In both instances I think,don�t they get it?Good god where�s the solitude,peacefulness,�mystique�of muskie fishing in that?Man that�s not for me!
Then I realize that�s the point,it isn�t for me.Now.And further,I�m being hypocritical to think that way as I reflect back on my muskie fishing history and recall days in the 70s when I�d fish the weed beds in Portage Bay of Leech Lake with 20 other boats nearby doing the same thing,or reflect back to when I occasionally fished tournaments or relished the �competition�of catching and reporting �numbers�in other contests.Then that kind of fishing obviously was for me.
So whats my point you ask?More than one really.With age I�ve learned that satisfaction varies from person to person and that most will change their reasons for fishing,and for fishing muskies specifically,as they motor through life.But most importantly,with age,I�ve learned that asking these questions of myself,and answering them honestly,leads me to focus on where,when what and how I want to fish which in turn,assuming I follow the course that dictates,leads to satisfaction at the end of each season regardless of the number or size of fish caught and released.
Resolve to try it.Ask yourself these 2 questions,be honest with yourself and maybe you�ll have clearer goals and more satisfaction each season.
Have a great season folks!
Remember:thinking is just being thoughtful.
See you next issue.
Dick

[dpear]

Serious fishing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BomQ...=s&app=desktop

[Tim Kelly]

Excellent! Happy Christmas.