The 09 season

[Eyeman]

how thick is the ice

[Murph!]

On the big lake the ice is at least 20 inches. I have not been in Walker Bay but I know they are driving in the area in front of the Chase. I have heard there is a drastic fluctuation of ice thickness is some parts of the Bay, so use caution. It is hard as I stated earlier to drive through the deep snow and slush on most of the lake.

[Eyeman]

thanks for your input and good fishing

[Kayo]

Murph,

I have to agree with you Murph. I started coming to Minnesota in 2002. This will be my 8th year. Each year seems to be a bit better then the last. I have limited sucess at Musky fishing but I just love being on the water, casting and listening to the loons. The week I spend fishing there is truly one of my highlights for the year.

For the past 7 years I have been throwing a bait-caster for musky and a spinning reel for everything else. Does anyone use a spinning reel for musky? If they do, can they recommend a set-up for me?

I fish most of the year at home with the spinning reel, in Minnesota I use it for waleye, pike, bass and panfish. I am very comfortable with that kind of reel and it's drag. The few big fish I have caught on the bait-caster (Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Record Reel) I wasn't overly impressed with the drag.


Any pointers or suggestions of what to use would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

[Murph!]

Ken,
Shimano makes a muskie spinning rod, it is 7 feet long and has worked well for my clients. The drag on you Record reel should be fine. If it is not working have the drag washers checked. If you are using one of the new superbraid lines you have to have some mono backing on your reel If you don't, the line will slip on the reel because the stuff is very slippery and it will fell like you have no drag system.

Good luck, Murph

[Kayo]

Thank you Murph. I actually forgot I posted the same question a few weeks back. Most of my fishing involves bucktail spinners. They aren't the heavy baits that I see in Reed's. Maybe my skills with the baitcast aren't the best as it seems for about every 50 casts I get one nasty backlash thrown in.