new pike/musky setup!!!

[rmooney]

i just got my early christmas present

the rod is a Redington CPX 9' 10 weight.
the reel is a Cabela's XSS with a back up spool.

im setting one spool up with floating line and the other with either sink tip or full sink. i already have the Teeny Pat Ehlers Pike floating line, i just dont know whether to go with sink tip or full sink line. any suggestions?

 

[MoscaPescador]

Diver Dan is hardcore when it comes to pike and musky. I am sure that he will have an opinion.

If I had the choice, I would choose to put a shooting head system on that spool. I would use a .030" intermediate running line with 400 to 450 grain heads in intermediate sink, type 3, 6, and 8. That setup would allow you to play the depth game more efficiently.

Your CPX can handle heads in the 400 to 450 grain range (maybe even more). Go with the grain weight that you feel more comfortable casting.

Enjoy your new rig.

MP

 

[fish_gypsy]

I'd go with the sink tip over a full sink.

 

[Guest1]

i just dont know whether to go with sink tip or full sink line. any suggestions?

Mosca Pescador's idea is a pretty good one. If you don't like the interchangable heads a full sink line is handy if you have places where you know Pike are going to be hanging in pretty deep water. Most places you won't need more than a sink tip line. I have a really big lake here, (1 million acres) and get real big fish in structureless deep water. A full sinking line is good for that. In summer when it has been hot for a while, big fish move up on the rock reefs. It is 30' plus around them but the tops where the fish are, go from 9' to maybe 15'. Sink tip is fine there. Most of the time you only need the floating line. Pike and Musky see really well up and are willing to come up for flies. If you can only get two to start, you may want the full sink, because you can cover more water with the float / full sink combo than the sink tip / float. If you plan to do a bunch of this kind of fishing, all three would probably be a good goal.

Also, if you plan on more Musky than Pike fishing, then get the full sink first. Most people are not aware of this, but musky once caught, generally won't go as shallow again. If you fish them on a pressured lake you will need the full sink just to get the numbers of hookups.

It would help some to know where you plan to fish, big water, small, Musky Pike etc.

 

[rmooney]

Where are you planning to be fishing? A full sink line is handy if you have places where you know Pike are going to be hanging in pretty deep water. Most places you won't need more than a sink tip line. I have a really big lake here, (1 million acres) and get real big fish in structureless deep water. A full sinking line is good for that. In summer when it has been hot for a while, big fish move up on the rock reefs. It is 30' plus around them but the tops where the fish are, go from 9' to maybe 15'. Sink tip is fine there. Most of the time you only need the floating line. Pike and Musky see really well up and are willing to come up for flies. If you can only get two to start, you may want the full sink, because you can cover more water with the float / full sink combo than the sink tip / float. If you plan to do a bunch of this kind of fishing, all three would probably be a good goal.

Also, if you plan on more Musky than Pike fishing, then get the full sink first. Most people are not aware of this, but musky once caught, generally won't go as shallow again. If you fish them on a pressured lake you will need the full sink just to get the numbers of hookups.

I figured that i would want to get the full sink because i would be able to cover more water and depth with those two. im going to be fishing the Mississippi backwaters, the lower wisonsin river, and northern wisconsin lakes. i also got barry reynold's latest book on fishing for pike, and i plan on reading that cover to cover before next season. ive caught pike before on the fly, but id like to target them specifically. this summer i am going to be staying in La Crosse, WI to do my undergraduate research project, so i plan on finding some good spots along the mississippi thanks for the info everyone!

 

[bi visable]

Pictures?

 

[aftonangler]

Pictures?

Afton Angler with a big gal taken early in the 2009 season

Lucky Porter with a nice summertime musky taken from the Chippewa River in July, 2009

Marv with a beautiful natural Tiger taken from the Chippewa River in October, 2009

want more?

 

[FrankB2]

excellent pics!!!!!

 

[BigCliff]

Welcome aboard AA!

As y'all can see, this guy knows a thing or two about Muskies.

 

[Guest1]

Nice photos. Welcome aboard.

 

[aftonangler]

Thanks for the welcome fellas!

Glad to be aboard and to find some other fly anglers interested in musky on the fly...

It'll be a mighty long winter up here in Northern Wisco without some fellowship. I'm busy tying flies but that only goes so far at keeping the shack nasties at bay

I'm doing a research project this off season if any of you want to pitch in and help:

In his book 'Muskie on the Fly' Robert Tomes claims that "...muskies of all sizes are now fouund in 35 states..." but never lists one. That's not complete. I'm prepared to do the work to set the record correct. First I'd like to identify all States that have a legally accessable population of musky/tigers and then I'd like to get a database of all waters that habor Esox masquinongy or its hybred version.

Here is a map I came across in my studies...pretty interesting

So far I have identified 37 states showing present musky populations. CA and TX had experimented with tigers previously but do not list them presently as gamefish.

Any info that any of you can provide would be appreciated...feel free to PM me or use my email -- guide@muskycountryoutfitters.com

thanks

 

[BigCliff]

AA, as you may already know, chain pickerel are fairly common in TX, though that's the closest I think we've got.

 

[wcb]

Some great pictures there.

I would be interested in seeing what type of flies are used for the Musky.

I assume they will be similar to the flies we use here in the UK of Pike.

WCB

 

[chuck s]

Good pictures and discussion folks! The time is now to get out and go fishing!