Musky Fishing anyone?

Getting set up to do some musky fishing here in some Virginia rivers. This musky fishing is a lot different than fishing for smallmouth and largemouth. Anyone on here do any musky fishing? Bought some double cowgirls, gliders and bulldogs. Looking for some tips and tricks or to just discuss some musky fishing.

 

I have caught musky on Lake St. Clair and Lake of the Woods. I have never targeted them, caught them while casting for pike.
I often use a 1/2 oz. willow blade spinner and add a 3" twister tail to bulk it up a little. Best luck with a perch color and a orange twister, followed by white and white.
Mostly use a Pfluger supreme(baitcaster) spooled with 10/50 Power Pro braid and a 7' MH All American custom rod.
I like the spinner because I can burn it, slow roll and everything in between.

 

Yes , I live about an hours worth of driving from here .
Excellent fishing
http://cedarpointlodge.com/fishing-on-eagle-lake/muskie-fishing-on-eagle-lake/

 

The James and the New river

 

Do y'all use those big round reels and heavy floor carbon or steel leaders? Up north ya'll have some monster musky. About to pick up a Shimano Calcutta 400B to handle them beast in these rivers. A friend told me that a 40 lb fish in the current will feel 10lbs heavier. He told me to buy good stuff the first time so I won't have to keep replacing stuff.

 

Ha ! I use an ugly stick with 30 pound test .

 

Dang! maybe I'm over thinking it a little.

 

No issue with Muskie . I break out the big round reel with steel fishing line for the Sturgeon . They give me a rough time . Much bigger !!

 

What do you catch a lot of them on?

 

If you are asking what I catch Muskie on ? ..... Natural to the habitat up here is a small minnow or a leach .

 

Did some Musky, pike and walleye fishing several years ago in thunder bay, Ontario.
Had a lot of luck on zara spooks and willow leaf spinners. Leaches were really good for walleye.

 

Yes sorry thats what I meant. In the rivers here I think they mainly eat smallmouth, bluegill and river chubs or something like those. People use glide baits, bulldogs, and double cowgirls around here. Topwater also.

 

Use to live in Thunder Bay . I know all the lakes around the area .
Got sick of slow fishing and moved here . Now I fish off the docks again . Dont take the boat out often
http://www.sunsetlodgeredlake.com/

 

Man, I miss fishing in the Midwest. I really need to give fishing out here another chance.

 

yes! We have some monster pike, and tiger musky here, if you know where to go. I was fishing probably close to 8 years ago now, and ran into a guy who started giving me advice. He jumped out of his jeep, went to the back, and dug out a pile of water depth charts for every water body around here, which were buried under dozens and dozens of lure cases. He was serious! Well This dude turned out to be one of the best friends i could ask for. We have been chased by wildlife, stuck on a metal boat in lightning miles from dock, etc etc. Ive heard so many people locally claim "they are the best fisherman"....but this guy almost truly is. He won angler of the year for the state of massachusetts last year, and still holds the throne for the state. He had to catch nearly every species of sport fish that live here, and they were state pin sized. He had to travel state wide to do it. Anyone who fishes knows how extremely difficult this would be. Anyways, he brought me pike/musky fishing in all kinds of hidden places. Some places you would never expect in a million years to hook a 20 lb pike. Many times we would be on the water, getting laughed at by other fishermen while they watched us throwing 8 to 10" bulldog lures so heavy it felt like our rods would snap, and sounded like a cannon going off when they hit the water. Well they wernt laughing when they watched us drag in monster pike and tiger musky. Also, those musky buck spinners work very well too. I used to ride them along weed beds and when you're least expecting it, they'll ambush it from their hides. Use a BIG steel leader!!! Sorry for the lengthy post.....just figured i'd share.

 

Both the James and New Rivers are within about 30 minutes of me, fish them all the time.

 

The James is 30 mins from me but the new is about 2 hrs lol starting with the James muskies as soon as I get back from Nags Head. I've had a few come take a look at my whopper plopped but never had any blowups. I've came from tournament bass fishing for 10 years to now being a river guy.

 

That was a good read man. You got to be committed when chasing musky I've heard.

 

I am in Roanoke which is near the headwaters of the James. Curious which sections you will be floating.

 

I am around Lynchburg so Snowden down to Bent creek is where I fish.