Are Muskie really the "fish of 1000 casts?"... any place in West Michigan?

[waterfoul]

I've never caught a Muskie. I'm told that Thornapple Lake has some in it. Was also told Miner lake had some. Tried Minor, no luck... stormed half an hour after I got there that evening (last year). Is there anywhere in West Michigan for Muskie? What baits should I be throwing? What time of day?

I'm a pretty good pike and bass fisherman, but really have no idea when it comes to these illusive fish.

Mike

[Splitshot]

Yes the musky has always been known as the fish of a 1000 casts although some think it is the steelhead. They would be wrong lol, but they can call a bluegill a fish of a thousand casts if they want.

Thornapple lake has a reputation for some monster musky but if you really want to catch them, go east to Lake St. Clair.

[Ninja]

Agreed...go to St. Clair, it's worth the drive. When we're bass fishing, we can't keep the durn things off our line!!!

For a reasonable price, you can book a guided trip with Bob Brunner, the Legend of Lake St. Clair.

His handle on here is muskeybob I believe. Tell him Ken Neeley sent you.

[Codye23]

Isn't there a lake called budd lake by Harrison ? That has Musky ?

[ccavacini]

Don't know if you've ever heard of Webster Lake in North Webster, IN. It has become one of the finest Musky lakes in the midwest...a real gem. I think the secret is getting out though. Public ramp and parking are always loaded on weekends...but if you're in to musky fishing, this is the place to go.

[Biggamehunter73]

Hi Mike, I fish the Thornapple 2-3 times a week and at least land one musky a week. I enjoy trolling the lake with LARGE lures in 6-15 ft of water. Good luck

-BGH73

[Gar Tackle]

Hay Don't pick on thorn apple.Thats where I larned to cast for these muskies. The frist time I went to Thorn Apple lake I was putting down the Ancher and My buddie Jeff Menz said see that log over there I'm going to put this lure right there and Bang the water exploded. The Musky through thr lure back at us. His 2nd cast was a half fast retrive and as he stated to pick the lure out of the water one of the bigest musky I ever saw came rigth up out of the water. Freaked me out But that is what got me into fishing Musky. I then bouth a boat for the big water but before I ent out I hired a guide he trolled we got 9 fish in 8 hours 1 of which was a 21" wall-eye on a musky lure. We had to keep 2 of the muskies it was to hot the fight did them in a 46" and a 42" which is on my wall the 46er is at Jeff's house. Fish the river mouth coming into the lake or the place were we fish all the log on both sides of the river going out of the lake before the bridge. Take a tent or camper and there is a camp ground right by the bridge the last camp site is right by the bridge at dusk fish right from shore good smallies and muskie I've seen some big red fin sucker or are they called red horse suckers. I'm from Davison so it's about A 2 hour drive but it's good fishing.good crappie theres even trout in that lake a 4 year old kid caught one at the camp ground at the middle part of the lake there is a creek flowinf out of the camp ground at the mouth in drops off to about 10-12 feet like a wall just let your lure ride the water flow out of the creek and drop. If you are going to Harrison Sanford lake the lake that goes under high way 10 is stocked with muskies , Musky Inc. has tourtaments on sand ford lake. That is where Jeff lives He now has a co. called Musky Menz He makes musky lures and lures for pike& bass I bet if you got in touch with him He mite take you out he is a caster not a troller but he is a go teacher. Musymenz@aol.com or if you are in the area stop by his house and tell him Gene sent you. He lives on I think Clifferd road as you go up 10 get off at the West branch exit or high way 30 go north to the town of Edin just south of wixom lake. Before you get to town the road turns hard to the left and then as it turns back to the right on your left is Cliffer rd. Turn left onto it go across the bridge and the house on the left is Jeffs. If you are shi just stop and tell him you hear he makes the best musky lure on the lake. He also dose a hellasus carving of a musky. I've got a table top that I've had offerings of 250.00 to 400.00 He just sold his 6'er for 15,00.00 at a lure show in West Branch. He's a good guy to talk to He and I have fished St Clair maney time. We just cast the floaoting weed beds if you want to troll get a canada lisence and troll the deep side of the lake. OK I'm done good luck and keep your line wet and your back to the wind.

[ManillaKilla]

Originally posted by Codye23
Isn't there a lake called budd lake by Harrison ? That has Musky ?

Yes there is. I have seen some monsters in there, unfortunately they weren't on my line. :(

[FlyDaddy]

Long Lake and Boardamn Lake both near Traverse City. While perch fishing Long lake I seen one come up so big it scared me half to death and I pulled my line out of the water...Of course, I was like 11 years old. :lol: Not sure my small bait hook with 2 lb test would have handled that beast. :fish:

FD

[waterfoul]

Hmmmm... Boardman lake eh? I'm gong to be up that way over the holiday weekend coming up... might have to try that out!

[wanderlust]

You might want to try Murray and Campau lakes they both have good ratios of musky per acre, one thing I must stress is USE PROPER EQUIPMENT, musky are not big bass, if you are planning on releasing the fish or upping the odds of landing a big fish you need to have the proper equipment. I know that someone is going to post" I catch them on my Zebco 202" and so on, but how many of those are true big fish 48" and bigger? and how many break off and die because their throats are pinned shut be the lure they swallow? :help: Try this board for info on lakes and equipment, they are on top of the musky game thoughout the state http://www.michiganmuskiealliance.org/forums/

David

[Motown]

Try St. Clair in a couple of weeks when Muskie season opens especially Anchor Bay this time of year. All along the Selfridge shorline to the Salt river is a great place to start. I've already seen a few this year while pike fishing. Try trolling or casting any body bait.

[FlyDaddy]

Hmmmm... Boardman lake eh? I'm gong to be up that way over the holiday weekend coming up... might have to try that out!

Fish the west side of the lake. :fish: but reply with reports and pics :)

FD

[Brian S.Kroll]

Anybody heading up here to Lake Skegemog, gimme a jingle.
I live right here on the lake, over in the southeast corner, where it starts to get "nasty".
I run a Lund Alaskan side console, with mast and otter boats.
...Mostly I'm a waterfowler, but now I'm getting into Musky,and maybe we can both learn something.

[Santiago]

Most of the inland waters get hammered hard by the die-hard musky crowd. The brood stock lakes, Hudson and Thornapple, get what is probably the most pressure per acre, but they also have a high percentage of fish per acre. The fish are available there, but you often have to do things in an unconventional manner to beat the pressure.

St. Clair, and it's connected waterways, remain the best musky fishing in both Michigan and Ontario, in terms of numbers. The biggest fish in the world are now coming from Georgian Bay in Lake Huron, but they are very low density. You might fish for a week to get two or three hits, but the ones that take are probably gonna be GOOD! Every year someone gets a fish from there near 60 pounds.

After St. Clair, some of the best fishing for muskies occurs at certain seasonal peaks in waters connected to the Great Lakes. Skegemog and Intermediate are producers, and Black Lake is underrated. Munuscong Bay is another opportunity for big fish.

As time goes on, some of the impoundments in the lower part of the state will likely become good fisheries. I'll put my bet on Ovid because it has good (turbid) water color. But these won't develop for a few years, because many of those with good potential were originally stocked with tiger muskies, you're best to stick to the regulars for now. Just keep an eye on those DNR stocking records and allow at least seven years for good fish opportunities.

[Santiago]

Although the muskie is considered the fish of 10,000 casts, I've found that it also can be the fish of one well-placed trolling pass. They really aren't any more difficult than any other predator, and sometimes they're easier. I think a big largemouth bass is probably more challenging. It's just that muskies are a low density species that get a lot of attention. So if you're into numbers, stick to pike or walleye.

[Duke]

There are several good musky lakes on the west side of the state, but be careful you are not led on a wild goose chase (like Miner Lake). There were many more lakes planted with Tiger muskies (pike-musky hybrid) up until about 1991 than are planted with pure muskies today. Those tigers have now all died out becuase they are sterile for the most part, very rare they can reproduce and their life span is only 10-12 years. I say only because that 4-foot plus trophy musky in Michigan is most likely 15+years old and they can live to 30. Check the DNR stocking reports for the age and relative density of muskies in each lake to make your choice. You will notice Campau (kent co.), murray (kent co.), osterhout (allegan co.), bankson (van buren), round (van buren), long (st. joseph), lower crooked (barry), thornapple of course in barry, macatawa (at holland), gun lake still has some naturally reproducing muskies. Getting away from the west side, Budd Lake in Harrison was mentioned, Ovid in Sleepy Hollow state park, Hudson down in Lenawee co. Good luck! Make sure you have long pliers to take hooks out (baker hook-outs are cheap and work great), a big net to secure them and KEEP THEM IN THE WATER and breathing while you take the hooks out, measure, etc. Also, use strong line and definitely a steel leader. The object in musky fishing is the HUNT, finding one and getting it to eat. It is NOT the fight. That is chellenging enough, trust me. They may not be the mythical fish of 10,000 casts on average, but at times they can sure seem it. Land them as soon as possible, keep them in the water except for that glamor shot to commemorate the achievement, and get them back in the water to keep on growing.

[ranger06]

Dont forget Ovid......