November 1 Muse

[Pete Stoltman]

We still have at least a few weeks of open water season left and I am by no means ready to hang it up. However, I did start looking at the ice fishing pile in the garage and thinking it may be time to start making sure that gear is ready to go. So far it's just a thought and with the way I tend to procrastinate I'll have that stuff ready the night before I actually have to use it. How bout you? Still fishing or hang it up? Any trips left? My feeling is that big musky time is about here and won't give up till I just can't get on the water anymore.

[Mark Benson]

Pete:

Tip-ups always ready to go in the water, then I start redoing the leaders, etc.!!!
I just inspect the line before one goes in, with 6 at the ready, I usually can find three to install on the ice. Then I re-leader remaining for the next trip and and one more time and all are done.

Take reels off the summer rods and install winter spools and ready to go panfishing/eye jigging just like that. Now the auger has a few days to get re-gassed, spark plug changed as we all smartly start with the spud bar, right???

Mark

[Jeremy Hopland]

Fishing on "soft" water down here... :D It's getting to be monster Blue Cat time and I can't wait. Thinking about doing my first drift the weekend after Thanksgiving, as the next couple of weekends are prep-time for the big Wisconsin rifle season! Hope all of you other hunters have a safe and successful rifle season!

[JBlanck]

Going to Vermilion this weekend for a giant (hopefully), and to N Twin the following weekend. If things go right, I'll be able to hit N Twin Thanksgiving weekend after the holiday dinner with family. We were able to do it last year with the nice weather, so I'm hoping for this year, too. Last year there was a nice dusting of snow that weekend which made for a nice photo of the last fish of the season. Wish me luck!

Jeff

[Pete Stoltman]

Sounds like a good plan to wrap up the season. Love fishing after Thanksgiving dinner. Helps offset the "turkey coma" syndrome. Good luck out there and by all means give us a report. One of the guys from the Musky Shop just got back from Vermilion. Pretty slow action but did get a nice 47". I'll take that any time, any place.

[Jim L]

Pete and matt,

You were talking about the cisco spawn and catching your own ciscos on the show Sunday. Anyone ever try using jumbo Golden Shiners on a quick strike for muskies on those cisco spawning areas? I used to get huge jumbos up to 10" long for pike fishing in the winter. Can bait stores get jumbos at this time of year? Could be an alternative with the sucker shortage.

[Pete Stoltman]

That's some good thinking there Jim. Usually the bait dealers don't start running shiners until ice fishing kicks in but I'll ask. I'm thinking the largest ones you can usually get are about 4"-5" from the dealers. Don't see why it wouldn't work. I frequently get hook ups and bite offs in early season on just a medium sized shiner. I talked to somebody the other day who hooked up a little pike that attacked his sucker and the dang thing got hit.

Something interesting about the guys who tend to only fish muskies in the fall. I spoke to someone who was bringing a group of 8 up to fish muskies this weekend but were going to cancel their trip if they couldn't get suckers. They were under the impression that dunking sausage was the only way to catch a musky in the fall. I tried to set him straight but not sure he bought the concept that you CAN catch them with artificials at this time of year.
Some good reports of healthy sized fish with a bunch in the upper 40's the last few days. Some on suckers some casting artificials.