Muskee Fishing pointers

[troutcrazy]

I'm heading out to catch Muskee on Cave Run, the fish of "10,000 casts" I'm told, on Sept 26 and I need some advice.

I'm going with a friend and he has lined up a guide service. So the equipment will not be an issue, and I'm sure the guide will tell me everything I need to know, but I'd like to have a head start so...I need some advice on any or all the following:

1) The hook-up...is it a delayed hook set, or do they pound it. Do I pull straight up, or to the side, or do I let the muskee run with it.

2) What's the best lure (color, wieght, size)

3) Are they deep, mid, or shallow

4) Retrieve? Does it matter if it's fast or slow.

5) Realistically - what would be considered a good fish? (I know any fish I catch would be a good fish, but you know what I mean!)

Anything else I need to be made aware of...

Thanks in advance for the help

[PatientlyWading24]

First off let me let you know that I am by no means a Muskie expert, however i did find a huni hole on the river for a week last year and got into a few. Who is your guide? Crash's is a great one and so is TNT. so in my experiences let me try to help you out a bit.
The hookset... Yes they pound it, it will feel like no other freshwater fish hitting your lure especially on a fast retrieve. You will probably hook up on more than you will catch, these fish are very powerful and have a rock hard mouth full of teeth. I hooked 5 fish in that week and only caught 1.
This time of year I'm not sure what they use on cave, thats what the guide is for. I caught mine on a big 1oz Muskie spinnerbait, bluegill color. They say bright flashy colors work great though. I'm a fan of the spinnerbait, it is the summertime bait it seems.
When i was retrieving my bait i was burning it just about as fast as i could. That was just the situation i was in. Don't think These fish are scared by a 3oz bait buzzing past them.
REALISTICALLY a good fish is anyone you see, not catch, see. In muskie fishing if you get a hookup, catch or no, or a follow, that is doing good. If you catch any fish at any size you should consider it succesful. Most people would consider a muskie over 40" a trophy but there for sure 50's in cave, if you don't beleive it go to any muskie shop and there will be a few replica mounts.
In southern Muskie fishing there is a technique called the figure 8. it is when you bring your lure back to the boat instead of pulling it out and casting again, make a figure 8 right at the boat with you lure a few passes is sufficient unless you see a fish and then i would jsut keep going. go deep and bring it back up. you do this by sticking your rod in the water, but you better have both hands on the rod. A lot of times these fish will follow your bait back to the boat, sometimes you see them and sometimes you don't. This is the technique to use on every cast, i promise you that. they will absolutely still hit your bait inches from the boat, like i said they are not scared.

Catching one of these fish is addicting. They are soo mean and powerful. The one that i caught jumped completely out of the water on me 3 times, just like a smallie but 39". I love it. I hope you have a good day out there. But like i said you pay your guide the big bucks for a reason, do whatever he tells you to do, cause he knows. Also don't expect anything, If you see one you should consider it a good day.
If you have any other questions, shoot em this way, i can try and help.

[troutcrazy]

thanks a ton...I'm looking forward to the experience.

The guide service is Crash's. My friend has fished with them since around
'94. I've heard about the figure 8 so it sounds like a solid practice that catches fish.

[PatientlyWading24]

Yea hopefully by then the water will cool down.. fall muskie fishing is where it is at from everything i have read, it is when they really turn on normally that is around october and november, but if we can stop having 9500 degree days it would help the water chill a bit which is only a good thing.. I myself am itching to get out and throw the broom sticks at them for a bit. I think that weekend before you go i will be on my second guide trip down on cumberland for the Striped ones. Still trying to figure them bad boys out too. If you ever start feeling froggy about that species Lance of Sassers guide service is the man.