Starting musky fishing takes a few beginner basics. You want to keep it simple to start. The choices in rods, reels, and lures are overwhelming. Experienced anglers ask questions, so do not feel bad if you are confused. This article is going to simplify how to start and enjoy the sport.
One of the best pieces of advice for beginners. Find a muskies inc. chapter near you. The members are willing to help newcomers to the sport. They want you to learn the right way to fish for musky. These people will help you avoid making mistakes.
These clubs host seminars and other gatherings. Speakers will present information on lures, tackle, finding fish, and much more. You will shorten the learning curve by years.
An important note to beginners. Learn proper handling and release of these fish. Poor handling makes a fish die after the release.
This is where you want to take a little time and think it through. What is your budget since musky gear is not cheap? The rods start at around 100 and go up quickly to over 300 for the standard range. The same is true for a reel. The good reels run 240-400 also. There are a few lower-cost options in reels worth buying for a beginner. On the low end expect to spend 250 for a rod, reel, and line, plus a leader or two.
My Recommendation for Beginners
Okuma EVx-C-861H-Tb The rod is good for 2-6 ounce lures, it is rated 2-8 ounce
Piscifun Alijoz or Daiwa Lexa WN The Alejoz is a low-cost option, The Lexa is easy to use.
Sufix 832 line 65 or 80 lb. test strength.
This is the biggest mistake when starting musky fishing. They choose the wrong power and length of the rod. Choose a power that is suitable for a wide range of musky lures. Lures out of the range will not cast as well if lighter. A lure too heavy will be horrid to cast. The lures too light will not load the rod to cast well. For lures that are too heavy, the rod cannot unload to throw the lure far. The lure rating matters a lot.
Look for a heavy musky rod. These are different from a bass or catfish rod in heavy power. A musky rod will have a lure rating of 1 to 6 ounces or 2-8 ounces. It will be a fast-action rod of about 8 feet. Going 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 feet is okay for the rod. You want a length that is long enough to cast far but can do a figure-eight motion.
Shore fishing opts for 7 1/2 to 8 feet and in a boat go with an 8 to 8 1/2 feet rod. Plus, the rod needs a long handle that is comfortable. Buy one with cork grips, I prefer the full grip. You can go with a full or split. The grip is important. Casting a musky lure uses both hands when casting. Choose what is comfortable. The full grip feels better when tucked under the arm.
People planning on fishing a lot for musky will need to spend more on the reel. If you fish less often a lower-price reel is fine. In other words, if you fish for musky 2-3 days a week for 5-6 hours or more. Buy the better reel. These reels are bringing in heavy lures and see a lot of casts. Then when you hook a fish it is going to fight hard.
Starting musky fishing, a reel with a ratio around the 6 to 1 range is best. The Shimano Tranx comes in a model with a 5:8 to 1 ratio. Musky reels are 300, 400, or 500 size baitcasting reels. A 300 size is good for a medium-heavy rod. Piscifun makes a 300 size suitable for casual anglers. The reels have larger line capacities and higher drags. The line capacity for the long casts. The high drag is for fighting the fish.
Daiwa and Abu Garcia make reels for musky fishing also. Whatever brand or model you choose. I recommend a paddle handle to start. A power handle may move during a cast and engage the reel. This results in a spool of ruined line and a lost lure. There is a possibility of reel or rod damage also.
You likely realize musky gear is heavier than other fishing gear. This applies to the line also. In general, a braided line rated at 65 -80 lb. test strength is normal. Some people go with the 100 lb. test.
On a medium-heavy rod go with 80 as it will be the best to start. A 300-size reel will hold around 150-170 yards of braided line. This is more than you need to get long casts and have enough left on the spool.
Buy a good quality line for starting musky fishing. This is not the place to save a little money. The best brands are Sufix 832, Power-Pro Slick II, and Cortland Masterbraid. I suggest the Sufix and it is what I use. It is the most popular line used by musky anglers for a reason.
The leaders attach the line to the lure. This prevents bite-offs from a musky. The teeth and gill plates cut lines. You need something tougher to prevent losing a fish. A beginner can start with steel leaders. They work with all lures.
There are titanium and fluorocarbon leaders too. A few steel leaders in 80-100 lb test are low cost and fine to start. Tooth Shield Tackle makes a double lock snap and ball-bearing swivel model that I use.
Starting musky fishing, let’s keep it simple. You need one type of lure to musky fish as a beginner. A bucktail spinner, it accounts for the majority of musky ever caught. You cast, retrieve, and figure-eight the lure. There are no extra actions you need to catch musky with this lure. The lure is going to be easier to cast and learn how to cast for musky.
The hardest part of bucktails is being ready to reel when it hits the water. The lures sink fast and will snag fast if you are not reeling as soon as it hits. Plus the lure works best running higher in the water.
Another reason for reeling right away is a musky will strike at the beginning or end of the retrieve. You will learn that 75 to 80 % of the time the strike occurs within 15 feet of the start or at the last few feet of a retrieve.
The other lures good for beginners are basic cast and retrieve models. I do recommend keeping it basic. You can choose a few types but it adds to the learning curve. Look at a fast and slower retrieve lure if you want more than one to start.
Starting musky fishing, and focusing on one lure helps to learn. You get the hang of setting the reel, plus learning to cast. For musky fishing, you must use the overhead casting motion. It is accurate and less dangerous.
If anything stops the cast with the sidearm cast. The lure swings around sticking someone with hooks, maybe yourself. Always cast overhead with musky gear. You get long, accurate, and safer casts.
After you, learn the bucktail you can consider adding another type. Learning one lure and then another afterward is best for any species. You focus on one lure and become good with the lure and technique. Afterward, do the same with another type of lure. In a short time, you will master 2 to 3 types of lures.
Although an apex predator, muskies are fragile when handled. When starting musky fishing, you need to be ready and have a plan in place. The release tools must be easy to access and able to be grabbed without searching.
This includes taking pictures and measuring a fish. The less time the fish is out of the water results in much higher survival rates. The time goes by quickly when you are excited after catching a musky.
The minimum tools are long-nose pliers, small bolt cutters, jaw spreaders, and a rubber net. Once the fish is in the net remove the hooks with the pliers. Longnose pliers keep your hands away from the hooks and thrashing fish. People get hooks in their hands or arms too often using the wrong tool.
Keep the fish in the net and water while removing hooks. Take your pliers and grab the hook and give it a twist. This usually pops the hooks out. The fish may thrash and dislodge the hooks also.
If the hooks are deep or hard to remove, cut the hooks with bolt cutters. The lure needs to get out of the fish quickly. After cutting the hooks to free a lure. The leftover pieces are easy to reach and remove. The jaw spreader helps by keeping the mouth held open.
Basic Release Tools
Muskies do have sharp gill plates. A pair of fish handling gloves are a good idea also. They protect you from getting sliced by the gills. The tools protect you and the fish. These are safety items for starting musky fishing.
Once the hooks are out, this is time to measure and take a photo. This is when the fish comes out of the net. Limit the time out of the water. Have the measuring tools, camera, or phone ready before lifting the fish out of the net.
When holding, keep the fish horizontal. Allowing a musky to hang often causes delayed mortality. The internal organs shift. It will swim away only to die a few hours or a day later.
Starting musky fishing may seem daunting. If you properly prepare when beginning it solves a lot of problems. Find the right rod, reel, and line to start. Choose one lure type to learn. Then add others one at a time. Have the release tools for muskies. The tools provide safety for you and the fish. Take a quick photo and measurement, then release.
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