Northwest Fishing Reports

might seem like a simple question, but sometimes it clearly isnt.

what rods do you use, and why? also what lures do you throw on those rods? if you have a model number please post them up, and i you can please post up the etailer you purchased it from.

thanks

LOL,..you huntin Muskie now T?

BB

I'll let our vets answer this..
As for brand names...well who knows, I like a medium-heavy style rod.

kevinb wrote:I'll let our vets answer this..
As for brand names...well who knows, I like a medium-heavy style rod.

what, dont consider youself a vet? i know you be one, esp with 2000+ posts

T Dot wrote:

kevinb wrote:I'll let our vets answer this..
As for brand names...well who knows, I like a medium-heavy style rod.

what, dont consider youself a vet? i know you be one, esp with 2000+ posts

haha,no veteran status here..unless you want to talk about follows and stocker trout

Hey T-Dot,
I have several different ones. All are different. 1- BPS 6-3 XH very versatile,1 -Fenwick 6'3 XH,1 Tony Rizzo South Bend-I thought South Bend was garbage but the Rizzo Signature Series is pretty good its older so maybe the quality was better then. And I don't think Rizzo would reccommend any cheap stuff. I just found and bought a Diawa 7'3" beaut. VIP Musky Series rod. She is light weight and very nice I must say. That rod is rated for up to 3 oz, looking into getting a 7'-6" for some bigger Bulldawgs.Diawa has some fantastic rods. Check out their website. I've got a couple others, just find something that you can afford. you don't need to spend a bunch of money. Just needs to be something with a pretty good backbone. 6 ft to 8 ft.. Hope this helps a tad. See ya on the water..Todd

muskyhunter pretty much hit the nail on the head with the rods. As far as lures go, they range and sometimes can be caught on anything and I mean anything. I heard of people catching them on crappie jigs (not very common but has happened). I must say the big producers in this state is bigger inline spinners 1/2oz to over 1 oz and bigger plugs (husky jerks, crank baits, glide baits) oh and swim baits too. It seems that colors can very but for bucktails (inline spinners) black and chartreuse where the predominant colors. Here are some links that can be good starters for examples of lures, rods and reels. I would suggest sticking with the smaller side of things at these links because they are geared mainly towards pure strain muskies which tend to get a bit larger than our tigers. Some of the local sporting goods stores carry selection of baits that would work for the tiger muskies out here, but they don't have nearly the selection as the links below.

http://www.thornebros.com/muskie/index_muskie.html
http://www.smokeysmuskieshop.com/Baits-c1196-pg1754.htm

Hey T-Dot why don't you and your buddys come to the Muskie school that the TigerPac is putting on on April 4th. There will be lots of information, hand-outs (lakes, etc.), demonstrations and the famous Muskie fisherman, author, historian and guide Larry Ramsel from Wisconsin will be speaking there too. Brett and Mike, the 2008 and 2007 Anglers of the Year from our club will be giving presentations about what to use to catch the big, toothy monsters. Brett caught 31 countable muskies last year and alot of those were caught bank fishing at Tapps. Go to www.nwtigermuskies.com to get the registration info.
Hope to see you there.

Holy smokes, Rosann, I totally forgot. Yeah T-Dot Chapter 57 is putting on a muskie school in a couple of weeks. You should definitely come, it is going to be a good time!!

im seriously contemplating attending this seminar, but am pretty tight on my fishing budget as well as time.

i was curious about everyones rod selection, as i have a few companies in mind. i didnt want to sway anyones thoughts by posting it up, as i feel im pretty set on my mind. i would be primarily throwing swimbaits, with the occasional buzzbait here and there. so im limited on my rod selection to okuma, fetha styx and st croix.

Well, I just picked up a Cabelas XMLTi that I ordered online. Regular price of $189, in their bargain basement for only $79. I went with the XMLTICM685, 6' 8" heavy 1-3 ounce lure weight. Some of the highlights of the rod are a double exposed reel seat to feel the blank, recoil guides so my kids won't wreck them, and the down locking reel seat (Which is cool). I felt that rod would be a great place for me to start and would throw a large variety of baits that I would consider. I'm not a rich man, and do not have any experience in the realm of Muskie rods, but I do know that Cabelas has a great warrantyand customer service with their branded product. I'm stoked!

Tight buget.... Even more reason to attend the siminar. This help to ensure you don't waist your money on something you don't need. I'm a glass is half full person. :-)


remember Dex knows. lol

Dex wrote:Tight buget.... Even more reason to attend the siminar. This help to ensure you don't waist your money on something you don't need. I'm a glass is half full person. :-)


remember Dex knows. lol

lol ima use you as a baby seat.

dex is multi-tasking lol

I'll list my rods, so you know where I'm coming from...

6'6" Pete Maina BPS JBH
6'10" Lamiglas XH
6'10" Fig Rig Muskies Inc Special Edition H
7'6" St Croix Premier MH
7'6" Fig Rig Muskies Inc Special Edition MH
7'6" Gander Mtn MH
8'6" Lamiglas H
8'6" M Thorne Bros Custom, GLoomis SW15 blank
8'6" Lamiglas Inshore Classic TriFlex IC 86 H
(2) 9' Shimano Talora Dipsy Diver

I don't know all the model #s because they are currently on a UPS truck coming back to me from Minnesota, where I just back from yesterday.

I have double what I really need because I try to have enough for two people to fish. I also have rods that I wouldn't have purchased because I know more now than I did when I started. I also have rods because I fish more in the Midwest for Muskies than I do around here, where I have different requirements. I am also nutso in that I have rods rigged so that if I get a follow I can have a throwback bait ready to immediately give the fish a different look.

In the NW, people generally throw smaller baits at the fish. One of the most important recent trends in Muskie fishing is the longer rods. This should be especially embraced in the NW because of the smaller average size of the baits we throw here. Unless you find yourself throwing heavy topwater WTD-style baits like Weagles that don't figure-8 well anyway, don't buy a rod less than 7'6". The longer the rod, the easier it is to cast baits, the farther they cast, and the easier it is to figure-8 since you don't have to bend down as far, and the wider you can make the figure-8, making it more effective (muskies don't make tight corners well).

I use my 8'6" Thorne Bros custom 90% of the time. Whoever is with me would use the 8'6" Lamiglas Inshore 90% of the time. This simply because they throw the vast majority of baits you would use in the NW the best. This means small-to-medium sized bucktails and cranks. The caveat is that they don't do big jerkbaits well, or anything else that requires serious action on the part of the caster due to their more "whippy" nature (being medium or medium-heavy). They also are very bad rods to troll with. Good thing about that is, good trolling rods are cheap (Shimano Talora, for example can be had around $70, or even TDR for like $30). I bought the Lami Inshore Classic on a lark at the annual factory store fire sale, hoping it would be something close to my 8'6" Thorne for my fishing buddies. It far exceeded my expectations and is maybe even better in some ways, pretty good for only $79 vs. the $300+ I spent on the Thorne/GLoomis. I think it may be discontinued since I can't find it on their website anymore, but if you can find one at the Woodland store, I *highly* recommend it to anyone. There were quite a few left and I doubt most Muskie people would give them a second look. Saltwater rods/blanks are now starting to be rebranded/built for Muskies without much fanfare, since some of them are so cheap, they lose the premium they normally charge for "special" or "custom" Muskie gear.

So, for the vast majority of what we cast in the NW, something that is 8' or 8'6", that can go down to 1oz at a maximum, 1/2oz even better (like the Lamiglas IC 86 H). Then, since trolling works so well out here, get a cheap trolling rod.

If you think you'll get into jerkbaits, then a 7'6" or 8' MH will throw everything fairly well, but again, not as well for the lighter stuff you'll use most. If I were to pare my collection down to three rods, it would be a trolling rod, a 8'6" M/MH and a 7'6" MH/H (MH or H depends on manufacturer...some of their H is another's MH). The Shimano Compre is a good value. I like my Fig Rig MH. I don't like my St Croix MH, it's now a backup trolling rod for states where I can use more than one rod per person (like Wisconsin and Illinois). I think Fig Rig may be out of business...not sure.

If you want to PM a price range, I'd be happy to make recommendations. I love gear. Don't even get me started on reels....

Swimbaits would all depend on the size of your swimbaits. I'd consider a 2-pound Bulldawg a swimbait, really. They use 9' XHs for those...

Any of my M/MH will throw any of my buzz/chatterbaits.

T-dot If you are looking at the St. Croix I would suggest taking a peek at http://www.proedgefishing.com/. This guy makes a top notch rod!!! Lots of 50's have been landed with them. I like a longer rod (76" to 8'6") unless I am working jerkbaits. Have fun.
T

wow beaucoup de information!

ima break it down so its easier to read and reply

PDXFisher wrote:I'll list my rods, so you know where I'm coming from...

8'6" Lamiglas H
8'6" M Thorne Bros Custom, GLoomis SW15 blank
8'6" Lamiglas Inshore Classic TriFlex IC 86 H
(2) 9' Shimano Talora Dipsy Diver

how do you like the above rods? i dont really mess with anything under 8ft anymore. what types of lures do you throw with each rod, and im really curious about that shimano. out of all the rod manufacturers, no one has ever mentioned or recommended a shimano for muskie.

PDXFisher wrote:I also have rods because I fish more in the Midwest for Muskies than I do around here, where I have different requirements. I am also nutso in that I have rods rigged so that if I get a follow I can have a throwback bait ready to immediately give the fish a different look.

wow the art of the followup. never really heard of that with a muskie, but ive always know you really have to finished the cast from start to end. diehards 8 it up after every cast, as sometimes you dont see them as they are lurking in the deep.

PDXFisher wrote:In the NW, people generally throw smaller baits at the fish.

thats a no no in our book. tisk tisk shame on you. to be politically correct - that methodology is frowned upon.

PDXFisher wrote:Swimbaits would all depend on the size of your swimbaits. I'd consider a 2-pound Bulldawg a swimbait, really. They use 9' XHs for those...

now you be talking right up my alley. gotta link to this swimbait? i have a few rods capable of throwing such a lure, but i dont know how much my ppe elbow will like it [as dean would say - it might say ouch nucka].

Travisah wrote:T-dot If you are looking at the St. Croix I would suggest taking a peek at http://www.proedgefishing.com/. This guy makes a top notch rod!!! Lots of 50's have been landed with them. I like a longer rod (76" to 8'6") unless I am working jerkbaits. Have fun.
T

thanks ill contact him very soon

Travisah wrote:T-dot If you are looking at the St. Croix I would suggest taking a peek at http://www.proedgefishing.com/. This guy makes a top notch rod!!! Lots of 50's have been landed with them. I like a longer rod (76" to 8'6") unless I am working jerkbaits. Have fun.
T

I tried to get a rod from him last year. He was pretty booked up. If you want one from him, you'd better get your order in now. Unless the economy has him idle, he's usually making rods for most of the summer and has quite the waiting list. That's why I ultimately had to go with Thorne Bros instead. Keith wasn't doing the GLoomis blanks yet, either, only the St Croix or the Diamondbacks. Certainly great rods, but not cheap.

PDXFisher wrote: 8'6" Lamiglas H

Too heavy for anything but trolling and huge lures. I mean stuff you really shouldn't be throwing around here. I'll expand on that below. I only use it for trolling now. I may throw pounders or Double-10s with it later this season, if I go back to Minnesota in the fall. I doubt I'll use it much on Lake of the Woods in July.

PDXFisher wrote: 8'6" M Thorne Bros Custom, GLoomis SW15 blank

Wonderful rod. Great for the smallest stuff I throw for Muskies, like Vibrax 5 or Mepps Musky Killers, or Rat-L-Traps on Southern Reservoirs. I've thrown up to Double-9s on it, like the Double Cowgirl Jr. I also throw smaller topwaters, like LOWriders and TopWalkers. Like I said in the previous post, I use this rod far more than any other. I mate it with a Curado 300DSV and I can really bomb the casts. Despite the fact it's supposed to be a Medium, it's pretty stiff and very light.

PDXFisher wrote: 8'6" Lamiglas Inshore Classic TriFlex IC 86 H

Just started using it. A little heavier than the above, a little more "whippy" feeling, it flexes more on the cast and recoils fast enough to fling the lures very well. I would use it interchangeably with the GLoomis above it, for all the same lures for all the same reasons. I had it mated to a Calcutta 400TE, but a Curado would work great on it, too.

PDXFisher wrote: (2) 9' Shimano Talora Dipsy Diver

These are just Great Lakes trolling rods. You want your trolling rods to be long and more flexible, to absorb shock from the bites, which are pretty violent when combined with the speed of the boat. When trolling for Muskies, some people go up to 8MPH or more, especially in the south. I've caught them going as fast as 5MPH. Longer also gets the lines farther out to the sides, though I use planer boards when I'm being serious. I love them for trolling. That's all they're meant for...you wouldn't cast with them.

T Dot wrote: how do you like the above rods? i dont really mess with anything under 8ft anymore. what types of lures do you throw with each rod, and im really curious about that shimano. out of all the rod manufacturers, no one has ever mentioned or recommended a shimano for muskie.

The Shimano I would recommend is the Compre series. I can't say I've used one myself, but I've heard good things from people I trust. Maybe the 8' H would be the way to go, but I'd want to find out if it can cast a Vibrax 5. If it can't, I don't want it if I'm only going to have one rod. I would get the small stuff covered first and make that my second rod.

T Dot wrote: wow the art of the followup. never really heard of that with a muskie, but ive always know you really have to finished the cast from start to end. diehards 8 it up after every cast, as sometimes you dont see them as they are lurking in the deep.

Well, you can see them on Merwin and Tapps, generally, unless they're coming from the opposite side (which hasn't ever happened to me) or you're too busy watching your lure and not the area behind it. I don't 8 every cast, but I've certainly been mad at myself for not being ready to many a time. It's tough to be on your game every single cast of a 14 hour day of fishing...to say nothing about multiple days in a row when you may not even see a fish to keep you on your toes.

T Dot wrote:

PDXFisher wrote:In the NW, people generally throw smaller baits at the fish.

thats a no no in our book. tisk tisk shame on you. to be politically correct - that methodology is frowned upon.

Lol, you haven't seen some of my lures. It's all about maximizing your odds. I'm actually the guy who brings lures to the Muskies Inc meetings and people ask "you throw that big stuff around here?". If you wanna get on me for thinking small, go ahead, but keep in mind everyone else around here thinks I'm crazy for throwing stuff as big as I do ]Swimbaits would all depend on the size of your swimbaits. I'd consider a 2-pound Bulldawg a swimbait, really. They use 9' XHs for those...[/quote]

T Dot wrote: now you be talking right up my alley. gotta link to this swimbait? i have a few rods capable of throwing such a lure, but i dont know how much my ppe elbow will like it [as dean would say - it might say ouch nucka].

I don't see them advertising the 2lb-er, maybe that was a special edition, I dunno, or maybe it was a joke. But the Magnum is plenty big. You may be able to catch a fish on it around here, but I guarantee someone throwing a single blade, single treble Mepps Musky Killer will catch many fish before you catch your first, like maybe a few dozen . I've had plenty of 50s on Double-8s, so I've never felt the need to go much bigger. Besides, I don't like to tire myself out with huge lures if I don't have to. You've gotta pace yourself on three-week fishing trips.

Nice to see you back PDXfisher. Are you coming up for the Muskie School to hear Larry Ramsell's presentation? There's a free door prize for a new Frabill muskie net.:bounce:
Rosann