Skunked on Muskies Again (Despite Good Conditions)

I ran into some pike as well, I just could get the winter rust shook off. I missed 4, 2 were really nice.

I might have to retire the cortland procast 10wt. for a stick thats got more back bone.

 
I have got to get going on this... I have not caught one but would love too.

Good stuff.
 
Reporting back with a skunking of my own today...did some scouting at an nearby creek mouth. Also got to test out some recently tied flies.

I found a handful of extremely fishy looking spots; but most of them were out of reach with a fly rod thanks to steep banks and/or trees.

No signs of life today, but I'll be back.



 
I went last evening to a spot thats produced tigers for me before. I love fishing high muddy water! I had a mid 30s fish hit. I strip set him twice, really put the coals too 'em. He got off about 10seconds later. It hit a triple tyed on 2 4\0 c70sd mustads and a 5\ 0 3407 hook. I also had 1 set up at the bank besiide me. But it spooked before I could get the fly infront of it. A good way to spend a hour or 2.
 
No doubt - that high water puts 'em right on the bank. :)

I hit a favorite eddy myself on Friday but didn't see any muskies. I like the higher water but I think on Friday I just had too much of a good thing as visibility was only a few inches - water was really muddy. Nevertheless, the water temp was 45 degrees. It's game time!
 
I need find some loud rattles like rattletrap loud. And bring them into the fold. Big flys push big water but not enuff for me. I'll try just about anything tring to tip the odds in my favor anyway I can.
 
Here you go Paco. Inspired me to do some tandem tying. Only managed to whip one up tonight but hopefully I'll get to toss it to some willing toothy critters when the waters here start to calm a bit. Super high and muddy as of late. Fly is slightly over 10". Should do the trick just gotta find some time to get out.

I've heard of some guys using rattles sold for tubes and worms the bass guys use. Personally I've only used the small fly rattles made for flies. Definitely not as much noise as you're looking for.
 

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Not bad for your first try. The real test is how much is left after ya catch 1 on it. Lottsa super glue and uni big fly thread!
 
i'd loose the EP fibers (or whatever synthetic that is on the top)

also try to leave your bucktail a bit more open
when tying in reverse, don't bind the material... just build a thread dam that carries back just to get the hair at 45*
 
Oh I glued the mess outta that thing.

Ramcatt why would you loose the synthetic. It's not EP but psuedo marabou. Light, sheds water well and moves well. I know some musky guys tie entire flies out of EP.

Reasoning?
 
use it works fine on musky flies..
 
I dont like syns @ all. Some guys claim false hook set because of ep fibers gettin caught in the muskys teeth. I dont know I never fished with 'em.

The angle of your buckt tail should be a 45 degrees like Ramcatt says. You want to maximize the bulk with minimal material. And a steeper angle on the bucktail meens a bigger profile in the water to a point.
 
- it really adds nothing nothing to the design or action of the fly
- easily fouls in the fly (and with that long strip it will be on your leader

anything "pseudo" is usually a lesser quility imitation of the real thing

If you want a marabou "breathing" action... palmer it on top of a bucktail layer
 
I palmer marabou for the heads of my flys. You can get a good color contrast between bucktail feather and thread.
 
Man I can't imagine the workout you must get throwing that thing.
 
It's like pitching a ball game. You work your way upto it. If go to crazy at the start you burn out. My buddys and I in the summer have gone sun up to dark. A 12 to 14 hr day no matter how strong you are you still feel it. You just have to try to be as efficient as you can.

The right set up reel, line and rod working together makes it much easier too. I got tendonitis in my arm last spring because of a outfit that outta balance, the reel was way to heavy.
 
How far is the average cast distance wise? do musky really hang that close to shore?
 
Id guess an avg. 60 ft. Sometimes more sometimes less. I can leg out a cast if have too. But I dont wanna do it all day. In high run off period, dark and cold water conditions they come in close. I had 1 today fallow a fly in today and just hang at the bank for a couple of minutes. They just glide in and out.

I'v had em hit 1 strip into the cast uptil & just the leader out the tiptop. They fallowers theyll pick up the fly and fallow it into your boots & just look at ya thats cool!
 
the casting is not that hard... with the right technique and setup
shooting line, effective hauling, and dynamic casts

being in a boat (or wading shallow helps)... als proper line manage ment

casts are as short as needed or into the backing
clearing the entire line for a sink or sink tip is not uncomon
I usually dump most of the line (until i see backing) on the floor before I make the first cast
 
Remember to let the rod do the work. You are not going to get anything but tired by trying to muscle the fly line out. When using the heavy sinking lines it helps load the rod much more efficiently as well. I can usually throw 60 or 70 feet of line with just 1 or 2 backcasts. Fewer backcast help with fatigue obviously. Just use good technique and practice your double haul and you can bomb some line. The longer you can cast the longer your fly is in the water which means more time for the musky to see your fly.
 
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