Further North

I can send it to you...if the software will allow a PDF file. ...I just tried...I can't attach a PDF. I can e-mail it if you'd like.

Right now I'm trying to figure out why half of the flies don't wiggle on the strip... That may take a while.

I will try to remember.

Yes - 8 wt. Orvis Helios H3F. It's a big fly - 4/0 hook, and the foam piece is 1/2" x 2". I'm pondering a version with some weight so I can cast it on conventional gear, but that's out there a ways...gotta balance weight and buoyancy. Thanks. Other versions for testing this week:

The fly:

What does that take the temperatures down to? BFS is a blast. I dislike spinning rods in general, and being able to cast small baits/lures on a casting rig is a lot more fun.

Water temps have got to be well over 80° down there.

@gim good fish, and sounds like a lot of fun getting it to net.

Yep. It'd be in the way in either of my boats too - mine (I won it at the Treelands Musky Fly Tournament) stays in my garage. I'll give it away at some point... I wound up with three of those somehow. I gave two to one friend, one to another, after I got the floating measuring stick from The Musky Shop. I like it because it fits anywhere and I can drop it in the water alongside a fish to get a close measurement if I want.

I do exactly what @Scott F has written about with Senkos. ...and a Texas Rigged Strike King Smokin' Rooster for a more aggressive tactic.

One like this works well: https://muskyfool.com/products/60-fat-boy-muskie-bumper?_pos=5&_sid=1d84b843a&_ss=r ...but I use this: https://www.muskyshop.com/collections/tools/products/tools-measuring-60-floating-musky-measure ...because I don't care if I'm off a little.

Truth. Looks like a double #3. If you order direct from Mepps at Mepps.com, you can put together combinations you seldom find in stores. I have a bunch in green and black that work great on the Chippewa Flowage... You can go lighter on BFS gear.

I use my electronics to find structure and cover rather than looking for fish. Then I fish the structure and cover.

I agree. My favorite sized esox are between 24" and about 45". Most of the really big girls are just sorta sluggish. That said...there's not much that compares to watching a truly big pike or muskie eat your fly or lure...

Great advice, and kind offer.

I seldom take fish pics, but a tiger muskie is worth a photo. Add a couple of 24" pike for my fishing partners: ...and a weird looking little smallie with a body like a panfish... There were another bunch of unremarkable pike and smallies, a good day...

That 77° would be pushing it for me, and at 83° I would have been fishing for bass.

Other than the cast and stripping the streamers in rather than reeling, streamers are fished pretty much like conventional gear. They are considerably more effective than dries or nymphs with rare exceptions. You could start with something as simple as a Woolly Bugger and go from there. I'm sure any local-ish fly shops could get you going in the right direction.

About any ultralight, or medium light, if you want larger lures. will work. On the fly fishing side of things - what have you tried that's not working? I can't recall the last time I fished dries, or even nymphs, I fish streamers almost all the time. Streamers are much more effective for any fish, including trout, and might be a way for you to see some success with a fly rod if you want to pursue it.

What are your water temps like down there, and at what point do you cut off fishing for muskies?

This pike was 38"...the chunky ones can be deceptive.

Congrats! Any esox caught without a wire bite guard is a gift from the fish gods.

5 wt. fly rod, foam spiders. Fish around docks and shoreline cover/structure. Tons of fun.

Try fishing them in a relatively fast moving river...

I've been using them for decades and probably always will.