T-Billy

I've tried several files on several different brands and styles of hooks, most chemically sharpened. I've found a Swiss #4 cut file to work best. It'll get them sharper than new without removing too much material.

One thing in our favor is the limited number of lakes. They only stock muskie in 9 lakes in OH so it's not like trying to stock the vast number of lakes y'all have up north. They've been stocking since 1953, and in 1982 began stocking "advanced fingerlings" averaging 10", because the survival rates are much better than fry or smaller fingerlings. Muskie fishing here is also growing in popularity. Time will tell, but the ODNR does a great job compared to the DNR's in many other states. Not just with muskie, but with hunting and fishing overall.

Thanks. We're really blessed with an excellent stocking program here in OH. We have no meaningful natural reproduction and are completely reliant on stocking by the ODNR. Hopefully they're able to continue the current stocking rate going forward to maintain our current population density. They stock at a rate of roughly one fish per acre in our 9 muskie lakes. Of course some of those are lost to predation, but we have very good population densities. I know they had a significant shortfall last year covering the cost of feeder minnows. The Ohio Huskie Muskie Club has a minnow fund that most of us members donate to, and the club also makes donations. I believe Muskies Inc. does the same. ODNR also has a tagging program, and the Muskie Angler Log, where anglers can log their catches to help them monitor size structure and catch rates at each body of water. A couple things I feel pretty good about are my average size, 37", and my 19 huskies in 2024. ODNR calls muskie 42" or greater Huskie Muskie, so roughly 20% of my fish qualify as Huskies. I feel like that's a pretty solid rate.

Thanks, Alex. There's a good chance I'll break 100 next year thanks to lessons learned this year, but I'm not gonna concern myself with it. I was hooked up with 120 ish this year, but those toothy buggers are expert escape artists. The goal for next year is to have no goal, other than just fish, learn, and have fun. Muskie will continue to be the main focus, but there will for sure be some bass fishing. I'll spend some time flippin for some pre-spawn piggies, and doing some night bassin in June and July. I LOVE that night bite.

60 here yesterday, 40's today, but it's coming. January looks seasonably normal in the extended forecast. Mostly teens and twenties. The lakes will be locked up in a week or so. Time for equipment maintenance and "honey do" projects here in Ohio.

2024 is officially going out with a whimper. 12 skunkings in 13 December trips. 🤦‍♂️ Darn Cantankerous muskies anyhow. 😂 It's been an awesome year though. The final count stands at 93 muskie between 30" and 46.5", plus Tammy put another 13 in the net. It was my first full year fishing for them and I've learned a lot. Hopefully those lessons learned will make for an even better 2025. I caught three 46.5" fish this year, but I'm gonna give the best of the year award to this big girl who mauled a double 10 under the August moon. Best bass of the year was this 5.35# caught back in April flipping flooded bushes. Best saugeye of the year. I didn't record the weight, but if memory serves, it was just a hair under 5#. Best crappie of the year was this 15" caught flippin laydowns for bass. All in all, it was an outstanding year and even though the last month was an epic struggle, I feel very blessed. Looking forward to an even better 2025!!! 🤞

Congrats on an incredible year!!!

Nobody is immune to skunk streaks when it comes to muskie. I haven't been suffering alone. Everybody around here has struggled mightily this month. I'm hoping this warm front puts them in a better mood for the next few days, but I'm not really expecting it to. We'll see......🤞

It's been brutal. I've caught a total of TWO muskie this month, and lost two others. Ten skunkings in eleven trips. Those slimy rascals know how to hurt a persons feelings. 😂🤦‍♂️

Here's some information you guys up north may find valuable soon. 😁

Yep. Now I build my own with a 6" wire coming out the nose. Problem solved. It completely stopped the tumbling on the cast. As an added bonus, it only costs me about $7 to build a rig, and they're very durable because there are no sharp bends in the wires. 😉

The bite has shut down cold @VolFan. I missed one on the rig last Monday, and had one bite on a dead shad, but it dropped it before I could get to the rod. I'll be out Sun, Mon, Tue, then winter is gonna be here for real and I'll be done for awhile.

Pitching shallow sun baked wood is my "go to" in those conditions, especially if I can get a few days of sunshine in a row. That deal will hold up all the way down to 38. Late morning through the afternoon is best.

Best bass of the year was this pre-spawn 5.35#. She's a thick girl sport'n a tramp stamp. 😉 My most memorable catch was doubling up on muskie with a 34" and a tied for best of the year 46.5".

Merry Christmas everyone!!! God bless you, one and all!!!

I'll be interested in hearing @Delaware Valley Tackle's thoughts on this. The drag on one of my two Tranx 401's randomly backs off, but not nearly as often as the OP's reel.

I'll take that over Iconelli's idiotic screaming.

I added a pair of Tekota 501HG's to the line up. They'll be handling my muskie live bait duties going forward. Gonna spool 'em with Fins 100# XS Big Game. I have a pair of 7'6" XH Big Cat Fever rods on the way to pair them with. They sport aluminum reel seats, and double foot, one piece stainless guides, assembled on a XH S-Glass blank. Pretty bullet proof construction. I watched a BUNCH of YT vids before settling on this rod. It should give good shock absorption while still providing the needed backbone for driving those big trebles home.

Praying for your dad.

Umm....... No Comment. 😂 They're LEGENDARY in one specific area of Maine. 😉

What rod are you using? This is one topic I disagree with TB on. MH ain't the way to fly IMO. I like an XH flippin stick or a similarly powered swim bait rod in the 8' range much better. A long stout rod takes a lot of work out of it, and does a good job of driving hooks home at long distance.

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Them wimmins oughta know better than putting something expensive on the finger of a simple minded man. I lost mine a few days after our wedding while sledding with the grandkids. I've been wearing cheap titanium rings ever since. Currently on my second one of those. 😂 I've never lost anything expensive overboard, but I have a friend that finally had enough crap from a cantankerous old 20hp Merc, and sunk it in a lake. A mutual friend lit him up for being such an idiot, then went out and drug it up with a hook and rope. He spent around 1k in parts and labor on that hunk of junk over the next few years, never did get it running reliably, and finally sunk it in the same lake after one too many refusals to start. 😂 He ate many servings of crow over that one.

I got out Monday for a few hours. I lost a 40" ish muskie boat side and had two more follows on the A rig. Then I got hit out of nowhere with the flu. Man, it came on fast. I came home, crawled into bed, and slept for 16hrs straight, interupted only by bathroom trips and uncontrollable shivering. Feeling semi human again this morning. Back to work for four days, and next week is looking pretty cold. The week after Christmas is currently looking decent though. I may get to make a Hail Mary attempt at reaching 100 muskies yet. I still need 7 fish. 🤞

No thanks. I spent six months in there in my younger ornerier years. I'd much rather be ice fishing. 😂 We have a winner!!! I need to service some reels, and build some bucktails.