Welcome to the Fish of Ten Thousand Casts

It’s the bucket list fish of many Canadian anglers. It is one of the most difficult game fish to catch so those who catch one will be held in high regard. No other fish is physically, mentally and financially demanding as the musky. The barrier of entry to musky fishing is so high compared to other species so people are hesitant to take the plunge.

I dreamed of catching a musky for many years before finally taking the plunge. I can’t say I’m an expert at muskies at all. As of today, I’ve caught a total of two muskies ever and I’ve only gone on a couple outings. I will say though while there were many unexpected challenges, it’s not as impossible as it seems. I will attempt to explain my thought process as to how I started at musky fishing and the challenges that I ran into. Hopefully this gives you a realistic idea of what it takes to get into the sport of musky fishing.

Rods, Reels and Line

I will assume that you, the reader, is a reasonably competent angler who has the equipment to do walleye and bass. So now we will discuss what is involved in regards to getting into musky fishing.

Muskies require a long and powerful setup. While many rod and reel setups can be used for a variety of situations, musky setups have few other applications aside from musky fishing. The heavy duty casting reel could be used for catfish or sturgeon at least. The rod will likely be over 8′ long and can handle lures weighing several ounces. If you are casting and retrieving heavy lures all day, you want your rod and reel to be high quality. My first musky setup was an 8′ Heavy Fenwick Elite Tech Predator with a Shimano Calcutta 400b. That is not actually a super high end musky setup yet it cost over $500.

Line also needs to be strong. I recommend 80lb test braid as a minimum. Yes, 50lb test is actually inadequate. I personally witnessed a buddy break a heavy bucktail and leader on a backlash. The force of the lure suddenly stopping in the air can break knots pretty easily. Since musky lures are very expensive, it is wise to spend the money ensuring that your line is strong enough.

Overall, when dealing with muskies, your equipment must be nearly failure proof. With a fish as hard to catch as a musky, mistakes are unacceptable.

Lures and Terminal Tackle

If you ever stepped into a tackle shop, you probably glanced at the musky section and looked at the price of lures. A lure costing $50 is not unreasonable at all.

I love buying tons of lures but musky fishing is a totally different ball game compared to other species. I started out by buying a few of every kind of commonly used lure. Two crankbaits, a few bucktails and a topwater went into a Plano 3700. Eventually my collection started to quickly outgrow the Plano 3700. I plan to build a custom box that will be able to handle a larger collection of lures. Otherwise you can purchase Lakewood tackle boxes that will be in the hundreds of dollars.

Quality leaders are definitely needed to resist breakoffs. These are far more durable than the standard bulk wire leaders that most pike anglers use.

One thing about musky fishing that may come as a surprise is that cutting hooks to release fish is a common practice. That ensures that the fish can be returned to the water as soon as possible. Lots of spare hooks need to be purchased to replace cut hooks.

Other Equipment

Muskies, despite their size and strength, are a fragile fish. It’s important to invest in equipment that will take good care of them.

Getting a net with a giant hoop and deep bag will be expensive and difficult to find. By having a deep net, it allows the musky to lay in the water comfortably for the unhooking process.

As mentioned before, cutting hooks is important. Knipex is the most commonly used brand of bolt cutters used to cut hooks. I started out with a normal pair of bolt cutters which dulled very fast to the point I needed two hands to cut a hook.

Probably the most important piece of equipment when it comes to musky fishing is a pair of sunglasses. Muskies are notorious for following lures so being able to look into the water is very important. Buying a quality pair of polarized sunglasses will be a huge factor in your success. While sunglasses are very useful in general for fishing, it’s an absolute requirement for musky fishing.

The Grind

So we have all the starting gear at this point. Now it’s time to fish.

My very first attempt was on Lake of the Woods. It’s considered one of the best musky lakes in the world. It’s a huge lake that requires long drives so expect to burn tons of gas. I’ve never fished Lake of the Woods before so it was very daunting to pick an area to fish.

I hit up every single reef, point and fallen tree I could. We casted heavy lures all day and did a figure-eight after every single cast which is incredibly exhausting. The large blades of the bucktails fight harder than many fish I’ve caught. Not one musky was sighted. It sure felt tempting to fish for bass or walleye but if I was to catch a musky, I would have to stay focused.

I consulted a musky veteran and asked why I failed to catch. Turns out I wasn’t doing anything very wrong at all. That’s just how musky fishing is. Tons of effort and nothing to show for.

I decided to head out again the next weekend. Fortunately five minutes into the day, I landed my first musky. However the rest of the day was pretty much uneventful though my brother caught his first musky in the afternoon. I did see a big one follow but it had very little interest in my lure. Seeing a giant musky follow a lure without striking always gives a bit of a heartbreak.

I was happy that I caught a musky well under 10,000 casts though I would have to say luck was on my side. Many other people have grinded much harder than I did for their first musky.

Final Words

No words can truly describe the difficulty that is musky fishing. The mindset is totally different than any other species I’ve ever done. Not everyone will have the mindset and capability to target them. Though if you want a musky, you just got to try.

I can’t say that muskies are my favorite species but when you get to hold one, you feel like you’ve truly accomplished something special. During a day of non-stop casting you start to think that your efforts are futile and then out of nowhere your goal is realized. To me, that moment is why I chase muskies. Everyone who sees your picture will know that you truly have strong mental fortitude. The day I held my first musky in my hands is one of those days I can never forget in my fishing career.

I might still be a beginner to muskies but hopefully this article gives you some insight as to what is needed to get into musky fishing. Leave a comment if you any other tips for a musky newbie.