This is a musky post. So if you're smart, you'll ignore it and move along.
If you are one of the dumb ones, like me, follow along. The quest to catch a 40!
The old RPLX 11wt (might as well be a 12), that my buddy built for me, is ready to go. Hoping for some old-school combo mojo with the mint Cortland Magnum 140D.
And yes, I keep my musky flies in a BBQ kit box. Duh...
Yeah, the muskies are actually the smallest in class for this lake. The smallies are legit and the carp are definitely top in class.
The 2 carp I had a very brief shot at today both would've been the biggest ever for me. And that includes some Columbia hogs from back in my treble hook days.
Haha, yes, it’s all part of the game. Smallies can definitely put up a good fight, though! Keep at it, that 40” musky will come when you least expect it.
Disappointment makes the good days that much better.
Also, be careful with those loops, especially with small flies like that. I've had a couple come back sliced clean open (and sans fly). If I use fluoro, it's with a HD cross-loc snap.
Disappointment makes the good days that much better.
Also, be careful with those loops, especially with small flies like that. I've had a couple come back sliced clean open (and sans fly). If I use fluoro, it's with a HD cross-loc snap.
What size fluoro and snap do you use? And what knot?
I get the concern. It's a long-standing debate with the musky crowd.
We only have tiger muskie up here. Most guys (including guides) use 80-100# fluoro and whatever their preferred loop knot is directly to the fly. I'm rolling with 100# fluoro and a perfection loop. I've only caught a handful and none over 40", but of those no scuffed or cut leader yet.
@clarkman what is your latest preferred connection? Ever been bit off at the leader?
Cross-loc or equivalent (VMC makes a pretty decent snap); size dependent on hook size but at least #50 -- it can be difficult to get some snaps through some hook eyes. About the only time I'll run fluoro anymore is if using more subtle flies under low, clear water conditions, or if I have a higher interest in smallmouth bycatch.
It's the inhale eats from behind you have to worry about -- my guess is the fly, leader, loop, etc, gets pressed against the palatine patch on the roof of the mouth, and when you set there's no resistance, clean cut though the loop. Eats from the side or quartering aren't as problematic.
I've made a number of changes over my 10 years of doing this. I've moved away from fluoro a number of years ago even though I had never been bit off (but it was never a matter of if, but when). I fish a 0.018 black coated wire (7x7), which I think is around 30# and super easy to tie nonslip loop knots with (I get Beadalon stuff that Sturza and Ed use).
I've gone away from snaps too as they aren't consistent enough for action because on occasion, the fly will get jammed in the corner and not swim right (plus, easy on = easy off). It doesn't happen that often (like, maybe once per full day of fishing), but I'd hate for that one time that it happens, to have a big fish following that gets turned off by that.
I still pre-rig a handful of flies with the wire, but I also try not to change flies all that much once I'm on the water unless I'm playing with some more recent ones that I've tied. I have enough of a sample size at this point that I have not noticed any dent in the number of eats or follows since using wire.
Thanks guys. I'll take all the help I can get.
I went with the fluoro for the stealth, but I do have some wire. I prefer a loop knot rather than a snap. And like Randy, I don't change flies too often. I have one rod lined with an intermediate and a 2nd rod lined with a sinker. I've only changed flies during the day a few times. That's usually after multiple follows that don't result in bites. Ah...musky.
You all are using 80-100lb or wire for your bite tippets them? The handful of times I’ve gone, I’ve used 60. Am I asking for some serious heartbreak. I’ve not tangled with one yet. I only do it 5-8 times a year and those big damn smallies always divert our attention eventually. I’ve put eyes on three though, so it’ll happen one of these days decades.
No. Most Midwest guys are using up to 40lb wire max. Gotta be able to tie knots with it. The point of it is that you can go way thinner diameter and less visible to the fish....and the point of wire is that you won't get bit off compared to at least a possibility with any fluoro....
Muskies have teeth designed for holding, not sawing in half like a barracuda, which is why fluoro mostly works. It should be added that it's more about the specific hardness of fluoro rather than diameter. For example, something like Seaguar blue label will get sliced and diced like hot butter while there are others that are just harder.
I'm sure the new member above from TN can speak to what works of their local waters.
I may be new-ish here but I was around WFF for a while... #30-40 wire is plenty, just keep an eye on it. You can sometimes go lighter, but be careful -- I had #20 wire get WRECKED on a pike in northern Canada last summer. Shredded almost every strand of 7x7. It was a very solid pike, but still.
I have a mess of Seaguar BL in #60 and #80 because I also have a slight tarpon obsession and it works great for that... but like clarkman alluded to, other fluoro formulas are more dense. The loop is still the weak point. I've played around with Varivas and it's pretty good but $$. It's still a potential failure point and I don't trust it enough to use it all the time. Regardless, I don't think it makes a difference for muskies except under very specific circumstances.
