Pre-opener musky trips?

[NitroMusky]

Anyone planning trips this spring to cure the musky itch prior to June 18?

I was thinking of hitting Raystown in PA for muskie and stripers for a long weekend but with gas prices I may just make a couple day trips back down to the Cow and try to figure it out. The new MH has a nice article on spring fishing reservoirs that I will probably be rereading a few times in hopes it will make this year there more productive than last...

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[Ronix 51]

whats the cow? ive thought about heading down to the allegheney on the PA side

[NitroMusky]

Cowanesque...just - and I mean just - over the border south of Corning, right off the expy.

I went down to Allegheny two years ago for a 'spring fling' and won't do it again. Its a lure wash. even the local musky die hards don't even touch it barely from what I hear. It was the allegheny in-the-know locals that reccommended the Cow to me. maybe not bigguns, but much better odds and a lot shorter drive. just my .02

[Ronix 51]

lure wash? meaning zero chance of any fish?? youd think for such a big body of water itd be better but ill have to look into the "cow" (i like it haha) now.

[NitroMusky]

yep, lure wash= clean lures, no fish.

I've heard there are some bigguns in the 'alley' and a potential record breaker has been prophesized to come from there sometime in the near future, but they are very few and far between. Like I said, even the locals don't waste their time on skis in the res...that tells me something right there.

[Ronix 51]

true...but look at places like lac seul, huuuuuuuuge body of water with huuuuuuuge skis in it theyre just way too far and few in it ive read it just takes several 12 hour days of non stop fishing to even see one it sounds like the alley is the same way

[NitroMusky]

heres my take (and totally unscientific at that)...

those big bodies of water have low density overall yes, but from what I can tell, there are going to be areas that hold the fish - meaning you have to know the area well and be able to separate out the empty water from the productive areas...

On the allegheny it seems there is such a low density (maybe once the fish move below the dam they cant get back up??) that even in the areas that should be productive there is not even a whiff.

[Ronix 51]

hmmm does no body fish below the dam?

[NitroMusky]

sure thats where the locals fish, but most wouldn't be caught dead in there without a jet boat

[mostlymuskies]

Nitromusky,Join us down in southeast Ohio at Saltfork Lake for the weekend of April 16th & 17th.There are always lots of muskies caught & released every year at this outing and a couple over 50" as well.

Capt. Larry

[zach]

People do fish below the dam and do okay. In PA I saw some nice pics from below the dam. I am going to Lake Aurthur for a few days and am looking at Tamarak, North Branch Susq and Cowanesque on the drive back. I also plan on hitting Salt Fork in Ohio and maybe another lake on the drive back. Last year I went to Cave Run and it sucked to say the least. The most over promoted lake I have ever been to and it will be a while until I make it back. This year I am sticking closer to home and plan on taking 2x the trips instead of one big one. I have also been talking to Bob Mignano (BM Shads) about splitting a trip to LSC in early-mid June. Ohio and PA are 99% sure but Lake Saint Clair is 50% chance depending on $, Bob M is down but its my cheap ass that is holding things up. 3 weeks until my fishing season starts but I have to travel to Ohio! Making some shad baits to get ready for some shad lakes. Yeah!

NITRO- want to meet up and fish Raystown together? Depending on when you go I may be down that way already. I may be able to have a local guide go with us depending on his schedule. He said to bring rattletraps for the stripers and some topwaters for evening fishing. It is said that a striper will kick your butt a few times over, taking 100 foot runs and fighting like all heck but no jumps. Nitro, if you want to join Larry, Dr Dave and me at Salt Fork feel free. It's gonna rock, I was talking to MuskieGuy and he says that 50"s happen. Oh- look at Newmans "Little Richard" crankbait featured in Jim Bortz article in spring muskies, exact copy of a Wiley! Spring time = short lines.

[mostlymuskies]

Zach, The Little Richard does not work like the Wiley,it has a blunt nose so it works differently.They will work,but a Wiley will catch more fish.Vinces Spinner Shop has some Little Richards left over from the Shows I can get them the next batch of lures I pick up.I could have had them all cheap,I passed on them!

Capt. Larry

[ray j]

Zach,

Be aware, Tamarack is a electric motors only lake. Good destination, but bring your oars not your outboards!

Ray J

[mostlymuskies]

Go to the Sleeper----Sugar Lake--Small but a few Big Muskies!

Capt. Larry

[Ronix 51]

im still catching up on all these lure names...never knew what a wiley was until I just googled it...looks exactly like the stalkers how similar are they? im quite partial to drifter tackle myself but i dont know the pros and cons between the two or if its just personal preferance...

I too will be making more trips to closer areas than fewer longer trips....being some what of a pure ski rookie i think it would be better for me to learn anyways. How far is the cow from here? like timewise? 2 hours? more? hows the susqi river too? which areas are the hotter muskie waters?

[mostlymuskies]

Everything that looks like a Wiley,is a Copy of a Wiley. Wiley Lures have caught so many fish over the years that there are now more then a dozen other lure co's out there with copies.That just tells you how good they are!

Capt. Larry

[NitroMusky]

Ronix, cowanesque is about 2 hrs door to door ALL expressway. About 10 minutes past corning.

I want to try the susky myself, but won't be in my fiberglass boat and will be after doing some research to learn what stretches have the productive pools, and where the skinny water danger areas are.

If someone has an open seat....

Salt fork...hmmm anyone have an open seat? Not sure if I can get my boat out of storage and prepped in time, but sounds like fun.

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[Ronix 51]

Nitro I got my 16ft aluminum lund with a 60hp ill try it out with ya we can split gas and make it cheaper on the both of us!

[NitroMusky]

get yer PA liscence online

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[zach]

A stalker is a plastic copy of a Wiley and I personally don't run them because of that. They will catch you some fish but Wiley's are a gold standard in my boat. Nobody talks about my favorite Wiley- the small fatbody. As for any Newman now- I'll pass on them. Why are you so fond of Drifter if I may ask Ronix? Wiley's are the wood originals and plastic baits don't really work their way into my boat that often. Ronix- get yourself some damn Wiley's and go out fishing! Check ebay or go to http://www.muskiethrills.com/ and order some. My last order I did through Dale took almost 8 months for me to get them so get that order in now!

[mostlymuskies]

Nitromusky,You and Ronix 51 can follow Dr. Dave,Zach & I down to Saltfork Lake. We are leaving Dr. Daves house in Erie,PA for Saltfork at 5:00 pm,so my house in Tonawanda at 2:30 pm to get to Dr. Dave's by 5:00 pm. We are staying in a motel in Cambridge,Ohio close from the lake,there are a group of guys camping at Saltfork State Park.

Maybe we can get a bigger group from LOU to go!

Capt. Larry

[mostlymuskies]

Get your Non Resident Ohio Fishing License Online!

http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/reg ... enses.aspx

[zach]

MuskieGuy is camping with all the locals!

[mostlymuskies]

MuskieGuy and the others camping have a big cookout and party around the fire on Friday night,we will join them for awhile friday night,but will spend the night in a motel.Early April can still get very cold at night,to cold for my old bones to lay on the ground.If I want my bones to get cold and my body to lock up,I want to do it fishing,not laying on the ground.

But if Dr. Dave wants to sleep in his boat while using a ceramic heater with power from my Honda Generator,I can do that.

Zach, You will need to be at my house by 2:00 pm on Friday the 15th of April!

Capt. Larry

[mostlymuskies]

Ok,LOU Guy's who else is going to Saltfork Lake for the Tourney the weekend of April 16th & 17th! Only $12 Entry Fee!

Get your line wet for muskies for the first time for the year,join us and meet other muskie guys from Ohio,Pa & WV.

Capt. Larry