Musky in central Lake Ontario

[BP Swing]

I dont expect alot of responses on this one but has anyone caught or hooked a Musky in Lake O in the Rochester to Oak Orchard area?????? Any straglers??? BP

[Missdemeanor]

Ive fished for 30 yrs in the waters from Oak Orchard to Sodus. Ive only heard of one guy who has grabbed a Nice Lunge all these years. I'm pretty sure Captain Jerry of Rebel took a nice one while fishing out of Fairhaven in a Pro am.

I do all my Musky fishing in the Upper Niagara, Erie near the Harbor mouth, and Chatauqua (SP) Lake.

Now walleyes are a different story....................

[BP Swing]

Anyone even seen one between rochester west of the oak???

[muskybob]

I'm sure there are a lot of them, but not caught by salmon fishermen because the lunge like shallower water with lots of weeds.

[BP Swing]

MuskyBob you may want to rethink that statement. Thats why no one here including myself who has been fishing this area for 45 years has never seen or caught any in the area I mentioned. I did hear of one caught by a charter capt. off the mouth of the Genesee about 8-10 yrs ago. There is definitely not alot of them though , MAYBE a straggler.

[muskybob]

Just my opinion. There are folks who target them specifically, not just the occasional straggler, and they're lucky to catch one after many outings. But, it's a good question and I'd also like to hear if anyone's catching them not just around the west end of Lake O, but around Oswego as well. Let me ask around muskiecentral & I'll see what I can find out.

[Sluggo / NY]

I don't target them, but I seem to have a nack for finding big muskies in strange places! We caught a fifty+ incher trolling deep water just north of Sandy Pond many years ago. Then we had a 56 incher take a stickbait behind a planer board on Erie well below Dunkirk (during a walleye tourney). We were over 90 feet of water and about 40 feet down. The harbormaster at Barcelona said he'd never heard of one taken that far west. Of course I get them while jigging my local river for walleye as well. They are kind of fun! Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[Fat Tommy]

I don't target them, but I seem to have a nack for finding big muskies in strange places! We caught a fifty+ incher trolling deep water just north of Sandy Pond many years ago. Then we had a 56 incher take a stickbait behind a planer board on Erie well below Dunkirk (during a walleye tourney). We were over 90 feet of water and about 40 feet down. The harbormaster at Barcelona said he'd never heard of one taken that far west. Of course I get them while jigging my local river for walleye as well. They are kind of fun! Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

Kind of fun? Lords lords man! You're insane!

Then again, not everyone shares the muskie fishermans passion.

[bosco]

You got steel leaders above those walleye jigs? I can't imagine.

[Sluggo / NY]

Tommy.. OK..They ARE fun to catch, but I'd still trade you a musky for a 3# walleye any day!

Bosco.. Let me clarify my statement about taking muskies while jigging for walleye. Normally the muskies take me while I'm jigging for walleyes! Of the hundred or more that have hit my jig (or hooked fish).. I've actually landed 2! One was 54", 38# and was hooked by my 1/8 oz. jig on 6# Fireline in the tip of his snout. Very cold water.. or he would have torn me apart. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[BP Swing]

Sluggo where have you been hooking these muskies by accident? Erie?

[Sluggo / NY]

BP.. The ones I referred to that I hook while jigging are on my local river (the Susquehanna). The only one we got on Erie is this one...

Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[Landshark]

I'll second what sluggo said. I don't dare put plastic on when jigging in the susky. Ive caught alot of musky there on accident as well. They give me no thrll what so ever. Well, thats not totally true , they giver me a thrill until I realize its a musky and not an eye. :roll:

[bosco]

That is wildly fascinating.

[Fat Tommy]

I don't understand why you'd take an eye over a skie....

[bosco]

I'd have to believe Eyes are better eating. Much more accessible too. And they're more cunning and challenging than bass or pike. That being said, I've never targeted Musky but I'd absolutely love to get a hook into one or two some day down the road.

[Fat Tommy]

I'd have to believe Eyes are better eating. Much more accessible too. And they're more cunning and challenging than bass or pike. That being said, I've never targeted Musky but I'd absolutely love to get a hook into one or two some day down the road.

Pike and muskie taste almost identical to walleye, most fisherman are turned off by the bones. However, if you search on youtube, there is a video that shows you how to fillet the fish to be boneless. More meat than eyes. As for cunningness. Walleyes have pike and bass beat, but not muskie. There are far more walleye caught than muskie, in any body of water. Muskie also posess more stamina than pike.

[Missdemeanor]

Hey boys lest try to catch and release the muskies and not fillet them up. Those fish are a delicate resource now that VHS had taken its hit on the population.

If you manage top catch a nice one and want to mount it,try to get real good close ups of the coloration. Take numerous measurements of the length and girth. Let that big girl go and have a fiberglass replica done.

I'll get off my soapbox now and I'm sorry for the rant, but C&R is a big topic with me and I practice it with all my fishing...even with the salmon. Now lets break out the steel leaders. Sharpen the hooks on the plowbaits and Believers and get after em.

[BP Swing]

Ditto..there should be NO discussion of eating muskies. The state should make C & R mandatory for all skis. A Graphite reproduction for all mounts is just as good or better. They are just too rare and valuable to keep for any reason including mounting or eating. No real sportsman would eat a musky, except maybe a rookie.

[Missdemeanor]

Could not have said it better BP.......

[Fat Tommy]

Was making a simple statement. I am in favor of C and R as it is.

[Pike Hunter]

Back in 2004, as I was going out of the Irondequoit Bay channel on my waverunner with my neice and we saw a large wood floating just before the end of the channel. That floating piece of wood turned out to be a huge Northern Lunge - it was over 54 inches easily. The head was above the water with mouth open. I circled it twice with my waverunner and that monster never flinched. Then, it swam away quickly and never saw that monster again. Hence, I came up with my nick name and I hope to catch this beast someday!

[BP Swing]

What was it a Pike or Musky? Or couldnt tell?

[Pike Hunter]

The fish appears to be a muskie. Very fat diameter.and its green color and scales were very striking. The behavior of the fish sticking its head out of the water with mouth gapping open is unreal. This is the moby dick of the Lake Ontario!

[BP Swing]

Actually, I have heard of muskies doing that from other boards. Never heard of a Pike doing it though so you may be right.