Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-06-26
COIN AFTER MuSKY,
Ny Dear Buck (:

So you're out for the big ones. the
tiger" of the waters, the great old
rascal that makes 'em all sit up and
dofs the lid. You've BASED, trouted,
and piked and PANIED a bit, now you
feel like taking q whirl at the boss of
the tribe. caused no doubt by the many
tales f1at have been spun about this
villa OF the "eedbeds. No matter, OLD
man, how narrowing the tale, the mus
kellunge is guilty of everything that
has been said about him.
Where to Find Him.
His favOrite haunt Is In about S to
10 feet of water near the weeds, va
ter lilies or grasses that grow in
the water, or alongside of sub
merged rocks. He is a solitary fell
low, don't make any friends, just lies
around waiting for q piece of food to
go swimming by. then he makes a
lightninglike dart, snaps his power
full jaws shut on his victim and swims
back to his station and gorges the
eats, ready In minute to take an
other foray. He always strikes d
fish or lure sideways, and there is no
special time when he is feeding, fact is
he seems to be hungry all the time, but
he is more active from eight to eleven
in the morning and from four until
dark. When the water is slightly Il
roughened by the wind and breaking In
small waves or an overcast day, is
unnd Y1nnclyu hut ha
prise you and strike your lure while
you are trolling into shore to make
a landing for the MONDAY lunch.
The Best Time.
Musky fishing is very good in June,
unless the season is extremely cold
and backward towards the tail end
of July it slows up considerably, while
August is the poorest month for the
big chief. During dog days" his
teeth are In poor shape and you can
hardly coax a strike out of him un-
less he feels so down in the mouth and
mean that he strikes from pure cuss-
ednesS. Like a snake shedding its
skin and the deer its horns, the musky
loses its teeth in August, but nature
packs in a new set by the first of Sep
TENDER and the old boy is in a fine
fighting humOr for that month. BY far
the best musky fishing is to be had In.
September and October, when the chill
night air seems to fill them with an
extra supply of pep for the food hunt
the next day. Even up into November
is not too late for the big ones, but for
downright good musky fishing it is
hard to beat September and October
Troll and Cast.
In the past most of the boys have
contented themselves with trolling fol
the musky, but the real sport Of thu
game is to cast for them, using thd
same method as that of casting fol s.
bass. In trolling for musky a sill
braided line of 20 to 30 pounds tes
is about right, while a six-thread Gut
tyhunk linen line is preferred by some
For a trolling lure the spoon hool
holds first place and is no doubt th'
best little all-round bait. Use club
sinner, black sucker or pork rind will
spoon as an added attraction, and "a
If this don't seem to make 'em curl
Gus, put a strip Of red flannel abOu
six inches long on the hooks and lie #'
that wiggle through the water a bi
as an enticer. Some mighty fine one
have been caught with this rig. Mos
beginners load the line with a whoL
ping big spoon, even up to No. i
size. Keep her down, old man, to
No. 4 or No. for the single spooI
and No. or No. for the lander
style. For a good stiff rod for tb
beginner make it q steel one, and II
five footer will fill the bill f
either casting or trolling for II
musky. OF course If you are dOubl
dyed expert you can use your light
rod and tackle, but unless one Is
expert at handling the lighter tack
he had better stick to the slight
heavier stuff and feel more sure of u
fish. A musky can sure make f.
outfit look like junk shop If it's hi
died by an inexperienced tisherma
Troll in water about 8 to II fe
deep, off the edges of the weedbe
and over the underwater weed
also off the rock beds and poir
of land as well as quiet coves
bays. Keep your rod straight out
hind the boat; if you hold it out oN
the side you put a strain on 1t II
is unnecessary and bad medicine ]
any rod.
In casting for the musky keep I
boat about so feet off the cast
waters, moving the boat as nOiseles
as possible and casting in towards
shore or feeding grounds. An
white or white and red head artift
minnow, or spoon and pork rind, I
or minnow makes a good casting II
From the strike the fight is fast
gamy and you sure must keep
slack out Of the line or he'll dc
flop out Of the water and corksci
back on your line, which means fl
well to the lnusky.
DIXIE