04/03/2023
What stage are you?
The Four Stages of Musky Fishing.
For this weeks blog we have a GIVEAWAY! Tell me in the comments what "stage" you are in and everyone who comments will be entered into a random draw for a 3 pack of Premium Musky Factory Bait Company casting leaders! Draw Date: Friday April 7th.
This weeks blog is written by Wally Robins: Outdoor writer, Shimano Field Staffer and friend:
I wish I could take credit for this insight but I can’t. Credit goes to good friend Bill Barber, one of the best musky guides in Canada. Bill is a trolling specialist on the St. Lawrence River and has caught an insane number of GIANT fish over the years. By “giant”, I’m talking fish in the 55 to 58 inch bracket.
Bill has chased muskies for a long time. Many of his friends, fellow guides and customers have too. Bill has observed how musky anglers and their goals change over time. He calls these "stages". It’s thought provoking:
Stage #1 – Catch your first musky. We all remember our first musky, don’t we. And, it probably didn’t matter how big or small it was. It was a musky! (If you are one of those very lucky anglers whose first musky was a 50, you’re an outlier). The rest of us will congratulate you, but deep down inside we just might hate you (just a little bit). We also know that the rest of your musky career might be a tad disappointing.
Stage #2 – Catch as many muskies as you can. If they’re 30 inch fish, fine. If they’re-40s, equally fine. Bigger, smaller, just keep ‘em comin’. Stage two is all about numbers and the more the merrier. Warning though – if you’re in, or about to enter stage two of your musky journey be aware that this where a musky angler tends to spend an inordinate amount of money on musky gear. Tackle companies LOVE people who are in stage two.
Stage # 3 – Catch your first “big” musky. “Big” means different things to different people. The magical 50 inch mark is the traditional milestone for a lot of muskyholics. But, if the waters you fish don’t hold 50s, then maybe “big” means 46. It really doesn’t matter. You can pick your own definition of “big” and that’s absolutely fine. You will still enjoy catching smaller muskies but you now have a different objective. It can start to dominate your approach to the sport including where, how and when you fish.
Stage # 4 – Catch THE fish, the Goliath. Not every musky fanatic enters stage four. That may be a good thing. If you are obsessed with catching a massive fish, the pursuit can change your relationship with musky fishing. Forty five inch fish have no appeal to you. Smaller fish become a nuisance. You may spend crazy amounts of time on the water in ugly weather to be on a giant fish spot during a peak. If the peak is 2 a.m. in November, so be it. Finally, you will likely have realized and maybe even accepted, that the odds of catching THE one are heavily stacked against you and you will most likely fail.
Different musky anglers spend different amounts of time in a stage. Some willingly remain in a particular stage because it’s what they want to do. Hey....what’s wrong with wanting to catch as many muskies as you can! Being in stage three or four doesn’t mean you’re better than someone in stage two. It simply means that your goals are different.
No matter what stage you’re at, enjoy chasing muskies. After all, if it isn’t enjoyable, it’s probably not worth doing.
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