From the Expo! – Going Small for 'skies – Sweet Esox GIFs
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Scenes from the CHI Expo
The Chicago Muskie Expo started yesterday.... and we're in attendance! 👍
Josh has a seminar on Saturday at 1:30pm, otherwise you can find him at the Angling Revolution booth next to this thing:
Gregg Thomas and Kevin Pischke spoke yesterday, but here's the rest of the seminar schedule for anyone stoppin' by the show today or tomorrow:
Saturday
- 9:30 am - Mike Caldarazzo
- 11:30 am - Mike Hulbert
- 1:30 pm - Josh Borovsky
- 3:30 pm - Jeff Van Remortel
Sunday
- 10:00 am - Austin Wiggerman
- 12:00 pm - Dan Donavan
There's a lot going on at these big musky expos. It's been great seeing some friends:
And perusing the WALLS of baits:
Oh, did we mention there are a LOT of baits here.... 😂
Lots of stuff to see, folks to chat with, and gear to buy! If you see us at the show, don't hesitate to come up and say hi!
We couldn't resist whipping up this meme....
Hasta La Vista, Baby!
Musky fishing can be intimidating.... There's no doubt about it!
Big baits, big fish, very few bites, and the grueling grind of it all stops a lot of people from even attempting to target muskies.
Gord Pyzer just wrote an article on this ☝️ exact topic, primarily discussing the gear side of things, and how some folks think you need to be an Arnold Schwarzenegger-type strongman to throw big baits and catch muskies.
If you're intimidated by musky fishing, Gord has a simple recommendation:
Throw smaller, more manageable lures.
Here's a few of his top picks:
First, the Super Shad:
"The Rapala Super Shad Rap is the best small bait that catches big fish that I’ve ever seen. My grandson Liam, who is over six feet tall and works out at the gym, routinely puts down his nightmarish nine-foot long, extra-extra-heavy muskie rods adorned with mega monstrous baits and catches some of the biggest fish of the season on tiny, by comparison, Super Shad Raps."
Next, he recommends an easy-pulling single bladed bucktail:
"For years — long before the giant double-bladed #10 and #12 models took centre stage — the Muskie Killer was our “go-to” spinner. Even today, especially early in the season when I want to burn and bulge a bucktail, I will tie on one because I can cast it so far and reel it so quickly and effortlessly."
And last up, Gord suggests trying a smaller Water Wolf Gator tube:
And you can pair these smaller baits with less demanding rod/reel setups, too, which can make a huge difference.
We'll leave you with this final quote from Dr. Pyzer:
"Carefully select a few smaller proven lures that fish big, and present them with modest rods and reels, and you’ll keep pace — maybe even whip — the Arnold Schwarzeneggers with their physically punishing Herculean tackle."
💪 🔥
Home Decor.... Musky Style!
I totally need one of these in my house – what a great idea:
Here's the description from Randal Bogathy:
"My birthday present from April finally complete, a place to hang the lures that have been destroyed by Muskies. Wood burned by my daughter Madeline."
This thing's great for a couple reasons:
1. You probably already had those "fallen soldiers" hangin' somewhere in your garage – this is an excellent excuse to move them into the house! 😂
2. It's the perfect conversation starter, and it gives you more opportunities to talk about your personal musky catchin' accolades.
Okay.... I just talked myself into making one tonight. 😉
This Week's Mashup:
Mashup time!
#1 – Anyone at the Expo this weekend knows the feels.... 😅
#2 – Hard not to get goosebumps watchin' the vicious head shakes from this boatside 'skie from Jesse Schulta:
#3 – Here's a big ole beauty heading home after a quick hangout session with hardcore musky angler Mike Chisamore:
#4 – Diggin' this net shot from Smith's Fishing Outdoors of a musky chompin' on a "Teqkilla" flavored Medussa.
QUICK HITTERS:
– West Virginia musky fishing w/ Mayhems 10k casts (video)
– Summer muskies w/ Jim Saric & John Mich (video)
– Bait & Switch tactic w/ Steve Heiting (video)
– "Black Holes part 1" w/ Keyes Outdoors (video)
– Lake St. Clair musky fishing w/ Smith's Fishing (video)
– Fly musky fishing w/ Mad River Outfitters (video)
– Bull Dawgs vs. Medussa via to 54 or bust (video)
THIS WEEK'S MONSTER MUSKIES:
Straight-up beauty of a late season musky from guide Michael Hanson 💪
Check out this big Ohio porker from Chase Gibson in ep. 1 of this year's Mayhem's 10k Casts series. This biggun fell for a Red October Twisted Tube. #biggun
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