Musky Madness - Lure Mods - PMTT 2025
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2025 PMTT Schedule Dropped
The Professional Musky Tournament Trail just dropped their 2025 schedule in a Facebook post this week. 👇
Reactions to the schedule were mixed. Would you expect anything less amongst a bunch of musky people during “winternet”?😂
Can’t say the first two events are much of a surprise. If you look at the past 25 years of the PMTT, the vast majority of them include an event on Cave Run and the Eagle River chain and usually at the same time of year.
Many of the veteran and returning teams don’t seem to mind hitting the same waters year after year. Obviously, it’s a bit of an advantage for the teams that have been fishing the circuit for a number of years. At the the same time, it’s probably a bit of a deterrent for new teams and/or anglers who don’t want to burn vacation on an event unless it’s “big fish water” and a “big fish time” to be there.
That being said, the Bemidji/Cass qualifier should kick out some giants and entice some of the “big fish only” sticks to pony up for that event.
While there’s definitely a little bit of the “same old, same old” vibe to this year’s trail, there’s also a few new trends and changes that should be pretty cool . . .
1. The Eagle River Chain and Three Lakes Chain will be combined for the June qualifier giving teams more water and room to spread out.
2. Same deal in MN . . . Lake Bemidji and the Cass Chain of lakes will be combined for the August qualifier making for more room and more strategy.
3. The championship being on Clear Lake in Iowa is something new! There’s a very healthy population of fish in Clear and it will be interesting to see what kind of body counts the top sticks rack up.
The PMTT has not posted the 2025 events and rules to their website yet. One thing we will all be watching for is if any changes are made to their rules regarding forward facing sonar.
This will be the first time that the PMTT will be returning to the Eagle River/Three Lakes area during the month of June since their (FFS) ban began. It’s significant because there’s a known suspended bite that typically happens during this time frame.
The June event that occurred there in 2022 became the point at which everyone in the musky world who wasn’t already aware of the massive advantage (FFS) provides when targeting suspended muskies got a wake-up call and became instantly aware.
The PMTT began prohibiting the use of (FFS) in the middle of the 2022 tournament season after that event.
While it was a controversial move at the time, it’s appearing like the PMTT was ahead of the curve with more professional fishing circuits now adding (FFS) restrictions.
Another Darcy Cox Tube Mod
While much of the (FFS) discussion these days revolves around ethics and the use of technology, a byproduct of (FFS) use has been a shift in the types of baits most heavily used along with how they are used.
While bucktails and other shallow running or high speed presentations may still get the nod when the fish are tight to shallow structure or cover, (FFS) has now turned targeting suspended fish into a year-round operation and changed the bait line-up for many of those doing so.
The Red October Tube is one of several baits that has skyrocketed in popularity since (FFS) came onto the scene. Tubes can be casted accurately in an (FFS) beam, don’t foul often, can be fished at a variety of depths, and be hung right in a fish’s face when passing over it.
Because of this, there’s more tube usage and catching going on now than any other time in musky fishing history. Unfortunately, a lot of the bites on tubes end up being “head shots” which can lead to fish being deeply hooked in the tongue or gill area leading to increased mortality.
Darcy Cox shared his latest tube mod to help reduce the number gill hooked ‘skies in a recent Facebook post.
It’s a pretty easy mod to do as well. Simply snip off the tine of the front hook that hangs down, and bend the two remaining hooks into a “T” shape. Lastly, add a Musky Innovations magnet to keep the hook snug up against the body of the tube.
Darcy shared he still had a great hook-up ratio using this mod and the hooks have been stayin’ out of the fish’s gills with it as well.
Something to consider trying when you’re touchin’ up your baits this winter.
Musky Madness on Lake Vermilion
Hometown Hero Outdoors recently shared an impressive highlight reel from a Lake Vermilion outing over the 4th of July hosted by Jeremy Johnson of Whispering Winds Resort. Jeremy graciously donated free lodging for the group of 22 participants with many of them boating their first musky while there.
The group caught 27 muskies in all with plenty of nice ones in the mix. Pheng Xiong took big fish honors with 52”+ tank. 👀
Hometown Hero Outdoors provides adventures for military, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel.
This Week's Mashup:
Mashup time!
#1 – This dude seriously cracks us up! 😂 We know there are some superstitious anglers out there just cringing when they see this one.
#2 – Who loves a good topwater eat? 🙋♂️Love the way this fish follows back and forth like she’s on a leash before smashing!
#3 – Sara Hankes made this incredible piece for her step dad. What a super cool Christmas gift!
#4 – How bout’ a shoreline eat on a “last cast” under a chunk of ice?
QUICK HITTERS:
– Ezoko running Boxing Day sale through 12/30 (link)
– Prefishing the 2024 WI Musky Battle (video) w/ Beyond the 8
– DODGING STORMS FOR BIG SPRING MUSKIES (video) w/ Matt Vavroch Fishing
– We Caught A Zombie Musky On Day 6 - MUSKIE MAIL!! (video) w/ Todays Angler
–Winter Waters - Musky Pursuits and Tailwater Tactics with Ellis Ward (video) w/ The Articulated Fly
This Week's Monster Muskies
Sang Xai Vang crushed this shallow late fall Wisco monster in his yak! 😮
Dale Mueller bagged this 52.5” late November bruiser while workin’ the night shift. She was stocked in Lake Minnetonka as a fingerling back in 2011.
Thirteen-year-old Ben Baker landed his first musky with Ohio guide Chuck Harmon and it’s a biggin’! Way to go, Ben! 👊
Ayden Froeschle caught this Eagle Lake pork chop while quick rippin’ a mag dawg off a rock shelf.
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