"Will Schultz" said:
If you are careful there's no harm and it is substantially better for their health than catching them in water over 80.
When you say "careful" I'm assuming to make sure the muskie doesn't swallow the bait. That, and unhooking quickly. Would it be better to have a big square cut out of the ice like a spear chucker instead of just a 8"or12" circle? That way you can still unhook while the fish is in the water?
"adamminnick" said:
I don't think that you would have to take such drastic measures….two people with the right tools and good holding techniques should suffice. 10-12 hole is fine.
Agreed. In fact there's no need to do anything more than nose them up into the hole, unhook them and push them backward out of the hole.
The only word of caution is that you might encourage the local panfishermen to set tip-ups for muskies to they can enjoy one on the table. Ice fishing, rightfully so, has a reputation as meat fishing and not sport fishing.
"hemichemi" said:
I imagine, depending on the air temp, you want to minimize how long you have them out of the water (for a pic, say). If it's REALLY cold, I might expect sensitive gill structures could be damaged by freezing…
I think the whole body could get "shell shocked". They are being taken out of ~30 degree water into 10 degree air with windchills in the negatives… that's a HUGE imediate temperature difference. Consider also, they are already wet.
I was wondering how everyone felt about this, cause I want to do something real stupid and hand line a Muskie at Ovid. Sometime between now and Febuary when the weather is a little more decent like 28 to 34 degrees. There is also some good sized pike. I know catching pike on tip-up's they take off and run like crazy. Are Muskie's on tip-up like catching them on quick-set rigs. Where they come up and hit the sucker and all you get is 1 to 3 clicks off your reel and don't go nuts until you set the hook? Steve
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"hemichemi" said:
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DANG!! I keep forgetting. THAT'S why Steve said it was stupid! 'Cause there AREN'T any there! I get it!
Sounds like the Muskie Ice Bite on Murray has been good enough to get mentioned on the MI DNR weekly fishing report for January 22nd. The downside to this report combined with the ultra cold weather last weekend and what we are going to have this weekend will generally bring out the folks with shanty’s, lot’s of tip-ups, and usually enough adult beverages to blur their vision from seeing the flags that have been up for 5 minutes = gut hook.
I have spent a fair amount of time on the ice this winter for gills and specs which has given me time to do a ton of observation of other anglers. From what I have witnessed the reoccurring theme for a legal fish (usually pike) that comes thru the hole on a tip-up by the local fisherman, is that they are rarely released.
In no way am I looking down at or frowning upon anyone either on this site or in the general public that keeps fish and or uses tip-ups. Based on the recent DNR fishing report for Murray Lake Muskie’s, I personally do not see a disadvantage at this point for any member on this site to spend some time on the ice of our local Muskie Lakes this winter. If anything you will have the opportunity to explain and or educate someone else on the importance of releasing the legal Muskie or Muskie’s they have or may catch. I feel that on the ice education is just as critical as during our open water season. Something else that we may want to consider is adding a Know the Difference sign at the North End of Murray by the parking spot next to Cannonsburg Rd/5 mile. This is where the large majority of the ice anglers usually access the lake.
Steve, to answer your question, yes a Muskie feels/fights similar to a pike on a tip-up. It’s funny that you mentioned hand lining Muskie’s, I just recently had a conversation with another member about a trying something similar, PM me sometime and we can talk more.
"Mike Stinson" said:
Something else that we may want to consider is adding a Know the Difference sign at the North End of Murray by the parking spot next to Cannonsburg Rd/5 mile. This is where the large majority of the ice anglers usually access the lake.
Noted and I'm on it!! I will see if I can figure out who owns that land… probably Kent county. If I remember right there is a sign post that could be used.
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