Joined
·
2 Posts
Anybody think an 8 weight would do for Lake Tapps Muskies? 8 weight is the biggest I have and can’t afford another rod right now hahaha
Tiger Muskies
1 - 20 of 37 Posts
Joined
·
11,278 Posts
I'm sure an 8 could handle most of the fish ok, but would be fairly limited in the size of flies you could comfortably throw.
If you hook a 40+, you'll be wishing for a 10-12. It's also very possible to over play these fish, especially later in the summer. IMO, you just can't really put the screws to them with an 8. That said, not all 8wts are created equal.
Downsize your flies (6-10" sparse) and you'll be fine on the casting side of things.
This last summer I was fortunate enough to get multiple mid to upper 40s fish (and one even bigger). I'm thankful I was fishing 10+ wts. On one 48" fish in particular, I was fishing my 12 and wouldn't have wanted to be fishing with anything less.
Downsize your flies (6-10" sparse) and you'll be fine on the casting side of things.
This last summer I was fortunate enough to get multiple mid to upper 40s fish (and one even bigger). I'm thankful I was fishing 10+ wts. On one 48" fish in particular, I was fishing my 12 and wouldn't have wanted to be fishing with anything less.
Joined
·
2 Posts
If I did use an 8, what would my leader look like?
Joined
·
115 Posts
It works until it doesn't, and then you've just left a big fly stuck in a fish's jaw.
I waffled on heavy (#60-100) fluoro for a few years, until I lost a couple fish from bite-offs (if you do use fluoro, don't use a loop knot! A tooth in the loop will shear it like butter). I'm not convinced it works any better than wire, anyway.
Joined
·
115 Posts
I'd start with 4' of straight #25-30 mono with a bite tippet of 12-18" of #30 or #40 wire. Make sure your loop and knot at the line end is small enough to go through your tip-top smoothly. If you have a follow, you're going to want to get all of your leader (up to the wire knot) inside your guides to be able to do a figure-8 or big open circle.
Joined
·
1,544 Posts
Interesting comment.
I have been flirting with leader options that don't incorporate a wire bite tippet. Typically I have simplified with a straight length of mono to a ring which I attach the Tyger wire bite section. This arrangement is satisfactory but there have been times when I felt the pike were shying from the wire.
Just ordered some heavy flouro to make some leaders so your comments raise an eyebrow. Having first hand experience with pike gnawing through mono weed guard I still wonder if just being vigilant with the integrity of the heavy flouro tippet after each catch could make a difference.
My instincts say stick with wire but for that occasion the pike get fussy I might try a mono/flouro combo.
Joined
·
2,006 Posts
re: leaders: last year, I did a ~3' 50lb fluoro->6" 25lb fluoro breaker->~12" 80lb Fluoro bite (or 60 once I ran out of 80). This year, I'm changing things up (haven't lost a fish yet using the previous mentioned method, but with fluoro for bite, it's just a matter of time)...this year, I'm going 4' 50lb fluoro->12" 25 or 35lb knot2kinky titanium single strand (super thin, knots well, got an eat last Thursday with it). Bottom line though, I don't like the entire leader to be any longer than 5', often I'll get it to 4'.
With the clear water at Merwin, I was worried about using wire (my second year fishing for these things, I used wire most of that summer with minimal success, which I honestly think had more to do with the snaps deadening the action on my flies than the actual visibility of the wire).
re: jointed flies: I fish a ton of articulated flies, the action that the articulation provides is great, but having a hook towards the tail, ala Dolly Llama, isn't something I'd recommend. These fish are killing these flies, not nipping at them.
I also fish a ton of singles, which I've managed (through poaching ideas from guys like Eli Berant and Blane Chocklett) to get to a point where the action on them is pretty insane too (I like every fly that I fish to kick hard to the side on the pause)
re: color: Any color works..................................................as long as it's black.
With the clear water at Merwin, I was worried about using wire (my second year fishing for these things, I used wire most of that summer with minimal success, which I honestly think had more to do with the snaps deadening the action on my flies than the actual visibility of the wire).
re: jointed flies: I fish a ton of articulated flies, the action that the articulation provides is great, but having a hook towards the tail, ala Dolly Llama, isn't something I'd recommend. These fish are killing these flies, not nipping at them.
I also fish a ton of singles, which I've managed (through poaching ideas from guys like Eli Berant and Blane Chocklett) to get to a point where the action on them is pretty insane too (I like every fly that I fish to kick hard to the side on the pause)
re: color: Any color works..................................................as long as it's black.
It’s been years since I cast a fly at a musky but I do know one thing with certainty and that’s avoid tying with bunny. My buddy and I fished these long 10” double bunnies with Texas cut bunny which is about 3-4 times as wide on the hide as standard bunny strips. They look awesome in the water and the fish ate them hard but even with a 10wt they were absolutely terrible to cast. Don’t recommend. We fished 7’ leaders, similar to what Randall recommends ending in 80# flouro and they worked great, just make sure you incorporate a 20# piece somewhere in there so you can break a fly off if you get hung up without breaking your fly line or sinking your boat.
ouch!!! It's bad enough fishing a 3 inch Dolly Llama, casting a 10" long one just sounds painful!
probably....until it isn't.
Some of the Midwest folks swear by 12-18" bite (I'd guess that some of the folks here who have been fishing for them for many more years than me adopt the same philosophy)....all it takes is one deeply hooked fish to realize you should have used a longer bite tippet. Those are the most critical ones where you DON'T want to leave a hook in their mouth.
Joined
·
2,006 Posts
And befor fishing for these fish make sure you have a huge net. And tools for hook removal to keep your hands safe. I also like gloves. I've been told there gill rakers can cut you open as well. They do become more manageable in a net still in the water. That is the best place to remove the hooks. I would also recommend a day on the Water with Mike Sturza "Lost Creek Fly Shop."
Joined
·
1,177 Posts
I used to use about 12 - 16 inches of wire bite leader. One off those brutes cut through the weak point of leader (20# Maxima) with a flick of its head. My leader cutters couldn't cut the line that fast or that cleanly.
My leader was a big game furled leader that was about 5 feet long, a foot of 20# Maxima and the wire bite leader. Used a loop to loop connection for the Maxima and wire leader. I also pre-tied the bite leader to my flies so I could quickly change flies.
I agree with Randall, black is a great color. I also used white as well. It was a toss app as to which one worked better.
As for the eight weight, it would be fine if you hooked the smaller 2 foot fish. As for the 40 + inch brutes, you're going to wish for more rod. They love the weeds and will bull dog you.
Good luck.
My leader was a big game furled leader that was about 5 feet long, a foot of 20# Maxima and the wire bite leader. Used a loop to loop connection for the Maxima and wire leader. I also pre-tied the bite leader to my flies so I could quickly change flies.
I agree with Randall, black is a great color. I also used white as well. It was a toss app as to which one worked better.
As for the eight weight, it would be fine if you hooked the smaller 2 foot fish. As for the 40 + inch brutes, you're going to wish for more rod. They love the weeds and will bull dog you.
Good luck.
1 - 20 of 37 Posts
