Starting Musky Fishing! The Beginners Guide!

[@greenpea9412]

Buddy your a great teacher. I really wish I had seen this a few months ago. I am brand new to the Muskie fishing and like with everything I get excited about I went a bit overboard buying things. I made it hard on myself to pick what to take and I should just grab one bait and throw that thing until I catch one.

[@stevenjung7226]

Joe is the Mickey Mantle of Muskie fishing. Besides being humble and approachable, just a great human. I have learned more about fishing from Joe than anyone else. His 3 part shows, bass, walleye, Muskie from back in the day are legendary teachings. Thank you Sir.

[@jameshoppe1887]

I've been musky fishing since 16....I always love watching videos wating for the great musky opener in June. Tight lines....

[@Jen_Is_Outside]

I'm in northern Wisconsin for the summer working a seasonal job. Never fished for muskie. Now I am prepared! Thank you!!

[@gingabeard7090]

Watched many videos as a beginner musky fisherman and this by far is one of the best.

[@themuskyshop]

Thank you very much!

[@rjam950]

I am heading out on my first Musky trip in two weeks and boy is this video ever helpful... Some common sense advice that is easy to forget. One thing I would like to hear about is the way to do a proper hook set when the musky hits your bait, both away and next to the boat.

[@NellysfishingAdventures]

Great info, I'm new to Musky fishing and I just caught my first 39 inch musky. I've been watching your videos to learn more. Thanx for sharing

[@themuskyshop]

Thanks! Good job, let us know if we can help!

[@fishman1347]

Joe you are great teacher! I have had success at spillways with whopper plopper. On heavy bass gear. I recently got a 45 incher and my son a 38 incher!

[@luketw2818]

Forgot to mention the importance of a large landing net. Some people might think any old net will do when in fact a net is just as much of an investment as a rod or reel. Thanks Joe!

[@PonyFoot123]

Luke Waterhouse what is a good size net?

[@themuskyshop]

Very true! Next one will include net info for sure!

[@MFcomm66]

This was just wonderful. I’ve been musky fishing off and on for 30+ years (doing a lot of things wrong) and have learned more in 22 minutes than I ever have from anything else. Thank you Joe.

[@Comrade_Akimov]

KZbin has boosted the global fishing knowledge into stratosphere.

[@h.i.5333]

You gotta love Joe Bucher!

[@themuskyshop]

True! True!

[@jamescobb2887]

Well I listened & bought 1 ( MH ) Rod, 1 ( 300 ) Reel. Although I did buy a half dozen Lures. Being irish if I did have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all so I figure I'm bound to lose at least 1 lure better have a 2nd one on hand. Can't wait until September to fish the Chippewa Foliage. Thanks for all you help.

[@evanpluer9526]

I’m 12 years old and I already caught three muskies but this video really helped me and there was some really good tips in this video thanks

[@themuskyshop]

Thank you Evan! Way to go!

[@evanpluer9526]

Me and my dad might stop in your shop and buys some baits for when we go up to musky fish in October for my birthday

[@themuskyshop]

@@evanpluer9526 Sounds great! See you then, and good luck!

[@slyexx]

damn bro this was a while ago

[@davidthompson9879]

Good comment on putting in the effort. One way to catch when no one else is catching is variety. Cast your lure or spinner in a fan pattern from the bank. Start at 3 o'clock and work your way to 9 o clock in 20 or 30 degree segments. If you don't get a bite don't move straight away. Switch your lure to a jerk bait, crank or spinner and do the same before moving down the bank. Repeat this as you move and you will catch when others, who don't vary their style and just cast the same lure to the same spot 50 times won't catch.

[@jdub4543]

Joe, thanks for the excellent instructional video. I was one of Chas first customers where I caught a Muskie many years ago, but I needed to watch this video, thanks again.

[@themuskyshop]

Thanks!

[@lukevalitchka74]

Great info & insight, Joe. Spot on advice about purchasing “slowly”, developing rod/reel/lure skill, musky IQ, & on-the-water “how to”. I had a good chuckle @ your “..seeing your first musky..” comment. I stopped reeling, said “..hey, there’s a musky..” to my buddy, & watched the fish swim away underneath the boat. 😂 Tight lines, Joe.

[@Buggy710]

This guy is GREAT at explaining everything. Good video man

[@jasonlewis1257]

Where was this video when I'm trying to get ready for this type of sport fishing. Love it!

[@themuskyshop]

Thanks Jason!

[@kellyshantz7208]

Love the Musky Shop! Great lures and great information for all levels of musky angling.

[@themuskyshop]

Thank you Kelly!!

[@theamerican7131]

thumbs up. north dakota checking in

[@deanmentjes7774]

This video is awesome. I've watched it several times and still learn something each time through. Great video to come back to and review again.

[@themuskyshop]

Nice to hear Dean, thank you!

[@Fingolfin3423]

Great stuff. Always good to watch, even if you've been fishing for these critters for some time.

[@themuskyshop]

Nice, thanks!

[@rodbelding9523]

Another thing I'd like to add from personal experience, if you're just starting out and are used to using a spinning reel reeling with your left hand, get a left handed baitcasting reel, it'll be easier for you. I made the mistake of getting a right handed baitcasting reel just because they're more readily available, and I could not get used to reeling with my right hand, it felt so unnatural.

[@gerardhaubert8210]

Very well done learned a lot

[@riverboy2228]

I agree. I started fishing for bass with a left handed reel and I’m a righty. The left handed reels are now just what I always use because I set the hook with my dominant hand and reel with the non dominant hand

[@nathaniellarson8]

Really? I've always been a "right hand baitcaster, left hand spinning reel" guy. I can't do left hand baitcaster or right hand spinning reel, neither of those feel right. I would just try both in a store before you buy to see which one you like better.

[@SD-pi9co]

I couldn’t agree more

[@ronjohnson8881]

You don't need a left handed bait casting reel. More often than not you can unscrew a right handed reel and place it on the left, I've done that with mine

[@jamesnauert7844]

Excellent video, thanks.

[@themuskyshop]

Thank you sir!

[@The_Inca_Stargazer]

For 50 years I've been side casting with a spinning rod with a 9 foot rod. Now they tell me I've been wrong my whole life LOL. I can outcast the best of them, in fact I bet I could win a casting competition. Just caught a big pike yesterday with dozens of fishermen all around me wondering how they can catch one LOL.

[@jesseortiz2628]

Thank you for taking your time to do this video. It was extremely helpful and informative. Your passion for the sport really shows. Thank you so much. Hope to visit the shop one day.

[@themuskyshop]

Thanks Jesse!

[@jeffcummings5688]

Awesome Thanks Joe for teaching us New musky attempted fishermen many tips

[@johnglenn4433]

You explain things so exceptionally well. It's always a great pleasure to buy on of your lures because you give such good information to those of us who are learning. Thanks again Joe. You're a great teacher.

[@garymarch4711]

Gloves… yep! Those teeth are sharp. I got snagged by ONE tooth this summer and bled so bad, that it looked like a crime scene on my boat. I bought Lindy gloves. A PMTT guy told me that it's not only safer for the fisherman, but allows you to hold onto a Ski should it start to thrash during a Picture of something. Fish aren't built to be dropped. The Lindy gloves are great... although a little stiff.

[@A1i3N337]

Thanks for the great info for beginners. My dad didn’t teach me to fish, and I ended up owning land on a world class musky river. Really appreciate your understanding of the beginner perspective

[@jameslupkin3266]

Great video! I am looking forward to going out to try and get my first musky!

[@themuskyshop]

Good luck!

[@FishingWithDL]

You could not have explained things any better. Extremely informative and to the point. Very well done. I appreciate you taking the time to pass along your knowledge and help those of us who are trying to learn the proper way. Thanks again. Tight lines 🎣

[@MichaelBennett-o2z]

Thanks Joe for your help. Didn't know to turn my wrist with a level wind reel.

[@83jbbentley]

I hooked my first Musky yesterday and he cut me off but I’m hooked.

[@SD-pi9co]

I’ve been Musky fishing for years and had 4 of them cut me off last week. Keeps me going for next time

[@andrewhesik3542]

I accidentally hooked one twice last weekend while bass fishing. Was completely unprepared. Now im hooked.

[@Hellotoanewday]

My favourite lure is the TopRaider. My second favourite is my other TopRaider. This is the lure I learned to musky fish with and still the one I toss the most.

[@detecthistory5271]

Nothing beats a topwater explosion

[@gregpopp4847]

Great stuff Joe !! Even for a seasoned veteran it was interesting.

[@brucegilson6187]

I have to say that’s the best video I seen in a long time awesome

[@themuskyshop]

Thank you Bruce!

[@SavageVoyageur]

Thanks for the great advice Joe. You are a great teacher with a passion to teach others.

[@Larry77777]

Hey Joe: Thanks!! Within all this great guidance you provided, I clued in to STOP using piano wire leaders on my crankbaits and jerkbaits (which I've been doing inappropriately when bass fishing to protect against surprise pike and walleye teeth).

[@Chillin24Seven]

I’m right handed but use a left handed reel. I hate switching getting the handle caught on your jacket etc. This way I’m always ready and engaged so I get the bait working right away and for those immediate explosions as soon as it hits the water. I am plenty coordinated and strong enough to reel with my left.

[@kevincollins3720]

Couldn't agree more. Drives me nuts seeing people cast with a baitcaster and then switch hands to being the retrieve. In my eyes it takes away all advantage of fishing with a baitcaster. I also want my strong hand on the rod.

[@CrazyQuady]

Thanks for the video, I'm planning to target some Muskies for the first time next spring!

[@themuskyshop]

Let us know if we can help!

[@CrazyQuady]

@@themuskyshop Im already planning to make the trip out to see yall!

[@themuskyshop]

@@CrazyQuady Awesome!

[@alainbarbier1916]

such a great video and good information i see the experience and the love of the sport thank you from quebec ,canada.

[@robertclark7697]

The best part is once ya caught one your hooked. Like a healthy kind of addiction.

[@brandonknudson3662]

Thank you for making this video I'm just working on getting into musky fishing this year and I'm learning alot from your video's....I live in south Minnesota and i planning to go up to the musky shop this summer

[@hannahcross4030]

I JUST started fishing and live in Wv and my current goal this summer is to catch a musky so thank you this was very helpful 😊

[@gutpilemaker365]

Fantastic video! All the information I was looking for to get started Musky fishing. Thank you

[@j3motorsports827]

This is amazing, I’ve bee in “into” Muskie fishing for a few years but only caught a few, me (16) and my dad are building me a boat and I’m going for new gear this week so I can get better and catch more

[@vikeirishman]

LOL - I've gone to walmart - bought a $50 buck rod and reel combo and caught all the muski, northern and walleye I've ever wanted on 30 lb line and combo still working

[@JPerez-pw1zi]

Thx for this! Are musky good to eat? Thx in advance!

[@mthomas9864]

Wow. Some great info for sure. Thx.

[@themuskyshop]

Thank you!

[@jimking9646]

Thanks Joe, alot of good info

[@themuskyshop]

Thanks!

[@jrodoski7292]

just started musky fishing this year have two rods (8ft heavy casting and a 7ft heavy spinning) and a few lures

[@JScott516]

Thanks Joe! Have been looking for this exact video!

[@Comrade_Akimov]

This man is spitting 🔥. I’d going this simplified route for large notherns, since we we don’t have Muskie in N-E EU

[@moderngod1]

This was awesome I found a local lake that’s stocked with them I have saltwater experience so switching over was a bit nerve racking but this helped a lot!

[@themuskyshop]

Very nice, let us know if we can help!

[@FrankMobelini]

Best advice I can give i always use a muskie rod! A heavy duty bass flipping stick just don't have the stiffness to set those big in line spinner hooks in my experience

[@ticesine6589]

Top notch advice , great vid !

[@themuskyshop]

Appreciate that!

[@TheMatizyahu]

Nice to know all that. I'm new into baitcasting so any knowledge is good. Apart the fact that i'm right handed and prefer to use baitcaster with crank at left side. I started from usinf spinning reels and cranking with right hand is to awkward for me to handle. And i don't need to switch hands for casting so i can literally cast my bait directly from the water. It helped me yesterday - pike had problem with hitting my lure and because i could redoo the cast as fast as i could i managed to give him a lure when he was still looking for it.

[@paulziebell2479]

Nice vid!!! Thanks Joe!!!

[@themuskyshop]

Thanks Paul!

[@andrewkoszuth4302]

Seems like an "improved" Palomar knot. I like it!

[@gregmaliska5295]

Hey , good video to watch even for old guys as myself, through time forgot some of this, too bad Joe is now retired and the question is are these last of the videos he will do......

[@themuskyshop]

We will get him to do more...i think!

[@cameroneisses7797]

Great video and thanks for the tips. One thing I'll add from experience, maybe get more than one lure and one leader to start. You can pretty quickly make a mistake and lose a lure / leader to a good snag or backlash in the middle of a "supercast"

[@grantprochaska147]

Thanks joe very informative

[@themuskyshop]

Thanks!

[@TheADDFiles-yk4dc]

You are a great teacher, Joe. I’ve been a bass and trout angler (mostly fly rod and spinning) for most of my life but I know very little about musky fishing. Thank you for this great video. Quick question: how do you feel about spinning rods/reels for musky?

[@themuskyshop]

Spinning has it's application, great for lighter presentations too, ie stuff under 1 ounce in weight!

[@thebigbaiter]

GOAT guide, simple as. Thanks a lot!

[@crodasky]

Thank you for this video!

[@themuskyshop]

You bet, another one is in the works!

[@pickle9232]

One of my favourite rods is the Diawa wilderness trolling rod it casts well it is capable of catching big musky and it costs 30$ it is grate

[@joseduarte176]

Impressive harvest!

[@glxbe]

really good video! the thing that still baffles me is how to decide what color lure you're supposed to use. I assume there's variety for a reason but I can't figure it out

[@themuskyshop]

That is another very long discussion for sure...check out the Joe Bucher Musky 360 App, and the weekly podcast! We get into that stuff all the time in detail!

[@SD-pi9co]

A lot of saltwater lures can be used for musky

[@timothythompson2678]

Isn't the knob on the handle side of the reel the spool tension adjustment? Centrifugal brakes ala shimano are on the opposite side just like the mag brakes on the lexa Joe was demoing, but you generally can't adjust them without removing the side cover.

[@alanramos1819]

We need a shop like this in Southern California for saltwater fishing where I’m at we got one fishing shop and everything they have is just for sales it suks

[@jameshoppe1887]

I use right handed bait caster and left handed spinning rod....seems like I have much better control using my left hand on the spinning. Precise casting matters.

[@wallyzworld66]

Great video!!

[@taylord9772]

Great video

[@jerrythomas4457]

Can everything be bought at JBO China?

[@dab1748]

I need some guidance selecting my first Muskie rod n reel. I am 52 and started fishing about 5 years ago with my brother who has fished a lot longer. We fish primarily for bass and pike as again just starting out and they are two fun species to catch where I fish. Like all I started having fun catching small to medium size pike then started catching 36” + which changed our focus to larger size. Where we now target 40” and have been quite successful for newbies. For the last two years we have started putting time in fishing for muskies as they are in the same area and are regularly caught 50”+ just not by me. I have been using my larger pike rigs to fish for Muskie but some of my lures outweigh the rating on my rod (heaviest rod being rated@ 3.5 ounces. My rod I use is heavy fast acting 7’6”(biggest). My local store says I can use it for both but I really want to get a starting Muskie rig that I can cast with (bucktails, large swim baits etc). I know this is a loaded question but any suggestions would be appreciated. I am not stuck on any brand. I currently have a selection of st croix and quantum rods with 3000 series spinning reel and several bait caster ranging from 5.2:1 to 6+:1 at small medium large size.

[@jaydurocher1882]

Awesome video... catching a musky is my goal . I can only catch pike . Limited to shore fishing . What's my chances

[@DrhaHaPhD]

What line would you recommend besides braid? I’m absolutely fine with braid but I do like mono, but hate the springyness of mono or fluoro

[@themuskyshop]

For musky, superbraids in the 80# class is the best all purpose!

[@FiveOnTheField]

Where is this shop located

[@Slinginandstingin769]

My first follow, before I learned figure 8, I thought a log was going to hit my boat. Nope it was a huge musky.

[@jarod5179]

How big should the circumference of the net be?

[@themuskyshop]

If it is 34" or wider, you will have a good size!

[@jessicaolive8005]

Any tips on learning on the st lawrence near kingston as its the closest to me?

[@patrickpeterson500]

And you've read the book faint measure around the curve and the length How heavy it is and how long it is

[@nathanielwhitehead2463]

I'm a beginner Muskie fisherman and I shore fish so would the figure eight still be needed?

[@rogue9346]

Anyone know what reel that is?

[@freddyferguson7763]

If it’s a medium heavy rod will a catfishing pole work? My rod has a lure weight of 1-10 oz

[@412Angler]

Would a 10’ medium heavy ugly stick gx2 work for musky and pike fishing ?

[@JeffMagdinec]

Thank you ! Sir !

[@scottdarrow1551]

9:38 Hi Joe. I have a TFO 7'4" MH baitcasting Rod. You recommend an 8' Rod. Am I close enough or is my rod too short? Thank you if you see this. ScottyD

[@qgm694]

I hope I never find your shop or I’ll be broke

[@roarkfreeman7387]

Lol

[@monstertrucktennis]

Thanks for the great info. I'm just starting to use bigger gear for big pike. What are you thoughts on casting right handed and using a left hand retrieve? Any pros/cons?

[@paake3134]

Are these tips applicable for northern pike also? Would love to fish musky sometimes. Cheers from Finland.

[@themuskyshop]

They cross over at times for pike too! Musky Baits work great on big European pike!

[@owendods3118]

What size reel is best for beginners?

[@zaydientorres-rb8kg]

What is your best cheapest musky rod in real?

[@raff9938]

What spinning reel do you recommend

[@DodoBird157]

Get good jaw spreaders so you can safely cut the hooks out of deeply hooked fish.

[@michaelmontalto]

Ever notice, musky fisherman always tell you about the gear you need to buy and how to use it, but they never tell you how to locate fish, understand the species, point out great fishing lakes, connect you with great guides in different areas/states? Great sport and I'm 100% positive everyone is trying to help, but I'm 100% confident that I can land a musky with my heavy bass gear. What I'm not confident about is finding the damn fish, it's seasonal movements, preferred forage, preferred cover, etc.

[@themuskyshop]

Hi Michael, sounds like a different format might be just what ya need! Try the musky360 podcast, it's our weekly very popular musky podcast, and always has great details!

[@michaelmontalto]

@@themuskyshop Well that was very helpful! Thank you. That was actually much easier than I anticipated. Much appreciated!

[@Art-xd9xw]

Hi, what your suggestion about this situation: Ice fishing, i used tip ups with 30cm (12inch) leader, and mysky 3rd times cut the line. What is your suggestion? Better used wire leader 50cm?

[@dakotaquillen96]

I got a heavy action 8' Shimano sojorn and abu ambassadur 5501,is this a good combo

[@2011dylane]

What do I need to catch them from the bank?

[@hazelbarnstar9731]

What if you don’t have a boat?