Fishing Forum

I hit Pineview Thursday for the first time in a couple of years.  Between the power squadron issue, ridiculous launch charges during most of the year and much worse fishing than in former times I have pretty much relegated Pineview to the back of my prime list.
 
In spite of no really good recent reports and lake levels being extremely low, I optimistically opted to give it a shot.  Got to the ramp a bit after 8 am.  Air temp a chilly 35…warming to early 60s by 1:30 departure.  Water was 48 degrees…all day.

Met up with the “Deadly Duo” (WH2 and WiperSlayer) at the ramp.  With no docks left in the super low water, they had to motor down to a point to the north in order to let the vehicle driver get in the boat after launching.  (See pic)  Then they took off to hit some of their fave spots.

I got off to a bad start.  Got loaded up and launched okay.  But then my electric motor started getting hinky.  It would run a few seconds and then shut down.  I checked all the connections and determined it was a faulty “quick-connect” between the battery and the on-off switch to the motor.  So I kicked in to shore and cut the quick connect out altogether.  …rewiring the battery directly to the on-off switch.  It worked fine the rest of the day, but that had cost me almost an hour of fishing time.
 
Since the fishing has been best down past the narrows during late seasons in the past, that’s where I headed…with my now functioning electric motor.  Made S turns and watched the sonar on the way.  Saw very few fishy marks…and none of the schools of crappies and/or perch that are usually present in numbers. 

Finally got down to the buoy line in front of the dam and worked back and forth across a usually productive area.  Nada, zip, zilch.  Not even a bluegill.  It was a long battery draining trip for nothing. 
 
Motored all the way back to the arm in front of the boat ramp and worked my way over to Browning point.  Finally got into a few dink crappies…biggest was just under 10 inches.  Also got a couple of silly bullheads.  Yee haw.  
 
The highlight of my day came when I was quickly reeling in a whirly flig rig to check the bait.  As I cranked it up through the water column it suddenly got “heavy”.  And then it took some 6# line off the light reel on the light rod.  Having experienced similar encounters on several other trips this year…with big carp…I didn’t have great expectations.  BUT…when the fish got closer to the surface I saw that it was a small tiger muskie.  That was mo bettah.
 
I couldn’t apply too much pressure with the light tackle, but I finally coaxed the toothy little beast to the net.  But only after several tries and one nice jump I caught on video.  The fish had gulped the whirly flig down deep enough that I couldn’t see it and I was amazed that it hadn’t cut my light line.  But I have landed several tigers and pike…and a lot of  walleyes…on that abrasion resistant Silver Thread Excalibur.  But after I had snapped a couple of pics I tried to position the fish to remove the lure and it arched up out of the net, up over the tube and into the water…cutting the line and absconding with my lure.  But that’s okay.  I know the guy who makes them and I can replace it.
 
I got back to the ramp a little after 1.  The lake was like glass and it was purtiful.  But I think that’s my only trip to Pineview this year…and maybe like forever.  Too many other venues that are more generous.


Although the fishing was not stellar, the weather was.  And I did shoot some video.  I was glad I started shooting when I thought I had a carp...and it turned out to be the tiger muskie.  Even got his jump on camera.

LINK TO VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9PyFX-tXwY

Same for me, Pat. Pineview is only a couple miles from my house but I haven't fished it in years for the same reasons you mentioned.

Great report, video and pics Pat, too bad the catching was so slow, at least until you caught the tiger. I bet that got the heart a thumping and made the trip worthwhile. Where we stopped and jigged was a big pile of crappie but none over the 10" mark and a bit on the skinny side.

Way to go Pat.. my first muskie was on a crappie jig. They do like to jump. Heck I didn't know what is was.. long a go.
I saw on your finder there were a few others swimming around you, have you still got all your toes??
How deep was the water where the muskie bit you?
Maybe cemetery point would hold some crappie schools.
Being such low water I bet it freezes over fast this year.
Great report, your skills are growing.
Thanks ?
Looks like water depths were 20 ft. Good.

(10-22-2021, 05:52 PM)doitall5000 Wrote: [ -> ]Way to go Pat.. my first muskie was on a crappie jig. They do like to jump.  Heck I didn't know what is was.. long a go.
I saw on your finder there were a few others swimming around you, have you still got all your toes??
How deep was the water where the muskie bit you?
Maybe cemetery point would hold some crappie schools.
Being such low water I bet it freezes over fast this year.
Great report, your skills are growing.
Thanks ?
Looks like water depths were 20 ft. Good.

Yep.  Depth about 20 feet.  The fish hit about middepth as I was doing a fast retrieve up off the bottom.  And yes, I still have all my extremities.  Muskies will eat a lot of stuff but body parts from old fishermen do not seem to be high on their list of favorites.

Don't know if you read WH2s report on the Premium Board, but he and ira found quite a few crappies off Cemetery Point...but all small ones.

Ice up?  Weather conditions will be a bigger factor than water depth.  But it is true that shallower lakes will cool down and freeze faster than deeper ones.  Deepest I could find up near the dam was about 35 feet...in an area that I have iced fished when it was over 50.

Thanks for the kindly words.  Us old guys learn slowly but more and more is sinking in.

You are not alone in catching accidental tigers on small stuff.  Probably as many caught "on accident" by guys fishing crappies or smallies than by the diehard tiger chasers.  I have caught several and all of them have been on small stuff.  One of the first came right off the bottom in over 40 feet of water while I was fishing very small jigs tipped with worm for crappies and perch.  It just got heavier and heavier as I brought it up and then it jumped a couple of times.  Here is a picture of the little jig down inside the mouth.

(10-22-2021, 02:40 PM)TubeDude Wrote: [ -> ]I hit Pineview Thursday for the first time in a couple of years.  Between the power squadron issue, ridiculous launch charges during most of the year and much worse fishing than in former times I have pretty much relegated Pineview to the back of my prime list.
 
In spite of no really good recent reports and lake levels being extremely low, I optimistically opted to give it a shot.  Got to the ramp a bit after 8 am.  Air temp a chilly 35…warming to early 60s by 1:30 departure.  Water was 48 degrees…all day.

Met up with the “Deadly Duo” (WH2 and WiperSlayer) at the ramp.  With no docks left in the super low water, they had to motor down to a point to the north in order to let the vehicle driver get in the boat after launching.  (See pic)  Then they took off to hit some of their fave spots.

I got off to a bad start.  Got loaded up and launched okay.  But then my electric motor started getting hinky.  It would run a few seconds and then shut down.  I checked all the connections and determined it was a faulty “quick-connect” between the battery and the on-off switch to the motor.  So I kicked in to shore and cut the quick connect out altogether.  …rewiring the battery directly to the on-off switch.  It worked fine the rest of the day, but that had cost me almost an hour of fishing time.
 
Since the fishing has been best down past the narrows during late seasons in the past, that’s where I headed…with my now functioning electric motor.  Made S turns and watched the sonar on the way.  Saw very few fishy marks…and none of the schools of crappies and/or perch that are usually present in numbers. 

Finally got down to the buoy line in front of the dam and worked back and forth across a usually productive area.  Nada, zip, zilch.  Not even a bluegill.  It was a long battery draining trip for nothing. 
 
Motored all the way back to the arm in front of the boat ramp and worked my way over to Browning point.  Finally got into a few dink crappies…biggest was just under 10 inches.  Also got a couple of silly bullheads.  Yee haw.  
 
The highlight of my day came when I was quickly reeling in a whirly flig rig to check the bait.  As I cranked it up through the water column it suddenly got “heavy”.  And then it took some 6# line off the light reel on the light rod.  Having experienced similar encounters on several other trips this year…with big carp…I didn’t have great expectations.  BUT…when the fish got closer to the surface I saw that it was a small tiger muskie.  That was mo bettah.
 
I couldn’t apply too much pressure with the light tackle, but I finally coaxed the toothy little beast to the net.  But only after several tries and one nice jump I caught on video.  The fish had gulped the whirly flig down deep enough that I couldn’t see it and I was amazed that it hadn’t cut my light line.  But I have landed several tigers and pike…and a lot of  walleyes…on that abrasion resistant Silver Thread Excalibur.  But after I had snapped a couple of pics I tried to position the fish to remove the lure and it arched up out of the net, up over the tube and into the water…cutting the line and absconding with my lure.  But that’s okay.  I know the guy who makes them and I can replace it.
 
I got back to the ramp a little after 1.  The lake was like glass and it was purtiful.  But I think that’s my only trip to Pineview this year…and maybe like forever.  Too many other venues that are more generous.


Although the fishing was not stellar, the weather was.  And I did shoot some video.  I was glad I started shooting when I thought I had a carp...and it turned out to be the tiger muskie.  Even got his jump on camera.

LINK TO VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9PyFX-tXwY

That was fun to watch Pat. I caught my only tiger musky was shortly after they were planted in Pineview. I got one to follow all the way to shore on s rattle trap. After several follows, i stopped it and just shook the rattle trap and must have made it mad, cause he smacked it. Im guessing it was 28 inches. This was before size regulations and kept it. Wasn't too bad of table fare. Nice report.
Gabe

(10-22-2021, 10:31 PM)Freakyfisherman Wrote: [ -> ]That was fun to watch Pat. I caught my only tiger musky was shortly after they were planted in Pineview. I got one to follow all the way to shore on s rattle trap. After several follows, i stopped it and just shook the rattle trap and must have made it mad, cause he smacked it. Im guessing it was 28 inches. This was before size regulations and kept it. Wasn't too bad of table fare. Nice report.
Gabe

Thanks Gabe.  The fish I got yesterday was about 28 - 30 inches.  I didn't get an exact measurement but he stretched out well past the end of my 24" plastic apron.

I have never eaten tiger muskie, but I have eaten quite a few northern pike.  I think they are great eating.  Once you learn how to fillet out the pesky flesh bones...or to cook them so they can be eaten...they have a fine white firm flesh.

Interesting tale about teasing your tiger to bite.  Most members of the pike and muskie family are well known for making savage strikes after you tease them into munching.  A good example is the use of the "figure 8" technique next to the boat to get a following "Esox" to strike. 

I know you like the flyrod.  I had a unique opportunity to catch a bunch of northern pike on flies at a little lake up in Montana.  They were really fierce.  Once they started after the fly you almost couldn't strip it away fast enough to keep them from blowing up on it.