We Practice Catch & Release!

One of the specifics we ingrain into our clientele while on our guide trips is the importance of catch and release. Actually if you read through our guide policies on the Booking Information page you will find we have some required guidelines when it comes to catch & release during the trip. Muskies do not naturally reproduce to any significant extent in reservoirs. The Muskies that are stocked here in Ohio lakes linage back to the Ohio River strain of Muskelunge. They're a stream fish and though they grow heartily in our inland lakes, the absence of moving water and certain food nutrients for the fry hardly exist.  With no significant natural reproduction in reservoirs, catch and release becomes an even bigger issue. In many northern waters such as the great lakes or Lake St. Clair, these fish are sustained by natural reproduction almost exclusively. Reservoir Muskie fisheries are not generally afforded that luxury. Most inland lake Musky fisheries throughout the mid west generally cannot depend on natural reproduction either. Its clearly a put and take situation.

Muskies are a revered trophy game fish, not table fare. If you want to catch fish to eat then book a Lake Erie Walleye or Perch trip.  We only condone keeping a Musky for one of several situations: My boat's minimum size limit must first be met (46") as a large trophy fish or in the case of a non revived fish after release we would permit the client to keep the fish to mount or eat. Out of hundreds of clients we have served, this almost never happens. As we state on our opening page, 96% of all Muskies ever taken out of my boats were successfully released. The other 4% were either mounted or didn't revive and were eaten. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but I also say a picture of a nice Muskie is worth a thousand memories. I don't begrudge anyone keeping a truly trophy class fish. But more than once I refused to allow a client to keep a sub trophy class Musky. Most Musky enthusiasts are true sports people. Most of my clients are as well. Example: In one of the of the pictures below you see a June 2007 client from the State of Maryland and I releasing his 52.5" Trophy Muskie back to the depths. The  fish was truly a trophy fish. I openly gave my client the option to keep the fish to mount but he elected to take photos  and release the fish to fight another day. No arm twisting. His decision. Another one of my clients last season took a  beautiful 46" incher,  a 39" and a 37" fish all in the same afternoon. His first Muskies and first trophy class fish (46") ever.  He freely and happily took his photos and released the fish. This is what catch & release is all about. Preserving the resource for not only ourselves but for future Muskie generations.