Lusting for Muskies.

[rt36crazyfists]

Been watching The Hunt For Big Fish and it is giving me dreams of monster muskies. I'm going to be fishing in Alex Bay next summer. Can anyone give me any info on what types of areas in which I can find muskie in the late spring/summer?

[Lunkerboss]

Every part of the River has Muskies in it. The problem with Alex Bay is that it is very crowded in summertime, & you pretty much have to troll the River for your BEST chance at a Muskie. In Alex Bay, your more likely to snag a tour boat. Regardless, if your stuck to Alex Bay, try the current areas around the Coast Guard station. Always a 40+ lb fish there, but not easy to catch. Muskies will be found in the same areas that you find smallmouth, since they feed on them as well as other fish. Run your rigs at 15-20 ft deep over any depth water. They suspend at that depth most of the year. Only in the late fall or at night will you find them on bottom. Last but not least, if your really serious for your best chance of getting one, hire a guide. the BEST guide is my friend Rich Clarke who guides out of Clayton. He gets 40-50 lb fish every year. Good Luck, Marty

[John McKean]

Yep, I too am gettin the "muskie bug" for the big fish for 2010 !! I fished downriver from Alex Bay a bunch with my ole,late, great pal, Len Hartman, who set all the spinning class world records for muskies from the river ( coincidence to my opening sentence he averaged around 250 muskies per year on his own,handmade, "muskie bug" diving plug, of which I still have a fairly big box of!!). Len's secrets? -- He said the river is ALL great water,including Alex Bay, as long as ya kept trolling deeper water around the 25-35foot depths.Len maintained that you had to put your time on the water, and was out there EVERY day for up to 18 hours EACH day. Then, he just trolled with relatively light spinning gear,good but inexpensive reels with great front drags, and 8-12# test line ;he kept things simple & basic!

[Wild Bill]

I hooked, then lost, the biggest Musky I have ever tangled with in my life, just around the corner from the entrance to Alexandria Bay.
On the eastern edge of Alexandria Bay is a hotel called Castle Hill or something like that , which I was staying in, where they have a really gigantic white boat anchor [there is also an anchor in their signs] up on a rocky bluff. To the east of that on thier property is a long stretch of rip-rap made up of huge boulders before you get to the entrance of their boat basin. On that stretch, you are facing the river channel, and I fished from those rocks alot .
On a ballheaded jighead, and a five inch grub, one early morning I saw a this huge fish both attack my lure and fight for quite a while in VERY clear waters there, before it ultimately bit me off.

[rt36crazyfists]

Great info guys, thanks a lot

[Lunkerboss]

I hooked, then lost, the biggest Musky I have ever tangled with in my life, just around the corner from the entrance to Alexandria Bay.
On the eastern edge of Alexandria Bay is a hotel called Castle Hill or something like that , which I was staying in, where they have a really gigantic white boat anchor [there is also an anchor in their signs] up on a rocky bluff. To the east of that on thier property is a long stretch of rip-rap made up of huge boulders before you get to the entrance of their boat basin. On that stretch, you are facing the river channel, and I fished from those rocks alot .
On a ballheaded jighead, and a five inch grub, one early morning I saw a this huge fish both attack my lure and fight for quite a while in VERY clear waters there, before it ultimately bit me off.

Bill, Your talking about the Bonnie Castle motel/hotel. That bluff section at the edge of the east entrance to Alex Bay is called White Father point. Always a great place to catch any kind of fish. Marty

[Wild Bill]

Yup, Marty, that's it.

I figured you'd know the place right away with the description I gave.