A likely holding spot for Musky
We have our rod, flies, bite guard , and leader now for the fun part! Let's go fishing!! But where?? There are lots of lakes, rivers and streams in Pennsylvania that have Musky in them. Finding untapped fishy water takes some time and a little bit of detective work, but it's a fun and very rewarding journey. I'm going to give you some advice on how to narrow down the search for Musky waterways as well as some tips and tactics.
If you live in Pennsylvania the Pa Fish and Boat Commission posts on their website a list of their Musky stocking locations. They also tell you where they trap net breeder fish for their breeding program. In addition the State shares data that they have collected from fish surveys done by their Biologists. This data can often be years old but it doesn't diminish the usefulness to us fishermen. If I were looking for Musky waters in Pennsylvania this is the first place I'd start.
A couple years ago I googled the name of a stream and added "Musky" to the search which led me to a message board. My eyes lit up when I started reading guys talking about Musky eating the Smallmouth that they had hooked up with right off their lines. I had visions of Musky heaven and I had to get on that water. With a little online leg work I found an access point and I was fishing the water in a few short days, and under a week I was netting my first Musky. That message board banter was years old but it was still extremely useful to me because it told me exactly what I wanted to hear.
Social media is a huge part of our society today and that encompasses our fishing community as well. There are lots of fishing related pages on Facebook that have some really good information on them. With so many people frequenting these pages there is going to be a few with loose lips so to speak. Whether intentional or not someone is going to let out a clue on a waterway that possibly you never considered being a Musky hotspot. If you're lucky enough to snag this info you may have your new Musky spot.
Bait and tackle stores are AWESOME places to get fishing intel from. I know, I know we are fly anglers and we don't frequent bait and tackles stores but hear me out. These places usually have a brag board where people post pictures of their catch and most of the time there are Musky pics. Even better the people that work the counter or own the place are always happy to share where the fish was caught even down to the specific location and what the fish was caught on. Do I need to say any more?? Stop into these places and get some useful intel and spend a few dollars while you're at it.
In summary, it pays to be a detective when trying to find good quality Musky water. Anyone can sit at a spillway and catch a Musky eventually. We are fly anglers and we don't fish like that. Get that small bit of intel that lets you know there are Musky in a certain waterway and then go fish. Musky move around quite a bit so don't get stuck in one spot. Get away from the crowds and easy access and you will be rewarded with many a toothy fish! Tight lines...
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