Fly Fishing for a True River Monster! (Musky Fishing)
I CAUGHT MY FIRST MUSKY ON THE FLY!!
I’m not going to lie I bought my 10 wt musky fly rod well over a year ago. I’ve tried multiple times to catch one on the fly and came up empty handed. It’s not that I don’t know how to catch them… the fish has been an obsession of mine and on and off since I was in high School.. but catching one on the fly is bordering on stupidity. The fish are difficult enough to catch on conventional gear, without added difficulty of fly fishing. But when I got a text from my buddy Nate asking if I wanted to float a section of river with him and Beau from natives fly shop, I was all for it.
After several hours of fly fishing I finally found what I had been looking for... the fish of 10,000 casts! We celebrated as soon as the fish hit the net. It's a memory I won't soon forget. We netted a total of 3 muskies on the day!
That’s how musky fishing is. Hours and hours of nothing, filled with a few moments of chaos that will make it seem like all of the casts were worth it. Beau did have a chance at one musky on the day but lost the fish after a brief fight. So that’s the story of my first ever musky on the fly. I’ll probably be making more of these videos in the future because after my float with Nate and Beau has reignited my passion for the fish of 10,000 casts. If you liked the video, let me know in the comments below! And as always, thanks for watching.
#muskyfishing #fishing #flyfishing #fish #outdoors #nature
Пікірлер: 154
Fun time for sure! Beau has a great thing going with his guide services and his cool Fairmont, WV fly shop “Natives”.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I couldn't agree more!!
@t9056
3 ай бұрын
wow i didnt know that....i live in buckhannon and will def check it out...was about to order my first flies but will def support local now
That is a beautiful fish! Thanks so much John for sharing!
Nicely done. Another amazing catch. Enjoyed it.
That is sooooo awesome Jon. I am proud of you and thankful for your channel just to be able to see you catch that girl monster musky. God bless and always tight lines.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Tony!!
Nice fish! Love the silence just before it hit the net! Priceless!
So beautiful fish. Thank you for your video~
I became so obsessed with musky on fly a couple summers ago I bought a 10wt before ever learning to so much as cast let alone hours of grinding for a musky. Watching this video has totally motivated me again to make it my goal this season. Lots of learning so wish me luck. Thank you for another sweet vid!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
That's awesome!! Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed!
Terrific accomplishment. I absolutely love muskie fishing. Never been humbled more in my life but when you do get an opportunity at one, it’s like no other freshwater fish.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Couldn’t agree more!! Thanks for watching
@charliechild9361
Жыл бұрын
@@hardmanfishing you’re welcome. You’re content is 🔥🔥🔥
That's a monster fish!! Enjoyed 😀
Awesome video man! What an accomplishment to catch a musky on a fly!
Yes!!! I’ve been waiting for this 🎣 cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
Awesome man!! I’ve always wanted to try for one on the fly. My year is booked already, but definitely going on my list for next year!!! Thank you my friend of the fly
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!! And glad you enjoyed
Truly an accomplishment to catch one of these on the fly! Tight lines man! 🎣
Good job and a fun day! I hope you do more of these.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I'll definitely try my best!
Great video and wonderful storytelling!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
Wow what an awesome trip!!
What a great day to be out with friends!
Very cool fellas ! Giving me ideas bout the fly rod, we've got a fine Musky river in my neighborhood 👍
Muskie on the fly is one of those boxes very few anglers would be able to check off. Nice !
What an awesome fish!!! Great freakin job!
That's amazing man. Thid video couldnt have come at a better time. I was also planning on attempting to catch my first musky ever this year. I've spent all winter getting gear and studying up, and I hope to take the boat out the first week of April.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
March through May is always so good for musky!! Glad you enjoyed the video
Well done. Bravo!
Wow! Congratulations!
Awesome my friend!! Congratulations !!!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!
DUUUUUDE, for your 1st Musky??? That's nuthin short of AWESOME bro.🤯👍 Well done man, well DONE!😃👍 Seriously would enjoy you goin after more of these monsters. Keep the vidz comin my friend. Peace ✌😎
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Well I've caught musky... just not on the fly!! But thanks John!
Hi from UK, great vid, nice fish, good work
Cracking Muskys guys we just have the northern pike over here in Scotland keep the videos coming Lordy 🐟🎣🏴🇺🇸✌🏻✌🏻
Hell fricking yeah!!! Haha this is amazing 💙
Beautiful backhand cast at the start of the video, very nice!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Nate knows what he's doing!
It’s incredible seeing someone fly fishing for pike and muskys
great vid 👍
Awesome video ! We all definitely gonna like it. You can even make it longer show more of the footage . I don’t mind 20-30 min video . Glad ya got on one of them beasts! Big missiles right there 🚀!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I'll definitely keep that in mind for future videos. I wouldn't have minded it to be a little longer, but I just couldn't do much to make this one longer.
Jon, it's great watching you fish for other species, especially muskies. When I was at Va Tech, we used to go for them in the New River. Only ever hooked one on a bull frog we caught, and of course it broke me off. There is great smallmouth fishing in that river, too. They're much easier to catch. More species other than trout would be great to watch.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I've caught quite a few musky in the New! And I plan on getting into smallies and musky more this year for sure.
@littlesilver2205
Жыл бұрын
@@hardmanfishing What is the name of that Clear storage box in the center of the boat you keep all your musky flies hanging in that is really sharp, is it hand made can you purchase it.
Great video. Same thing here with the pike...hours of nothing, and then a few of them in a few minutes.
Interesting watch! Good job, that's a hard catch and I couldn't do it myself haha 😅
The fly is big as a pigeon ! 👍🏻🤩⭐
Love the nod to John Seals for the flies. He’s an awesome tyer
@flyfishing4life
Жыл бұрын
John is one of the goat 🐐 musky and bass fly tiers!
Can't believe you caught him a fly! Great looking fish
❤ Awesome day. Serious fish those musky. Probably similar to catching tiger fish in South Africa 🇿🇦. Serious fighter and plenty of teeth.
Awesome vid. The water felt familiar though ive never fished musky south of Vermont. As for a piece of water that size I wouldnt say you're at a huge disadvantage fishing a fly over conventional. I think in current flies may perform better, light natural materials have action without having to burn it back, keeping you in the zone longer. Certainly single hooks get better penetration than a trebled hook as well. Thanks and welcome to the tribe.
Way to go man!
Goood carnal !!🎣😎 greetings from Mexico
That's awesome. Great video! No we just need everybody in the world to stop screaming, "Lets GO", after every exciting moment.
Awesome day on the water!!!👊
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!! If you're the one who tied several of those flies then they were awesome.
Awesome day on the water… Still waiting on my first WV musky on the fly.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
It'll come soon enough!! Just have to get out there
Cool video dude, as a fellow musky nut that was sick!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thank you man!!
Caught over 300 in a 20 year span Nice catch keep the lines wet n tight . I got ya beat on smallest musky of all time I caught one on a jitterbug that was about the same size as the lure LOL
Awesome!!
So sick!
I love your vid
YES MORE MUSKY
You should try some golden mahseer fishing.
Awesome video, you always make the best videos, you ever trout fish Tennessee at all?
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I haven't but I'd like to here before too long
Awesome
Any videos on tying those patterns? They would work well on the giant Murry cod i get here.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I’m honestly not sure…
I was fly fishing the Ufa River in Russia in 2007 and using a lime green Clouser and catching pike every other cast.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
yeah pike are (supposedly) easier to catch. But I don't have them around me
what body of water is this?
Hearing "let's go" every 15 seconds is getting real old real fast. Grats on the musky on the fly though. Nice fish.
Holy crap man, what an amazing accomplishment! I thought catching big carp ona 7wt was cool!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!
Im curious as to what your line setup is. Looks like floating line with a sink tip but I can’t tell what the other rods are spooled with. Out west for stripers we throw a shooting head with simillar streamers.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I was actually using line specifically designed for musky / pike. Cortland and SA both make the specialty style line, I personally use cortland's line. But I've heard good things SA as well. It was sink tip line, mine was more of an intermediate, but we had other rods on the boat with various rates of sink tip line.
@colbymyers6278
Жыл бұрын
@@hardmanfishing thanks I’ll check it out
SICK a literal dream fish!!
Congrats! I'm thinking that you should perhaps use a two handed salmon rod instead? Spey casting is perfect for this.
Where can I get one of those flies?
I recognize that spot in the thumbnail, are you from that area by any chance?
Cool fish! talk a little about those flies
love the musky man hope it was a good fight also, was wondering what rod and reel you are using
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
it was a TFO big fly with a lamson liquid reel.
awesome video! I have an 8 weight fly rod and have been looking for flies for musky and pike. I live in wausau wisconsin (dead center wisconsin) I have had lots of fun with huge lures casting for pike and muskie. but only have 1 muskie . and all my pike i have caught are nothing like the very first one i hooked and got to the boat but couldnt get in the boat. sighs . she / it had my biggest rapala crosswise in its mouth and only 1 inch stuck out either side of her mouth when she first came up in view by our boat. dads net (for bass and walleye) wasnt big enough! her snout was in the bottom of the net but we couldn't get her gill plates past the metal loop of the net. soon enough the hooks finally came out and she sank slowly out of site. I sat in the front of the boat shaking for at least 30 minutes as dad kept promising to get a bigger net by the next fishing trip. LOL my muskie although only just leagle at 34and 1/4 inch that year, was another heart stopper. out with my friends dad in their boat on the wisconsin river, about 2 hours casting. my friend chris was casting towards the shore, and i was casting deeper water. chris and his dad both had dark shadows follow but not strike their lures . i made a long cast across an area that looked like a boil from a sumerged ? rock , stump , car ?? (LOL) any way , my lure dove to 6 feet, and i could just barely see the tail section wobbeling . the whole trip in i kept watching. changing speed now and then , pausing once or twice. then just as i was getting ready for the figure eight by the boat (lure was maybe a foot deep) i saw a gaping tooty maw engulf my lure! so close it looked like it was coming out of the water for me! god my heart stopped ! then a splash and a tug that nearly pulled me over the edge! gaining my balance the stif rod thumped and whipped as the fish dove straight down. all i could do was hang on to the throbbing pole . then nothing but weight ???? did it hook me into a tree down there? it felt like pulling up a rock. when the 3 of us saw him we all let out a deep breath. it was small but maybe leagle and our first boated muskie in a year. again my body was shaking for a long time but it felt awesome getting my 1st muskie . and it was their first boated one in a year. so we were all feeling good. i have tried with many of the biggest streamers i can find here, but have only gotten small 18 to 20 inch pike to hit my flies. what are you using as leader??? because it does not look like the floro/wire rig i found . maybe thats why i have had bad luck, too visible. what are you using as leader material for your flyfishing for musky/pike?? thanks , jeffrey rayborn
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
My leader is just a heavy floro carbon leader!! I've also used some cortland bite tippet as well (I don't remember what they call it).
@t9056
3 ай бұрын
the musky shop which is the biggest in the country is in wisc....they also have an app and on yt just type in the musky shop....its absolutely insane...every lure u could think of
Wow! Good job! 👍🏾 I definitely want to try that! Did you use a floating or sinking fly line?
@hardmanfishing
6 ай бұрын
Sinking! Thanks for watching
YOU GUYS REPPING WV OVER THERE?
small alligator with fins ........ in some places they count a swirl behind your lure or fly as a measure of success
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
100%
Im a bit disappointed u didnt do the river monsters intro 😂that would have been fitting
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
That’s such a good idea 😂 maybe I’ll do that in one of the next musky videos
Nice to see you fish for something that doesn't have an adipose fin.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I'll have to start making more!
what do you do for a living? Are you a pro fisherman?
You guys should use barbless hooks when releasing.
@hardmanfishing
5 ай бұрын
For musky? You're out of your mind
What net are y’all using here? Nice job guys! Great stuff!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Catch Cam Nets!! Beau (one of the dudes in the video) makes the net
Is that fly commercialy available? Killer action striped bass would love it.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I honestly couldn't tell you. If it is I'll be buying some
Saw them being caught on Top Knox Fishing on utube herein Tennessee
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Yeah you've definitely got musky in TN!
Great video. Really enjoyed it. I'm in the UK, so have no knowledge of muskies. Are they very rare, or just very cautious? I'm wondering why they are so hard to catch.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
They're the apex predators so there are just less of them in the rivers. There may only be one or two in each hole, and they don't feed often. They may have one big meal (a foot long bait fish) and then not eat for days.
@laurieharper1526
Жыл бұрын
@@hardmanfishing Thanks. Makes sense.
@TheALBIECHASER
11 ай бұрын
The James and the New R. has alot, been stocked since the 70s, nicly controlled fishery in VA for these trophies, come over an try it, lol bring your A game,
Yeah you said it perfectly, these fish will drive you insane, but when you finally get one there's no feeling like it.
How many dude's can you count
These fish will make you feel like you're the most powerful angler on Earth and then they will make you feel like you're the weakest human to ever walk this planet. All within 24hours, and that's if you're lucky 😊 Subbed
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Yep you're 100% correct! Thanks for watching and for the sub!
Your in somebody's back yard bark!!! bark!!!!! bark !!!! bark !!!!!¡ bark!!!!!!! bark !!!!!! bark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow Dude, that's a big fish Dude, it's a Dude fish Dude, you should call these videos The Dude Fishing Adventures.
Why is that dog barking?! Good video
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Because we yelled after I landed my musky and got it all riled up LOL
@PAwader
Жыл бұрын
@@hardmanfishing congrats!! I would have been pumped too!
Love the video other than the overuse of the term "boys"
Gotta get a 50 on the fly now bud
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
I'm going to go for a 45 first. That's the trophy citation size for WV... not that I want a trophy citation but that's usually a good measure of what a big fish is for the water around here.
Definitely far from the hardest fres water fish to catch
Man get some jaw spreaders and make you’re life easier , will save your flies too
It might not be a record muskie, but that was definitely a record for most "dudes" said after catching a fish
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
At least it was a record for something
Dude, that dog barking in the background was SOOO ANOYING!!!!!
@TheMarshallReed
Жыл бұрын
Guarantee I wouldn’t have noticed it if I didn’t see this comment. Now it’s pissing me off too.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Sorry next time I'll try to get the random dog to be quiet when I film!! LOL
No wonder you don't catch many with all the screaming and shouting going on in the boat. It's not a football game.
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
You try fishing for days without seeing one and then try and stay quiet when one hits the net LOL nobody who likes fishing would be quiet in that moment I don't care who you are.
Put the fish back in the water!!
There is way better things to catch then musky they don’t fight. U need to try tarpon and you will never go musky fishing again.
Been waiting for this video since I seen the picture on your instagram
Jon, great day for you, boredom then excited chaos! kudos to you and your partners!!
@hardmanfishing
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
I got my first pure strain Musky on fly back in 2021 on a Gunnar Brammers super jerk in shad color about 30+ inches. Only took me 15 years to get one 😂. This year I'm gunning for a 40 incher or 50 incher on fly and trying for a Tiger Musky on fly cause we have both strains in the Tioga and chemunge River here in upstate NY.
@hardmanfishing
2 ай бұрын
I just caught a 49 on the fly this weekend! Good luck out there
@Three_Rivers_Adventure
2 ай бұрын
@@hardmanfishing That's awesome my man!!! If you don't mind me asking what fly did you get it one ?
@Three_Rivers_Adventure
2 ай бұрын
@@hardmanfishing 4 more days and I can go after Tiger Musky and Pike. June 1st is Musky season.
yikes, learn how to handle fish.
@hardmanfishing
2 ай бұрын
me: *handles musky for a decade and fishes with a musky guide and a fly shop owner* Random commenter: “wish yall know what you were doing”