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MuskieFIRST Interactive Seminar, Tony Grant

Category: chat

 Feb 27th, 2009 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Feb 27th, 2009 at 12:00 AM

TONY GRANT CHAT 2/19/09

Slamr: MuskieFIRST welcomes Tony Grant back to the chat room, thanks for coming by Tony!
Slamr: Feel free to ask all the questions you’d like, gents
tony_grant: Thanks guys for having me hopefully I can be of some help

	Mountian Muskies

TOURNAMENTS AND FISHING PRESSURED WATERS:
Slamr: I’ll start:  you’ve fished the PMTT for many years, how do you approach a tourney day DIFFERENTLY versus any other day on the water?
 tony_grant: Just try to go to where I’ve seen fish pre fising
tony_grant: How many of you guys are going to fish the mac
Slamr: Lambeau is, that i know
lambeau: are you planning to fish any MAC events, Tony?
tony_grant: I’m in for the first in Minocqua
sworrall: SHould be a great event
tony_grant: At least the first hopefully more
lambeau: great, we’ll see you out there!
lambeau: Tony, your known for being successful in different areas of the country, being able to pattern fish on many different kinds of waters.
lambeau: how do you respond to occasional criticism that non-local guides or tourney anglers are “exploiting” the resource?
tony_grant: Boy I’ve never felt that way down here
tony_grant: i think tourneys and more exposure better for Muskies
Slamr: what has been the biggest key in your opinion to your past successes in tournaments?
lambeau: how so? and is there anything specific you do to mitigate or reduce the impact of increased pressure on certain waters?
tony_grant: prefishing heavily networking 18 years of 200 days doing this
tony_grant: i fish hard
tony_grant: pressure is just another word for this lure sucks personnaly I have made my money the the tourneys fishing heavy pressure
tony_grant: the second third forth …tenth guy thru catches fish
muskellunged: You have a long history with the P.M.T.T., what are your thoughts on the new musky circuit, the MAC?  Would you consider fishing it in the future, and how will it’s existence change the P.M.T.T. ?
tony_grant: I think they both can be successful I am fishing at least one this year. Its tough for me to take too many days off

CAVE RUN:
muskyfvr: Tony, Do you find the Rattle Trap to be better for Prespawn  or does it work well into the Summer
tony_grant: It will work anytime but the high percentage time in pre spauwn
river_muskies: How is the Cave looking??
tony_grant: Who knows  water looks good
tony_grant: fish caught over the weekend none last 2 days out of gregg and lans
river_muskies: We are starting to pick up fish on rattle baits in PA
tony_grant: Records show it shold be great if it warms up normally
tony_grant: too quick sucks too slow can suck
Slamr: Tony, with this long winter, historically how does that affect early season conditions?
 tony_grant: warmest water warms up quick is better
sworrall: Did the ice storm hit the area aroung the Cave a few weeks back at all?
tony_grant: i was without electric 10 days
tony_grant: nieghbors were out till past monday
muskyfvr: When you fish impoundments, what areas do you target first. back of bays,points, main basin,etc?
tony_grant: work the points in and around then do it over agian
tony_grant: coves are the best i’ve found on any resivors
river_muskies: Since the rattle baits are successful in the early spring and are fished fast, shouldn’t small double bladed bucktails like the new baby from Musky Mayhem be effective?
tony_grant: I think they will for sure post spawn pre  I not sure yet I have never been able to get blades going early
AJ: when do you start throwing blades?
tony_grant: I try them early but they get high percentage after the spawn
Top_H20: When will you be back at the Cave ? & do you ever  throw DCG, or Top waters in the spring? Maybe I’ll run into you or some of your Guys in A few weeks I love the Cave early on.
tony_grant: big fish taken by jerome last year on cowgirl
tony_grant: oh thats you
tony_grant: I’ve tried them early but slow till 65 degress for me
Top_H20: Am I the only one that throws the big blades early on?
tony_grant: 85 % of my cast go in 2 feet or less tough for some guys to get them going
tforcier: Tony, at what water temps do you  stop using the rattle baits?
tony_grant: When they stop being the highest percentage generally around 62 to 65 todd

KENTUCKY STATE RECORD:
clark: New state record for KY, how long to you think it will stand or be broken?
tony_grant: 3 recorded breaking fish in 10 years   I hope next month
tony_grant: three confirmed 40 lbs in 2008
river_muskies: I hope in 2 weeks
clark: Did you guys get the size limit increase this year in KY
tony_grant: starts 2010 Finally
Top_H20: Do you think Cave Run will go to a larger (40″) limit? & when ?
tony_grant: its taken 20 years to get it to the new 36 who  knowa Crash has been pushing the limit for 20 years

NEW GEAR:
river_muskies: What is the HOT new bait this year. Anything really strike your eye?
tony_grant: Smittys guide bait revamped is awesome
Slamr: Other than lures, anything come out at the shows you ahve been too that seem like “must haves” for muskie freaks?
tony_grant: Big Spinners from Esox Edge and the double turtle blades
tony_grant: Big willow llungen
tony_grant: Willow blade from bait rigs is cool could produce like double tens
muskyfvr: What type of leaders and line do you use?
river_muskies: Have you had a chance to see / use the new HD Lowrance  units. What do you think?
tony_grant: ONE WORD JOHN BETTE
tony_grant: TWO
tony_grant: STEALTH
tony_grant: They are as tough as nails which hurts his sales they last forever
sworrall: That’s a good ‘problem’ for a product to have!
muskyfvr: Line? and test weight
tony_grant: use 50 power pro for rattlebaits 80 all other casting 100 trolling some mono too all power pro

ROD / REEL PREFERENCES:
muskyfvr: What is your favorite rod and reel combo
 tony_grant: 86 lamiglas Induron
Slamr: are you using a heavy, or xh lamiglas 8’6″?
 tony_grant: I use both depending on lure
river_muskies: Have you tried the bigger reels like the Trinidad.
tony_grant: hate the trinidad
tony_grant: Okuma has a new reel that pulls 41 inches a crank and has a level win Haven;t used it yet
river_muskies: Left Handed version?
tony_grant: YES  lefty
bette: what is the new okuma reel called or model?
tony_grant: solterra
muskiediller: when will this new reel be available?
tony_grant: let me check them first in a week
tony_grant: reels are in new catalogs down fall 24 oz
tony_grant: rattlebaits  I use Okuma Poodle tail bass rod
lambeau: could you describe the Okuma Poodle tail rod, Tony? what makes it right for rattlebaits?
tony_grant: great tip for small baits fatique factor is cool confort casting
tony_grant: Its in the bass series split handle
AJ: how long is the poodletail rod that you use for rattlebaits?
AJ: Tony, How long are the poodletail rods that you use when throwing rattlebaits?
tony_grant: 7 11 I like H  but most like XH

MUSKIE ROAD RULES:
bette: tony can you talk a little bit about the on the water schools as far as what to expect for someone who has never attended or is thinking of attending.
tony_grant: any schools are the VERY best way to learn a lake cost factor way better than hiring a guide
tony_grant: learn a ton about the lake quickly and from locals that shine there
tony_grant: great comrodary
Slamr: what is the general day’s itinerary for an “on the water” school?
Slamr: nightly instruction, or during the day activities (along with fishing)
tony_grant: Schools run 6 or 7 class 18 fishing

UP NORTH FISHING:
lambeau: once you head north for the summer, where will you be guiding this season?
tony_grant: I can’t just jump around when i have to produce for customers same thing every year kentuck, big sand 7 mile. twins and a few others
tony_grant: August September Vermillion cass
tony_grant: I just fell into this pattern chasing small schools of baitfish super shallow 6 years ago
tony_grant: Kentucky style fishing in the nortwoods

 HYBRIDS:
itmusky: Any particular colors for Hybrids on Lac Vieux Desert that work better and time of year
 tony_grant: I’m noy much on the desert but I find pink Charteuse browns  are great anywhere
TAG: Does the Theory of Big Baits = Big FIsh apply for big tiger muskies or do they like smaller lures
tony_grant: I can’t catch them on big lures period
tony_grant: pink oct tube took the biggest this year 49
sworrall: When do you start really chasing the Tigers?
tony_grant: Tigers weather depending but they geneally go after 4th I have got 45 over 40 inches in 6 year and only 6 before 4th of July but the years it warms up fast they can go mid late june
sworrall: Do you find the hybrids to be more of a challenge?
tony_grant: Tigers are a great challenge for one big reason THEY DON”T FOLLOW OFTEN SELDOM for me
tony_grant: Great Battle ask river muskies hes seen it first hand
river_muskies: Awesome fish, especially the wild ones
tony_grant: There is a big difference in tigers at 40 and 45 a great big difference thick bodied the ones I’m chasing
tony_grant: In the last few year I’m catching them in places I did’nt know they where nice ones
tony_grant: I have taken 6 tigers in the last 2 year between 21 and 32 inches on a lake that only had big ones they are reproducing  or someone is throwing these little guys in
BenR: What areas of the country have you caught tigers and do they seem to behave same in different areas?
tony_grant: Wisconsin and Minn only for me and they are the same in simaliar bodies of water

WRAP-UP:
BenR: Has a muskie ever made you cry?    
tony_grant: I hold back the tears
tony_grant: Some really hurt though
tony_grant: Only when one bite me in the belly
sworrall: Tony, MuskieFIRST thanks you for a great hour, good luck chasing Muskies this year!
tony_grant: Thanks Steve would love to get you guys more evolved in Road Rules someday
sworrall: Let us know how we can help, Tony!
tony_grant: Thanks everybody and go fishing Kincaids hot Cave always good and green too. Guys, the drives not bad I do all the time
tony_grant: Thanks agian I love passing on info NETWORKING it helps everybody