We attempted this experiment with the last seven Muskies that hit suckers. All of these Muskies were located on the bottom in water from 18 to 28 feet deep. Of the seven Muskies, one musky dropped the sucker in response; four others were easily manipulated but were caught; and two Muskies exhibited no noticeable response to the trolling motor and stomping. It is interesting to note that the two Muskies which did not exhibit any response to our trolling motor or stomping noise turned out to be smaller, possibly inexperienced Muskies. Although our experiment was limited in scope, we began to get excited if a Musky responded to our actions because, in such cases, we had the feeling that we were dealing with experienced Muskies. And, when we talk of experienced Muskies we are usually talking about the older, larger variety. Are the Musky's responses to this experiment the result of conditioning from catch and release experiences? Could it even be possible that larger Muskies are more sensitive to noise? Whatever the reason, it seems a wise strategy to adopt a stealthlike presence. After all, if Muskies are responding negatively to noise when in water 18 feet and deeper, how do you think they respond to noise when they are in the shallows? FOOD FOR THOUGHT The intent of CFMS-Y2 is to determine the survivability of Muskies that have swallowed single hook rigs. The data that is gathered will be used to inform and educate our fellow musky anglers. It is not our intent to outlaw the use of live bait or suckers or any other method. Regulations may be the final outcome, but accurate information and education should precede any attempts to regulate.
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