Welcome to Colorado and the site. There are Tiger Muskie but not pure Muskie here (as far as I know). Most are pretty tight lipped as they are sterile hybrids and Colorado Parks and Wildlife do not stock many these days due to cost. PM me and I can point you to one water that you may want to try.
jkaboom, I think you raise an important point. One example is an average 40" Muskie(legal limit on water i fished) in WI is 10 years old. I can't imagine Tigers are very different. Because of this I'm catch and release only when it comes to Muskie.
I would say that overall Tiger Muskie fishing in Colorado is pretty much a waste of time. You might have a shot at Gross, Pinewood, DeWesse or Big Creek. There are some others but your better off getting your fix back in WI, MN, or Canada..
Numbers are low and all the ones I have had on my line I got fishing for other
species. Put up a great fight-much stronger than pike IMO. Wish they would stock more.
I got really serious on the fly about two years ago, before that I landed a couple small ones when I was a kid fishing for bass. Let me tell you this is extremely hard fishing, just watch Jeremy Wades River Monsters on Muskie. Once in your blood it's there forever. They are extremely picky eaters, however they will follow almost anything. Thats the most intoxicating thing ever watching a dark shadow stalking your fly.
My setup is a TFO BVK 10wt with weight forward line, TFO seems to be the best bang for your buck(my opinion).
The reel is a cheap cabelas branded model, no need to spend a lot here.
The line if I remember is Rio Pike/Muskie or maybe Scientific Anglers in medium sinking line. Going to add another reel of floating line this summer. Expensive line to buy but very easy casting and that makes all the difference.
I was using wire leaders such as Cortland Toothy Critter but I have begun to switch over to 80lb-100lb flurocarbon. With flurocarbon you can get the attention of the big bass and thats always fun too. Some also say you will increase strike percentage of muskie as well.
I also use a lot of George Gerhke's PZ fly line cleaner. I prefer that over the stuff at the big box stores.
As far as fly's go you could ask a dozen different muskie nerds and get a dozen different answers. Some swear by huge almost foot long flys and others love the smaller streamers more commonly used for bass. I don't really subscribe to any one theory, I think it's mostly presentation. I even seen guys tired of all the casting start trolling with their 10wt and big heavy fly right off the back of the boat in the prop wash traveling about 7mph(and the got one!).
If you want to start looking into it I highly recommend "Mukie on the fly" by Robert Tomes.
Looks good fcollinscatcher! I've tied some trout fly's years ago and I really would like to start tying my own Pike/Muskie flys. I know a few guys back in WI that tie and sell muskie flys and an hour to tie one up is pretty common depending on complexity and be prepared to pay top dollar.
One thing I have always liked on a "shad" or "perch" color fly is a little red at the gill location. I have no evidence that it will increase strikes but it makes me feel better. Also the guys that tie the flys like BIG EYES, pike/muskie will fix on the eyes of prey fish.
Colorado is real slow on any tooth fish and that include pike, musky, and tigers. Utah has developed a niche for tigers and is stocking them all over but in controlled numbers. Colorado is almost a waste of time.
they are extra tough as locals soak live trout for them... at least thats what ive heard from locals. id park my car blocking them in and call operation game thief after making a video. if ranger doesnt do anything they get to be utube famous. everyone wants to be utube famous. lol even guides stay out of videoing distance as they know...
Some years ago, I remember a certain lake where folks would use bluegill under a balloon. May have been legal, as bait was at that particular pond.
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