Joe Bucher is the man responsible for me getting into Musky fishing. Watched his video's and decided one year "Thats it..I am getting some gear and doing this", so with my new net,rod and only a handful of lures I gave it a shot and first trip out I got a 47" on one of his 700 series bucktails. Thanks Joe!
Love this series! I'm 71, started fishing muskies in 1972. Don't fish much any more because of age, but I love watching your videos! Brings back many memories.
My dad is 84. You should go to a knowledgeable shop and talk to the guys about new equipment. My dad cannot chuck a 7 oz Medusa for 8 hours, but with the long handles on today's rods, he can fish for quite a while with the leverage these rods and wonderful new reels offer.
When I was growing up in Madison in the 1960’s there was a cult of “old men” one could meet in the back corner of Petrie’s Sporting Goods. These were the Muskie guys. For the most part they kept to themselves being held in a form of reverence by us youngsters. The talked about the magic of the Eddie Bait, the Suick, and the Mepps. They also talked of far distant places like Hayward, the Flambeau or that most mythical place Lake of the Woods. It was into that group that my brother and I were initiated and given the most protected secret of all: Lake Wingra Muskies. Of all Muskie secrets of the Madison Muskie guys, this was the most protected. Today is a very different world. From the Muskie fishing perspective it is the best of times.
It really is different isn't it? When I was a lad in the '80s, the old folks kept their secrets more carefully. It seems to me that that is changing. The anglers who realy understand the fish seem to be much more willing to share their secrets now. I think that catch and release, along with the recognition that interest in the sport is important to conservation, has changed these attitudes. Just like any sport, the young keep things going.
Not only is Joe Bucher the elder statesman of modern Musky fishing, he's like every bodies cool uncle. Very knowledgeable and confident but never pretentious and very approachable. He's also one heck of a guitar player!
Just after returning from WWII my late Father set his sights on catching the world record musky. He fished the Hayward area and he literally pioneered many of the tactics used today including a very stringent catch & release philosophy. We even kept a couple bars of Ivory soap on board and washed every lure prior to casting. I had no idea at the time I was being raised by a pioneer of this great sport.
I've listened to this man,watched him on the water for 45 years. Heard him speak at meetings. Things I learned years ago. Weather, Sunday/Monday night pressure. October smallies, November muskies, TIME on the water. In his 2nd life watched him on the water in E. Vilas County. If they aren't there, you can't catch them. Oh Canada!!
Went to High School in the 715. This is the time of year to get off the big lake's and fish the small one's nobody's on. I had so many small (100acre or less) lakes that would produce upper 40s and 50in fish. Whiteys bait shop on the Cisco chain was owned by my uncle. Fished there alot in my younger day's. My biggest musky was 54.25in as well and it was released..
Joe Bucher was a hero of mine growing up and I'll always remember seeing him when he came to Gander Mountain in Wausau in the 90s to give a talk. I love the talk about making baits. My father and I fished out of St. Germain for many years and knew a gentleman named Musky Jack who made bucktails with skunk hair called "skunk tails". At a lake we fished near Sayner those skunk tails out fished everything else, always. Up until about 8 years ago you could still get skunk tails as Ray's Landing bait shop, but sadly Musky Jack isn't around making them anymore. Fun memories for me and great stories from Joe and these guys!
This is a great channel. Most days I fish alone, no one else on the lake & no one else in my boat. I'm always tired after muskie fishing & most aren't inclined to put in the effort.
Another great “Legend” episode. Great to hear about Joe’s journey to where he is today. And witnessing a ‘first’ in Joe’s 40 yr. career is special as well. Great job, Lee & Robbie, & tight lines to all of you!
The start of this video was HILARIOUS!!! Fishing with "Joe Bucher", SCRATCH that... then straight into your guy's intro. That is too funny. Talking with these guys that have been doing it for so long is UNREAL!!! Keep up the great work man. Joe Bucher is a LEGEND even up here in Canada. Your guy's videos are also LEGENDARY, keep up the unbelievable vids guys.
Just found this video! Absolute gem! Caught my fist Muskie on St. Clair with a shallow raider! Joe is truly a legend. I will also add my first casting Muskie was on a bucher mag tinsel! In a small creek in Ohio.
Joe Bucher, if you like Blues and Rock music checks out some of Joe's guitar playing. He's great. Good thing for us muskie folks that he chose fishing for a career rather than guitar because he'd have been a Rock Star for sure. Joe started guiding in 1973 he said here. Lee was 2 and I was 13 and Robbie, well.... lol I've met Joe once. He's just as gracious in person as he is here. He even gave me one of his Blues CD's. If you watch his channel, all the music on it is Joe playing guitar. He's good. I grew up in the same fishing era as Joe talks about. He tells it just as it was back then. I'm enjoying this Legends Series. Great concept, guys. Keep it up. Can't wait to see who else you get in the boat. Edited to add comment as I watched the video.
Was just thinking of 2 more guys who are legends, if you could get them in a boat for an interview, Dick Pearson and Doug Johnson. If you want to know about Canadian Shield muskies they're the ones you talk to.
This is fascinating for me on so many levels!. I was a child from Nyc whose father was a Musky fisherman and we stayed at Dairyman's country club, Stayed at wolf lake lodge for every summer 71-78..So this is especially a treat to listen to as back then the limit was 36 in today i understand the that's increased to 50 inches which blows me away, we caught many in the 40-45 range back in those days and my dad was old school rowed all day threw bucktails and suicks or live suckers! try pounding those all day!. We didn't have the tech of today and there were no trolling motors allowed..Indeed it was the fish of 10.000 casts!
Going through an early midlife crises moment has me nostalgic about things. We were subscribers to MHM from issue 3 or 4. Of course his buck tail fishing for muskies I read a couple times instead of reading/doing school work LOL The double Buchertail was one of my favorite lures at like 12 years old. Tons a memories following Joe!
I know you guys have been frustrated in trying to put more fish in your content. While I tune in to watch fish vids, there’s more to it than that. You guys (like Joe) are guys that I think it would be fun to fish with, and that keeps me tuning in. Keep grinding and we’ll stick with you. Great channel.
This series is awesome. really love these cast and chat episodes. Joe saying the app being his parting gift to the industry is heavy stuff. the legends are getting older and we all owe a massive amount of respect to them for paving the way for where we are today. Hats off to you fellas
Yes we do! Without them musky fishing wouldn't be possible in most states! I think it's 43 out of 50 states now have populations of musky. Which by the way most states musky were naturally native. There's a need for an Apex predator in the lake
Absolutely.Freakin.Outstanding. I got to know Joe in the early 90’s and have been fortunate to catch a ton of fish with him over the years. More importantly, he has been a great friend to my Dad and I. Even though I’ve heard these stories, I could listen to them a hundred times. Great work with this Legends Series.
Shallow raider! For those of you who are just starting off you can not go wrong with a shallow raid trolling, or casting that's why it's so great!! Also, a must have is a Lee flapper for early morning/low light conditions.
Excellent video. I'd rather listen to all the talking with Joe than see you catch a fish. I can see that on pretty much any other video and they're all mostly the same. This was something rare and great.
This is so cool. I love watching folks fish, but having traveled to the Springstead/Park Falls area since I was little. listening to this chat is an incredible treat. Thank you so much for posting it. Old "Scarface" LOL! We had a guy named The Colonel that fished Boot Lake out of The Birches resort. He had a fish go at a plug multiple times and named him "Old Spastic".
Loving the legend series. Informative, entertaining, and just down right interesting. There are plenty of musky channels to watch but you're hitting a niche with this series. Please don't stop! Tight lines boys! Its fall!
So cool to have had the opportunity to fish some of the same waters that the legends have near the boulder junction area. I absolutely love this series of videos, so much info being shared.
Very cool u guys 👍 my first triple was on mad-chain twitching a shallow raider over weeds lol got a bonus 35" pike too. Great vid. Them old stories are wild ha
You guys are awesome for puting out content like this, I’m 21 out of southern wisco and I’m dieing to catch a musky this year. Great watching you fish and talking to legends like this man.
Thank you! The legend videos are extremely cool. I've read some of Larry's stuff, I've watched and read a ton of Joe's stuff. These guys have so much history!
These 2 videos were great stuff. If you could make it happen, Steve Herbeck would be another gem to have on your channel. Straight shooter with a book full of stories.
I'd have no problem sharing a boat with any one of these guys and not catching fish! Thats what's cool about fishing. You'll never get to play football with Brett Favre for a whole day, but it's very realistic to spend a day with these fishing legends!
I'm glad nobody shoots musky anymore! We need an Apex predator in most lakes to help the fish population! St clair Friday Oct 17th. I'll be there! Wish me luck. Lol. Love you guys!
I'm surprised that Joe let you pin on his Shallow Raider using a snap, knowing how much he dislikes them. I would have thought he would have made you connect it directly to a snap ring, lol... Great episode!
Wonder if Joe tries baits other then the baits he makes...I'll always love the fluted blade bucher bucktails...first musky was on a mepps musky killer but the 2nd was on a a Buchertail 700