The MeatEater Podcast | The Musky Wars with Larry Ramsell Ep. 568 

As an avid musky angler from wisconsin and a wannnabe scholar of all things musky I thoroughly enjoyed this episode!

I’m reminded of an advertisement on the In fisherman show years ago. Two guys in a boat hear a lady yelling something from a dock, they move in to see what’s the matter. She screams that a musky ate her Muffy! (Dog or maybe a cat). One of the guys reply’s, What color was he!😂

I would listen to Larry talk about Muskies till my ears fall off. Hes helped me start my passion for them!

I love that Dick Pearson was mentioned. Great interview Larry!!

I dont usually listen to podcasts about fishing or hunting but this was incredible

HE'S 82 AND THAT SHARP? Impressive

This might just be my favorite episode I've watched yet.

Larry supports our kids muskie camps put on by the Youth Conservation Alliance in Hayward, WI. He selflessly guides and mentors countless young anglers and we love him for it!

Best Podcast on the internet! thanks guys.

Very cool! Larry is Old School Wisconsin fisherman. Musky fishing is like hunting, it takes knowledge, ETHICS and perseverance to be successful. Do your homework before fishing (even if you aren’t musky fishing) on how to handle & release a musky properly, what tools you need.

As an avid Musky fisherman from Ontario, this was a top notch listen. Thanks Larry!

This is GOLD! I first heard of Larry about 1990 (Musky Hunter Magazine) read some of his writings & this is the 1st time I've ever heard him speak or saw him other than photo's. So proud to hear him truth on FFS aka Livescope=X-box spotlighting for fish. It could well do to freshwater fishing what railroads did to the Buffalo heards without the wonderful benefits that railroads brings to us. True FFS/Livescope technology should be available to fisheries management people & scientist etc for research.

Glad you guys touched on muskie

I just want to say I love the podcast. Greetings from here in Michigan. Thanks for the great content.

Hey fellow Wisconsinites and skie angler's. In the last 10 year's musky fishing has exploded. I can remember going out in 05 to 10 and you would see maybe 2 other boats fishing, now you got lines to waiting to fish a spot. It's crazy. Yes muskie are Damn good eating! Try one, you will be awe

Awesome podcast Larry was so good! Had me smiling and laughing non stop!

Thank you so much for Larry on your podcast! There is a lot of knowledge and stories in that man. I feel this episode only skimmed the surface!

Larry Ramsell is a legendary musky angler.

Should do this for more freshwater species! This is awesome

My family were big musky fishermen for years at our family cabin in Lac Du Flambeau, WI. That was until roughly 8-10 years ago. Native Americans came through and speared the musky, pretty much wiped them out. There were also rumors that a resort on this small lake had interest in wanting the muksy gone so that the walleye population could flourish. Whatever happened, we never even get follow ups anymore...we used to see them all the time sun bathing and along the shores early in the morning, now theres literally nothing. Ever. It's actually heartbreaking

I don't musky fish, people actually hate them around where I live but I love the outdoors and really like these podcasts with experienced, interesting and passionate people. People like Larry are people we need to listen and learn from if we want the outdoors to continue for generations. This was a great listen.

82 and WAY sharper than Biden is at the same age. This guy is a treasure

The only person I’ve heard say hammer handle referring to pike besides my dad and grandfather.

This Podcast came at the perfect time! Ive seen some monsters up here in the Chain of Lakes in Bellaire, Michigan, And have been wanting to have a go at catching a musky! Honestly never even considered the actually handling of the fish, if i get so lucky! Learned alot here, and doing some research now!

Best podcast yet for MeatEater!

Loved it

You had me at underwearless.

The song at the end is the best! I love fishing lures too!

Simply awesome!

Chet’s lead weights comment was way too under appreciated! 59:34

Best episode yet

TREMENDOUS and there's a lake near my name that has 52 53 54 inchers on record; that was fantastic

1st Podcast watched from Meateater ever. Not much of a Podcast watcher for any subject/sport. I do watch and enjoy all Meateater shows. I concider your show a top 5 of all hunting/fishing shows that i watch. This Podcast was very interesting and a learnng experience towards the Musky World. I've never caught a Musky in my life and have made it a life goal to catch one, plus over 50". A pretty big dream for a 60yr old man who lives in Iowa. I do fish northern WI every couple of years, Chetek area. Once I learn my quarry more and everything else involved to preserve the species. Some day I'll be ready to begin to start my quest. But as of right now I need to learn more on whole Musky experience to catch and preserve them. I've purchased over the the last 5yrs everything needed to catch one. More is still needed though. Theres unlimited opppoortunies to gain knowledge on here and thru books which I utilize daily and like Larry I don't believe in the Live Scope. My belief is that it is cheating IMO. Larry your a heck of a man with Morals and Standards. Keep up the good fight Sir!!! AWESOME PODCAST MEATEATER!!!

Great stuff.

I went on a charter on lake st clair for musky we went all the to the mouth o g the thames river. The captian had this big clear box with fresh flowing water on board and each of the muskie were put in the tank until their fins were no longer red. The musky guys on lake st clair do the most for their species

We used to go to Lac Seul for northerns & caught a few small muskies. Using barb-less hooks helped in the catch & release

Let's go roll call Ontario! 🇨🇦

Well I feel like an idiot. Definitely going to be more careful handling Muskies from now on. Think the big I pulled in was around 52” at my cottage by Eagle River, definitely not pulling them out of the water again.

The immediate talk about getting old and having to put a magnifier in your peep makes me feel so seen. Started shooting again last month and noticed it was happening to me too

I own a livescope. I tend to not use it musky fishing because I spend to much time looking at my screen and not making casts. It felt like I was disconnecting from the essence of musky fishing. Chucking big baits, searching until they reveal themselves following it to the boat. It’s all about the number of casts you make. livescope is fun. But not for me when I’m chasing muskys.

When catch and release was first used for preservation of steelhead, we used to use a hole punch to mark the fishes tail, then we knew if it had been caught before 🎣 🐟😎👍

That was Awsome.

Super interesting. Glad I’m home sick today…..

Love your podcast. I’m from Ottawa Canada (eastern Ontario) and we have a great musky location on the Ottawa River where the nation river feeds into it. So many Americans come here annually for the musky. On a side note, if you’re an avid fisherman you need to treat yourself at least once in your lifetime to visit lake of the woods Kenora Ontario!!! It must be at least considered an anglers paradise. Not to mention one of the absolutely most beautiful places on earth.

Larry is a treasure in the Musky community. He and some other long time members of that community have disputed those old records for many years. So many things about them don't add up. But I will say this, as a former Fisheries Research Scientist, that given we have had catch-and-release at 90-100% for close to 30 years now on Muskies, and yet not ONE fish has been caught even approaching those fish caught by Spray and Johnson, in spite of the release rate, in spite of better tackle, better electronics, better boats, more remote areas being fished and spite of numerous stocking programs...if it was truly possible for Muskies to reach that length and weight, wouldn't ONE have been caught by now at least approaching one of those old records? Secondly, in spite of all those things mentioned, not ONE fish even remotely close to those sizes has been caught in those same waters the records came from since they were caught in the 1950's! Not ONE even close....I rest my case.

Lord have mercy this dude knows it ALL about Muskies.

So what happened with the verifier/clarifier and the hog? Looking to get one myself as those pins are getting more blurry by the season. Sure don't want to draw back on a 180" whitetail and miss. :D

Living near the Bone lake he mentioned in northwest Wisconsin. It has become quite the hot topic to local fisherman. I believe the limit now is 1 over 45" or 50" not sure but somewhere in that range. Spearing is allowed amongst the local native tribe and many believe they have been overtaking their limit. However, I do know they report their harvest to the wi dnr. However, that doesn't mean crap(wi dnr is suspect at best)...lol. I just found it interesting that my neck of the woods made it into the episode. Thanks for another great guest and podcast.

I think Steve had a issue with a Larry and he couldn't hide it.

I wish more people would take a video camera and record their musky catches. Then upload the video so I can live thru them for a brief moment... I watch em all. 👍🏼

There is an old wives tale from west Michigan about the naming of the town Muskegon. One day a traveler was paddling down a river and arrived at a lake. On the shore of this lake was a village and as they paddled they saw an Indian standing on the shore. They called to him asking where they were and the Indian pointed at the lake and said in broken English "musky gone."

Hey the Red River Catfish!!!!! Holy freakin cow! Thems my stomping grounds but the U.S. side!! On this side you can keep one channel 1 over 28 a day.

That was truly and incredible episode. Larry was fantastic to listen too, and his knowledge on the subject combined with his lively humor was a joy to listen/watch.

imagine all of this conservation for a chain pickerel or pike. the musky culture is odd

Anyone who doesnt think FFS EXPONENTIALLY increases your odds of catching open water muskies, is ignorant. It's a phenomal and extremely informative tool. But, it needs to be used with extreme caution and thus far, peoples egos are winning.

Livescope needs to be banned everywhere

Work in Hayward, just passed the bar they are talking about. Lol

I really enjoyed this episode! I would really like to hear Craig Boddington do a caliber rundown. I don’t think anyone has tested more cartridges than that man. 6.5 on elk? 6.8 western? 26-33 nosler? I feel like that man has shot them all and i would like to know what he feels. I know it’s preference but I don’t think there is a man that has stood behind more rifles than him.

I cought a relatively small northern pike 25 ish, with a chipmunk in its belly. I have no doubt the "squirl bait" technique would work.

My neighbors cat growing up was named Muskie bc when it was little the father wanted to use it for bait

In the south Tn , i have a good friend that told me that musky is call a 1000 cast fish

The esteemed Mr. Ramsell is a personal friend of mine, and I couldn't BEGIN to relate some of the history I've heard.

I agree with the old man on everything he says

I once went down to the local dock to find a distraught woman, she was sobbing something fierce. She said her little dog was swimming and was attacked by a large Musky. I knelt down digging through my tackle box asking what color her dog was. After fighting her off I went to the local bait shop to buy a new rod, how ungrateful could a person be?

Couldn't agree more on the part about fish finders being too advanced now. Especially for musky fishing. How is that even fun when the hunt is done on a screen? Ridiculous

I always wondered how like a 30in musky would taste. We have some absolute giants around my area of PA

Where is larry Dahlberg mention

hahaha the thumbnail changed into an actual musky!!!!

You should have Niklaus Bauer on for fly fishing pike in Sweden. Great fisherman and very knowledgeable.

@1:17:10, I feel like Cal was making a "My Cousin Vinny" reference

That was great. Larry reminds me of an old-timer I hang out with. No bullshit.

You can take a tarpon under 40" out of the water, for bigger tarpon the closest you can do picking one up is beach benching one.

how much is a fish like those record fish eat ?

Pro Guide Pete Mania has great vids on how to safely handle a musky.

In the U.P. we say "da flowage".

Gotta be one of the best podcasts you guys have done! Larry is a rock star! Such a likeable dude! And Steven Rinella, you weren’t getting anything by him! He has to be the most knowledgeable guy regarding his sport-musky fishing and knowledge of musky! And so much humour! Love your podcast and this has to. E one of the best!! Keep ‘em coming!

Hey did i miss the kids podcast i thougt it was supposed to come out july 5th?

@58:00 I can’t imagine having my life in such correct order to have enough time and energy left over to care so much about something so trivial. IE I wonder what suffers for him to care so much about a Musky War. It’s supposed to be a hobby you enjoy when the important shit is taken care of. WE GOT WEIGHTS IN FISH! smdh Catch a fish, either eat it or enjoy the experience and throw it back…. The entire conversation is about justification of ego instead of enjoyment of fishing.

Salmon are absolutely optimized for each river but only benefit in hard times. Evolution worries more about hard times cause thats when it matters.

Why it assumed every muskie fishers goal is monster muskie? Seems to trump the meat aspect of the fish. It feels like the discussion of management is how to make them bigger opposed to stable usage.

I have been fish since I was a youngster. I still have a hard time handling musky..

Still on the fence for forward facing sonar . I seen myself guy (s) catching 8 to over 12 in one day out of a small lake. My best is 4. Don't have it particially due to cost. But at 66 could use sometimes use any help possible.

Correct me if Im wrong but I believe you boys may have confused the word strain with phenotype.

Larry more or less confirmed what steve was saying about the musky world being full of elitist gatekeepers. Heaven forbid a *GASP* bass fisherman should handle one of their sacred fish

It's a privilege to become an older hunter & fisherman.

I usually hate Pikes cus they ruin my soft plastic frogs while I’m Bassin but I’ll gladly take a 40 inch Musky to make it worth the bite 😅

The expert , doesn't mention Indiana for muskie,but we have tiger muskies,and I have caught and released a very nice one here in NE Indiana! To completely skip our state to Kentucky makes no sense to me! I am by no means a expert ,just a fisherman !

The thumbnail picture for this vid seems like some kind of ai generated fish between a salmon and a pike

The right genetics in the right waters.

Let's GOOOOOO

The only thing I disagree with is not taking the muskie out of the water. If i catch a big fish u can be sure im getting a good pic quickly and putting it back with no damage done. If u care that much about a healthy release dont fish for them then

52:30 😄

Im surprised you guys moved the podcast over to this channel,which only has less than 10,000 subs, meanwhile the main Meateater channel has over 1.4 million im sure the viewership has dropped dramatically

Is this the gentleman they said they wanted on some time back but they thought he may be too old? I’m so excited and I’m only a moment in!!!! Yea boys!

I'm an old fart wearing +1.50 reading glasses, how far along are the Muskie wars? Edit -- OMG that got good real quick.

Definition: The god mode is a type of cheat in video games that makes your character invulnerable and invincible. Change the event: The god mode is a type of using cheats in fishing that makes you invulnerable and invincible.

Livescoping is for ppl who do not know how to read water nor do they know how to fish. Its pathetic

Bajajajajaja i live 45 mins from Chautauqua

💀💀💀Me waiting for new Meat Eater episodes.💀💀💀

With the livescope argument, there has to be a line in the sand drawn. The "it's just another tool" argument isn't great, especially that we know AI integration tech is next. Drones aren't allowed for hunting. Same idea