Fish Schtick Podcast Episode 38 – Pete Maina

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Pete Maina is North America’s number one authority in Muskie and Pike fishing. Pete is one of the hosts of The Next Bite TV on Versus, and has had a guest appearance on a bunch of other shows. He has authored two books and countless articles and videos. He is also a professional photographer, guided for many years, and has spoken all across North America.

Pete founded Musky Mania Tackle, which eventually became the largest muskie/pike lure company in the world, prior to its selling in 2004. He continues to work on development of large-predator tackle and associated products, and he’s affiliated with a bunch of the best products in fishing.

He’s also got a passionate commitment to stewardship of our waters and our fisheries, so we’re especially glad to have Pete Maina as our guest on today’s Fish Schtick.

Brian / Moldy Chum News

Slab of the Month
Documenting salmon in Bristol Bay watershed – way to go Sarah O’neal and crew
Triangular Rods
Washington bans copper brake pads
The dude with the 1 pound weight in his bass

Teeg / Recycled Fish News

Opening of DisneyNature’s Oceans for Earth Day
Fly Fishing Film Tour coming to Omaha
End of the Line & Road Trip with a Mission at Ak Sar Ben Aquarium
Paddling tournament in the Northeast
Fish-A-Thon is building Steam
Grandmasters Cup in Iowa – currently led by two big crappies and a bass

Around the world of fishing in 120 Seconds

Across the Country – NuCanoe and FishyKid are holding a kid’s writing contest. One Fishy Kid will win a NuCanoe, but there are a bunch of other prizes for kids who want to write about fishing.

Ohio – May 1 & 2 are the Free Fishing Days, so get someone new out on the water, Ohio.

Minnetonka, Minnesota – Rapala was honored with a “lifetime achievement” award by the IGFA. Rapala lures are responsible for more IGFA world records than any other lure manufacturer in history.

Washington, DC – The Recreational Fishing Alliance testified before congress on Earth Day. In response to a new ‘catch shares’ policy by NOAA fisheries, the RFA accuses the feds of a scheme to restrict access, choke the recreational fishing industry, and drive ownership of our public resources into the hands of private corporations and wealthy individuals. We’ll see how Congress responds.

On the Potomac – many of those senators may have been casting a fly for shad, stripers and largemouth bass this week as part of the Jim Range Casting Call. It takes advantage of the close-to-home fishing opportunities and helps connect the legislative work they do on fisheries conservation to the fun of a day on the water.

The Snake River – Save Our Wild Salmon is holding a photo contest, and it’s easy. Submit a photo of YOUR favorite river for a chance to win a pair of Mountain Khaki Snake River pants! Entries are due by April 30 – Check out saveourwildsalon.blogspot.com.

Huddleston, VA – Skeet Reese won the latest BASS Elite Series tournament on Smith Mountain Lake, and although we don’t normally do tournament win reporting here – the size of his win was huge: 14 pounds. Did it with a swimbait.

This week’s Recycled Fish Stewardship Tip: Plastic kills, and it’s doing it close to home – wherever you live. Get some reusable grocery bags and clean up any you see.

More fishing hoopla at MoldyChum.com – Stewardship Tips and more at RecycledFish.org.

Guest Intro / Interview

Let me read you a little excerpt from an article, which I’ve abbreviated a little bit here:

“In a very basic sense, protecting certain species of fish from overharvest becomes more important when we move to larger fish, farther up the food chain, and as we move farther north – where fish grow slower. When we are talking about slow-growing fish like pike or muskies, or a big-fish species twice as slow-growing like a lake trout, decades (not years) are required to rebound these stocks from overharvest. Proactive fisheries management is important here. This means “protect” a tremendous resource. Sadly, still to this day, in many places regulations are reactive. This means things got all screwed-up … fisheries got damaged … to the point of angling interest diminishing or flat ending… and then, there is “reaction” with protective regulations, stocking possibly, but sadly, it’s too late. And it takes time to fix. Proactive management simply means installing protections prior to resource depletion.”

The guy who wrote that? Pete Maina, a man so in tune with the “toothy critters” of the northern states and Canada that he’s been able to make a living fishing for them, teaching others how, and giving them the tools to do it. Pete, welcome to the Fish Schtick.

Pete – you pursue some of the biggest predators in fresh water – let’s hear a story.

Tell us a little about muskies, and pike too.

In the Pacific Northwest, steelhead are the “fish of 1,000 casts,” but in your neck of the woods, Muskies hold that title. How do you catch them, for someone who’s never fished for them?

Heard about people chasing them with the fly rod?

Your TV Show, The Next Bite, airs on Versus – what do people find when they watch the show?

Last winter, I got to be part of the Ice Roads On Ice Clinic at Lake Okoboji – this summer you’ll be one of the pro instructors at  the open water version, the Learn 2 Fish School. Where is it, when is it, and what happens there?

There is probably no group of anglers more dedicated to C&R than the muskie guys. The fly fishing / wild steelhead crew is pretty adamant, but then you’ve still got jokers who want to bonk one for the wall. The bass world releases all of their fish, but their fish handling is horrible. The bonefish / tarpon / permit people are serious about it, but the musky guys are a different breed. You guys just cut hooks out of fish, carry huge cradles – talk about the tools you use and what you’re doing to ensure successful releases of fish.

Pete Maina Website

Frabill Website

Conservation

You’ve talked about how habitat and forage are so important to successful populations of apex predators – share some of that with us.

What are some of the main conservation issues surrounding trophy pike and muskies, and what are things anybody can do to help?

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