Dannys bio

I have over 50 years experience catching Muskies in and outside the State of Ohio. Being a lifetime Buckeye native most of my Muskie catches came from right here in the Buckeye State.  We have good Muskie fishing in Ohio but generally speaking we don't have the fabulous Muskie waters that many of our brothers to the north of us enjoy. Ohio Muskies tend to make you earn every one you catch.

 I caught my first Ohio Muskie in 1970 at the Dillon Reservoir spillway near Zanesville, Ohio on a yellow Shyster spinner.  It was a little over 32" long but was a thrill.  I wasn't specifically muskie fishing neither was I an avid Muskie fisherman at that point in time.  But my Uncle D Moore was a veteran Ohio Muskie  Man and I managed to catch his attention with my fluke muskie catch.  

My uncle would soon become my Muskie Mentor.  After graduating from high school I went to work in a manufacturing plant where my uncle had worked for many years.  "So what does that have to do with muskie fishing?"   Well here's how.  Now being employed at the same company we car pooled every week.  Muskie fishing often dominated the conversation to and from work weekly as well as conversations spent at other times together. It was usually, Muskie this.  Muskie that.  I was receiving a steady dose of  invaluable muskie fishing education under the mantle of a true Ohio Muskie Veteran and didn't fully realize it at the time.  What I was receiving from him would literally change my future as a fisherman.  "Every Muskie newbie needs a Muskie Mentor!"

 As the years passed I pursued Muskie fishing with an ever increasing zeal as my steadily improving muskie skills began to blossom.  The learning curve never ends.  As I often tell my guide clients that if you want to excel at Muskie fishing you MUST become "a student of the game!"  It's a never ending process.

Since catching my first Ohio Muskie, there have been over 900 Muskies caught out of my boat to date. By the standards of the elite Muskie fisheries of the north thats not an earth shaking number but is pretty respectable in the state of Ohio. In Ohio if you catch one Muskie in a day  you have to consider it a good day. You St Clarians and northerners might consider that a waste of time. One thing about Ohio.  It ingrains in you a deep respect for the fish and a hard working fishing ethic in putting the time in on the water.  We often have multiple fish days here in OH IO but when you pull into the ramp at the end of a 12 hour stint, you know you've worked for what you caught. 

Don't misunderstand.  There are days the Muskie fishing down here is on fire. One summer on Clearfork Lake we caught 13 fish in one day. A few weeks later on Clearfork we caught and released 11 more in the same day.  On another outing on Leesville Lake my son Joseph and I caught and released 11 Muskies.  We have had a number of 6 fish days in mid summer here at Salt Fork Lake where I currently reside. Two and three fish days are common out of our boat on Salt Fork.

An old Muskie fisherman told me over 30 years ago: "if you can catch a Muskie in Ohio you can catch one anywhere"  You know what"  I think he may be right.  We have caught Muskies in nearly every body of water we have fished at. In and outside of Ohio.

I'm nearing my 72nd birthday at present, married to my wife Melissa since 1973. with two adult sons Aaron and Joseph. I am semi retired now with an annual Muskie Guide Service, a growing custom lure business of my own personal bait creations as well as a 200 plus page instructional Muskie fishing EBook that is currently in revision and being updated.  There have been many  50" class Muskies caught out of my boats and by those using my baits.

In 2000 I started my Muskie Guide Service, primarily here at Salt Fork Lake near Cambridge Ohio.  My guide service focuses on equiping the newcomer to Muskie fishing with sound strategies and techniques that will allow them to consistently catch Muskies. Especially teaching them the absolute necessity of catch and release. My techniques and baits have taken Muskies from West Virginia to north to Lake St Clair and beyond.  Had a couple of reports come in from Lake of the Woods area last summer.  From Illinois to the west to the state of Maryland to the east. Muskies are being caught on our baits.

  My instruction, my lures and publications are focused on one thing.  Helping you become a more successful Muskie fisherman.  Become a"Student of the Game".  I too am to this day, still a Student of the Game. The learning curve never stops!

  If you have questions on any of my baits or services you can contact me though messenger or visit my website at www.ohiomuskiefishing.com     or visit my Ebay store at https://www.ebay.com/str/dannywadecustomlures  where all of my bait creations are available for purchase.

Have a great Muskie season!  Be safe and catch a Bigin'!!!

Danny Wade