Ontario's Muskie Artisans

There is something inherently different about those whose passion lies in the pursuit of muskellunge. True, it is the king of freshwater gamefish, and maybe it is for that reason it takes a special breed of angler to catch them on a regular basis - if such a statement actually applies to this unique fish which, at times, suffers from a most selective palate, causing anglers no end of frustration. But sometimes it is the greatest of challenges that can bring out the greatest in creativity. This article is about six special Ontario anglers who, in a sense, are firstly artists and secondly anglers. Patiently they toil away in their basement workshops or garages, working by hand to turn wood into smooth, streamlined shapes that come alive in an underwater world. Painted with rich, vibrant colours they can deceive the skeptical eyes of even the savviest of muskies. They are Ontario’s muskie artisans.

- Mark Forabosco

Frank Thurston

Frank Thurston comes across as a man with a calming wisdom. Growing up in Niagara, his love affair with fishing began at an early age. A craftsman who takes great pride in building baits, one would think Frank was an old salt with years of experience behind him. I was surprised, to say the least, when he informed me that he had been making his handsome lures for only a couple of years.

“I use cedar and run a through-wire design for the body, a loop hook hanger for the trebles and heavy gauge Lexan lips,” Frank said about his bait design.

Frank is very meticulous in his approach, applying two coats of protectant/sealer before and three more after the lure is painted in a way best described as “precision perfection”.

“The first muskie I ever landed on my lures was 42-inches, on Pigeon Lake. The largest came out of Lake St. Clair by a friend, a bulky fall fish pushing 40-pounds. The perch pattern puts lots of fish in the boat, but my favourite is purple and yellow.”

Frank attributes much of his lures’ success to their slow, thumping movement that makes it easier for muskies to detect with their lateral line. Thursty Lures, as they are commonly called in muskie circles, average nine-inches in length and dive between 12 and 15-feet. Frank is humble when it comes to his notoriety in lure making, acknowledging that most of his business comes from word of mouth.

“I’m hoping to make 250 for some of the muskie shows next year. As far as the future goes, as long as I enjoy building, and knowing that my lure might contribute to some angler catching their largest muskie, that’s the best reward of all.”