It's mid afternoon, late one spring and the Muskie in the lake are starting to tear it up after their spawn. A fishing buddy asks if I want to venture out and have a little fun and I agree. My young lad of 10 asks to join us and so with gear packed and trailer hooked we make the 25 minute trip to the lake. The first spinner hit the water at about 5pm and the ritual began. Cast after cast and cast again. A couple or three fish make it to boat side but the one that would be etched in all our memories would the last one.
From the stern a cry of "I GOT ONE" shatters the silence of the evening air. It seems the young lad has hooked a fish. Looking at the familiar thumping of the rod tip and then each other my buddy and I smiled as we knew the Baptism had begun. Just moments into the battle with the young hunter, his quarry decides to show itself and with a short run the beast breaches for its first appearance. Stunned and somewhat in fear at what he'd just witnessed, "SOMEONE TAKE THE ROD!!" escaped from the young hunters lips. The only reply was, "You hooked it, you bring it in".
After two more spirited runs the Magnificent beast was at boat side, surrendering momentarily to the young hunters prowess long enough to be measured, weighed , photographed and released into someone else's dreams to one day become a reality. For those of us there and especially this lad it was a First that will Last Forever.
Species: Muskellunge
Weight: 10 lbs
Length: 36 inches
To Sally Boy: "FIRSTS LAST FOREVER"