figure 8 muskies

[lew]

Hi guys, I've been up at the trailer for the last 17 days and just got home a couple hours ago, and thought I'd post a couple pictures of the many muskies we boated. Their really hot right now and we probably boated around 25 fish or so, plus missed a few and had many others that didn't want to do anything other than look at the boaits that were offered.

 

We spent alot of time on the tri-lakes, plus a trip to Stoney and they've all got some extremely active fish right now, and their hitting both casted and trolled baits.

 

All muskies are alot of fun to tangle with, but I think the ones that give the biggest bang for the buck are the very aggressive fish that hit the bait right beside the boat on a figure 8, but some have to really be worked hard to make them hit, and this 1st fish did everything you'd expect them to do, and then some.

 

I was fishing with Meeley and was casting/jerking a perch colored double "D" when I 1st felt the fish bump the bait, and then saw him following with his nose practically touching it, but he wouldn't commit. I started the figure 8 and he followed it on every turn but wouldn't grab it, so I changed up to a large circle and still he followed. It was great to watch him twisting and turning right under our noses, and he followed every turn for at least a minute, the longest I've ever had a musky follow an 8 without clamping down on it. I even stopped the bait to see what he'd do but he then stopped and stared at it. As soon as I moved the bait he took off and dove for deep water.

 

I pulled in the bait and set the rod down, and had Meeley hand me another rod that had a large spinnerbait on it. I gave the fish a few moments to get back to her ambush spot and then tossed the next bait in that direction and started a fast retrieve to see if he'd come after it again, and sure enough, he came after this one too but again wouldn't grab it, so I started another large, sweeping figure 8 and again he chased it for another full minute before he finally hammered it. He dove deep and put up an excellent fight before Meeley got her in the Frabill.

 

I've caught alot of muskies over the years but have never enjoyed an encounter with one as much as this guy, and everything worked out textbook, with the follows and the throwback baits.

 

Definetely one fish I'll remember for awhile.

 

 

About 30 minutes later we've moved about a mile down the lake and I'm still tossing/jerking the same perch Double "D" when I see another fish coming after it hard. About 10' from the boat he opens his mouth and clamps down on the bait, I feel the weight, set the hook hard, and the bait comes right outta his yap....damn, missed him....and he turns and swims back down into 20' of water.

 

I toss the bait back at him and start jerking, and sure enough, he's coming after it again just like the 1st fish 1/2 an hour ago. Again I go into a figure 8 and again this one starts following but not as long as the 1st, and he chomps down on the "D" after about 5 turns. Meeley again has the net ready and he's in the boat for a quick photo.

 

Not a biggun, but darned near as much fun as the 1st

 

 

Last week Smokey & I headed to the Ottawa River for 2 days.

 

The weather was unbearably hot to be on the water from early morning till supper time, and the water was about the colour of coffee with about 1' of visibility but we still had alot of fun and got a couple fish but not the monsters we were looking for.

 

I picked this one up casting a brown/brass boo-tail in shallow water

 

 

 

Mike picked up this guy on the 2nd day trolling a Jake, then 30 minutes later got another one almost identicle and on the same bait.

 

 

It was a great couple days and hopefully Mike & I can get back there again next year.

 

The best part of the whole 2 weeks though was having my wife spend an evening on the water with me as I trolled around while we watched the sunset.

 

 

Lots of fish caught but these couple were the most fun the play with

Edited August 6, 2007 by lew

[solopaddler]

Amazing Lew, I can't believe a musky would be that aggressive to chase a bait worked at boatside for over a minute 2 times in a row. No wonder you sound pumped, that is very cool! (especially catching it in the end ).

[Roy]

Top notch story, Lew. Something that everyone should get accustomed to is 'figure eighting', especially me. Great times with great friends, lotsa fish, and that beautiful evening on the water with Diane. It don't get no better, Bud. Good on ya.

[glen]

Nice fish Lew. Looks like fun.

[Handlebarz]

Awsome report Lew I bet you were able to be calm on the figure 8 I guess that is wh yit works better for some.

 

Glad to see Diane get out with ya we will be up your way this weekend with the MCI group maybe we will run into you

[tbayboy]

Those are some beauties Lew and great stories to go with them, now I gotta go write down those tips

[mattyk]

very nice report Lew, some real nice fish. Thanks for sharing with us!

Edited August 6, 2007 by mattyk

[fatherof3]

very nice read and pictures. congrats and thanks for sharing

[Greencoachdog]

Excellent report and pics Lew!!!

 

No wonder it was unbearably hot... lookit all those clothes you have on!!!... You'd think it was November up there instead of August!

[Smokey]

Nice fish Lew, they look alot bigger on here rather then the little camera screen. Yup will have to do again but hopefully in a little cooler weather.

[Rich Clemens]

Attaboy Lew. A little persistance pays off. Very nicely done.

[Pigeontroller]

Great report Lew!

 

That first Muskie looks pretty ugly! But its BIG, did you get a size?

 

Second one is gorgeous! Though i'll take a big ugly one over a small pretty one anytime! (Note: This only applies to fish!)

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Exccellant report Lew! I only was able to entice a fish once with a figure 8 but he did not comit! It was a large fish and could not move as afast as the figure 8 I was doing!

 

Good to see you doing what you do best!!!

[jediangler]

Looks like you had a fun and productive couple of weeks Lew. I too would like to know the length of that ugly one. I caught my biggest on a figure 8, but don't do it as much as I should. It wasn't the one that followed that hit my bucktail, it was a different fish that came from under the boat. Often wondered, when the bite is hot, whether just doing a steady figure 8 might out produce casting.

[007]

Congratulations on some huge fish Lew. Great report.

 

I don't know how you do it..... that is.... catch such big fish but not smile in the photo of you holding it!!

 

007

[danc]

Wonderful report Lew. Looks like fun..

[Raf]

Nice fish Lew. Figure 8 strikes are great, except the ones that scare the crap out of you when they dart out from under the boat or you don't see them coming.

[joonmoon]

WTG Lew gotta luv when ya see em comin and they snatch at the bait, viciously is best. Really gets the old ticker pumpin. Nice 2 weeks ya had and to end it off with a few hours trolling with the better half...class act buddy. Good job.

[fishindevil]

Nice fishing report lew !!!!! some real nice muskies you caught there....and ya gotta love doing those figure 8 turns,it drives them crazy,and sometimes makes them hit right when you are pulling it out of the water....cheers

[bigbuck]

Jeez Lew, that first one is a monster!! Any idea as to how big she was???

[dustink]

What a great report Lew.....congrats on boating some beautiful fish!!

 

One of the first things Mike Hulbert showed my dad and I this spring when we went with him was the big figure 8, boatside. He told us to this EVERY time.

 

dk

[camillj]

Wow ... aint it the truth !!!!

 

 

The best figure 8 for me was when I was demonstrating it to a buddy (no follow that I knew of) and I was explaining it to him why/when/wherefore ... and BAM ... a 12 lber hit me right behind the boat .... outa nowhere ... I just about wet myself

 

Good to see you had some fun at the trailer Lew !

Edited August 7, 2007 by camillj

[OhioFisherman]

Great pictures and report Lew, always nice to fish with "the boss".

[Guest Trophymuskie]

WTG Lew figure 8 muskies are a blast, we don't get many each year but they are even more fun then topwater fish.

[lew]

Great report Lew!

 

That first Muskie looks pretty ugly! But its BIG, did you get a size?

 

Second one is gorgeous! Though i'll take a big ugly one over a small pretty one anytime! (Note: This only applies to fish!)