Lake St-Francis Report. My First Musky! *PICS*

[PikeMolester]

I made a first post awhile ago with some smallies and largies along with our shad run. This is my second "report". Here was the first.

http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.p...c=34672&hl=

 

Last week we headed down to Lake St-Francis on the same day as the the tournament where the winner got a whopping 30.35lbs! Most of you from this forum never go to Francis but the guys on FishinCanada are more from that region and they do. I aint heard one report from St-Francis on this board besides mine. And it owns Simcoe/Erie and wtv else for smallies. We did not launch at Raisin River though. We made our way to the stumps slowly drifting and casting spinners into 8-10 feet of 63 degree water infested with tree stumps. We had a great time and landed eleven 2.5-4.5 largies/smallies on all spinners. We used black,white,chartreuse and some unique duel willows with black/red and pumpkinseed skirt and trailer/orange blade combos. It was my first time using my 20lb Power Pro in Phantom Red and I loved it. I also used a fluoro leader. I also used a white spro from once it got darker and landed a nice one from the slop.

Edited October 6, 2009 by Canucker

[PikeMolester]

my buddy managed the bass of the day and the only pike a few weeks before.

Edited October 5, 2009 by Canucker

[PikeMolester]

Today we headed back to the stumps because last week the action was really fun. I was hoping it would be like last week and hopefully land some pike because to me it seems to me the most evasive species. I just cannot catch any. The water cooled down to 54 degrees and we didn't even get a nibble doing the exact things we did the week earlier. Spinners didn't work so we tried some senkos with no luck at all. We then decided to try and jig for walleye because we have not caught any this summer at all and are very new to things like jigging 40 feet of water or trolling. Learning as we go typa deal. We managed to find a nice drop with fish on the fish finder. We caught 2-3 rock bass and 1 small walleye that wouldnt make it due to my inexperience. Mind you we were planning on eating any walleye we caught. The current was strong so we used large jigheads with Gulp Alive 2" minnows. All of a sudden I feel a snag. I thought I was caught on a log or something and yanked on it. Then I feel headshakes and think I have a nice walleye on, but then my line and reel start screaming and the fish starts running. I then realize it is no walleye but no idea what it was. It was the most intense fish fight I ever had cause I have not landed anything over 5 pounds yet and cannot catch pike for the life of me. Here is the jig I used and the Musky I caught. I cannot believe that I got this jigging a 2 inch minnow.

I see that I hold it like a gun. I cannot help it. I was shaking and in shock.

I never caught anything over 5 pounds or anything in the esox family rly. Do any of you professional have any estimates at size and weight? I didnt weigh it because I thought it was gonna be dead tired from the fight and pics but turns out it took off and splashed the second it touched water. I was out of the water for prolly just under 1 minute.

 

Edited October 5, 2009 by Canucker

[PikeMolester]

Here is the walleye we kept. Apparently I pulled it from 50 feet too fast and had no idea this could happen. Its air bladder came out its mouth. So go ahead and flame. I'm expecting it from some of you but I aint hiding it in shame, I'm sharing it with you lol.

[Cudz]

nice fish. You will probably get flamed more for the vertical hold on the musky than the air bladder walleye. I doubt the fish are all dead. You can fizz deep fish with fairly good results.

[darsky]

Yeah-I was on Frannie this weekend too. Between the 3 of us we boated at least 30-40 smallies up to 5lbs. They are in their Fall patterns and beginning to pumpkin out. Sorry no pics.

[MCTFisher9120]

Great job out there man! Try to sign up for photobucket, lot's easier than uploading your picture to 3 or 4 posts.

 

Great job on the musky!

Thanks for sharing,

MTBF

[Fish4Eyes]

Nothing wrong with keeping a walleye that size. Nice mixed bag.

[Bly]

Nice report and congrats on your first Musky, a beautiful fish and one to certainly be proud of

 

Re: getting flamed over the walleye and musky

 

Doesn't sound like you are going to let it get you down...good for you! I see it this way.....you already stated the walleye was bound for the dinner table anyway and that you were inexperienced...better to learn on a fish that is already going to be eaten and now you know.

 

The musky.....This is your first, you weren't targeting it, sounds like you were mindful of the fight/out of water time and it swam away strong. The holds and perfect C & R techniques come with education and experience.

 

Congrats again!

[johnnyb]

I find the best treatment for those walleye are butter and a hot frying pan...no biggie. Good thing the "nazi mods" don't mind you posting 3 or 4 times to get all your pics up eh?

That's all the teasing you'll get from me...congrats on the muskie...nothin' like 'em in my opinion...get back out there for more...now's when they're on the feedbag!

[Greencoachdog]

Nice report, pics, and fish!!!

 

Nothing wrong with the Musky hold to me!

 

The only problem with the Walleye is if you weren't intending to keep any, or it was a slot fish.

 

I agree with the others about the photobucket account, it makes a much nicer report to read.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post your adventures!

[PikeMolester]

Ya I got photobucket and that is how I originally wanted to post them but it did not allow me to. I knew someone would get on my ass about vertical hold...the only reason I even knew how to hold on the inside of the gill plate vertically like that is because of this site and people musky/pike pics to be honest. Yet somehow there would be obvious trolls patrolling and flaming the treatment of fish as always. Imma try photobucket again...

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great Report. That lake sounds amazing with stumps in 8 to 10 feet of water. Sounds like Jig and Pig heaven. I never seen that happen to a walleye either. Never brought one in from that deep. As far as the musky?Sounds like it swam away just fine. Thanks for sharing.

[ozaibak1]

Way to go, nice fish and report, it's a lot of fun succeeding trying new tactics.

[kickingfrog]

I have no recollection of that (fill-in the blank).

 

Politicians use it all the time.

 

Sometimes is even works.

[muskymike]

Arrogant and ignorant.

 

Its one thing to do it and to learn from it, its another to say, "People have only been holding them like that for decades including professionals and million of anglers."

 

No respect for the species or the sport.

[holdfast]

Nice Fish and pics Canucker. Don't let the Know it all get you down. Don't worry , one of your fans quoted me about seven times to make himself look good. By any chance is Lake St Francis in the Mtl area. Notice your a Habs fan, I used to be till they started trading away good players for political reasons. A long list starting with Chelios for Savard

[Harrison]

Great fish bud, I have friends who fish that area but have never been there myself. I hear amazing things about it! Such as "forget about Simcoe or Erie for smallies" etc...

 

Fizzing is not for the novice to try and learn with out being shown how to fizz a fish properly. IMO

Edited October 6, 2009 by Harrison

[PikeMolester]

Nice Fish and pics Canucker. Don't let the Know it all get you down. Don't worry , one of your fans quoted me about seven times to make himself look good. By any chance is Lake St Francis in the Mtl area. Notice your a Habs fan, I used to be till they started trading away good players for political reasons. A long list starting with Chelios for Savard

ya thanks. they deleted all the posts from those guys anyways. Francis is in Lancaster Ontario. About 40 minutes from Montreal. And yes the last 15 years of HABS political Bull trading away stars and getting Quebec players who are not as good...NOW its over tho. This year we have an all american line and only 3 Quebecers. They smartened up and decided to go for some quality players instead of just looking for french players.

 

And what is "fizzing?"

Edited October 6, 2009 by Canucker