First Musky X 2

[asdve23rveavwa]

When the year began, I set out a few fishing goals. One was to catch a 10 lb walleye, managed that ice fishing in February. The other was to catch my first musky. Mission accomplished!!

Set out for the Kawarthas on Saturday afternoon for a late afternoon/evening and Sunday morning musky quest. We arrived at the motel around three pm, and, headed out for an early bite to eat before hitting the water.

Got to the lake and launched around 5:30. The last couple of times out I had mainly casted inline bucktails, and, hadn't spent as much time as I would have liked targetting 'ski's. This time the strategy was to troll a chartreuse double blade/black bucktail inline in a 10-15 foot trough. Not even ten minutes the fishfinder beeped (had the sometimes annoying Fish ID on) big fish at eight feet, couple seconds later---beep, beep, beep...the fish was rising. That's when I felt the WHAM...FISH ON, Juli! No doubt in my mind on what it was. The ABU/Fenwick combo rigged with 50 lb braid had enough "oomph" to be able to subdue it in a reasonable amount of time so as not to overstress the fish. Gave me one really nice jump, Juli snapped a bunch of pics, before I slid my hand into the gill plate (carefullly so as not to touch the gills). Just as I was about to lift it over for the "money shot" it flipped and dove straight out of my hand! No need for revival, took off like a fish rocket under the boat. I kneeled there with my jaw dropped and said to Juli, "please tell me you got a shot of it in my hand." Fortunately she got that one.

Pics of the fight and the fish in hand--

 

 

 

 

 

My post musky smile---

 

 

Man, was that a blast!

 

Set out early the next morning, caught a mixed bag of fish didn't concentrate too much on muskies, did see one cruising in a shallow bay. About an hour before we were going to head back home, Juli's rod bent over. "Fish", I asked her...no comment. "Fish", I said again..."feels strange", she said. Then came some good headshakes, fish stayed down. She was fishing with a chartreuse/silver worm harness so I thought good walleye!! Then it came up and all I saw was a brownish/green with bars out of the corner of my eye. "Think you've got a big smallmouth!" I said to her as I went to grab the rubber net. Got the net, bent over the side of the boat and surprise...Juli's first musky!! About a foot shorter than mine with a big head and skinny body (mine was perfectly proportioned)...we started snapping some shots, hers jumped as well, put the grab on this one. Took a shot of me holding it, never got one of Juli holding it...she was putting on a pair of gloves as I was holding it in the water. This one took off as I was about to hand it over.

 

Some pics of Juli's first---

 

 

 

 

 

She was almost as excited as I was after mine!! For the woman who said I don't really want to catch one, her tune changed to "now I want to get another one, that was fun!!!"

 

 

Great weekend, weather was decent, bit windy on Saturday. Can't wait to do battle with the "king of the lake", again!! Next time I'll maybe take my Beckman net with me, and make sure I get that shot of me holding it. Guess the main thing is both fish were released with minimal harm, and, took off like they had a fire in their tails.

 

Forgot to mention (quick edit)...the rod and reel were both purchased used from OFC board members. Thanks Andy and A2F for the merchandise!!!

Edited July 19, 2010 by FRANKIE65

[splashhopper]

[tb4me]

Awesome report!! I have to get out there again soon...

[Joey]

Well, she did get a head shot LOL!!

 

Nice fish, way to go on your firsts.

 

Joey

[alexcba]

wtg frankie! good job man

[asdve23rveavwa]

Well, she did get a head shot LOL!!

 

Nice fish, way to go on your firsts.

 

Joey

Thanks, Joey...couple of other shots from the weekend--

 

 

[ccmtcanada]

Fantastic pictures and excellent report. Love all the action shots of those muskies!

 

Sounds like you'll have to set your fishing goals a little higher next year!! Great job out there...your hard work paid off!

[BillsTheBassMan]

Awesome report . . . thanks a lot for sharing. I need to get me a Musky rod.

[vinnimon]

Condrads!Nice pics and excelent report!

 

 

[Guest LivingLegend]

What lake were you on?

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Sucks about the money shot, but you have more than enough proof of your catch! Nice fish!!

[spincast]

Congrats Frank! Great pics and report? What's the next goal?

[alphaalpha]

Great report, i could feel the excitement

 

congrats to you both on your firsts!

[asdve23rveavwa]

Congrats Frank! Great pics and report? What's the next goal?

Thanks, Rick...going to have to think up some new ones. Would love a photo of a nice brown trout in spawning colours. Perhaps beat my all time record of a 30 lb Chinook, back when Lake Huron produced fish that size...not too hard to beat on Lake O these days

[Andy]

Well done Frank! I've been reading your posts and was wondering when you'd score with that rod. Glad to see you were rewarded for your efforts. Andy

[Dozer]

You look like one happy camper!

[asdve23rveavwa]

Well done Frank! I've been reading your posts and was wondering when you'd score with that rod. Glad to see you were rewarded for your efforts. Andy

I was wondering if you were still on the board, hadn't seen anything for awhile. The rod is great, filling my needs thus far perfectly. Plus I couldn't go wrong for that price. Thanks, for contributing to my first 'ski!!