A Floating Musky, A Moral Quandry, and an Overshadowed Report

[BillsTheBassMan]

This past weekend a group of us rented a cottage on Georgian Bay. As always, we were anticipating the fishing opportunity, but feared the cold front could throw off the fishing. We were right about the cold front and only managed to grind out a few small bass for our troubles. We grinded through 40km+ winds, rain, and waves. Here’s what we were dealing with:

 

 

Sadly, we didn’t see any exciting fish for our toils. Well, again unfortunately, that’s not true. We saw one exciting fish. From about 200 yards away we noticed a big fish bobbing up and down with the waves on the surface. “Musky” my buddy says. “Big Musky,” the other re-iterates. We make our way over to the fish and sure enough a big G-Bay musky is floating on the surface. We notice what appears to be a hook mark in its lip and red fins (indicating stress). We debate what to do and we decide to bring the fish into the boat in an attempt to revive it in my buddy’s livewell. We figured it was only right. OFC member Timmeh took charge and worked the water through the fishes gills on and off for roughly 30 minutes. Then it hits the boat driver “Oh Damn! We could get in a lot of trouble even having this fish in the boat.” Despite the fact we didn’t measure the fish we were sure it was under the 55” slot. After a few more minutes in the livewell, Tim took the beautiful fish out and leaned overboard and held the fish into the flow. The Musky gave him a faint kick, its gills were still moving, and we let him go. It didn’t have a chance. It floated away, presumably not to recover. Here's the fish and the attempted revival:

 

(When we opened our livewell, it was belly up - note the pink on its belly):

 

 

(With moving gills and even the faintest kick, we didn't give up on him)

 

 

 

(This isn’t the focus of this post, but it inflamed me and I want to share it:)

 

We were all pretty pissed off about the situation that someone likely had that fish out of water for way too long and didn’t know what they were doing. We find out later that a couple of guys caught a 40” Musky 6-8Kms away and pulled it back on a stringer as they didn’t have a livewell. It was their intention to enter this fish into a $2 fishing derby. Upon attempting to enter their Musky the coordinator said “I can enter it and weigh it, but as soon as I do I’ll have to call the MNR on you . . . unless you want to go release it.” So that’s what they did I guess. They went and “released” it. Here are the fish that won the "derby"

 

 

Anyways, I guess this post has two focuses (with more attention on point 2):

 

1) People are ridiculous and need to be more educated (period), but with Musky in particular. These are sensitive fish (though most fish would die from that kind of abuse). They're also important for the ecosystem.

 

2) Could we have got in trouble for attempting to save this fishes life? I know there is always the possibility that the CO wouldn’t have believed us, but keep that aside. If we have a Musky in our LIVEwell and are attempting to bring it back is that a violation? I know the Musky guys do it all the time on fishing shows. Nonetheless, I said to my friends on board that if a CO wanted to be obtuse about it that we’d just say “I guess next time we’ll just club it with a stick.”

 

Here are some of the non-musky pictures of the weekend:

 

Timmeh with a nighttime "Largie":

 

 

The Unpredicatable Skies:

 

 

My buddy fumbling a smallie out of the boat:

 

 

But there's always a pot of gold at the end of the bad-fishing-weekend rainbow (or at least a delicious beer)

 

Thanks folks.

 

EDIT:

 

I've wrote a good Muskellunge Catch & Release Guide. You can find it HERE

Edited September 9, 2010 by BillsTheBassMan

[highdrifter]

Those sound like daunting conditions. Good on ya for hucking out tho.

 

Those fish in the net.. Just so were on the same page, are northerns right?!?!

 

cheeers

HD

[ctdd2006]

....this is gonna get interesting! Love the beer pic though! Cheers!

[BillsTheBassMan]

 

Those fish in the net.. Just so were on the same page, are northerns right?!?!

 

cheeers

HD

 

Yes sir, those are two Northerns caught by somebody else. One was 6.5lbs, one was just over 4.

[singingdog]

Someone could have hooked that musky while bass fishing (it happens to me several times/month). If they didn't come prepared to handle/release musky they may not have had any idea what to do, or why a big, nasty fish needs to be treated so carefully. This weekend, on my favorite smallie lake, that exact scenario unfolded. I hear a big commotion from this couple that are fishing out of a pedal boat: typical minnows below bobbers in 3' of water. He's got a 25" musky on and had no idea they were even in the lake. That fish probably would have been dead if I hadn't paddled over with some pliers and helped release it. Not really that guys fault....he just rented a cottage and wanted to do a little bass fishing.

 

Hopefully, if you got an understanding CO, they wouldn't bust you for having the fish to try and revive it. Technically, yes, they could have busted you for it. I'm sure every CO has heard the "we just had it in the livewell until we could release it" story a few times.

[Roy]

Certainly not good weather for you guys but you got out with your buds and had a good time.

 

Now, here's my opinion on the help you attempted to provide for the ailing muskie. But Ryan, I guess you know about opinions eh?

 

There's a common misconception in the fishing community that livewells have some sort of therapeutic value for fish....a source of rejuvenation even. As far as I'm concerned, livewells are useful for keeping baitfish alive and for transporting a tournament fish or three to a weigh-in station provided the bait and tournament fish are in good shape to begin with. Other than that, they're useless. This is hindsight mind you and I wasn't in the heat of the action but the best thing you could have done for that fish would have been to leave it in it's own water and hold it in the water in an upright position. Don't move it back and forth, just hold it there. Again, that's just my opinion Ryan and under the circumstance I may well have done the same thing you guys did.

 

Good on you for trying to save the muskie. I hope you have better weather the next time.

[BillsTheBassMan]

Someone could have hooked that musky while bass fishing (it happens to me several times/month). If they didn't come prepared to handle/release musky they may not have had any idea what to do, or why a big, nasty fish needs to be treated so carefully. This weekend, on my favorite smallie lake, that exact scenario unfolded. I hear a big commotion from this couple that are fishing out of a pedal boat: typical minnows below bobbers in 3' of water. He's got a 25" musky on and had no idea they were even in the lake. That fish probably would have been dead if I hadn't paddled over with some pliers and helped release it. Not really that guys fault....he just rented a cottage and wanted to do a little bass fishing.

 

Hopefully, if you got an understanding CO, they wouldn't bust you for having the fish to try and revive it. Technically, yes, they could have busted you for it. I'm sure every CO has heard the "we just had it in the livewell until we could release it" story a few times.

 

 

yeah, I know the odd Musky gets caught by bass guys or guys errantly trolling for pike . . . that's unavoidable. Based on the word around the locals (secondhand information, not third or fourth or fifth), this particular Musky was brought up on downriggers on a spoon and stringered 6-8kms beside the boat back to the derby station.

[BillsTheBassMan]

Certainly not good weather for you guys but you got out with your buds and had a good time.

 

Now, here's my opinion on the help you attempted to provide for the ailing muskie. But Ryan, I guess you know about opinions eh?

 

There's a common misconception in the fishing community that livewells have some sort of therapeutic value for fish....a source of rejuvenation even. As far as I'm concerned, livewells are useful for keeping baitfish alive and for transporting a tournament fish or three to a weigh-in station provided the bait and tournament fish are in good shape to begin with. Other than that, they're useless. This is hindsight mind you and I wasn't in the heat of the action but the best thing you could have done for that fish would have been to leave it in it's own water and hold it in the water in an upright position. Don't move it back and forth, just hold it there. Again, that's just my opinion Ryan and under the circumstance I may well have done the same thing you guys did.

 

Good on you for trying to save the muskie. I hope you have better weather the next time.

 

I hear ya Roy. I know that moving a fish back and forth has a "half-suffocating" effect and I don't doubt that what you say about livewells is true.

 

I did forget to mention that the fish came into the boat because we were a little exposed to the conditions where we found him and things were whipping up fast (we were pretty much ready to pack it in). We wanted to get into a back bay to stop from getting rocked around so much on the attempted revival. Tim going overboard wouldn't have helped us or the Muskie.

[jbailey]

yeah, I know the odd Musky gets caught by bass guys or guys errantly trolling for pike . . . that's unavoidable. Based on the word around the locals (secondhand information, not third or fourth or fifth), this particular Musky was brought up on downriggers on a spoon and stringered 6-8kms beside the boat back to the derby station.

 

thats just depressing

[Spiel]

yeah, I know the odd Musky gets caught by bass guys or guys errantly trolling for pike . . . that's unavoidable. Based on the word around the locals (secondhand information, not third or fourth or fifth), this particular Musky was brought up on downriggers on a spoon and stringered 6-8kms beside the boat back to the derby station.

 

 

Upon seeing the picture in the live well my first thoughts were this fishes bladder was blown and with what your stating here about it being caught rigging I'm thinking that may have played a part in it's demise. Fizzing may have saved it but given that it was potentially dragged around on stringer for hours, maybe not.

[johnnyb]

Your intentions were right...whether a CO would've agreed is a total crap-shoot....ultimately, it doesn't appear that you left the fish any worse off than it was when you found it.

Good on ya for trying....and hopefully a post like this will educate a few people, and they'll pass their knowledge on....and the world will become just a teeny bit better of a place.

[asdve23rveavwa]

The most disturbing part of this whole post is the fact that the guys pulled that musky on a STRINGER!!!!!!!! All we can really do as anglers is keep putting out the word on how fish like this are to be handled. Muskies Canada does a great job in this respect.

As for the second part of your question, I would say, yeah you probably could have gotten in trouble for it, but, with a proper explanation and respect towards the CO, I don't think they would have charged you (unless he was having one heck of a bad day).

[bigbuck]

I don't think a CO would have charged you. There are a lot of musky guys out on GBAY and the CO's know that. With an explanation, you would have been ok. How'd you like Picnic Island?? Our park is next to Paragon Marina where you see all the big cruisers. Wild weekend for weather.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

It's a shame but it happens.....At least you tried to revive it. But I think your livewell was a tad too small for that musky. I think the best way to revive it, is in the water.

 

Sucks about the weather. GB can get nasty. But unfortunately its part of fishing. Better luck next time.

[BillsTheBassMan]

I don't think a CO would have charged you. There are a lot of musky guys out on GBAY and the CO's know that. With an explanation, you would have been ok. How'd you like Picnic Island?? Our park is next to Paragon Marina where you see all the big cruisers. Wild weekend for weather.

 

It was all right but I prefer other areas of Georgian Bay . . . there's often more money than sense in that area it seems. I won't complain about it, but it seems to get POUNDED.

[Joey]

Well I agree with most of what has been said here, and I commend you guys for trying to revive the fish. You did all you could do in the rough weather. Also agree it would be a crapshoot with a CO, who knows

 

Otherwise, at least you got away and out with some friends and got to drink beer

 

Joey

Edited September 9, 2010 by Joey

[bigbuck]

It was all right but I prefer other areas of Georgian Bay . . . there's often more money than sense in that area it seems. I won't complain about it, but it seems to get POUNDED.

 

 

I could not agree with you more. A lot of the big cruiser guys don't care about right of way and no wake zones. Actually, it's not a bad area for fishing, you could go hide in a couple of the bays that are less than 5minutes away and fish in that wind on the leeward side of some of the islands. I won't mention where cuz that's some of my honey holes.

[esoxansteel]

There is so many variables and unknowns with that muskie, if its caught from deep water that likely contributed if not caused its demise(with the bloted belly) not been able to expell air as its brought from the depths, if that alone didnt kill the fish dragging around on a stringer most certainly did. With so much information on forums especially this one, organizations such as muskies canada, muskies inc, and books and tv shows its ashamed that this sort of disrespect to a great fish still takes place, congradulations on your reviving efforts, the clethrium bone from that fish could have gave biologist some valuable information on that particlar fish, but since its was technically still remotly breathing would be illegal to remove. There is a small lake I fish in Peterborough which is close to home, a has a population of muskies in it, the problem is it gets fished daily by guys who dont have the proper tackle to handle muskies, in one day I counted 3 dead muskies of 48 44 and a mid 30 inch fish. I have gave out 3 pairs of the canadian tire bolt cutters to people fishing on this paricular lake to try and stop this from occuring, but as they say you dont hunt grizzlys with a .22 and you souldnt be fishing for muskies with bass and walleye class tackle with a suick hanging off the end.

[anders]

This definitly sucks...good on you for trying...thats all one could do.

 

Why is this the fish that the guys trolled around on a stringer?

[BillsTheBassMan]

There is so many variables and unknowns with that muskie, if its caught from deep water that likely contributed if not caused its demise(with the bloted belly) not been able to expell air as its brought from the depths, if that alone didnt kill the fish dragging around on a stringer most certainly did. With so much information on forums especially this one, organizations such as muskies canada, muskies inc, and books and tv shows its ashamed that this sort of disrespect to a great fish still takes place, congradulations on your reviving efforts, the clethrium bone from that fish could have gave biologist some valuable information on that particlar fish, but since its was technically still remotly breathing would be illegal to remove. There is a small lake I fish in Peterborough which is close to home, a has a population of muskies in it, the problem is it gets fished daily by guys who dont have the proper tackle to handle muskies, in one day I counted 3 dead muskies of 48 44 and a mid 30 inch fish. I have gave out 3 pairs of the canadian tire bolt cutters to people fishing on this paricular lake to try and stop this from occuring, but as they say you dont hunt grizzlys with a .22 and you souldnt be fishing for muskies with bass and walleye class tackle with a suick hanging off the end.

 

I featured the story on my most recent WFN Ambassador Blog. I also added an extensive Catch & Release guide to it as well.

 

I guess educating is all you can do.

[BillsTheBassMan]

This definitly sucks...good on you for trying...thats all one could do.

 

Why is this the fish that the guys trolled around on a stringer?

 

We're only speculating that it is the same fish.

 

The Musky was found in close proximity to the tournament weigh-in where they were denied access. They also stated that they transported the Musky by stringer. Mix that with few anglers being on the water in such bad conditions, the blown belly (shows it likely came up on a rigger), and the fact that these are rarer fish and I think we're on the right track (though one 42" Musky came out the same day - caught by an Asian couple - and it was photographed once and quickly released).

[BillsTheBassMan]

I could not agree with you more. A lot of the big cruiser guys don't care about right of way and no wake zones. Actually, it's not a bad area for fishing, you could go hide in a couple of the bays that are less than 5minutes away and fish in that wind on the leeward side of some of the islands. I won't mention where cuz that's some of my honey holes.

 

Yeah, some donkey blew right behind our boat with the pin down in bad conditions . . . he cut off my buddies line and he lost one of his favourite lures. The other boat could have gone literally ANYWHERE else.

 

We also witnessed a jetski come a hair's length away from backflipping, and he saw a 14' boat come just as close to hitting a big rock.

[Pigeontroller]

Kudos to you for trying to save a nice fish!

[Rizzo]

good on you for trying to save it, but not much reason for putting it in the livewell. Just try to revive it at the side of the boat and you won't get in any trouble.

[archie_james_c]

Honestly, I would have revived it, even with the possible threat of a run in with the CO. I'd have explained the situation to him and if he still insisted on fining me I would have just made a big scene. ...if he can't appreciate a guy trying to save such a beautiful fish than he can cram it...