My Fiance's First Muskie

[Millhouse2020]

Yesterday we decided to fish for muskie on Nippissing since the season opened on Saturday and I have been waiting since last year to get out on the water and use some of my new tackle. The day did not get off to a good start with aweful weather from the moment we got out of bed. We got soaked before we even got to the lake while packing the boat and I stayed wet pretty much all day. We fished until just after 3pm when we were both cold from being thoroughly drenched all day. My fiance caught her first muskie yesterday! I estimated it at about 34inches or so. Not huge but a beautiful first fish and her biggest ever to date. We would have got a picture if I didn't drop it in the lake!!!! I decided to un-hook it with my hands since as she got it close to the boat I was not yet prepared with a net and pliers and I could see the fish had only one hook in the tip of its lip. I grabbed it tightly and got the hook out and was about to bring it into the boat when it thrashed hard and slipped out of my grip and back into the lake.... I was disappointed I couldn't get a picture of it with her but she didn't seem to mind too much. I considered it a caught fish and we will just have to catch her a bigger one. I was so proud of her and I must say a bit jealous that she got one on the first try since it took me much much longer...

 

We caught several more small pike throughout the day and around 1pm or so, we were trolling through an area when I just happened to say to her that she should reel in her line closer to the boat to avoid getting caught on so many weeds. I was trolling my lure maybe 20feet behind the boat in the propwash of the motor since I had been meaning to experiment with this technique more this year. I lifted my rod up to make the lure come to the surface to show her just how close it was to boat when just as the lure broke the surface of the water, a HUGE muskie breached like a whale out of the water after the lure. I had it hooked for a few seconds before I realised what had just happened. I barely started to fight the fish when it got off and sat motionless in the water directly behind the boat. The boat was still going and it took me a second before I realised what happened and shut the motor off. I let my lure on the surface like a dead fish hoping the muskie would strike what looked like a preyfish he just injured. The muske sat motionless for a couple more seconds before it turned and sank back into the depths. We stayed and fished the area for a while longer casting and trolling but it did not show itself again. I can't say for sure just how large the fish was but it was BIG. It engulfed the big lure like it was a tiny morsel. We will just have to go back as soon as we can and try and catch the giant that got away... It was a fun day and better half can now call herself a muskie hunter. She also saw the huge fish that stuck my bait so she can back me up on this "...big one that got away story..." and she is excited to get out again. I could not ask for a better day...

 

 

Millhouse

[asdve23rveavwa]

Good stuff Millhouse. You have to love how a musky gets the adrenaline pumping!!

The shout and smile on Juli's face when her 33"er jumped right beside the boat on Saturday was priceless!