A first for me and a mixed bag o' fish

[kickingfrog]

This year with the "new" boat has been great, and my son has loved every minute of it but it was time for the Rice brothers to some fishing. We didn't have a particular species in mind as long as it wasn't panfish.

Started of with bass on topwaters.

And crankbaits

Then had some pike follows, but no takers.

Then some eyes trolling.

We tried jigging a spot and caught a little bit of everything. Smallmouth, white bass, eyes.

At one point I set the hook on a fish that didn't appear to be very big but after taking a second run I thought that is was a nice fish after all. The next run had me completely baffled. There was a strong current in the area so I was wondering if I had hooked into some debris. Another run and I knew there was still a fish on and that it had some weight behind it. Drum? Catfish? A really big eye? Maybe a pike? Finally a glimpse of the tail as it turned for another run told me it was a nice musky. Now as I'm trying to work the fish in I'm replaying the hook set and first few seconds of the fight. Was the fish running towards me? Maybe it didn't know I had hooked it? The musky is now near the boat and the final piece of the puzzle falls into place. Sticking out of the side of the musky's jaws is the tail of whatever fish originally hit my jig. Now the musky's teeth are racking the scales off of this fish and they look like snow on Christmas.

The only photographic evidence that any of this was true.

When the musky was done with me and my fish, he opened his jaws and swam away. I reeled in what was left of my original fish. This was not the best day of this smallmouth's life.

Smallmouth trolling home

My brother picked up a pike on a zara spook and it was time to get back home for dinner.

[danc]

Looks like a fun day for the Rice Bros. I enjoyed that Rob.

[nexstar]

Nice.. poor smallie.

[Old Ironmaker]

Wow, on a Rappala ice jig if my eyes serve me well.

[Joey]

Cool, I love when that happens. Confusing at first, but exciting to see when you finally realize what has happened.

 

Some nice fish there!!

[LeXXington]

Love when that happens, Looks like a great day on the water

[mattyk]

very cool! I had that happen with a smallie and I was able to land the musky on 6lb mono. It was very fun!

[kickingfrog]

Ya my walleye jogging rod is a 6'6 crucial/1000 stratic with 15lb nanofil. T'was fun while it lasted.

[Rizzo]

Wow that is a great story. I have had many beasts attack fish while ocean fishing but this has yet to happen for me while fishing in Ontario...maybe its because I go straight for the big guy in the first place. Glad to see you got some good fun out of the boat this year!

[misfish]

Jigg,n a smallie for muskie is fun..

 

Nice brudder/brudder report Rob..

 

 

[Muskieman]

Awesome !