Hey Guys,
Here is the how the day went
Was 1C so decided to sleep in and hit the water at 7:30am. Frost all over the area.
Launched and started trolling lymans for salmon, my son Jeff 10 y.o., landed a nice 8 pound silver salmon in the first hour.
Seemed like slow action so we moved up to Lake Huron to try for Trouts and Salmon on Bombers. Did not mark any fish in an hour, so back to the St Clair River.
Trolling Lymans we were marking lots of large fish down 22 over 25 fow. Dropped my favorite Lyman, Stairway to Heaven. Trolling out of the North slip at 2mph the rod went off with a mighty crack, drag started peeling off right away. Thought for sure I had my 25 pound salmon I was hunting. My son got on the radio announcing the hit. There were 15 boats in the area and like gentleman they cleared a wide area for me to bring this baby in.
This baby peeled off 50 yards in short order and my heart was pumping, nothing fights like a big salmon, right ! ? .......
Starting to make some ground on her, then wizz off goes the drag, ... ok, now she starts rolling a froth on the surface. I think salmon, no, rainbow , no, O' Man, that is a M U S K I E roll. I have seen them on tv. We were cut off on a big fish last week which we decided was a muskie, sliced my 15 pound line clean off.
Was planning on hitting Lake St Clair next week for the fall Muskie hunt ,for my first. Well, the Muskie hit a week early and 40 miles north. She was on my line and making my drag scream. I knew I had to bring her in quick for fear of slicing my mono on those teeth. I saw the Muskie mount at Lakair and knew they had big sharp teeth.
Starting hauling her in, she had run for a good 15 minutes and was tiring. Got her up boatside and with my son Jeff on the net I knew she was in the boat for sure. Jeff works the net like a pro even in 4 foot whitewater, bring it in Jeff.
Well, being used to shorter fish Jeff netted the fish and we realized she is longer then the average salmon, crap !!! Half in, half out ... Jeff scoops again valiantly, crap, the front treble has snagged on the net , crap, O dear Lord, Jeff pulls in the net to try again, Crap, Jeff has the lyman in the net, the Muskie is looking at us boatside tired, but she is not on the hook, she is free, O' man, NO !!!!
Jeff Gimme the net NOW,
She is starting to swim down, huge plunge of the net, it has an 8 foot handle, dig, dig, she swims in straight down, lift, lift, crap she is heavy. I got the net at the boat but she won't get in, now it is Jeffs turn to scream, PULL, Jeff graps the net webbing and hauls that mother in the boat, Jeff starts hauling on the net and gets her over the side.
What a beauty, long and fat. Probably been feasting on salmon. I fall into my seat, exhausted. Almost lost her, should have lost her, one quick prayer and she was in the boat.
Took some quick shots, marked her length on my rigger board, and had to torpedo her over the side. She came up once, then shot to the dark depths of the St Clair River.
That's it fellows, my F I R ST M U S K I E.
My head will be in the clouds for the next few months. I never thought twice about releasing her, She was healthy and fat from a fall feeding.
Anyone else get Muskie downrigging for Salmon ?
AlanJ
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Here is the how the day went
Was 1C so decided to sleep in and hit the water at 7:30am. Frost all over the area.
Launched and started trolling lymans for salmon, my son Jeff 10 y.o., landed a nice 8 pound silver salmon in the first hour.
Seemed like slow action so we moved up to Lake Huron to try for Trouts and Salmon on Bombers. Did not mark any fish in an hour, so back to the St Clair River.
Trolling Lymans we were marking lots of large fish down 22 over 25 fow. Dropped my favorite Lyman, Stairway to Heaven. Trolling out of the North slip at 2mph the rod went off with a mighty crack, drag started peeling off right away. Thought for sure I had my 25 pound salmon I was hunting. My son got on the radio announcing the hit. There were 15 boats in the area and like gentleman they cleared a wide area for me to bring this baby in.
This baby peeled off 50 yards in short order and my heart was pumping, nothing fights like a big salmon, right ! ? .......
Starting to make some ground on her, then wizz off goes the drag, ... ok, now she starts rolling a froth on the surface. I think salmon, no, rainbow , no, O' Man, that is a M U S K I E roll. I have seen them on tv. We were cut off on a big fish last week which we decided was a muskie, sliced my 15 pound line clean off.
Was planning on hitting Lake St Clair next week for the fall Muskie hunt ,for my first. Well, the Muskie hit a week early and 40 miles north. She was on my line and making my drag scream. I knew I had to bring her in quick for fear of slicing my mono on those teeth. I saw the Muskie mount at Lakair and knew they had big sharp teeth.
Starting hauling her in, she had run for a good 15 minutes and was tiring. Got her up boatside and with my son Jeff on the net I knew she was in the boat for sure. Jeff works the net like a pro even in 4 foot whitewater, bring it in Jeff.
Well, being used to shorter fish Jeff netted the fish and we realized she is longer then the average salmon, crap !!! Half in, half out ... Jeff scoops again valiantly, crap, the front treble has snagged on the net , crap, O dear Lord, Jeff pulls in the net to try again, Crap, Jeff has the lyman in the net, the Muskie is looking at us boatside tired, but she is not on the hook, she is free, O' man, NO !!!!
Jeff Gimme the net NOW,
She is starting to swim down, huge plunge of the net, it has an 8 foot handle, dig, dig, she swims in straight down, lift, lift, crap she is heavy. I got the net at the boat but she won't get in, now it is Jeffs turn to scream, PULL, Jeff graps the net webbing and hauls that mother in the boat, Jeff starts hauling on the net and gets her over the side.
What a beauty, long and fat. Probably been feasting on salmon. I fall into my seat, exhausted. Almost lost her, should have lost her, one quick prayer and she was in the boat.
Took some quick shots, marked her length on my rigger board, and had to torpedo her over the side. She came up once, then shot to the dark depths of the St Clair River.
That's it fellows, my F I R ST M U S K I E.
My head will be in the clouds for the next few months. I never thought twice about releasing her, She was healthy and fat from a fall feeding.
Anyone else get Muskie downrigging for Salmon ?
AlanJ
