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Posts: 84
Location: Buffalo Grove, IL | Spent a very cold day in the boat with John Riegel yesterday. At first I had thoughts of losing my mind as we sat in 20-degree temps with wind chills in the teens. The fishing was pretty slow as well to start. As we sat in an area with several other boats around we didn't see any action from anyone for the first few hours. We saw one boat break their leader on a hook set. I also whiffed on a fish and got a partially skinned sucker back in return. Got a second chance to get a fish at about 11 and this time I made sure to drive the hooks home. Pulled in a nice fat 41" beauty. Fish had clearly been eating well. After not getting any more action in the next hour we moved to our second spot.
Had a pick up on a sucker about an hour after setting up again and set the hooks. Got the fish most of the way back to the boat before it shook the hooks. The fish was coming at the boat and as soon as it decided to go another way is when the hooks popped out. Frustrating. Why do I fish for musky again??? The big hope of the day was moonrise which was set to occur at 2:11. Wouldn't you know it, but at about 2:15 we got a pick up. Very subtle with the rod tip just twitching a little and not taking any line. John picked up the rod, felt some weight and handed it over. I set the hooks, the drag slipped a little and for fear that the hooks didn't set in I decided to drive them home again. I set a second time and felt something I had never felt before. The hook set was as solid as putting the hooks into a log and the fight was on. I had never felt such power from a fish before. John got the first glance at the fish and shouted out "It's a big one". Way to make a guy nervous about making sure I get it in. Then I got a glance at it and starting involuntarily shaking a bit. The fish was fighting as hard as any fish I have ever seen. Finally I was able to guide the beast into the net at which point John said "Look at the girth of this fish". It was a monster. Biggest fish I have ever seen (albeit I haven't caught many big fish). Even John was impressed by this one. Put the tapes to it and measured it at 48" long with a 23.5" girth. That puts it at about 33 pounds, which based on holding the fish for the pictures I can attest it was all that.
We caught another fish, about a 34", about an hour or so later. So we went 3 for 5 on day when we didn't see much action from anyone else. If you want to catch big Fall fish then you have to get out with John Riegel before the ice comes in. He knows where the fish are active and he puts you on big fish too. After catching a 47" three weeks ago and a 48" monster yesterday I am definitely convinced there isn't anyone else more tuned into this lake right now. Just unreal.
And without further ado here is the picture.
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 48x23.5.jpg (186KB - 118 downloads)
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| Nice fish , great hat !!!!!! |
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Posts: 24
| Nice clean fish! Great report |
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Posts: 181
Location: St.John, Indiana | Congrats on the fish and for going 3-5. Good story.
Also like the hat!! |
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Posts: 152
Location: Nowhere near where I should be | Very nice fish! Thanks for sharing. |
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Location: Hartford Wi | Great Fish, Johnny's the man out there right now!!!! |
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| good report and great fish. The hat, though, sucks. |
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