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| Well 2004 was my first year of musky fishing and my goal was to catch 1 musky. I failed, but had a blast doing it. I'm also a competitive powerlifter and I ran into some rotator cuff issuses that slowed me down late summer into fall. My favorite moments.
1. Have a follow from the biggest fish I ever saw, more exciting then any buck I ever had walk in
2. Getting a strike from a small musky, it almost ripped the pole out of my hands
3. Watching a black bear swim across the river right at me, and all the game I saw fishing
4. Catching a few big catfish
5. Fishing from the shore, dreaming of a boat
6. Only losing 3 lures all year
Goals for 2005
1. Fish in longer durations, again my shoulder ussually only lets me fish for 3-4 hours a time.
2. Get a boat
3. Don't get burnout early in the season
4. CATCH MY FIRST
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Posts: 2024
| You sound persistant and in this sport, persistance will pay off. It's only a matter of time (and a little luck thrown in).
Best Moments of 2004
1. Sight fishing a 41" from a shallow bay that had been hooked twice already and followed and/or swiped at baits 6-7 times.
2. 5 fish day (they were all dinks but still a ton of fun)
3. Catching my first and second tournament fish
4. My partner for the above tournament going, "There's gonna be a fish there," and proceeds to catch a pair of Peter Grimm underwear (sorry man, had to  )
5. 14+ hours on Mille Lacs with Gregg Thomas
Goals for 2005
1. Catch a bunch of topwater fish.
2. Set the hook straight up when a fish hits in a figure 8
3. Catch a tiger (preferably BIG) at a nearby lake.
4. Break 50" (on top would be nice :-))
5. Break my personal best (both in size and numbers)
Edited by esox50 1/1/2005 10:14 AM
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Posts: 335
Location: Pulaski, WI | Catching my first muskie with my son along to net it! |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | Here are some of mine:
1) My oldest son finally caught his first musky and casting too. A nice 38"er. He has been wanting to catch one as bad as you can want it.
2) My middle son got his second musky, this one trolling. Not a big one but he did a great job fighting it.
3) My 82 year old grandfather got his first ever musky and got it casting. He had several to the boat and caught olot of smallies and pike on our two vacations.
4) My youngest son almost caught a few of them, he had some nice follows and some hit too. He did catch some nice smallies and some pike.
5) For me is was the success I had in the first half of the musky season. We even had a 12 fish day and had hooked 16 fish and only 3 were dinks. |
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Posts: 686
Location: Tomahawk, Wisconsin | Three moments stick out in my fuzzy memory quite clearly,
1. Watching my wife on our honeymoon have a SUPERFISH on LOTW follow in her CJ's, mid to upper 50's easy, both in length and in weight.
2. Fishing with my bro before my wedding and watching him catch a 43 and a 36 in a hour.
3. Getting out on the water with my wife and son often, actually catching a few fish and having a blast each and every time.
Many other moments but these are my tops!! Dave Jonesi |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | made some new freinds throughout the year, on and off the water, that have really renewed my enthusiasim for fishing, it was a shot in the arm i needed at just the right time!!!!! im really looking forward to 2005 more than i have any other season in the past!! |
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Posts: 2089
| March outing at the Cave.Laughed so much my face hurt.
April/May in Iowa
June-The morning my Brother mentioned above
July-A week in Sconnie with the Dude and Bri Guy.
August-The Minnesota/LOTW Oddyssey with the Dude
Sept.-see previous entry, a little carryover.
Oct/Nov.-A special day on the water with my kids and the KLY Tourney.
It was a special year in many ways with many different people.I could write a book about this year.Maybe I will. Steve |
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Posts: 199
| My best moments in 2004 were
Seeing my biggest to date prefishing a tournament 50+ on Lac Vieux Desert
Getting a new boat
fishing my first tournaments (my partner caught a 41' Tiger and we were a 1 1/4 out of the $$$$
Joining Rhinelander Musky League what a great group of guys
Catching my biggest to date a "48 in league
My son catching his first bluegill he's 3 and it was awesome
Goals for 2005
Catching a fish in a tournament
Catching a 50????
Hopefully fishing league again this summer
My son and maybe Daughter she's not even 2 yet catching more fish
Meeting more of the great guys that spend time on these board's
Shane |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Let's see, 2004:
I'll never forget the gentleman from out west who joined us at the MuskieFIRST outing on the Goon. He had never fished Muskies, but had some pike to his credit. We had caught Pike to over 20# that afternoon, and had moved one big Muskie. I went to an area I had moved a true supertanker earlier, and UP she came on a Weagle. This fellow tossed a Violent trike along the boat as she followed my Weagle in, and she turned off my lure and went for the Spinnerbait. He yanked the lure out of the water, and the fish sat across the back of the boat a few inches under the water. He looked down at that fish while his holding the rod tip and the spinnerbait in the air, pointed down with his free hand and said, " If THAT fish hit THIS lure, it'd pull me right into the LAKE!"
Slamr's reaction when one of the Goon fish blasted his bait and did what they do so often there.
My 11# walleye on a Weagle fishing the Goon with Sue. Goofy fish!
My grandson and future muskie fishing buddy was born.
Rhinelander Muskie League. That is alot of fun. Beats bowling all to blazes, that's for sure. |
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Posts: 174
Location: Wis. Rapids, WI | 2004 was good to me…
~ meet several new clients
~ fished a lot of new lakes with several friends
~ had my dad out fishing with me
~ stocked 370 muskies on behalf of the Petenwell Musky Challenge
~ and the number one reason 2004 was great…my five year old daughter set her personal best with me, a 38-incher (see attached pic)
some 2005 goals
~ have my other daughter catch her first musky with me and hope both girls grow to enjoy this beautiful sport
~ keep exploring new lakes with my friends
~ I’m going to Canada this year
~ keep fishing with my dad
Todd
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Posts: 578
Location: Sheboygan Falls, WI | 2004 turned out to be great for me. Not a ton of fish, but quality fish. I also had some really great times on the water with fantastic friends. (Ed Spoerl, Troy Adler, Dave Jonesi, Jason Eichorn, Norm Wild, Steve Heiting, Dave Dorazio, Roger Sabota (to name a few) and then the three people closest to me; my wife Kristy, daughter Brooke and son Darrick)
For 2004
1) Getting out again musky fishing with my wife, daughter and son.
2) Fishing with great friends for a day (Ed, Dave, Troy and Jason) and what a day it was!
3) Fishing alone a lot late in the season and sticking piggys
4) Finding new "little honey holes" that me has almost all to myself (Quiet Dave, LOL). 
5) 47 1/2" x 23" alone
6) 5 fish in 4 hours that will probably never be duplicated (34 x17; 44 1/4 x 22; 45 x 22 1/2; 45 1/2 x 22 1/2 and 46 3/4 x 23 1/2)
7) 2 fish and 3 fish days with good friend Ed Spoerl
8) Unfortunately watch a low to mid 50" fish get off a foot from the net for a good friend Troy Adler; nothing we could do but watch. 
9) Being with Norm Wild the night that he doubled on Boom Lake during the Rhinelander Tuesday Night Musky League; now he can't call it HIS dead sea.
For 2005
1) Have my 10 year old daughter get a 50"er on LOTW during our July trip
2) Stick my first 50"er after she gets hers
3) Get out fishing more with my friends
4) Possibly fish the Rhinelander Tuesday Night Musky League after a year off
5) Stick a Wisconsin 50"er (I certainly know where some live!!)
6) Get my wife and kids out musky fishing more this year
7) Have another safe year
8) Just have fun!!!
Chuck
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| 1. being able to meet a bunch of guys who i now call friends thanks to musky fishing
2. fishing w/ Ed for my first time in canada, and seeing what all the fuss is about
3. catching my first canadian after losing 2
4. fishing w/ the Dr. and learning a bunch of new lakes
5. losing a 45+ fishing by myself and having to call the Dr. so he could talk me out of slitting my wrists w/ my hook sharpener!
6. netting my first 2 solo's
7. having an incredible day w/ four friends, Ed, Chuck, Dave, and Troy, and getting wet, breaking stuff, and catching fish - AWESOME
2005 Goals
1. continue to learn
2. fish more new water
3. have a safe and productive trip to canada
4. Beat my personal best |
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Posts: 723
| seeing my buddy boat a 55lbr
catching my biggest, a 35lbr
had a 13 fish day on a serious numbers lake! all were 25-32 though.
watched another friend catch his first musky opening day after 8 YEARS! he has had too many opportunities, just couldn't get er dun. a nice 42 at that.
Got to watch a 42 come in and toy with a sucker 3 ft under the surface next to the boat, the sucker lost the battle fortunately.
Joined muskyfirst, and now I really can't forget about musky fishing in the winter.
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Posts: 146
Location: Wayzata, MN | Best moments of 2004:
- New boat
- First 50 incher~!
- Put a friend on his first musky [38 incher]
- Turned on two other people to musky fishing
- Met some avid musky fisherpeople on this site
- Upped my game a bit
Goals for 2005:
- Fish more
- Fish new water
- Beat my personal best
- Put people on fish
- Continue to learn more
- LAUGH MORE
- Stay healthy
- and [worth repeating] laugh some more! |
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Posts: 1310
Location: Washington, PA | 1. Spring outing on the cave, a trip that will never be forgotten.
2. Shamu on eagle.
3. Endless arguing with slamr on the goon.
4. 2 topwater fish within 10 minutes and one of those being screamin kenny's first. |
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Posts: 1080
| '04 was a great year.
Had limited time on the water, but that time was well spent, either by catching numbers of fish, catching big fish or just fishing with great friends in the boat.
Too many hilarious and memorable moments on the water to list.
But some good things to list for '04 was:
- The numbers of fish I caught this year (multiple species as well, not just Muskie)
- Being productive with the limited time on the water
- Have my personal best day with numbers; 6 in four hours fishing alone with a seventh 'ski that threw the hook.
- Catching my personal best fish: 48" x 23" @ 31.75 lbs. Then backing that 48" fish up with my next fish being a 46" x " 22" @ 27 lbs.
- Introducing the sport to my brother-in-law who's now become one of my best boat partners. He's learned so much in this past year and is a great net man to have in the boat for when it counts.
Goals for '05
- Being even more productive with the same limited amount of time on the water.
- Learning more lakes
- There's four specific people that I wish to guide to their first muskie.
- Beating my best day with numbers
- Beating my personal best
- Learn new techiniques
- New motor for my current boat...or...maybe even a new boat????
- Stay healthy and happy |
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Posts: 341
| While fishing the 2004 Simply fishing tourney being put to the test with the 4ft waves and wind seeing what myself/partner and my Tuffy could withstand. Frustrating yes but the last half an hour of tourney I had a qualifer hit twice but missed after we finally tried a bait and technique my partner and I discussed on the way up. A little to late. I will never doubt my original game plan despite weather changes and what every one else is doing again. You have to give it a shot or you will be a would of could of like me.
But being that close to the money with our back against the wall was my highlight 2004.
Edited by muskycore 1/3/2005 1:03 PM
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | I think my favorite for 2004 was this one.....................
Edited by Gander Mt Guide 1/3/2005 1:18 PM
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Location: Athens, Ohio | ?Describing the high points of 2004 seems like describing mountain peaks along the
Continental Divide. So many peaks, each one a bit better than the last, I’ve really been
blessed this year with good people, good fishing, great baits, good people, and fine
locations. Fifteen fish for the year made it my best ever.
The year started with a January trip to a creek in SE Ohio where the muskies roam
wild. I got as close on this stream as I ever had, with two convincing followers / sinkers.
How a fish can come up behind a bait, look for all the world like they are all over it, then
change mind and sink slowly, slowly outta sight is certainly one of nature’s wonders. I
attended my first muskie show in Columbus and learned a lot from Tony Grant’s
presentation.
My Cave Run skunk finally died, giving up a rattletrap fish for me in the backwaters of a
small cove. The outing got me introduced to Kly’s buddy Steve, who towed a fine red
Ranger and seemed to have the right attitude toward the sport. I won a Violent Strike
buzzbait at the dinner, which would later account for my first-ever topwater muskie. The
best part of the outing was that Mauser, with his recent neck injury, was still able to
come and fish with us. A mean bout of pneumonia made me cancel a guide trip with
him and Tony Grant for my 50th birthday, and when we re-scheduled it the monster
spring bite at the Cave was nearly over. Getting to fish with Tony, Mauser and my son
Jon was an indescribable pleasure, we just needed a fish!
I fished Ohio waters at Piedmont, Salt Fork, Leesville, and Clear Fork lakes, and fished
with Mauser and our MI chapter president on the Little Muskingum River where I
hooked my first Buckeye ski. I got to fish Stevens Lake, and the Gaully and New rivers
in West Virginia. I put Mauser on his first Buckeye fish, also.
We traveled to Pewaukee, where Mike’s Extreme put me on a fine 40 incher. Then,
hooked up with Gene and his boat, made our trek to Minneapolis for Papa Joe and on
to Baudette, where we met EsoxLazer. The week at LOTW was indescribably delicious,
with the only shortages being time and energy - why didn’t I start this 10 years ago?
The days in the boat with Gene and the day out with thedude and Jonesi will live in my
memory as long as I can keep it! Dang, I even got my first topwater fish with Gene and
my two biggest-ever casting with Steve.
Two weeks later, we were heading to Wisconsin. We had the honor of being
houseguests of Tomcat and his wonderful wife and saw Stevie long enough to let him
know we were still bitter and jealous about his huge Canada fish the previous year. On
to Pewaukee with EsoxLazer and Tuffy1. Probably the best sunset I’ve seen in the
States, and the fish at the flagpole after dark gave us lots to discuss. Lazer’s parents
putting up two muskie bums for the night was very cool. The trip up to Rhinelander got
us wondering, does everyone in the state own a Harley? Arriving at the Hideaway, we
were honored to be guests and made ourselves at home on the lakes. Three days of
fishing into several cold fronts produced big smiles and many follows. I understand now
why they say there are no big fish in Wisconsin. Honest. m |
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Posts: 71
Location: Lake St. Clair | 2004 was a great year in many aspects. Some great moments were:
my oldest son boating a 48.5"
more than 200 muskies
casting and catching more fish and a 50.25"
meeting more great people
new Ranger 621
learning more and having fun doing it
having a number of double digit fish days.
Looking forward to 2005 !! |
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Posts: 71
Location: Lake St. Clair | Oldest sons 48.5
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| Kicking off the year April 1st fishing the Fox Chain with Tuffdaddy, formerly Tuffy1, and then this summer fishing Pewaukee one nice Friday night
Fishing IN for muskies the first time with Musky Fishin Kevin after getting the idea from Tom and Steve Hulbert, and then fishing several times in IN this year getting to meet meet many other MFers
Fishing Silver Lake in WI for the first time
Fishing the SE section of the Chip, they only part I didn't really know too well
Fishing the Big V and Mille Lacs for the first time, catching my biggest fish of the year with Gregg Thomas
That same trip fishing Mille Lacs with Troy Z, and then seeing Troy and Treats win the Tonka PMTT
Getting a Weagle, and then another one, and joining Team Musky Nut
Fishing Pelican with Musky Medic, Sworrall, and Theedz to close the WI season
Getting some custom TM tails from Todd M
Striking out for the first time ever on the Ottawa River, but I did get to see the Tragically Hip in concert!
Joining the FRV MI Board of Directors |
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | Best Moment: netting my wife's first musky.
Worst: having it flop out of her hands and into the water as I got the camera ready.
A highlight also included out-fishing one of my idols in the sport- Roger Sabota in September. |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Finally getting a new Tuffy, it took two years of searching for the right one and I got lucky. |
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Posts: 670
Location: Minnetonka , MN. | Getting my first fish over 50" (51.5) and then getting a second 50" fish on Vermilion. |
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Posts: 516
Location: Kildeer, IL | I only caught one fish in 2004 and it was a dink. I did miss my largest fish ever. It was a horrible year fishing, but a great year outside of the boat. Here is what takes up all of my fishing time now. Born September 3.
(Gavin_Christmas_Card2.JPG)
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| That's a keeper for sure! |
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Posts: 1080
| What a cute kid! :thumbsup: Congrats to you and your family!
Great pic.....
Edited by MACK 1/6/2005 8:04 AM
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