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Posts: 153
| I am still fishing for them after 30 years. And I learned to navigate a good portion of LOTW before GPS. With the map on my lap.
Edited by Dan Klis 7/30/2015 6:30 PM
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Posts: 164
| My most gratifying memory from muskie fishing and even all fishing will be watching my then 9 year old son catching his first muskie on the figure and watching that muskie put on the wildest boat side show I have ever seen. All while my son maintained complete control and composure while Dad is freaking out and scrambling for the net and trying to tell my son what to do. He says to me "Dad, I got this, you need to settle down and get the net before it shakes free."
Like a few others have said as well. My other greatest accomplishment is being able to maintain my family life as well as my addiction for musky and life on the water. I can't remember how many times I was told when I first started that family life and musky fishing don't mix well, but it was by a lot of people. And yet family life is fine and time spent on the water is good (even though its not nearly as often as I would like).
The other day I took the family out to Minnetonka and we caught a variety of fish that day. Watching how happy the wife and kids were is at times more enjoyable then getting out musky fishing. Sure I fished a few spots I knew some pretty big fish called home, sure I wanted to cast a bladed bait really bad to see if I could get a rise out of some of the fish that live there. But at the end of the day it was family time and I enjoyed every minute of it. |
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Posts: 386
| I have 3 that really stick out in my mind. The first was my first 50" that I caught, in October of 2004 on Vermillion trolling a 10" Jake. We were getting hung up on the rocks like crazy that day and I went to open my bail to try and get off the rock. The bait floated up and when I engaged the reel she ate it and just about ripped the rod out of my hands. An EXTREMELY solid fish and I was quite the virgin to muskie fishing and certainly didn't deserve one that big that early in my career. The second one is my PB, 54 1/2 X 29.5 the day after Thanksgiving on Pelican. We had to use 3 tanks of chain saw gas to cut enough ice to get the boat to open water. It was so cold that day my buddy and I had a 1 man flip up fish house in his tiller with a buddy heater going. We found a HUGE pod of bait around a rock reef and I marked her about 25' down, trolling with 100' of wire and a 13" Grandma. I told my buddy, who was in the fish house at the time, to look at the mark cuz it was obviously a solid fish. He know sooner looked at the graph and my rod went off. She had that 13" bait sideways in her mouth and only the lip of the bait was sticking out. I will never forgot how cold my hands were while taking the hooks out and releasing her. The 3rd was my PB for most fish boated in 24 hrs which was 7 on Leech last summer. The biggest was a 48" and after the 4th fish my buddy, who was in the front of the boat, made me run the trolling motor, and I proceeded to stick 3 more. I've had some really good memories but the sad part for me is the vast majority of them come when I fish solo, as I usually only fish with 1 other guy and he's pretty occupied with work. |
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Posts: 2011
| Probably the (11) 48"+ muskies out my little home puddle , fairly confident that is more than double anyone else has out of that lake..48's on this little lake are probably as rare as a MN 54"! ....and then there is the 57" solo on video, but that was all luck, as were the other 14 over 50  ... Wife's first, multiple buddies PB's in my boat, Dad's first all stick out too...Good memories. |
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Posts: 31
| Guiding a number of people to their first muskie including a 44 only 10 minutes into the day. No one ever forgets their first muskie! |
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Posts: 2752
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Muskie fishing with my kids and grandkids, they go where I go, and we have fun! With respect to muskies, finding 4 WR class fish in 4 different Canadian lakes - losing the absolute largest fish I've ever seen, either mounted or in photo's! They would need a bigger case for her at the Moccasin Bar in Hayward, WI. Two of those were fishing with my daughter Felicia, 15 years between fish 2000-2015, she's the "Beast Huntress"!
It doesn't get to much better than that, except! I'll take the memories. The memories drive the quest, the quest continues.
Have fun!
Al
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Posts: 156
| 1.)my 54". We couldn't light the cigarettes afterward our hands were shaking so much...and I don't even smoke either, but i did that day!
2.)in 2006, my buddy's brother was with us (and another guy)...both never fished Muskies before. Group of 4, 2 boats. My buddy was scheduled to be with his brother the last day of the trip, but my buddy came up to me and said "Look man, my brother doesn't have a musky yet. I really want him to get one, or he's never gonna come back with us. So you take him today, cause I know he's got a better chance with you." No pressure! We're pounding the water, aren't seeing anything! We are fishing til about 6pm that day. At about 5pm or so, here comes one right on his bait. I go "here you go, speed it up." She's coming to eat, and he reels right up like a madman to the swivel on his leader at 100mph going up and out into the first turn as the fish is going to eat. "DINK"...really LOUD. Fish spooks off. I put my head down, almost crying. He goes, "OMG, I blew it." I said "yes, you did." We hit two more spots. Nothing. I can see him mentally deflated, he's all quiet and kind of pouting. I say, "Look man. 'stuff' happens. In Musky fishing, you gotta be like a closer in baseball. You blow a save, but you gotta forget it and be ready to close the next one. REMEMBER THAT!!! Yes, we're in the bottom of the 9th for this trip, but it's not over yet." He perked up a bit, and we pull into the last spot. One of our old reliable spots. I gave him my best Grandma. He casts out, and BOOM. "Got something!" And a musky comes flying up out of the water. Netted it...turned out to be 40". Not a giant by any stretch, but we were pretty proud of that one. He was so happy, perma smiling on the ride back to the lodge. They see us coming into the Bay...his brother comes down to the dock looking all beat up. But as we got closer...brothers made eye contact...and my buddy knew it was "Mission Accomplished" for his brother. I just exhaled in the back of the boat as I docked it and said "You wouldn't believe it, you really wouldn't." If that's how guides feel on certain days, I have to say its a great feeling. Worth more than $$$ to me, thats for sure. As i packed up the loose baits (cause we had to pack the car for an early exit that next morning), I tossed my buddy's brother my best grandma he caught that fish on and said "There. That's for you. Everyone should have the bait they caught their first musky on."
3.)My buddy hand landing my 53+ after he blew the net job. He was like a madman. He knew he blew it, the net was rendered useless, couldn't flip the bag inside out. And he goes "I'm grabbing that &$%$%." And I'm screaming "^*^*, #%^&, ^$^. No, you're gonna get hooked up." And he goes, "I don't %$^$^ care. She's barely hooked now." And I'm screaming "noooooooo"...but he had a mind of his own. Then all I hear is grunting and splashing, and he starts coming up and turning around with this huge fish (with one point barely in the skin on the outside of her face) and he looks at me and screams (I'll never forget him screaming it), "I ****'n got her, and I'm never ****'n letting go!!!!!" The whole thing was so over the top, that a boat nearby came came over (cause they heard screaming and yelling) to ask if we were ok. HAHA.
Edited by MstrMusky 7/30/2015 10:23 PM
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Posts: 20
| 1. Low 40's hitting 15 minutes into my first time musky fishing
2-4. The other 3 follows I got that night
Haven't moved a fish since! Oh well back to the big O tonight! Hopefully the full moon brings some luck?? |
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Posts: 163
| It will be awhile before I forget the day i caught this fish! Monday, July 01, 2013, 5:00PM. Me and my wife got on my buddy's little john boat and pulled away from the dock. I think I fished for muskys a max of about 3 hrs prior to this trip. After leaving the dock i snapped on a 8'' firetiger jointed believer and tossed it behind the boat. Made it maybe 100yds max and the rod bent over..........................when the fish surfaced my wife says OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Neither of us had seen a musky up close before. I didn't even know what a trophy I had till I talked to more experienced musky hunters. Muskys are rare where I live and smaller on average than the normal trophy range. Fish was 45'' long and very healthy! snapped a pic or two and released the fish to fight another day! Wow was I a happy boy that day! That experience started an addiction I had no clue the power of. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edited by ajrod88 7/31/2015 8:27 AM
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Posts: 5
| My first 50 then 51 in same season, guiding wounded warrior to her first muskie 40", July 5 this year got 3, 42.44.5,55.5 (PB),placing 10 th in frank Schneider tournament, winning George Wahl tournament first time entering it. Watching all my releases swim down for someone else to battle someday. And just being able to hunt these beautiful fish is enough in itself. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Number one, without question, is reducing the bag limit on muskellunge in Michigan from one per day to one per year with a tag. Lots of other cool stuff is a close second, like arranging 40,000 muskies to be stocked over six years that otherwise wouldn't have been stocked. |
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Posts: 697
Location: Minnetonka | teddy b - 7/30/2015 2:28 PM
How I rate my success muskie fishing?
-- Did we try our best to catch em? Did we have a good time doing it? If yes to both questions, then this outing was a success for me. I have many more fishless days than not, so I know that I better love the chase and not just the catch. Often a boat can do everything correct and still not get bit...or at least that is what I tell myself haha!
Greatest muskie accomplishments?
--Balancing my muskie addiction with being the best father and husband I can be.
--Whenever the other person in the boat catches one, esp. if it's a first or biggest muskie.
--Avoiding muskie drama. I just don't care who is doing what and where. I'll make my own reports.
TB
+1 for TB's Guide to Muskie Fishing Accomplishments |
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Posts: 540
Location: MN | Hammskie - 7/31/2015 9:12 AM
teddy b - 7/30/2015 2:28 PM
How I rate my success muskie fishing?
-- Did we try our best to catch em? Did we have a good time doing it? If yes to both questions, then this outing was a success for me. I have many more fishless days than not, so I know that I better love the chase and not just the catch. Often a boat can do everything correct and still not get bit...or at least that is what I tell myself haha!
Greatest muskie accomplishments?
--Balancing my muskie addiction with being the best father and husband I can be.
--Whenever the other person in the boat catches one, esp. if it's a first or biggest muskie.
--Avoiding muskie drama. I just don't care who is doing what and where. I'll make my own reports.
TB +1 for TB's Guide to Muskie Fishing Accomplishments
TB comes in with some solid Muskie thoughts! |
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Posts: 568
Location: Lake St Clair | this makes me sad
I live 15 minutes from the world class LSC and i cant even add anything to this other than meeting new friends along my journey. This is also my 3rd season also.
Edited by mastical 7/31/2015 9:54 AM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | being able to confidently and safely navigate many, many miles of shield lakes and knowing where i am, where i am going and why i want to be there ... |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Iowa | Anymore for me its all about getting people who haven't caught a muskie involved in the sport. Taking someone out and seeing the joy and elation on their face when they catch that first fish or their biggest fish means more to me than catching fish myself. Also, getting my dad on fish (he only fishes a couple times a year). Don't get me wrong, catching muskies is awesome but seeing someone else do it is just special. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | Greatest accomplishment ?
What about not fishing at all while my elderly mom was visiting these past two weeks ? I'll be able to chase muskies later, but I do not know when I'll be able to play cribbage with Mom again. Some things are simply more important than musky fishing. |
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Posts: 386
| Greatest accomplishment ?
What about not fishing at all while my elderly mom was visiting these past two weeks ? I'll be able to chase muskies later, but I do not know when I'll be able to play cribbage with Mom again. Some things are simply more important than musky fishing.
Amen brother, good for you. The addiction is strong but it's not everything in life. Gotta remember that myself sometimes. Hope everything turns out ok for you and your mom. |
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Posts: 85
| 1. 54" on top water. Got her up, made her chase, and got her to commit. All while being able to share it with my Dad.
2. 10 fish day that included a 45.5", 45.75", 54", and a "double"
3. Caring enough to document every musky my Dad and I have ever caught. (I.e. Size, lure, lure color, date, and if it was a figure 8 fish). Not for any other purpose than learning from it and fun to talk about/look at in the off-season
Can't wait until my son is old enough to start chasing them too! |
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Posts: 37
| My proudest accomplishment is catching my 1st muskie at age 14 and still catching them at 73! While I cannot put in the 12 plus hour days for days at a time, I can still hang in there for 8 hours for a few days
I've guided every family member to a muskie including a 49.5 caught by my wife and son's 49 hybrid that won the MI contest many years ago.
I've met lots and lots of great guys and gals chasing muskies and am still meeting them. Really sad though to see many of them pass. I started organizing my many memories with current and lost friends recently.
last on the list is catching 21 over 50 including three that measured 55. A real challenge when one you live 800 miles from trophy muskie areas.
I really enjoy introducing new people to the sport and seeing their joy and excitement when one goes in the net! Kinda puts things into perspective. |
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Posts: 171
Location: indiana | My greatest accomplishment to date would have to be LOTW 2014. We did a family trip with some friends we met in 2009 at LOTW. All the kids and the dad of the other family wanted to catch a musky. Every morning we would go out for a few hours and the other dad caught his first at 49.25! Then we focused on the kids. My daughter and I were out and I hooked a 39 and instantly handed it off to her. She fought it like a champ and got it in the net. The next day we had one of the other families daughter out and she had several follows of her own. I hooked a 41 at the boat and let it take some line. I then handed it off to her and she brought it to the boat and in the net. Those memories will be the ones I will remember over the muskies I have caught.
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Posts: 720
| Personally, its a 44" musky that I caught in Canada. I've been fishing in Canada since 92" and I have made some great friends. Ed a really good friend who I've camped and fished with wanted to go musky fishing. He wanted me to take him. I was very hesitant because Ed was very sick. So I arranged an evening trip on a local lake I know well for me, Ed and another friend Mark. As luck would have it the weather was beautiful. Too beautiful. Ed was too ill at the time to fish so he just wanted to tag along and watch. Mark and I hit spot after spot. Like friends often do I was really getting the business from these two clowns all evening long. It was getting dark and I wanted to get Ed back to camp so he could switch his oxygen tanks and sit in a comfortable chair. But I told them I have two more spots I wanted to try. As I pulled up to my last spot and with my ego taking a huge beating from these two I told Mark not to bother picking up a rod. I would need him to stand by as net boy. You would have swore I insulted his mother with that statement. I stopped the boat made my first casted "Nothing" again more jaw jacking. Next cast and three twitches on a Sand Cat I get smashed. I looked back at my friends and said "That boys is the way you catch a musky" we netted it and it measure 44" released it and laughed the whole ride home.
I never saw Ed again. He passed over the winter. But he told his wife he wanted me to have something. I was unaware Ed had hidden within his oxygen bag a small video camera that night. He would tape certain parts of the evening. That last spot was one segment on his tape. Not that I needed to see the video to remind me of that evening. I miss my friend but I miss him a little less than I would have because of his little video tape. If I live to be 100 I will never forget that night and that fish. It's really all about the adventure. |
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Posts: 8772
| I'd be lying if I said I don't view some of my bigger fish as an accomplishment, or a 4 fish day, or #*#* like that. But if I can go out there and enjoy the fog on the water, watching a storm roll in, nobody gets hurt and we all have a lot of laughs that's an accomplishment. One of my most memorable days was stumbling into a "herd" of dink pike on a small bay up on Eagle. We were calling our casts, making fun of each other because my 12" pike was fatter than yours, seeing who could catch a fish, unhook it catch another one faster than the other guy...
We laughed so hard we could hardly fish. The more years I put into this crazy sport, the more stuff like that sticks with me. If you're having fun, that is an accomplishment.
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Posts: 284
Location: Eagan, MN | Hey, IAJustin...I've watched that vid of your 57 something like two dozen times. That strike! Brian |
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Posts: 1168
| I wouldn't fish for muskies if it wasn't for my brother. Getting set up with a boat, gear, etc. was something I did to give us a common bond because he was already into it. I've netted a 54" for a first timer, netted a 48" tiger for a buddy, had a pair of 9 fish days, a handful of 5-6 fish days, the past 7 years I've doubled by sunrise on opening day. Those aren't accomplishments. They pale in comparison to the bond I've formed with my brother through fishing. Last weekend we were discussing where our fishing passions are currently at and both of us agreed that winter cannot come soon enough so we can get back on the ice. If only ice fishing lasted longer with the only thing breaking it up being maple syrup season life would be great.
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Location: Lake Tomahawk, WI | Muskie Town
JS |
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Posts: 44
Location: Ohio | I haven't boated one yet but I got the fever by losing a large muskie at LSC in college while bass fishing. We had just boated a 40" for another angler on bass gear. I hooked one that hit right at the trolling motor and when peeling off. We could tell it was bigger than the 40 we had just caught. I was using bass gear and fought it for awhile until the spinnerbait hook worked its way loose. I can still see that fish slamming the bait at the trolling motor to this day! I have to get another. |
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Posts: 32882
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Can't think of anything.
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Posts: 167
Location: Tomahawk, WI | Putting my sons friend on his first muskie on his first day of muskie fishing.
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | My greatest musky accomplishment is that I haven't fallen overboard while fishing for them. I've come close a few times but so far so good. |
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