First Musky...I'm Hooked!
I will apologize in advance for he length of this post, as it really is a story of a novice Musky Hunter rewarded with his first catch.
I found the sport of Musky Hunting Back in April after relocating to central IL from Alaska. After fishing large saltwater game all my life, I was happy to find a challenging, rewarding species of freshwater fish to fill the void. Boy did I underestimate these wonderful creatures. Let the story begin.
It all started when my job forced me to commute to Moline from Ramsey every week, where I was to stay Monday throgh Friday and drive home for the weekend. Work starts early, and winds up around 9:30 every morning. What was a guy to do? FISH!! Up to late, I really wasn't geared up to start Musky fishing at Shelbyville, but I substituted that with persistent reading, then more reading, and finally some more. I was a venerable sponge. After doing some research on waters local to Moline and surrounding areas I centered my attack on Lake George SW of Moline about 15 minutes, and Johnson-Sauk Trail Lake about 30 miles East of Moline. I was doing the shore fishing bit, for lack of a way to get the boat up to Moline, since my company box truck had no provision for towing a trailer. I pounded the brush, poison Ivy (which left its mark) for two weeks before realizing it wasn't going to work...I needed water transportation. The following week I loaded up the rowboat and took it with me. Launching a rowboat (13') out of the back of a 16' boxtruck posed its own challenges, and certainly acquired more than one awkward stare or comment from fellow anglers and spectators as it backed down the ramp to launch its cargo! Using the tommy lift and a 2X4 "ramp" launching and retrieving was a snap....now the hard part. I chose not to outfit the boat with a motor. For one I needed the exercise, and two, I didn't want to buy a trolling motor specifically for this boat (stern mounted). Lake George is electric only...a small lake with only 8 miles of shoreline. I ended up not caring for Johnson-Sauk....too much algae, and no structure, fairly shallow.
Now for the next challenge.....strange waters, new sport, no electronics, not having a clue where to find the toothers. I used what I knew and started probing the points, and using the anchor, taking notes on depths and locations of bars, saddles etc. I looked for weeds by dragging gear around the bottom. It was very rudimentary, and old fashioned, but I loved it. A sort of weird challenge made harder just the way I liked it. This is, why this story means so much to me, and hopefully to you older salts that reach back to remember their first encounter with Muskie.
I found two favorite spots (in theory) and started my 10,000 casts. I spent a solid week just doing recon, and this week was the week for serious fishing. Every day from 11 am to moonrise and even later on occasion, I flogged the water. Learning my lures, colors, presentation etc. The weather was terrible....blue bird skies, flat calm, and high pressure. After the 3rd day after the low pressure front, that of course came over the weekend while I was back home, I figured the high pressure's effects would not inhibit movement or activity as much and was optimistic for a good Thursday. Still clear as a bell, hot, and dead calm however. Challenging at best, it had to be today though, as my time in Moline was over with and I was on the road back home on Friday with no time to fish, and not slated to return for any real reason. I had invested so much time with this lake, I would have been sorely dissapointed with no success. I bided my time all day long, casting, casting and more casting. A nap here and there...just waiting for the evening hours. Then the bait fish started moving on the surface, smaller fish began rising and taking flies. I could FEEL the dinner bell was ringing. I snapped on my search lure, a Magnum Musky Killer in yellow and orange and went around the clock from my now anchored boat in my "hot spot" I call it that because in days previous, I had witnessed more than one Muskie roll and otherwise show themselves. Trusting my instinct to not leave a muskie sighting, I camped on the spot all day. It was 6:30 when it all started. The follow...my first REAL one...and after a slow retrieve. She cruised in fixated on the bucktail. I brought her around the boat for a good figure 8, then went into a textbook figure 8....bail tripped, thumb on the spool, shallow in the turn and deep on the straight aways....just waiting for the missile to make it's move. No dice, she stayed there just looking, never even making an attack. She sauntered off then rolled on the surface 10 feet away, as if to say "you gotta be better than that". My second instinct kicked in without even thinking....that's what enough reading in place of action will get ya I guess....I began short, fast casts where she last was, going clockwise around the boat 360 degrees anticipating where she might have gone, then ranged out another five feet, around the clock, then another 10 feet. I was only casting out 30 or so feet and staying right on top leaving a nice signature. Unannounced, she absolutely BLEW UP on the bucktail, inhaled it and headed off at 30 miles and hour for the laydown. I turned her at the last minute keeping her in open water. It was ON! I played her for a few minutes, then hastened the landing so as not to tire her out and risk unfavorable release. Everytime I got her close, and as soon as she saw the net, she was gone again. By myself, i had to juggle the net and a fighting Muskie.....pure adrenaline. On the final attempt I managed to catch her headfirst before she knew it and it was all over. Tired, she lay still thankfully to let me remove her hooks. Meanwhile, another boater happened by and hung around, I handed them my camera, thankful for the opportunity to get a photo snapped. I laid her across the inch pole briefly, then hefted her up for a quick pic. I laid my prize back in the water, and for 20 minutes, moved water through the gills until they started to flutter on their own. Not yet ready to be released safely, a held her there. I could get a response by rubbing her belly, then slowly, her eyes began moving about and we made what in my present world seemed to be eye contact, the look between the hunted and the hunter, her appreciation for her release, my respect for her allowing me to catch her. Sounds cheesy now, but at the time, a great deal of emotion and almost spiritual euphoria surrounded me. All that hard work, weeks of preparation, and months of studying......I held the prize right then and there. It was a moving experience. Just as quick as our glances met, she was ready finally, and with a great kick, jerked free from my grasp and left me soaking wet as a parting gesture. The couple in the other boat asked why I didn't keep her. I told them they wouldn't understand, and just that there is an utmost respect for these animals, and she should be free to fight another day. They were amazed.....it took longer to resuscitate the fish than it did to catch it, yet it was so easy to let go of such a prize. I explained how long it took for this fish to get to the size it is, and who be it of me to not return it to grow some more and maybe give another hopeful angler the experience of a lifetime that will change them forever. After a lifetime of catching King Salmon, and Halibut with a goal of filling the freezer, it was near religious to experience the catch and release, following the hunt and capture. I now know why Musky Hunter Brethren are the way they are. These fish are majestic creatures, not to be taken for granted, but to be enjoyed and revered by all who chase them. I am happy to be amongst your ranks, with dreams of stories of the many future catches I will cherish, and the excitement it will bring to those on board. I am hooked forever, I now know what drives hunters to braves the cold, the elements, the fatigue, the countless hours sometimes unanswered. The Mighty Muskie....
Oh, and the fish.....she was 43", and 22 around. Give or take 26 lbs and change. Not a bad first fish? And a great catch for this lake. I will be at Shelbyville Saturday evening, drinking in that pre-low pressure front making its move on Sunday. I have high anticipations for the next "story".....what HAVE I done to myself!!
Thanks for reading, and for a great site to be proud of....
Cheers
Chris
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