2009 in review

[ttabaleulb]

I still can't believe that '09 is about done, but I just wanted to see how this year was for everyone. Things started out pretty frustrating for me in the Spring. I did my best to match conditions that I had recorded to those that I fished in but that resulted in less fish than my first year before fishing "blind". LOL The highlights for me were accomplishing a couple of goals that I set from the beginning.

It was fantastic to finally get one on the 8. But the ultimate highlight was landing my first on the Flyrod!! I plan to add a second 10wt Flyrod to the collection by Spring and will hit them full blast with flies in 2010! Overall, I didn't get into as many fish as I would have liked, but I am happy with the progress.

Hope everyone else was able to reach some goals in 2009 and hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!!


Jay

[RiverRunt]

I had an awesome year for fishing, although not for muskies or pike. In fact, I never caught or hooked a musky or pike.

However, this being my first year fishing for them, I thought I did pretty well.
I learned a lot by reading this forum and getting out there and working my butt off.

All of my musky fishing was in the river, mostly between the dam and the refinery, and I learned a lot about the river.

It's a great river and it is beautiful. I love getting out in there.

Good luck, guys. Hope you all have a great year. JEFF

[Trauts]

Caught a TON of fish this year...biggest around 38" and 25lbs...but unfortunately they weren't Musky...maybe next year? I figure I just need to book Red for like a month straight (Right after I hit the lottery of course) starting in mid-May...then another month later in the year...eventually I will get a musky to the net!

Other than no musky...it's been a banner year!

Glad you had a good year, bro!

[Anzomcik]

I had a pretty good "rookie" season. Being my first full year of strickly targeting muskie, i landed 4 fish. Biggest being mid 30s. I had a multi fish day, that had two musky and a pike. The number that i hope to reduce next year is my 28 fish missed (i know its alot) from broken line (dont ask), net mix ups, head shakes, jumping, lost at boat side, and the "i do not know how she got off" Thats fishing.

Got five pike over 36" biggest was a hair shy of 40". One big fat walleye 31" 13lbs

Those are the banner fish of my season, it was a good one. I meet my goal of catching more muskie than the previous year, now in a few days it starts all over again. Dont forget to buy your new liesence.

[cband]

Had a great year, the best highlight from the year was an evening in August we caught three muskies in a matter of 10 minutes-best feeding window I have ever experienced. One bad experience was having to replace the reverse gate on the jet (funny, never new we knocked it off)

[ThreeRiversEsox]

'09 will definitely go down as a year to remember for me as well. I spent alot of time on the water this year after meeting Rich W, and we got to see and experience some really cool stuff. I've never seen so many eagles in my life, and got to see some of the best scenery ever! And besides the scenery, experiences, and great food, we put some fish in the boat to boot... I finally got my own boat in June and after a slow start, really started to get onto something by the end of the summer. I set and broke my personal best this year, finally breaking it again in Sept on one of my own baits, with my mom doing the net job! Quite an experience for sure, and it's only gonna get better!

[Red Childress]

Cband,

Based on the cloud cover and sun angle (I used the shadown angles and pulled out the 'ole protractor) I know exactly where you are and fished there quite a bit myself, believe it or not.



Nice fish......Just joking about the location, as I have no idea where you are.

[cband]

Cband,

Based on the cloud cover and sun angle (I used the shadown angles and pulled out the 'ole protractor) I know exactly where you are and fished there quite a bit myself, believe it or not.



Nice fish......Just joking about the location, as I have no idea where you are.

I quess I learned that from the lake X, river X midwest guys...

[toothyfishman]

This will be a year to remember that will be hard to beat.
My 8 yr. old (Jake) got into the fishing this year, he ended up with 17 muskies for the year.

We had a 9 fish trolling day I'll never forget! Jake got a 46" and a 48" that day. It will be hard to beat , he'll never be that young and his first year he was interested so it may never be topped in memories.

Labor day weekend he got a 48" while momma was along, biggest fish she had seen caught yet, that was something. She don't pull out the "F" bomb very often but did when the fish first shown itself.....funny.

Jake got his first mentor deer this year which was awesome! A broken one sided nice eight point which ended up being a 6 if counted. He was along when I got my buck. Both deer shot with his little youth model gun.

I reached my "boat goal" and passed it by 3 fish....still got a few days left, Jay is ending the year early............lol............

I didn't get as many bigger fish as I did last year but Jacob got them so I couldn't asked for anything better. Wanted to break 50 again but it didn't happen. I believe one of Jacob's fish that was missing a bunch off the tail would of made it to 50" easy.

This years plan is to get Jacob into some casting fish. Maybe catch a few more fish, fish a few more waters, just a year like this one would be perfectly fine with me....

[Ivan]

It's good to see quite a few new guys to the sport...as you already know, it's addictive. 2009 was our (me and my dad) 12th yr fishing for muskies.

It ended up being an average year in terms of numbers for us, although our spring action was down like ttabaleulb. Pymatuning and the spring in general were tough this year. We are seeing numbers back on the incline at LSC and had a good year at Chautauqua. We also each got a 50"+, which is nice.

My goals for next yr will be to continue to balance work, marriage, having a little girl, and muskie fishing. I hope to continue to meet new people on the water that can become friends (seems like most of the friends I have now are from muskie fishing). I will try to take it a little easier on the old man next yr. I will look to release my 600th muskie in 2010 and I hope to be able to spend more time on Big Fish water like the Georgian Bay and The St. Lawrence in future years. I'm still looking for a mid 50"+ fish that wieghs high 40, 50lb range...that's my ultimate goal. Maybe someday...wish I didn't have to work.

I also have a non muskie goal to continue to improve my Lake Ontario salmon trolling techniques.

Happy New Year
Good luck to everyone in 2010.

[allegheny river kid]

As for muskie fishing this year was better than the past 3 years for me but i put more time into it than the past years so i attribute my success to that more than anything else. The walleye fishing spring and fall was a little on the slow side also dont know what really happened but couldnt get on anything solid or steady. Trout season was trout season, lots of fish and a few solid fish. Now were into steelhead season and its the toughest year i've had since i started in 92'. Run numbers are down no matter where i've been across lake erie and ontario. Still catching fish but not like i've become accustomed too. Overall though a great year of fishing, got to spend lots of time fishing and alot of good times with friends old and new. Many good memories that will stick with me forever!
Good luck and Happy New Years to all!!!!
Joel

[H2O wolf]

These pics are the highlights of the year for me. My dad's first (43.5) and a 50" that we boated on a trip to Canada. Other than that it was an average year for me. Still waiting for that break out year! Maybe 2010 will be it.

[jah1317]

Well for me '09 was a SLOW year! Fish were few and far between however it was a pretty descent year. Ended out with 8 fish ranging from 24" up to 41" with a nice fat 36" to end the year on. It was the year of the boats I think I owned 4 boats this year I am down to 2.... anyone wanna buy a rowboat and trailer? Fresh paint! Anyway....... I got my dad out into the boat and got him onto a few pike with more to come next year. I met several of my goals this year, first one on the surface, first one on rubber, and a few others. As for 2010, I am planning to do more of the same with more fish as a result. Today I am making my wishlist of items that I need (want) to get to get my boat outfitted and myself outfitted. Can't wait for the butler show!

Good luck in the new year!

Jacob

[ttabaleulb]

This is awesome, I'm glad to hear so many good stories from 2009!! I know its a bit early for Cabin Fever, but after reading this stuff, I'm ready to grab the flyrods and go at 'em right now!! Hmm, maybe a trip to Cave Run is in order in the near future!! LOL Man, this is gonna be one hell of a LONG Winter!!

[muskyjerk]

2008 was my first year w/ more than a handful of musky trips and I landed 7 muskies 29-43",No pike, 1 follow and 1 lost musky.

2009 I also landed 7 muskies between 18-43", 20 pike. I also had a handful of lost fish, a good number of follows and strikes.

The difference was:
2008- mostly trolling spinnerbaits and crankbaits
2009- casting gliders, topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits. Changing location. 1 trip w/ Red on river. adding nightfishing.

The best perspective I've come up w/ to feel improvement would be a linebacker w/ the same number of sacks 2 years in a row but w/ an increase in hurries, hits, blocked passes, etc. in the second.