muskiebigfish

Shad and Carp and Stripers o my

o yeah

Whats up guyz,
The weather was awful this year, Rain, Snow, Wind and just all around RRRRRRRRRR

But, we did manage to catch a few Kings, 4 in total and that number should be about 10. Even I made a Rookie mistake but was able to redeem myself just minutes later.

Remember that 30lb Braid is not enough........... Badlarry will tell all of you about that heartbreak if he hasn't already.


In closing, It's getting COLDER out which means a few things.

1. Carp will be putting on their last big feed
2. Chugga Chugga Chu Chu Res will be on fire soon
3. My Favorite part.. Get the AUGER's READY!!!!!!!!!

Yes Sa!!!!!!!

Muskie

After Carp fishing the Lake on Saturday morning, I figured to give the Rock another shot, she has been giving it up all summer. Well she did it again, after a few weeks of quiet time.

A bucket full of perfect size Kivas and away we go.

I believe this was the second cast, not bad at all. we ended up with half a dozen larrys and 1 small pickerel and a Small Pike which jumped clear out of the water with my Kiva in his mouth and then so nicely spit it back at me hahahahahaha

This spot should start giving up Big Pickerel as it gets colder

Muskie

As most of you guys and gals know, the Carp train is still in full force, I mean look at the pictures that have been posted so far, some absolute Beauties.

This morning I took Badlarry with me to give him another shot, last time he landed a half lb Rock Bass, almost broke my net hahahaha The 20lber I caught was the reason my net broke.

Up to this point I have caught and released 12 Carp this year, from 6-20, with my youngest brother Shadow getting 2 at 29lbs and a few in mid 20lb range, definatley the right time.

So this morning we bait up and the Carp were active right away, jumping 5 ft out in front, perfect, guess where our corn is hahahahahaha

As luck would have it, my rig goes off and the line is screaming, this was on my Mono Rod, the Mono has been out fishing the Power Pro with leader, keep that in mind!

Turn over the bail and this beast moves me forward as my drag starts to take over, ZZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ and away we go, 2 Big runs, halfway across the cove she went, 75 yards or so, I know this baby has some weight.

Maybe she was tired or just wanted her picture taken because I figured the fight would of taken just a touch longer, I am not complaining, maybe 7 minutes later she is in the net, head barley fit in it, my big net broke so we used Badlarrys Bass net hahahahaha

I have a great video of the release also, pics are ok, they dont do her justice, she was an absolute Beast and she got to swim away.

Thanks again Badlarry, you will get one, either here or at the River WOOOOOOOOO

Not much time left, then they move away and so do we!!!

Muskie

Stop me if this sounds repetitive hahahaha

I get the phone call, Muskie, are you Carp fishing tomorrow? And as always this time of the year, I answer "Hell Ya" hahahaha And so begins the next Adventure, I must say that I am getting pretty good at this.

Early Dark Thirty is the time and the Lake is the place, and she didn't disappoint this morning, once again she helps with the conversion process.
Levi was the next person to jump on the Carp Express, so sorry you got the fever, it don't go away, ever. We bait up with Corn and it wasn't 10 mins and I have the first run, wow what a pull, zzzz zzzzzz on the drag and NNNNOOOOOOOO out came the hook, only 5ft away, what a Big Head on this beast, the hook went into the trees behind me. S.O.B. RRRRRRRRRRRRR

That's ok, I did get another shot. Not 10 more mins and out goes the Power Pro, get it tight, set the hook and zzzzz zzzz zzzzzz, this time we on!!! Levi grabs the net, little early to be going for the that, these babies make 4 power runs, you need to remember that, so I do what I love to do, I hand Levi the Rod and say“here you go, your turn" With either amazement or disbelieve, he takes the Rod and then the fun begins hahahahahaha This Carp was 3 times bigger than his previous P.B.

His Carp was 32 inches and 15+lbs, this makes 3 people in a row that have all caught trophies with me, I also caught another Carp, little guy again, maybe 6lbs, still lots of fun to land, especially when they are foul hooked, he came in sideways, thought I had a Marlin hahahaha
The Carp were out in full force again, this should last about 3 weeks, you don't want to miss this!!

So ends another great morning before work, I'm gonna need a vacation from fishing hahahahaha and sorry guy's I'm booked tomorrow morning!! I'm sure most Carp spots are doing great, keep em tight guys and gals.

Muskie

I get a message late yesterday asking if I had any tips or words of wisdom about Carp fishing, because this person had been trying but with no success yet. My response was plain enough, Yes I have words of wisdom, meet me tomorrow morning. Hahahahaha Earlier this am, I went to the River with no luck, water a mile high and full of floating debris, so not going back there yet, only one other place I want to be....

Funny story about this meeting, a number of years back I put a 25lb Carp in my tub for the night so I could register it and release it in the morning, forgot to tell the wife hahahaha so Chowder had seen that picture and when he messaged me, he reminded me of that, not many people saw that pic or knew of that story.

Early Dark Thirty is here and so are the Carp, this is the second time here this year for me at this spot, and things have not changed a bit, pphheewww, no pressure here at all to produce Trophy size fish, no pressure at all, and if there was, all gone by 5!!!!! Yeah Baby.

After about 20 minutes I check my lines and as Chowder is doing the same I hear that O so familiar sound, MUSKIE, I'm on!!!!!!! And yup, he was, his first battle ever with these beasts. The drag is singing and I reel the other rods in and grab the net, because we are going to need it. Great job Chowder with the fight and congrats on your first Carp. 34 inches 20lbs Trophy baby. And he did the dance and he took a lap around the hill hahahahahaha You deserved to, Carp fever, and then 20 mins later I was doing the dance WOOOOOO 32 inches 18lbs Trophy and then a small little guy hahahahaha

3 total Carp with plenty of action going on, thanks for the message Chowder, always worth the time. And then 7 am came and so did the wind, which helped with the evacuation process.

Muskie

I must say goodbye to the Res for a couple months or on Special requests.
This is no reflection upon the luck and Fish I caught or was apart of, She gave it up this Spring and I am sure that she is not finished.

Early Dark Thirty is upon us and we are all in the water, myself, DR, Aaron and Guy, couple of other people came and went, but just us for the most part. I have moved my spot to the left about 15 ft this year and it has paid off just nice, even my brother, who even moved farther over, killed them, we seemed to be just far enough out and over to miss the weed line.

5:20 am and I have my first trip of the rig, line goes 5 ft and stops, I know this trick, this has Smallie written all over it. I pick up my Rod and wait, then the wait was over, line peels out and I get the line tight and say Hello to my Smallie, nice fish and great fight, not quite 4lbs, I will never complain, again on a Pike shinna.

Slow morning after that, trips about one every 40 mins maybe, slow, but we are at the Res. Around 7:30 just after changing my bait, the rig goes off and out then stops, seems to me the Smallies are in and the Lakers are out, line moves out, I set the hook and my drag goes ZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ and the next sound was NOOOOOOO RRRRRRRRRRR. Felt the hook come right on out, dam, dam, dam.

After kicking myself the rocks and rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I get over it and hope for one more chance, which I did get and take full advantage of, thanks for the shinner DR, hahahahaha, u were correct, I did catch another one hahahaha

9 am, just me and Aaron, picking up our rods, in fact, I was reeling the first one in and I see the line screaming out on my other rod, this is acting like a Laker all day, set the hook, zzzzzz, and wella, 4lb Laker, time to go.

Thanks again for a great spring, hell I even caught a Splake (male brookie and female laker) this year.

Here is the reason I am leaving her alone:

The Carp are in the RIVER!!!!!!!

I say no more

Muskie

Return to the Rock

The wind has finally changed and is out of the East, time for the Rock, honey hole that has been quiet for a few years. I say not this year, hope she thinks the same way.

This place we never fish in dark, or before 7:30 for that matter, we arrive about 1030, few loose ends to take care off, and we arrive only to see that they are building a new school and have fenced off every place to park and walk, great, fantastic, more than one way to skin a cat..

The rain has begun and we find a spot to park, we always do good in the rain at the Rock, no need to think any differently today, good karma only. As luck would have it, the walk was only 5 mins instead of 10, ok so far, and the water is up, perfect.

The Rock looks great, ready for our return, felt right being back with the hope of a great year ahead of us.

She didnt disappoint or make us wait either. We say our farewells to the Bait and away we go, and right of the bat, Ham catches a small pickerel, which we would have prayed for last year, and I am losing already. So began the Beating I had to take hahahaha

I did manage a 2lb solid LMB, but that had no chance with Log of a Pickerel Ham dropped on me as we were picking up, matter of fact we were out of BAIT.

It got to the point that Ham was using DEAD shiners on a Bobber, 16 inch LMB and then to add insult to injury, I picked a floater that a fish had spit out and gave it to Ham, bobber spins around, this was only 6ft from shore, and WHAMO, A Beast, 26 inches right around 5lbs. We havent seen a Big Pickerel from there in a few years, we will catch her again, thick with a big head, dead shiner on a bobber, in the rain, just like it should be.

Cant wait to lollipop of few Kivas back there soon, See you again in a few weeks.

Muskie

Easter Sunday


Well first off, glad you were back Chris, and great job this am!!! I needed ya. If there is anyone with any thoughts of Lake Trout Fishing, NOW is the time, get your ticket for the Laker Express while you can, maybe 2 weeks left, if you're lucky.

The Res has been on fire since she opened last week, and has no signs of slowing down either, at least not today, again she delivered.

Early Dark Thiry is the time and 4:59am is creeping our way, just enough time to line a bran new Rod and Reel, Penn Fierce 8000 with 9ft Rod, didn't take 5 mins before she was screaming, and away we go, doubles in the dark and we are running low on Bait, usually one dozen Pike shiners is enough at the Res, it was until 6, and then next dozen we needed to get didn't last till 7:30, these days do not happen, she is on FIRE

First fish to say hello this am was a Very Large Smallie, 6lb class, cause he was way bigger than the two we caught at over 4 and 4½ lbs. And of course it was on the new rod, dam.He will get another chance..

Lots of hit and drops and strips without any runners, makes me think Smallies but I believe it to be a touch to early for them yet, Nope, wrong, Smallies are in, and today may have been the first day they showed up, and they were taking Shinners, must be good and hungry.

5:30 and I see my rig trip, the line go out and then stop. Typical Smallie move, WRONG, hahaha, I wait maybe a minute, pick up the Rod and flip over the bail. As soon as the line got tight, off we go, set the hook and ZZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZZZZ and then of course, YEAH BABY ZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ. This Fish was mad, even thrashed on the top for a minute and then went side to side in full view.

8lbs x 27 inches Looked like a Boat Oar Paddle.My new PB.

Then the next couple of fish acted the same way but they were Smallies, that's the way they should act. Chris's was 21 inches at 4½ and mine was 19+ at 4lbs. The Fish seem to be in the shallows, again, hit the Res if you can, drop me a line if you need any info and I might even be able to meet you there.

Happy Easter

Muskie

If there was ever a day to Convert you "Open Water Only" guys, today was the DAY!!


First off, thanks to Patrick and Brooksy for playing, and Dom and Nate and Harry.

And also to those I did not know that were there. 50 degrees with a little wind every now and then. No snow on the ice and it was solid when we started, turned slushy as the day went on and all the Sleds that made it look like the Daytona 500 for a bit.

We begin the Adventure with me just getting all the gear on the Ice and Patrick texting me, I think I am here, yup, he was, and so after the Hello's and great to see you again, we trek out across the frozen tundra of Sargent's Pond.

This is Patrick's Iron Maiden voyage on the Ice, he even RAN today, haha. After an 8 minute walk, which normally would be a short walk, the guys know what I mean about that, hahaha, we make home base as Dad would say, You would be having a great time with us Pop, just happens to be a point with a nice shore line up to the left. We set up the Ice Cube, 4 person tent, and then fire up the Auger, vvvrrroooaaammmmm.

I punch 5 quick holes about 35 yds from shore in a straight line, 15 ft between them, and hand Patrick the scoop because this is a 2 person operation, plus there was close to 17 inches of ICE!!! PLENTY SAFE

Side Note: Your freezer doesn't have that much ice, sorry Uncle Mike and Dad hahahaha

We get 3 set up and away we go, I even RAN, said I wouldn't do it, I explain the technique we use and wella, small pickerel, Bait in other places... Ok, new shiner and off to the next tilt, forgot to mention that I am in 10 ft of water hahaha no weeds, in a nice channel come to find out, but there is a price to pay to have what we found out to be one of the best spots if not the best. Before we walked to the next tilt the flag was up again, yeah baby, Patrick's turn. Maybe I should of told him that we were not fishing for TUNA, cause when he set the hook, I believe it went into the ice from 10 ft down, the hook set should be a nice little wrist motion as apposed to a Mike Tyson upper cut hahahahaha. He did get it down Pat, hahaha and it didn't take long

We caught maybe 12 fish before I could set up the 5th tilt and drill 5 more holes, other people were also catching around us, great start to the Derby. We hear some hooting but the Fish seemed to small all around.

That changed, a tilt to be named later went up, wink wink, and I caught what ended up to being 3rd place Pickerel and it's not even 8, we already lost count of the fish we caught, at this point close to 20, and the jigging hasn't started yet. I drill 5 more holes for tilts and 4 for Patrick and his line of Doom.
And again just like the last row, pow, pow, pow and away we go, it might have been 10 am before we could get all our tilts in the water. I never put my Hat or my Gloves on all day, I usually don't need my gloves, even during cold days but today was a day to take layers off in, only get a few every year like this. Patrick caught a big Slab Crappie, too bad it wasn't a category, he would have won that.

Patrick assaulted the Fish with his jig rod, with a Perch that was picture worthy hahaha The Honorable Pope Muskie Paul John has converted another hahahaha Then the kids showed up about 10 and they all had fun!! Dayton 500 for the sleds and as mentioned earlier, our tilts were the outside lane for them. Hahahahah vvvrrooaammm vvvrrrooaaammm No more flags No more Fish hahahaha O well It's for the kids anyway!!!!

Brooksy and Harry had a few flags and Fish inside the track, while Dom and Nate continued what Patrick had started, at least 14 fish on the jig rods hahaha and I can't take credit Patrick showed them how and WHAMOOOOO

End result: 3rd Place Pickerel
Honorable mention Perch
1st Place in Total Fish Caught

Well over 40 Fish total and I have a great Tan on my Bald Head and a smile a mile wide. Thanks again to everyone and there will plenty of Ice left even after this weekend, it will be cold all next week, this weekend should be great. That dam Ground Hog was right, need more gas for the Auger. Anyone else want to give it a go....

Muskie


Patrick has the pics

---- Patrick ----

I had a blast. I definitely like hard water fishing.

It was all we could do to get the tilts in the water, they were tripping so fast.

It was kind of funny when I tried setting the tilt line the first time and pulled the bait out of the fishes mouth. What can I say I was excited.

My favorite was the jigging. The Swedish Pimple with a meal worm got the fish a biting.

Muskie thanks again for showing me the ropes.

Oh and your nephews were catching the hell out of the kivas.