October 31 1997
After trying to stay warm in my waders since about 3am, I figured that the high barometer had taken it's toll on any activity that may have taken place. The golden sun broke the horizon under bluebird sky's and dead calm breeze and it was time to hang it up this frosty morning. As I slowly waded away from the spillway toward the shoreline, I thought that one more try in the faster current couldn't hurt anything, so I took the biggest bluegill from my bait bucket (about 10" in length)and rigged it up. With a short lob cast, the bluegill hit the water and took off for open water like a shot. It didn't get but a few feet when the water boiled with a violent eruption as this beast turned that big Bluegill into breakfast. With my knees knocking and heart pounding at the sight of what just took place and what was about to happen, I took up the line slack and put the medium heavy St. Croix rod to the test. The big toothy critter felt the sting of the hook and took to the air like a Barracuda. After a battle of wits for about twenty minutes with the big Muskellunge, she gave in and a successful hand landing took place. The brute topped the scale at nearly 38 pounds and 52" in length. I did keep the Muskie, maybe out of pure excitement and the vision of fish fry's for the next several months. She was the last big Muskie that I removed from a body of water. That final day of October 1997 is burned so deep into my mind that when the leaves start to fall and the north winds begin to howl, I head for the waters to find the king of freshwater fish and partake in it's mystique.
Lac LaBelle
Oconomowoc, WI.
October 31, 1997
October 31 1997
After trying to stay warm in my waders since about 3am, I figured that the high barometer had taken it's toll on any activity that may have taken place. The golden sun broke the horizon under bluebird sky's and dead calm breeze and it was time to hang it up this frosty morning. As I slowly waded away from the spillway toward the shoreline, I thought that one more try in the faster current couldn't hurt anything, so I took the biggest bluegill from my bait bucket (about 10" in length)and rigged it up. With a short lob cast, the bluegill hit the water and took off for open water like a shot. It didn't get but a few feet when the water boiled with a violent eruption as this beast turned that big Bluegill into breakfast. With my knees knocking and heart pounding at the sight of what just took place and what was about to happen, I took up the line slack and put the medium heavy St. Croix rod to the test. The big toothy critter felt the sting of the hook and took to the air like a Barracuda. After a battle of wits for about twenty minutes with the big Muskellunge, she gave in and a successful hand landing took place. The brute topped the scale at nearly 38 pounds and 52" in length. I did keep the Muskie, maybe out of pure excitement and the vision of fish fry's for the next several months. She was the last big Muskie that I removed from a body of water. That final day of October 1997 is burned so deep into my mind that when the leaves start to fall and the north winds begin to howl, I head for the waters to find the king of freshwater fish and partake in it's mystique.
Lac LaBelle
Oconomowoc, WI.
October 31, 1997