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A Surprise First

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:35 am
by WhitESOX
The Maverick recently posted a comment in another thread here that hit home, it is a love-hate relationship with the Ottawa River. This is very, very true.

Spent the last two summers on average 1-2 times per week getting to know the river between Blair launch and Rockland, more specifically the western / urban half of this stretch. Some days it is generous, with bountiful offerings of multiple species. Other days, stingy as hell and very frustrating. The hardest part of this learning curve is the lack of pattern in it (weather, air & water temperature, level, pressure, bait style, type and target, wind, moon phase, reading fish-hawk, etc).

So far this year, stymied on the bass... or at least predicting where they will be, less the odd catch. The only reliable go-to for us has been the 12-15" meh catfish at 20-30' depths on worm & a jig (the obvious / desperate choice if all else fails, or my 8 year old is present and needs stimuli), and 18-28" pike on top water tackle in 4-6' depths.

Wednesday was no different. After 90 minutes of cat action we decided to move to the shallows to target bass and pike.

We call this the "golden hour"; the middle of which is sunset. The river at this time is usually peaceful. The wind dies out completely, the wake boats disappear and the kids on the wave runners head home. This hour is occasionally action packed, too. The glassy water tunes in the senses, a splash within casting radius can be the start of a pike hunt.

This exact scene played out Wednesday night. Something was trying to hit the double-prop buzzbait, so I strapped on the head-cam and hit record. On maybe the 15th retrieve, a ~20" pike followed along, but was spooked by the sight of me on the other end and bolted off. Tried to be super patient and steered the trolling motor in circles in the general area, but after 2 revolutions and 30+ more casts I prepared for some disappointment.

Conditions were a beauty.
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Continued spray-casting, shots in the dark. The persistence paid off however. On maybe the 40th cast, the fish slurped up the lure. Didn't crush it at all, just took it in (Of course that was the moment I glanced away - no screenshot of that). About 10 seconds after the hit though, I'm thinking this doesn't feel like a 20" pike.

Then this:
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OH. MY. GOD. Never before in my life have I felt the mixture of elation and terror as I did at that moment.

With some reassuring advice from my dad to take my time, I spent the next few minutes tuckering the beast out. She swam all over the place, then treated us to another aerial display:
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Another few minutes pass and she's starting to tire out. I get the first glimpse up close.

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Dad readied the net, but she's not yet done. Another moment passed and I start to calm down slightly. I prepared the camera and grabbed the lure removal tool. Never even seen a Muskie before let alone catch one. She's beautiful. Though intimidated, I press on with the fight and try to remember everything I've heard about these beasts. They're very sensitive and must be treated with respect. Jeez, those teeth! Ok, I think I'll treat this like a humungous pike. She's in the net. What now?

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Trying to take great care I extract the tackle that she completely swallowed, thankfully it's clean. She's not letting me get away that easily though, and just as I finish thrashes around, teeth ripping open my finger.

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Since my heartbeat was around 160 there's blood everywhere but man, adrenaline. I don't care. She's back in the water. I give her another minute before hoisting her out for a photo op.

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Have only a yardstick on the boat. Dammit, not sufficient for this fish. Time to scale her up.

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32lbs, 1 oz. What a beautiful beast. Put her back in the water and gently rocked her back and forth, looking for signs the fight is still in her somewhere. About 2 minutes later she lazily swam under the boat. Packed up, put the lights on and just basked in the glow of elation. Just before leaving we noticed she's about 20 feet from the boat, resting.

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Being on a spot known for lots of traffic, we decided to babysit her, so we waited 10 minutes before she disappeared into the depths.

I don't expect I'll catch something like this again, but wow, what an experience, and another chapter in the love / hate relationship with the river.

PS: Can anyone with Muskie experience here estimate the length based on its' weight? My cursory thoughts were somewhere between 46-48" - Not sure if this specimen is considered average in its' girth? Feedback appreciated!

Al

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:29 am
by zippyfx
Nice catch!! nice surprise....

Here is a link for weight to length:

http://www.muskiescanada.ca/articles/20 ... _chart.pdf


Looks like she is in the 48-49 inch range with a girth around 23.

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:40 am
by IgglesD
Congrats, Those pics are stellar!

Not that it means much, but I think she'd be at least 48".

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:50 pm
by CBB
Wow congrats on a nice musky and a step by step post with pics to boot. You think the Ottawa will have you wondering what is going on with the fish, come out to the St. Lawrence and give it a whirl as it changes daily and then some. Great Post

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 8:48 pm
by TheMaverick
Any copyrights on "The Golden Hour" cause i might have to use that!
Congrats! She's a beaut!

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 8:55 pm
by lape0019
Nice fish!

I was out there last weekend with the maverick. We were fishing a tournament against each other and to say I won't be going back anytime soon is an understatement. It's a gorgeous fishery but when you say "lack of pattern" you aren't lying!

Congrats one what can only be a personal best?!

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 8:25 am
by YakAttack
Congrats on that awesome catch! And thanks for the great write-up.

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 3:54 pm
by WhitESOX
Most definitely a PB! Suppose it woulda been too much to ask of the fishing gods for a 50+ on my first Muskie. That is by no means a complaint - it was one of the greatest experiences of my life!

Thanks for the feedback gents and the size chart is handy.

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:55 pm
by RJ
WOW. Some awesome pics here in this one!

For not expecting to be tangling with that size of fish I think you did a decent job with it. Muskies are sissies especially in warm water and the fact she was upright and resting in that last pic is reassuring. In the future avoid hanging em on a scale like that especially a fish of that stature (near the magic 50 inch mark) as its hard on them to be held vertically for any period of time. Don't take this as criticism more a little tip for ya for the next time you tangle with one like that... :wink:

Congrats again!

RJ

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 9:29 pm
by WhitESOX
Thanks for the tip RJ, I had no idea. Been reading quite a bit since on the subject, in the event i'm ever as lucky again. This site seems to have lots of good info.

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 6:53 am
by BigC
Congrats on a beauty Muskie.

First one is always so memorable and you have nabbed a great first ski.

I've always thought anything over 46" was a great fish and there's no doubt that one is 46" +.

To do it with you Dad and son in the boat must have added to the experience as well. I wonder with your Dad telling you to calm down if your son learned any new words...lol

You're fishing a great strech of water for them, so I suspect it won't be your last.

Great pics

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 6:01 pm
by Relic
This is how obsessions are born...trust me.

Awesome fish, happy to here you stuck around with her to watch her disappear, kudos on that. Congrats on a great fish.

Muskies in the Ottawa generally need 50 inches to break the 30lb mark. I would put good money on that being a 50 inch fish.

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:41 am
by Walleye'm Fishing
Great fish, congrats!

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 8:36 am
by WhitESOX
Relic wrote:This is how obsessions are born...trust me.
I'm afraid of that... A few folks have asked me if I now have the "Muskie Bug". I will definitely target them in future, but will probably contract the services of one of our local guides first. I wrote that I was terrified when I first saw that fish, this mainly due to my ignorance in their handling and such. But with what I've read in the last few days (including some comments here), I feel pretty good about this in future, and I'm relieved I didn't kill that beauty.

Speaking of ignorance, the most common question I've been asked of my non-angler friends / co-workers etc upon showing them pics is "did you keep it"? Or the less common but even more ignorant "did you eat it"? Lol. I've used these opportunities to educate in 60 seconds or less why I found the question funny.

Re: A Surprise First

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:13 pm
by Kerrazy
You are so screwed now!!!!

I had a similar incident 3 years ago, and it has proven to be very expensive!

What a fantastic write up, and a s a fellow Ottawa River angler, it has been the goofiest season inhabe experienced so far.

I can't even tell you the last time I had a decent bass on board, and even the pike bite has disappeared formme the last couple weeks.

I am not sure what is happening, but it doesn't matter what I am throwing at them, they are not interested. So really great to see you rewarded handsomely for your efforts!