What do you think of this?

Post by **phitty** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 9:57 am

SO, I went fishing Friday night with another friend from a canoe, on the Ottawa river, here is town (below Deschenes). It was late - 9/10 pm - and we were pretty much skunked, fishing for bass and pike along the shoreline.

We were heading back downstream, and thought we may as well troll a spoon (all we had at the moment). So we did that but the spoon wouldnt sink and just kinda splahed aruond on the surface, so we stopped and reeled it in, - continued padling downstream. I looked back shortly after and there was a wake of something large folowing the canoe. It was making a VEE of significant size, and in the calm night was easy to spot.

We stopped the canoe, and whatever was making the wake continued towards the boat, then suddenly swerved off about 20 feet away and continued moving, sinking below the surface again after 15 seconds or so.

I was casting a topwater (torpedo) and John had a spinner because we werent really prepared for something like this. For the next hour, whatever this was would circle around, and pop in and out periodically surfacing. It didnt get alot of response from our cast. I did have it follow the torpedo to about three feet from the boat before it disappeared. One other time it followed the topwater, then swung out wide - 20 feet - and came at the lure from the side, rolling over it but no strike.

Thats all the attention we could get from it. This fish (you could tell by the way it moved when it turned) was large,and it made a sizeable wake in the water at times. It didnt seem to be feeding off the of of the water but just cruising around, in an errant pattern.

I would guess the water depth was 10 feet ish, about 50 feet from shore.

So, my question is, what do you suppose this fish was? And secondly, how do I catch it?

My first thought was a muskie, because of the long follows, and not hits, plus the roll over the lure. I also considered gar? But those are usually schools (no?) and I didnt see any "beak" sticking out when it would surface.

Now what do I do?

(It was a blast, sight fishing for something like that, on a dark night, with a spincast rod and 10 lbs test).

P.

Great site BTW.

Post by **Markus** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:24 am

Hi Phitty, welcome to the site.

There's nothing more exciting then seeing a mysterious fish cruising the surface. My guess would be muski.

I'm not a muski guy and I'm sure some of the muski fisherman on the board will offer up a few tackle selections for you. I do know though, that throwing small tackle on 10 pound line will not do that fish any justice. The muski would only end up enhaling the bait causing serious damage and/or the fight following the hook up on light line would lead the fish to an early grave from the tiring fight.

I'd gear up with the right equipment and head back there for sure! Good luck.

Post by **phitty** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:42 am

Ill do that for sure, just wondering what tackle suggestion anyone could have. Have the roads and reels no sweat, but what presentation?

It really seemed like the fish was just surious as to what we were up to and was just crusing around watching us.

kinda eerie.

P.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:48 am

In that case, I would have thrown on a top water bait, probably a top raider or something comparable and trolled it behind the boat at about 1mph. If the fish was active on the surface, eventually it would have taken it.

HW

Post by **Lost Leader** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:37 am

It was likely a musky.
I would have thrown the biggest bait in my box.
I caught one in a simular situation when it inhailed the 13 inch Bass I was fighing up near the boat. The jig popped out of the Basses mouth as it was swallowed and it ended up in the corner of the Musky's mouth. I managed to pull it in on 8 lb test mono with no leader.

Post by **saskie** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:45 am

Definitely sounds like a Musky, or possibliy a big pike. Sometimes the big boys are just curious and not hungry or mad enough to grab it. I'd have put a minnow or other small live bait right smack in front of it's nose. They might not chase down a small snack like that, but not many fish (or people for that matter) will turn down a free lunch.

Post by **Jigs** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:15 pm

You see a REALLY REALLY big wake following a CANOE.........AFTER DARK..........paddle like hell for shore........and next time be carryin the 12 ga.

He who screams and paddles away, lives to scream another day!!

Regards: Jigs

Coulda been the great white musky!!

Fish-Hawk.Net

What do you think of this?

What do you think of this?

Musky

big fish