Troutnut.com Fly Fishing for Trout Home
User Password
or register.
Scientific name search:

> > Muskellunge



Report at a Glance

General RegionWisconsin
Specific LocationNorthwoods
Time of Day7-6
Fish CaughtMusky

Details and Discussion

Kschaefer3August 19th, 2013, 9:26 am
St. Paul, MN

Posts: 376
I floated a river in northern Wisconsin. I caught this fish out of my inflatable pontoon. It was a serious cluster f*ck, but the fish was safely landed and returned to the water. I had yet to break 40", this fish was 42". I was very excited! Now off to try and break 50"...


WbranchAugust 19th, 2013, 10:06 am
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2733
Wow Kyle your pretty awesome! Great job of hooking, fighting, landing, and releasing a mighty muskie on a fly rod! Probably there are not many fellows on this forum that can say they hooked and landed a muskie of similar proportions out of a pontoon boat. What weight rod were you using and how long was the streamer? What color?
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Kschaefer3August 19th, 2013, 10:28 am
St. Paul, MN

Posts: 376
Thanks, Matt! I caught it on a 10 wt with a 9-10" articulated streamer. It was a mostly white pattern with some lighter blue flash and a gray head. Unfortunately I didn't tie it, but I'm ordering some Whiting 8-11" schlappen packs soon so I can start. I may have to tie a few with flash tails before the feathers come.
Jmd123August 19th, 2013, 10:30 am
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2611
WOW!!! Well done Kyle! You have officially reached "Fly Fishing Stud" status! And doing it all on your own out of a personal pontoon! Congrats! Gee, maybe I could wrangle one of those things in my little yellow banana boat...

Jonathon

P.S. I do believe that the term "cluster f*ck" is military terminology - at least, I first heard it in Army Basic Training at Fort Knox...
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Jmd123August 19th, 2013, 11:29 am
Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2611
P.P.S. 42" is both the legal limit for musky in MI and an automatic Michigan Master Angler Award (minimum size for catch-and-release category). Just FYI... ;oD

Jonathon

P.P.P.S. Can't figure out who's grin is toothier, Kyle's or the musky's...
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
AdirmanAugust 20th, 2013, 12:27 pm
Monticello, NY

Posts: 505
Awesome fish and awesome experience Im sure!! Nice job!!
Kschaefer3August 20th, 2013, 1:44 pm
St. Paul, MN

Posts: 376
Thanks, Adirman! It definitely was an awesome experience. I suggest trying it sometime if you get a chance.

Jonathon - Not quite a stud, or master angler, just damn lucky. I only hope I get lucky again soon...but, don't we all?
PaulRobertsAugust 21st, 2013, 7:20 am
Colorado

Posts: 1776
Wow! Great fish. Great photos. Great experience. Now that's living. Way to go, Kyle.
GutcutterAugust 21st, 2013, 6:48 pm
Pennsylvania

Posts: 470
Atta boy!
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.

-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
RogueratAugust 21st, 2013, 6:58 pm
Posts: 472
WOW, that's a massive fish! Makes me think about hitting Murray Lake, just east of home here in MI, and throw some bucktails or divers...wonder if my 8-wt is up to it??!


Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'
OldredbarnAugust 22nd, 2013, 12:27 am
Novi, MI

Posts: 2608
The alligator of the north woods!

Good job!

Spence

In case no one has noticed...I'm posting tonight because it is the first time I've had a good connection to the web in 21 days or so...:)

When I get back to snivel-ization I'll bring you up to date...
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Kschaefer3August 22nd, 2013, 9:18 am
St. Paul, MN

Posts: 376
Paul - Thanks! It's an experience I won't soon forget.

Gutcutter - What's the biggest you have caught on the fly? Ever fish musky in rivers?


...wonder if my 8-wt is up to it??!

Don't see why not, just be careful and let them run if they need to. You can catch king salmon on an 8 wt. Different type of fight, but a very strong, heavy fish nonetheless.

Spence - Looking forward to reading about it!
MartinlfAugust 22nd, 2013, 10:01 am
Moderator
Palmyra PA

Posts: 3233
Good work; beautiful uglymean fish!! The second photo with the bluegreen filter is especially cool.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"

--Fred Chappell
CrepuscularAugust 22nd, 2013, 10:59 am
Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 923
Kyle that's a great fish! Way to go. Looks like you had your hands full with that one.
Kschaefer3August 22nd, 2013, 12:55 pm
St. Paul, MN

Posts: 376
Good work; beautiful uglymean fish!! The second photo with the bluegreen filter is especially cool.

Thanks! I am lucky my fishing buddy is a photographer.

Looks like you had your hands full with that one.

Very much so, both literally and figuratively. I wish there was video of me fighting and landing the fish.
CrepuscularAugust 22nd, 2013, 3:01 pm
Boiling Springs, PA

Posts: 923
I wish there was video of me fighting and landing the fish.


Ha! I bet. I've had some truly comical moments trying to fight and land some fish. Sometimes things just go awry.
RogueratAugust 22nd, 2013, 4:00 pm
Posts: 472
The traditional origin(s) of the name Muskellunge is from an Ojibway word,
Maskinonge- or versions thereof...they all refer to 'big ugly pike' which is somewhat appropriate given the fine choppers and malicious glare most Muskies sport.
I humbly admit the one- and only- Musky I've caught on the fly measured a full 19" when stretched. I hooked him/her in Muskellunge Lake, located near downtown Trufant, Michigan which is well-known as the Stump-fence Capital of the World. It IS on the map, and it's a nice little lake.

That is one admirable fish, again. This is inspiration to do some research and flog the water for other species.

Roguerat

I Peter 5:7 'Cast your cares upon Him...'

Quick Reply

You have to be logged in to post on the forum. It's this easy:
Username:          Email:

Password:    Confirm Password:

I am at least 13 years old and agree to the rules.

Related Discussions

TitleRepliesLast Reply
Re: Erie Chrome
In General Discussion by Wbranch
2Oct 11, 2009
by Wbranch
Re: IL Forest Preserve Trout
In General Discussion by Mdturek
2Apr 21, 2009
by Mdturek
Re: My new "backyard" (the lower Au Sable in late February)
(5 more)

In the Photography Board by Jmd123
7Mar 1, 2011
by Pryal74
Re: Winter fishing, in Spring
In Fishing Reports by Kschaefer3
2Apr 15, 2013
by Falsifly
They're STILL eating my hoppers! Plus, a very large minnow...
(1 more)

In the Photography Board by Jmd123
0
Re: Lake Fishing
In General Discussion by Mike56
2Jun 10, 2009
by Mike56
Re: callibaetis ?
In the Identify This! Board by Fredw
2Jul 11, 2013
by Entoman
Re: Good Quality Dryfly Poly Foam for Extended-Body Patterns
In Fly Tying by Wiflyfisher
12Jul 10, 2008
by Mcjames
Re: BIG Fly
In Fly Tying by Kschaefer3
10Nov 6, 2014
by Oldredbarn
Re: Knuppenberg lake fly fishing
In Fishing Reports by Gcoder28
1Aug 1, 2014
by Taxon