Got a call early in the week from David to see if I wanted to play hookie on Friday and do a float for some Musky fishing. With my work week being more meetings than anyone should have to endure, I said yes, I am in!
We made the drive down knowing at some point in the day we were going to get wet, but that didn't deter us from going. We ran our own shuttle and while David was doing the switcheroo, I stayed with the boat and rigged us up. Once he was back at the ramp, we hopped in the boat and started the float.
No more than a quarter mile in (maybe less) I was tossing my fly up by the bank and out of the shadow following was a nice Musky. Now I know the feeling everyone talks about! My heart started pounding, my mind racing and my mouth stammering. The fish followed my fly and I figure 8'd him at the boat a few times and we even put another fly in the water to keep him interested but he didn't want to cooperate. My heart still pounding and my thoughts racing, we pushed ahead.
We moved a little further down river and David had a hole he wanted to hit were he had seen a fish before. We anchored up and got the camera ready. I can't remember how many casts David made, but it wasn't many, when out of the shadows came a charging Musky to inhale david's fly. FISH ON!!!
I grabbed the camera and filmed him fighting and the fish fighting back. The fish was at least 40" and was really nice and healthy. It made a couple of nice hard runs with head shakes. Needless to say, there was some adrenaline flowing on the boat. Then as quickly as it started it all ended as a violent headshake dislodged the fly and it was all over.
David was shaking, cursing and laughing all at the same time. Awesome stuff!
We kept heading down river casting and stripping. Getting a lethargic follow here and there. At one point we eased into a creek and really couldn't see into the water very well due to the glare and shot a fly down the narrow space and started stripping. I figured I was dragging the sandy bottom until I looked down at the front of the boat and there was Musky on the my fly, as I slowed my strip, he disappeared under the front of the boat. We eased back a little and made another cast. We see him move off the side but no more following from this fish. David made a couple of casts at him and at one point even put the fly on his nose. This fish just didn't want to play.
We eased back out into the channel and headed down river. We had some water to cover so we pressed ahead. We got into a deeper section of the river and were fishing the shallow edges and stripping it back into the deep. I was watching my fly undulate in the water when out of the depths this really nice Musky moves up near my fly. He follows for a few strips and figure eights then as quickly as he showed up, he disappeared. Man that will make your heart race.
As we continued down river to our take out the rain moved in. We threw on our rain jackets and kept at it. Then as we neared the end of our float we could feel the temps drop dramatically and it started to snow beautiful large snowflakes. Seemed appropriate for the day, the float and made for a nice but chilly ending to the day. We made it to the ramp, loaded up and did the shuttle gig so we could head back to "normal" living.
All I can say is wow, what a blast and having one chase your fly is amazing and just seeing them in their element and not being scared of the boat, your rod, anything is awe inspiring. They are truly the top predator in the river. I can't wait to get out again and now I need to to tying some more patterns for the Musky box.
David, thanks for the invite and I am ready to go whenever you are!
Now edit that video and get it posted!!
