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Warm Water Fishing Reports => The TN Muskie Addiction => Topic started by: MikeA on March 08, 2014, 09:18:07 PM

Title: Tough day.
Post by: MikeA on March 08, 2014, 09:18:07 PM

Dave stuck a small fish right off the bat. Jinxed us, I thought. We worked out butts off in some productive looking water. Nothing, no follows, nothing. I was starting to get that feeling. You know that feeling when the conditions are just too good to not have any luck. It's those days when everything "seems right" but the majority of the fish are nowhere to be found. One of those days can often end with the skunk but I like to think of them as big fish days. I don't have an explanation for it but if you've ever spent much time looking for large fish you know what I'm talking about. We were in #2 of 2 of the best spots on this run. These spots have been showing us fish the past few trips but no hookups. Then it happened. On a sun bathed mud bank, slow current, old log jam, with minnows darting about, a giant fish slammed the fly. Finally I've got him!! A few hard pulls and attempted jumps and Dave netted the beast! It was the largest of the year and absolutely beautifully marked up.
 
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/3/2584/13022614973_210a73969d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/kQLiJn)IMG_5832.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kQLiJn) by MIKE ANDERSON (https://www.flickr.com/photos/90274194@N08/), on Flickr

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/3/2239/13022458625_2b88728c83_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/kQKvfH)IMG_5839.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kQKvfH) by MIKE ANDERSON (https://www.flickr.com/photos/90274194@N08/), on Flickr

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: MikeA on March 08, 2014, 09:34:57 PM

Rewind to the #1 of 2 of the best spots on this run. Same scenario, a sun bathed mud bank, slow current, old log jam, no minnows darting about, a well placed fly and,, a giant fish slammed the fly! This fish I saw come from the wood and I knew right away that it was large. She spent no time thinking about the take. No sir, this one ate the fly with a vengeance and proceeded to try to teach me how to loose a big fish.
This Musky put up a tremendous fight but Dave was on the net and we had her in the boat in short order. Only when she came in close did I get a good look at the girth and length. A F-ing monster I think was the term used to describe her. We didn't weigh it or measure it. I'm content saying it was a very nice fish for the body of water we were fishing. I hope she recovers soon and makes a couple thousand new ones for the next generation.  She'll be etched in my memory for a very long time.

(https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3379/13022461235_85c7571580_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/kQKw2H)IMG_5779.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kQKw2H) by MIKE ANDERSON (https://www.flickr.com/photos/90274194@N08/), on Flickr

(https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7312/13022623563_015ebdde10_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/kQLmht)IMG_5786.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kQLmht) by MIKE ANDERSON (https://www.flickr.com/photos/90274194@N08/), on Flickr

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: MikeA on March 08, 2014, 09:41:08 PM

She was not happy about the photo op.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/4/3809/13023172685_ace3f90c50_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/kQPaw6)IMG_5771.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kQPaw6) by MIKE ANDERSON (https://www.flickr.com/photos/90274194@N08/), on Flickr

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: dbradyh on March 08, 2014, 10:54:06 PM

Two great fish.... Nice trip!

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: TWiles on March 08, 2014, 11:05:16 PM

Way to go Mike and Dave!!!!!
She's a beast! The fish can be hard to locate this time of year, but if you find one, they're all swole up.
Missed my shot yesterday on a smaller fish that rose up 3 times.  Glad you got two great fish in the boat.  You've paid your dues on that water.

TW

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: Looper Flies on March 09, 2014, 07:21:19 AM

Beautiful fish, Mike!

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: Glenn Hawkins on March 09, 2014, 07:38:15 AM

Nice fish Mike!  :o

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: Steve H on March 09, 2014, 08:41:59 AM

Very nice fish Mike! Great work to both of you!!

Love the hugging scene.  ;D

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: Gofisher on March 09, 2014, 09:40:40 AM

Holy shit Mike! Great fish!!

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: TheYiman on March 09, 2014, 11:26:58 AM

Sweet!  2 nice feesh!!!

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: gaspergou on March 09, 2014, 11:36:33 AM

After doing a bit of ciphering I might have to revise my original length estimate up a bit...

It was one hell of a fish any way you look at it!

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: Fred Mertz on March 09, 2014, 10:13:15 PM

Umm...
what's that splooged all over your lap?

 ;D

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: Yoda on March 10, 2014, 07:45:18 PM

Awesome!!!

Sent from my C6606 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: MikeA on March 10, 2014, 10:55:11 PM

The best part....
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3211/13075447115_d535090bab_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/kVr5Tn)IMG_5807.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kVr5Tn) by MIKE ANDERSON (https://www.flickr.com/photos/90274194@N08/), on Flickr

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: icthus on March 11, 2014, 04:45:00 PM

 That fish is a SLOB.

-
pal

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: JayA on March 13, 2014, 10:37:54 PM

Incredible fish.  Very nice pictures also.

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: gaspergou on March 14, 2014, 08:10:37 AM

Quote from: JayA on March 13, 2014, 10:37:54 PM

Very nice pictures also.

Hell of a camera! For once the photographer had nothing to do with it! ;)

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: MikeA on March 14, 2014, 08:48:49 AM

I'd love to take more time with these fish and get the great creative shots you see in mags. However, I'm not willing to chance killing such an awesome fish to do so. No image can capture what a fish like that on the fly makes you feel anyway. A real leg shaker.

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: Reviveflyfishing on March 18, 2014, 09:11:07 AM

Incredible fish X 2 ! That smallie is gorgeous and the big girl...whoa.

Congrats.

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: MikeA on September 07, 2016, 01:28:41 PM

Had to rebuild the image links on this one.  ;D

Title: Re: Tough day.
Post by: gaspergou on September 11, 2016, 12:12:22 AM

Glad you did. That was an awesome fish!