So theres this lake close to my house. It isn't the best lake to fish but it holds my most rewarding moment fishing.
This lake consisted of small sized bass (although abundant), blue gills, walleyes. I started to fish this lake extensively last year even though I've lived by it for as long as I could remember. During the spring of 2012, the fishing was good. Lots of 1-2 pound bass with the biggest one I've caught being around 3 or so. I didn't have a boat so I was limited to the lily pads off the beach and the fishing pier. The pier being the most productive. The bad thing was that the deepest you could get from shore was only around 6-7 feet and the weeds didn't really help my case.
Summer came and the bite became slow and harder to fish because of the growing vegetation. I didn't give up though. Many times it was either a hit or miss day, never in between.
Fall was coming and I noticed the fish were getting bigger. The fishing became VERY slow and I thought it was time to call it a season. During late september, a DNR truck pulls up and the two guys were stocking walleye yearlings into the lake. I tried catching them but they wouldn't bite (as I expected). The next day, I head out to the pier and saw the most interesting thing. A bunch of 1-2 pound bass and blue gill were jumping out of the water as if they were being chased. The next thing I saw jump was a (Estimated) 4 pound bass (big for Minnesota Metro Lakes). So I assume that was the guy chasing them. I threw spinnerbaits, flukes, senkos but nothing. It was getting dark and I was ready to leave. I then see a large musky jumping out of the water but well out of casting distance.
Every week, the musky was getting closer and closer to the pier. Close enough where I could finally cast at it. It looked like it was hunting those stocked walleyes aggressively. I threw pointer 100s, spinnerbaits, large spoons, a super spook but I just couldn't get it's attention. It made wake and jumped so high out of the water that you could see it's entire body. I was getting angry and frustrated. I felt as if the fish was taunting me. I vowed that I would catch him before the water froze.
In the next week (mid October), I return with my cousin (x2 our chances lol). This time I was sure I was going to catch it. I bought a dozen medium suckers. I resorted to float fishing for this guy! I rigged and waited. Both of our bobbers went down. We waited at least 20 seconds before setting the hook but to no avail. After the fail hook set, we didn't get another bite. The fish was still there though. Jumping freely and still, taunting me. After that frustrating day, I called it quits for open water fishing.
I do my normal routine on a Sunday (late November, after the week of thanksgiving).It was seemed like a perfect top water day. Cloudy, no wind with a side of 30 degree temp. I drop my sister off at work (she works at a sporting goods shop) and I also grab a bone-white Saltwater Superspook and I head out to the lake
I stare at the lake. The water had no movement. I throw a spinnerbait first. Nothing. I figured that someone had already caught the fish. I switched to the spook and I worked it very slow. Nothing. I changed the pace and long behold and large wake tailing my lure. At this point, I was excited yet nervous. I kept a constant speed and it hit the lure. The feeling of a top water Musky is PRICELESS. It was like a topwater bass but with a bigger and more aggressive splash. I wasn't sure I could keep it out of the shallow weeds with my Crucial/Crankbait Med-heavy. I was able to land it after 10 minutes or so. I pulled it onto ankle deep water (COLDDD!!!) and I was just stunned. My hands were shaking and I just had a big smile on my face. The steel leader was destroyed and the lure showed scars of the battle that I had won. After holding it for a while, I was satisfied. The fish was released safe and sound.
I didn't measure it but I estimate that it was around 42-44 inches which isn't particularly large for a Musky but I was completely satisfied. The satisfaction of catching the fish that has taunted me for almost 2 months makes this fish the most exciting and most rewarding catch of my fishing life.
Thanks for the read but I want to know, what was your most rewarding catch?
Please share! I love fishing stories! Photos are always a plus!
