T-Billy

I started actually targeting them with the A-rig in the fall of 22, but it was just last August when I started buying muskie gear and fishing for them outside of the cold water seasons.

Two little fish sure beats the two skunkings that I took the last couple days. I caught the 32.25" on double 8 blades at first light, and the 33.75" cranking deep coontail later in the morning. The 33.75" is number 30 over 30" for the year.

Yeah, I do OK. Just a little self deprecating humor there. I tell ya though, those slimy buggers will humble ya. It doesn't help my ego any that the two guys I compare my success with are a full time guide, and a guy who's lived on the lake and muskie fished it for 40 years. I'll have my first full year of chasing them in next month. I'm a wee bit behind on the learning curve compared to those two guys. LOL!!! They're both great mentors to me though. I'm blessed to have their guidance and friendship.

The night bite continues to be slow. I got started about 02:00 and by first light just after 05:00 I only had half a dozen bass and this nice eater eye. Best bass was this 3.42#. I also lost a much better eye while trying to turn my light on to net it. That's the second time in two weeks I've lost a big eye like that. They're all getting boat flipped going forward. After daylight I found some muskie stacked up in the back of a bay, right in the creek channel. 6 follows with two of those buggers nipping the grub off the back of my double 8 spinner. 🤦‍♂️ Grrr... On the way back to the ramp I stopped to chat with a buddy. He also moved six fish this morning. Difference is, he put four in the net, with two over 40. He also got a 47 yesterday afternoon. Thus proving... I suck!!! 😂

Tough to beat the Lew's LFS in that price range.

Sufix 832 is an excellent braid at a fair price. Fins Infinity and XS Big Game are also excellent and made in America.

Sorry for your loss.

Not really. We get some heavy rains and flooding from the remnants sometimes. Four or five years ago one came through and brought my #1 lake up 4.5' in four hours.

Well... Beryl didn't do me any favors. It largely missed us to the west. All we got was a few showers and a little wind. It's not gonna be enough to stain the lake. It did kill the bite I was on though. The chunky little 31.5" below kept the skunk out of the boat. It absolutely choked the mid Medussa I was ripping over a weedy point. I only moved one other fish. It was a mid 30's that lazily followed a crank in. The game plan for tomorrow is to move out of the bays, and spend a bunch of time ripping rubber on main lake points. 🤞

I feel for ya brother. Been there done that, but with a different species. 33"-34" saugeye in my case. It's a sick feeling watching the fish of a lifetime swim off with your lure for sure.

The fish continue to be finicky in the clear water. I lost one yesterday and had 6 more follows. Today was a bit better. I was fortunate to go 2 for 2 today as both fish just had the rear treble. I also had 8 more chasers. It was a short bite window, with both fish coming about 15 min apart. Hopefully Beryl helps me out and stains the water up tomorrow. 35" 38"

I'm with ya. I don't begrudge anyone for using it. I rode the fence for awhile, and came very close to pulling the trigger twice, but in the end I decided that's just not how I want to fish.

Your senator is a lucky man @ol'crickety. A trip on private water with the best guide in the state. I'm sure the price is right too.

Thank you for the kind words Katie. It hasn't always been that way. Before Jesus made me a disciple, he first had to humble me. He's VERY good at that. Lol. I still get a little big for my britches now and then, and when I do, he always lets me know. 😉

I stopped buying tackle and switched to the barter system instead. Today I traded 225 of my dollars for a new 9' XH Shimano Skixx muskie rod. 😉

First, congrats on an awesome trip!!! I'll second Bob in thanking you for taking us along. Pertaining to the quote, you don't have to keep the rod high, just keep it loaded up and reel as fast as you need to, to keep pressure on 'em. If you can keep the tip low to the water, or even in it, it makes it harder for them to jump and throw the hook. That's what's worked best for me over the years anyhow.

Chatterbait, tube, and jig on rock structure, and weed lines get it done for me.

Happy 4th to all, and a BIG heartfelt thank you to all of our veterans.

I'd register it. No worries about blowing up the lake. Our little lakes here in OH get pounded mercilessly anyway. My favorite lake is just over 1000 acres. Every point, cove, flat etc. gets worked over daily for both bass and muskie. Multiple times on the weekends. There are no secret spots, and there are no empty parking spaces shortly after sunrise.

Makes me think of watching Jerry McKinnis when I was a young'n.

Four 12's here for the past seven years. I agree 100%.

I'm gonna give it my best. If only the water wasn't quite so clear... I've hooked up on and lost a couple dozen of those dang nippers in the past month. It'd be nice to get some storms to stain the water up a bit. I could really go on a tear if that happens.

Thank you for the compliment Katie. I'm making progress. Since I didn't start chasing them outside the cold water seasons until last August, these past few months have been a learning experience for sure. I now have a solid foundation to build on next spring though. The fish are now moving into the same summer pattern where I found them last August, so I'm expecting my numbers to pick up soon. I set a goal of catching 100 of them slimy suckers this year, and I'm only a quarter of the way there with half the year gone. I have my work cut out for me for the rest of the year, but it's still doable with a bit of luck. 🤞

3 pounder... 3 footer... The surface temp has dropped 5 degrees in the past week on the back side of that heat wave, and the night bite has cooled right off with it. I only caught this 3.19# and a couple dinks in the 2.5hrs I was out before dawn. I caught the 36" muskie and lost another on an assault eel in the early morning light. It ended up being the only one I caught. I lost five others and had 12 follows, so I moved a total of 18 fish today with only one to show for it. They were back to just nipping at my baits again so I struggled to get solid hookups. Grrr... MUSKIES SUCK!!! 😂 Until they don't that is. 😉 I had the right game plan. I was on good numbers with some quality fish in the mix, I just couldn't close the deal. Five of the follows were in the 40" - 46" range, and one that I lost was a low 40's. Hopefully they're more cooperative next week. I work the next five, then I'll be on fishcation for 11 days.

We've been getting down in the low 50's at night lately. Water temp has dropped 5 degrees in a week on the back side of that heat wave.