From: 04/12/2018
To: 04/13/2018
Type of Water: Freshwater
Species: Muskie
With the crazy weather patterns ushering in lots of Spring time rain, we haven't been able to fish for Musky as much as we would like. On April 12 the water level finally began to recede to a point that I could attempt to fish. Upon arriving to my chosen spot I was met with still higher than normal water levels. In addition the water clarity was less than ideal but the day was beautiful and I was going to fish.
I started fishing the slack water next to the fast moving current with repeated casts making sure to give my sinking fly line time to drop my 12" Game Changer to the depth of the fish. I worked the area slowly and when I was confident I covered every square foot of possible water, I would move down river several yards and repeat the process. I fished up and down the river, chang View more...With the crazy weather patterns ushering in lots of Spring time rain, we haven't been able to fish for Musky as much as we would like. On April 12 the water level finally began to recede to a point that I could attempt to fish. Upon arriving to my chosen spot I was met with still higher than normal water levels. In addition the water clarity was less than ideal but the day was beautiful and I was going to fish.
I started fishing the slack water next to the fast moving current with repeated casts making sure to give my sinking fly line time to drop my 12" Game Changer to the depth of the fish. I worked the area slowly and when I was confident I covered every square foot of possible water, I would move down river several yards and repeat the process. I fished up and down the river, changing flies, changing retrieval cadence and speed, but no takers. After 8 hours and with my torn rotator cuff throbbing I called it a day.
Through the course of the day the water level slowly came down and although still stained cleared somewhat also. A quick glance at the Moon chart showed a Major Feed from 11:30am-1:33 pm the next day and I was not going to miss it.
I was back on the water the next morning casting and stripping my Nightmare Musky Flies 12" Perch Game Changer. I fished the same slack water and deep pockets as the day before but still no takers. I checked the water temperature and it was in the low 40's which is still too cold to kick start the spawn so the fish had to still be holding in their regular lies. Although I didn't have a fish yet, the water level continued to drop to normal levels and my optimism grew.
I had less than hour remaining to the end of the Major and until had to leave so I made my way up river to a spot that I was unable to fish the day before because of the high water. It was still a tad high and still pretty fast but I was able to see the slack water seem on the edge and that's where I focused my casts. On my first cast and a few strips later.... WAM! I quickly and aggressively set the hook. I felt the weight on the other end give way and a violent splashing disturbance on the surface of the water....ughhhh a large tree branch! Why do they feel like the real thing???
I slowly moved downstream of the tree branch disturbance and start my casting and retrieval sequence again.Working the edge of the fast water where large boulders create a slack spot and where a big fish can lay in wait out of the current. Cast, strip, strip, strip, WAM!! Just like before I instantly set the hook and I can't lie and say that another tree branch didn't instantly pop into my head. But unlike the tree branch I immediately felt the monster fish shake his head at the displeasure of being hooked and the fight was on.
The fish breached the surface trying everything in it's power to throw my fly. When that didn't work the cagey predator took to the fast current and I gave chase in the fast waste deep and debris filled water. I made it about ten steps before a dead fall entangled my foot and I fell head first into the chilly water. After regaining my footing I grabbed my fly rod that I dropped and my heart sank at the thought that I may have lost the fish. That thought quickly diminished when I immediately felt the fish run again. This time I was ready for it and reacted appropriately. I was able to get the beauty to the shallows and I had my 3rd Musky of 2018.
