Michigan Muskie Alliance

I thought I would never have a story like this to tell, but hopefully others can learn from my hard lesson.

Casting a Shallow Invader over weed tops, the fish charged from 11:00 angle behind my lure. 15 feet behind the bait it started pushing a bow wave, coming like a freight train so fast that I couldn't spit words out before she crushed it. Set the hook and it more or less continued to charge toward the boat, from 25 yards out to staring at me boatside before anyone could even get the net. It was that look that that will haunt me... She put on the brakes at the boat and started headshaking- jaws wide & gills flared. I had 2 instantaneous thoughts, the first was "where the @&!# is the bait?", which was quickly overshadowed in my mind by "this fish is ours". She turned and made a power run straight away, I bowed and chased after her as I struggled to freespool. Second burst I had the spool thumbed just right, not putting much pressure on it as she had gained serious steam and it looked like she might go into the cold-water death roll. I couldn't see her now in the murk and weeds she had barreled through, but it was either the start of a 3rd burst going away, or headshakes, or maybe a death roll that did it... line went slack, fish gone. "NO-O!" I yelled, and immediately the first thought I had when she was headshaking boatside came rushing back, and I knew what happened. I reeled in the cut line, dropped the rod then to my knees.

I make all different lengths of single strands, but [used to] prefer shorter rather than longer leaders. This one was somewhere between 9-10". I have never had a fish eat this or similar lures in this way. Still, I am so mad at myself and embarassed. But I don't want anyone to repeat my mistake. Seems unlikely the fish would survive, but I really don't know how or exactly where it was hooked. I guess there is slight hope for the best. I really would like to go back and catch a giant with my bait hanging outside it mouth, that would be ok with me.

Another installment in the series of "no matter how remote the possibility, leave NOTHING to chance with big stinking fish"

Ouch. .. you have my sympathy, buddy. That sucks for both of you. Never had it happen to me, but came close using flouro which is why I don't use it anymore.

I have been awaken in a cold sweat by thoughts of this... I am sorry it has to happen to anyone...

I keep my casting leaders at 10 to 14 inches with most being around 12 but even long leaders can fail if a fish wraps up or turns and picks up the line above it. I watched John Zecklin try for half an hour to get a Jack pot out of the throat of a 36 inch Musky that simply inhaled it. The tail hook was so deep that even cutting the hooks was not possible. He got cut up by the teeth and the fish ended up dying. He needed pliers and hook cutters 16 inches long. No one carries tools that long. What happened to you is rare. All you can do is make your leaders a little longer and pray the nightmares go away. Playing it back looking for the things you did wrong is just going to tear you up. Michelle says get back out there and fish. We lost one big fish on St. Clair in 2010. We know how you feel. Got to go past it man. Take care. Mike and Michelle

Duke, where were you? I know a guy that has a cottage on the Thorn. He found a "muskie lure with the leader attached". His words. Describe the lure, and I will ask him.

lets hope that was the fish

unfortunately, nope, not thorn...an up north giant. The one glimmer of hope is that from my angle in the back of the boat I could see straight down into the throat and could see the bait swinging around a bit way in there. And with the charge at the boat, no real chance to set the hooks deep. I hope she makes it...she was amazing.

Pete wrote:she was amazing.

Guess on size?

Duke, thanks the for report and yes we could all probably use longer casting leaders but with that type of anomoly, it sounds like the monster would've inhaled a much longer leader anyway. Guys like you and the rest in this club are so good to these fish, not just with how we handle them but in all else we do to support them, that the super rare loss is more than offset by all you do otherwise. Heck I think we even educate these great fish so they are less vulnerable to those who'd take them out on purpose.

Plus you never know for sure if she didn't make it, not with muskie so far but twice with pike I've had what seemed like losses and once the lure floated up to the river surface, and another time in looking around the shallows heartbroken, there was the bucktail lying on the bottom. I did lose a couple others in timber over the years where I never knew, but I'll never forget the times where I saw that somehow, in some way, an engulfed lure comes out.

Jim tenHaaf wrote:

Pete wrote:she was amazing.

Guess on size?

north of 50", probably 52-53ish with a great big ole head on her.

Thanks guys, and Joe you are absolutely right- we probably would have camped out hoping for one of those miraculous treble hook upchucks, but unfortunately the bait was weighted a touch, and didn't float.

With more optimism for her survival, I could appreciate one of the most awesome strikes I have ever seen!!... rarely do the big girls rush in from so far, with no hesitation just power and ferocity. I will replay that mental video forever

I feel your pain I had a similar incident I posted last year involving an 8 inch Reef Hawg and a 12 inch flouro leader. Big swirl, push of water, hook set broken 100# and never even saw it... arrrgggghhhhh....

The more reason for you to have a gopro so you can review the video, but then you would have the bad memories

Seems like a good idea to me...then I have to keep explaining why I'm wearing a headlamp...

lol.. that was funny saturday