Just got back from my trip to Northern Wisconsin and it was a rousing success. Got out fishing a couple times myself and pulled in many bass and pike including a couple of very large bass that grabbed a foam hopper and deer hair mouse with the big toilet bowl takes. Went for a couple bass that I've targeted for a past few years but they weren't home.
The highlight was a full day of musky fishing with a friend in his Boulder drift boat. He's been targeting musky for years and has developed a lot of knowledge and skill as well as some kill patterns. Met him last Fall and he got me a hard strike from a musky that had me looking forward to this trip for months. For the day's fishing I landed one musky, got a follow from a massive one, and multiple other follows. Also landed 10 pike and several small mouth making what he called a Northwoods Slam. There is something amazing about watching a 40-50" beast shoot out of the shadows or rise up from the weeds to check out a fly.
My TFO Mangrove 10wt worked like a champ and fished my buddy's Sage One 10wt a bit as well. Casting those rods with sinking lines left my shoulders sore the next day.
Here's one of the bass I pulled in:
And here's my Musky. Actually hooked a 35" pike and while bringing it to the boat this Musky slammed the pike. I got the musky to the boat and my buddy did some net magic. He said my first thing I said was "does that count"? The measurements were 42" and about 25lbs. Took me a bit to pick the fish up, never had a fish that large before.
The day ended with a killer follow from one about 48". He came up out of the depths to follow the fly and stayed right by the boat while I did figure 8's. Did take a couple times but I couldn't get the hook set right. My buddy was yelling instructions to me he was so worked up seeing the large fish. Even the follows are worth it though it was nice to get one in the boat.
I'm already looking forward to next year
The highlight was a full day of musky fishing with a friend in his Boulder drift boat. He's been targeting musky for years and has developed a lot of knowledge and skill as well as some kill patterns. Met him last Fall and he got me a hard strike from a musky that had me looking forward to this trip for months. For the day's fishing I landed one musky, got a follow from a massive one, and multiple other follows. Also landed 10 pike and several small mouth making what he called a Northwoods Slam. There is something amazing about watching a 40-50" beast shoot out of the shadows or rise up from the weeds to check out a fly.
My TFO Mangrove 10wt worked like a champ and fished my buddy's Sage One 10wt a bit as well. Casting those rods with sinking lines left my shoulders sore the next day.
Here's one of the bass I pulled in:
And here's my Musky. Actually hooked a 35" pike and while bringing it to the boat this Musky slammed the pike. I got the musky to the boat and my buddy did some net magic. He said my first thing I said was "does that count"? The measurements were 42" and about 25lbs. Took me a bit to pick the fish up, never had a fish that large before.
The day ended with a killer follow from one about 48". He came up out of the depths to follow the fly and stayed right by the boat while I did figure 8's. Did take a couple times but I couldn't get the hook set right. My buddy was yelling instructions to me he was so worked up seeing the large fish. Even the follows are worth it though it was nice to get one in the boat.
I'm already looking forward to next year
