Back then I was brimming with confidence. I’ll be the first to admit that I am no Musky angler, but I was feeling pretty confident. Afterall last season all of last season we had never failed to see a Musky at our favourite smallie hole on the Head Pond. True, they were utterly uninterested in any of our offerings – an occasional curious follow was the best we could manage, but we weren’t concerned. Afterall, we were smallie fishing not targeting the big girls – and lets not forget we did actually connect with a beauty of fish once. It may have been a fluke, but I was sure I had a reliable spot in my pocket – if not for size certainly for numbers. Surely once adequately equipped and with concerted effort we would be successful. (OK – all you “real†Musky guys out there can stop laughing – there’s more to the story)
As the big day drew near, I began to worry. After several outings, even several attempts to raise a fish on the Pond we still had yet to even see a Musky, never mind raise a fish or entice a hit. I was starting to worry, but then fortune smiled on me as Salmon secured a spot in RJ’s boat for the Rumble…sweet. I gave Salmon very clear orders that he was to use whatever force was necessary to pry RJ’s Musky knowledge and secret spots from him. Fortunately, Salmon ignored my instructions and decided to just ask RJ for help, and RJ being RJ he readily agreed.
Sunday morning we gave my Head Pond once last try. At least this time we encountered some fish seeing one monster jump and another boil, but nothing showed any interest in our offerings. So after a quick trip home for some lunch, we were off on the Ottawa. After finding the appointed boat launch, we were under way on the water. With precision and timing that a Navigation Officer would envy (you know, the same guys who “discovered†America on their way to India) we arrived at the designated RV point and met up with RJ and his crew of MT and Moosebunk.
After an exchange of pleasantries, the RJ Collegiate School of Musky Angling was underway – with RJ quickly explaining the basic structures and patterns which worked for him. He took a quick look at our tackle, and left us with a few lures of his own to try <ahem> in case ours didn’t work.
“You could do that, but I usually do this….â€
We were off. Musky fishing being musky fishing it was a while before there was any action. RJ had left us to work a different shore line. We made a wide turn to head back down the point we were when something suddenly tries to rip the rod out of my hand. The drag starts screaming and an explosion of froth announces I have the first hit of the day.
After a quick but spirited battle, this lovely 32â€er is in the boat.
We were pumped – awesome!!! The magic lure unfortunately was sacrificed to speed the release of the fish, it was faster and a lot easier to cut the hook shanks rather than try dig out the trailers. A quick snip and the hook was free – the embedded portions falling harmlessly to the deck. However the lucky lure red/black colouring was now a useless souvineer – or so we thought. Salmon aka MacGyver whips out his multi-tool and disassembled the lure swapping its blades and dressing with those on his own bait. The result was one of the gawdiest multi-coloured contraptions I have ever seen. No self respecting Musky would hit that….follow it in sheer disbelief maybe but no way wold they hit that.
Fortunately Salmon can’t read minds and I apparently seriously overestimated a Musky’s sense of self worth. Not 5 minutes after dropping the contraption into the water Salmon’s drag starts SCREAMING. The fish comes up and gives us enough of a peak for us to see that it was much larger than mine, before it heads down deep again.
Arrrr - thar she blows!!!
I’m frantically waving for RJ to come alongside with the net – which he does. With RJ in place Salmon works the fish back up. Once again the lunge was solidly hooked and again the hook shank was clipped to save stress on the fish – this lovely 36â€er.
As darkness fell we resorted to casting the shallow flats until a particularly obnoxious crowd of boaters and jet-skiers decided to roar through the area. We moved on, partly as we figured the fish had been spooked, and also because if we actually saw something happen to one of those drunk crazies, we’d feel a twinge of guilt leaving them to their fate.
We found another spot and on the first cast I had a little fish follow and then blow up on my topwater – but it missed it. Unfortunately for Saskette, that was the end of our action. It was now completely black, it was late and we were getting tired and hungry so we headed back. It was a fantastic outing – never mind the 2 musky – any day you can fish the Ottawa in bright clear skies without dying of heat or being bashed around by the waves is a good day. Add in some fantastic company and things only get better.
Thanks a million to RJ. We’ll be seeing you out and about soon – Saskette’s got the bug hard after watching those two fish come in.
Class dismissed.[/i]
Congrat's on a good outing. 
....I tried everything to get Moosebunk onto a fish......but it just wasn't meant to be for us....
...You guys never hear of Ladies first?... 
At least you left me the giant I'm going to get on Saturday. 
