Tiger Report
- wolfe
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 7588
- Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:04 am
- Location: Marietta, NY & Wolfe Lake, Ont.
Tiger Report
Once or twice a year, Brian and I get out on our lake for an outing together while the kids are in school. This season I have been consumed with chasing down tiger muskies to end a long drought.
After dropping Shane off at school, I met Brian at the launch and we headed into a very gusty northwesterly wind that was pushing up some stiff whitecaps. I was not too happy....as it's been said a lot here recently: WIND BLOWS, and I in particular HATE it. Skies were very changeable: a peek of sun and blue skies, followed by dark clouds threatening showers. Wind was so persistent and I was so stinkin' cold...Brrr!
What WAS on our side is how these fall-like temperatures of late are cooling the lake down. Water temp was 68F but there were still some very viable, green weeds in the deeper water. Those were good signs.
I had heard 6" jerkbaits or larger profiled cranks were working for my friend a week or so back, so I chose some lures which fit that bill. Tigers were unimpressed after over a half hour of steady casting x the 2 of us.
Next, I selected a brand new 1/2 oz white spinnerbait with big willowleaf blades. About a dozen casts later in about 14' of water I had a super solid hit and set the hook into what I knew was a big fish.
I had pre-set my drag to what turned out to be a perfect setting and the drag was screaming pretty good on the runs. I could feel some good, strong head shakes as well. After an adrenaline-rush battle, Brian netted the tiger and here it is:
The fish measured 36" and was released after a brief rest next to the boat. It is now my new personal best and I was smiling for a long time afterwards.
I had one strike a short time later, but no connection was made. I suspect it was a smaller tiger. The rest of the outing was uneventful for us, and after feeling chilled to the bone we called it a day.
Tiger muskies are like potato chips. You try one and you just want more and more.
W.
After dropping Shane off at school, I met Brian at the launch and we headed into a very gusty northwesterly wind that was pushing up some stiff whitecaps. I was not too happy....as it's been said a lot here recently: WIND BLOWS, and I in particular HATE it. Skies were very changeable: a peek of sun and blue skies, followed by dark clouds threatening showers. Wind was so persistent and I was so stinkin' cold...Brrr!
What WAS on our side is how these fall-like temperatures of late are cooling the lake down. Water temp was 68F but there were still some very viable, green weeds in the deeper water. Those were good signs.
I had heard 6" jerkbaits or larger profiled cranks were working for my friend a week or so back, so I chose some lures which fit that bill. Tigers were unimpressed after over a half hour of steady casting x the 2 of us.
Next, I selected a brand new 1/2 oz white spinnerbait with big willowleaf blades. About a dozen casts later in about 14' of water I had a super solid hit and set the hook into what I knew was a big fish.
I had pre-set my drag to what turned out to be a perfect setting and the drag was screaming pretty good on the runs. I could feel some good, strong head shakes as well. After an adrenaline-rush battle, Brian netted the tiger and here it is:
The fish measured 36" and was released after a brief rest next to the boat. It is now my new personal best and I was smiling for a long time afterwards.
I had one strike a short time later, but no connection was made. I suspect it was a smaller tiger. The rest of the outing was uneventful for us, and after feeling chilled to the bone we called it a day.
Tiger muskies are like potato chips. You try one and you just want more and more.
W.
Thanks, Dad, for taking me fishing when I was a kid.
- Chevy Champagne
- Gold Participant
- Posts: 1838
- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:00 am
- Location: ottawa river
- steve-hamilton
- Gold Participant
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- Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:32 am
- troutnmuskiehunter
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 3131
- Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:30 am
That's a good one!! Congrats on the new PB - wow. <img src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-gen053.gif">
The mountains make a nice backdrop!
The mountains make a nice backdrop!
- JustinHoffman
- Silver Participant
- Posts: 849
- Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 11:32 am
- Location: Ottawa, Ontario
What a clean, beautifully-marked fish, Wolfe! Nice to get the PB under your belt....still lots of fishing time left this season to better that one.
Awesome shot....great one for the scrap book!
Good Fishing,
Justin
Awesome shot....great one for the scrap book!
Good Fishing,
Justin
Justin Hoffman
Field Editor - Ontario Out of Doors Magazine
Fishing Writer / Wildlife Photographer
www.JustinHoffmanOutdoors.com
Field Editor - Ontario Out of Doors Magazine
Fishing Writer / Wildlife Photographer
www.JustinHoffmanOutdoors.com
- Bass Addict
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- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:47 pm
- Location: I'm keeping an EYE on Fish-Hawk
- Relic
- Silver Participant
- Posts: 655
- Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:10 pm
- Location: Ottawa via "the Prior"
Right On
Congrats on that PB beauty!! We dont see you and those tiger's together often enough. Love those fish wish we had more of em around here.
The weather you described sounds like good muskie weather to me. If your cold you could always try trolling some of those cranks. Cover's lots of water, not something those fish probably see, and you can keep bundled up with a hot coffee in hand.
Congrats on that PB beauty!! We dont see you and those tiger's together often enough. Love those fish wish we had more of em around here.
The weather you described sounds like good muskie weather to me. If your cold you could always try trolling some of those cranks. Cover's lots of water, not something those fish probably see, and you can keep bundled up with a hot coffee in hand.