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My first day back on the lake and I caught 1 1/2 fish - I will explain in a moment. The photo is of a barely legal 30 1/4 inch fish. The little scrapper hit during a figure 8. His first strike missed, I jammed the lure back into the water and he hit again. I missed him and jammed the bucktail back in the water a 3rd time and finally hooked him. The lure I was using had a single hook - it now has an Owner Cutting Point treble hook on it! 10 minutes before this little guy I hooked about a 40-42 inch tiger. I got him all the way up to the boat after 3 great runs into the weeds. I was using the same lure. Right when I went to net him, he dove and hit the bottom rim of the net and came off. At first I thought he actually swam into the net - but not quite. Hence, that was my half fish! I had one other follow from an average size fish but around 3:00 pm I had a hog crash my bait about 20 feet from the boat - fish missed and I wasn't even paying attention because it was my first cast and I was adjusting my trolling motor. I saw where he swam off to and cast again. He came crashing up again, hit the bait and I set the hook - into nothing. Yep, same great lure with a single hook. I will just say I missed my biggest fish yet - twice in 3 minutes! No I am not saying where I was fishing! I am going back out in the morning!

Ski

Don Wittenberger

8/15/2008 11:11:00 PM

Muskies Inc. gives its members C & R "points" for muskies over 30 inches. That's what Ski meant by "legal fish." It's not legal to keep a 30 inch tiger muskie in Washington. State regulations require releasing tiger muskies under 50 inches. I'm not trying to be picky here, I simply want to avoid any possible confusion about Washington's regulations. Years ago, Wisconsin and some other states had a minimum size limit of 30 inches, and to this day many veteran muskie anglers still refer to 30-inch-plus muskies as "legals." By long-standing tradition, muskies under 30 inches aren't considered a "catch."

fishnislife

8/15/2008 11:33:00 PM

Nice catch Ski.

fishnislife

muskyhunter

8/16/2008 10:15:00 AM

Way to go Ski !!! You are a Musky Monster!!! Great story...wink,wink!! I believe you, really! Is that my beach ball back there...? I was wondering where it went. I agree with the single hook thingy. Lost a mid 30 Tiger last weekend because of it. I used to swear by them now,not so much. Trebles as trailer hooks are the key to sucess. Your havin a hell of a year Skeeber. Many good hook sets to ya!!

muskyhunter

8/16/2008 10:38:00 AM

Hey Ski,
What was the water Temp out there? Just curious...

muskyhunter

8/16/2008 10:52:00 AM

Actually Don the 30" fish goes towards" total inches "in our Chapter's Musky Log. And at the end of the year our Chapter has a "Angler of the Year" award given to the angler with the most total inches...any fish "Musky" 30" or more goes toward the total number of inches caught for the year. And the girth is used for a tie breaker...Our Chapters' "event" is separate from the Muskies Inc Musky Log program....We appreciate you clarifying the "Legal Size" aspect of your comment.

Way to go Ski !!.

Ski

8/16/2008 1:20:00 PM

Thanks guys - I should be careful when I say legal musky. I know a lot of people around here not familiar with muskies might get the wrong impression - I would hate to be the cause of an ill-informed fish kill by someone thinking it was ok. I still get people asking me if muskies taste good! I went out this morning and had no luck - not even a follow. I have no idea what the water temp was - I don't even use my portable depth finder.

Mike Carey

8/17/2008 6:57:00 AM

DW - Interesting. I wasn't aware of this tradition. Thanks for the info!

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