Went out to double check out boat before steelhead season on the Snake river. Wife went with me, normally just reads, but wanted to wet a line, too. New state launch looks pretty, but the railing on the walk ramp is too high to be of any help loading or off-loading boat.
Worked the SE end and Northeast shoreline up to the rocks, with only 2 LM's about 3# each. Wife wanted to try something different, so she used my Shimano ultralight rod and Daiwa mini-spin loaded with 6# test Power-pro, 2# leader with 1/16 oz jig and yellow curly tail for some perch that were pestering our jig and pigs.
Second cast she had a hook-up, said it was snagged on branch, but branch was swimming away! After 5 minutes of "Keep the rod tip up" and "Don't reel in when it is taking line" we saw it. Damn! She had hooked a tiger muskie! The jig was right in the front fleshy area (lip). Now I was panicing, must have been a hoot to see. She got 3 nice jumps, almost went overboard twice, and I lost 5 years before I grabbed it. Taped it at 38", and no camera. She left her phone in the truck. Released it after about 5-6 minutes working it back and forth in the water. Swam off and gave us both a parting shower in the process. Her first tiger, now I will never be able to go alone again 8(( oh well, 26 years married and her first time really fishing with me! BTW I marked a couple more in 14' of water, just off the bottom. Couldn't interest any of them, though.