Weekend report

[BlueRanger]

Just back from a weekend of musky fishing. I lost what would have been at least my second-biggest TFF musky Friday afternoon. My net got tangled up on the throttle lever as I was lifting it from the back of the boat - while scrambling to get it free, my other hand wasn't paying enough attention to my rod and the fish. It was more than a little frustrating to watch what seemed like a well-hooked fish in the 48" range throw the hooks, but I know where she lives. That turned out to be the only musky I saw near my line all weekend, and I had to settle for a few nice bass and the usual northerns that wound up on the end of my bucktails. Friday or Saturday evening I saw an absolute monster jump out of the water in Baraboo - I caught its first leap out of the corner of my eye and assumed it was a sturgeon, but on its second leap it came out at an angle like a sailfish and it was unmistakably a VERY large musky, well into the 50s. It was out in open water near the deepest part of the basin.

Saturday night we had a series of fantastic lightning storms (thankfully, not much wind), and I set the tripod out on the deck and snapped away for a while, managing to catch a few decent shots. Some pictures from the weekend are posted at the link below.

[daddyomolly]

I saw you Friday night just out from Springstead landing right before dark. I also saw numerous fish jump clear out of the water Friday night and during the day Saturday. I thought they were carp/suckers but I never really got a close look, like you said most times just see them out of the corner of your eye. Why do they do that? With the water so warm maybe they are jumping out of the water to cool off!! As for the fishing, caught three walleye after dark Friday night in some shallow weeds on crankbaits(23") or crawlers(15",19"). All were released. Saturday was slow, manged just 2 small (tasty) walleye and 10 bass with the biggest being 12". Lost one nicer bass on a spectacular leap, had to be at least24"(give or take 10"). Seeing the damage to the area made me pause a bit and say a prayer for the folks that were affected by that horrible storm.

[Jim Kohl]

Hi Bill, Sorry you lost that big one! I've been there too! I have been fishing Muskies on the TFF since 1971. Every year since then, I have seen and heard Sturgeon jumping. This is especially true in August, and most prevalent in and around the Baraboo Lake basin! I have asked fisheries experts for years, why these fish jump, and they really have no specific answer, just a handfull of guesses! On quiet nights in August, you can hear them all night long from my cabin. But, like you, I do occasionally see a Musky come out of the water during this period. Not much Musky fishing in the coming months for me, as I continue to clean up after the tornado. I still don't have acess to the shoreline. We hope to be back on the water Labor Day weekend! Good Luck! Jim Kohl

[BlueRanger]

Can't be a musky fisherman without enduring moments like that from time to time.

The sturgeon often jump when a boat passes by - I always wondered if the propeller noise and vibration bothered them.

[George]

Nah...they just trying to fool the uninitiated into thinking they're muskies. :D