ThreeRiversEsox
05-20-2009, 07:35 AM
A few years ago, 2 to be exact, I bought a lure from Bill Crane at the Butler Fishing Show. It was a pretty awesome looking twitchbait, which I have really gained confidence in over the last two years. It's pretty much my go to bait, but the thing about it is....I've caught more big walleye on it than anything else!! I have caught two muskies on it, both mid 30 inch fish. With the wear and tear of working a twitchbait, it has gotten pretty beat up and has needed repaired on occassion. A few weeks ago on a trip to Pymatuning, I decided to stick with it, and it paid off big time. After fishing an early weedbed, I saw a huge swirl and like everyone who dreams of muskies, cast, and prepared to feel the crushing hit that we all wait for. Nothing. Cast again....Nothing. On the third cast, almost half way to the boat, my rod doubled over and the fight was on!! I saw a big gold flash and yelled for my buddy to grab the net, and when we finally got it in....it was the biggest walleye I had ever caught, 29"x15" girth.
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb12/iceburgh13/IM000602.jpg
We pounded that area some more, along with a major portion of the lake. Nothing. We decided to go back and get some grub, take a quick snooze, and make a game time decision about fishing Sunday night with work on Monday... Yeah, we all know how naps go....6 o'clock wake up and I was pretty much content with calling it a wrap. But I have a dedicated fishing partner who wasn't hearing it. When we got to the launch, one trailer, and the day went from beautiful, blue and sunny to overcast and a bit of chop. Musky chop. We worked a shoreline, and stayed focused knowing that it could happen at any minute. And it did. I saw the flash of my twitchbait, followed by a bright gold flash in the waves that could have been a hallucination. I made my change of direction and went into the eight, the water absolutely erupted, and on 3 feet of line I was hooked up with a nice fish. I'd be lying if I said the fight lasted 30 seconds, it was pretty much a blur, but I will never forget that moment. Right in the net, a few pictures, and a good release, my personal best 44"x21" musky, casting, on my favorite bait...Persistence pays!
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb12/iceburgh13/Pymie_2009_1_cp.jpg
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb12/iceburgh13/IM000602.jpg
We pounded that area some more, along with a major portion of the lake. Nothing. We decided to go back and get some grub, take a quick snooze, and make a game time decision about fishing Sunday night with work on Monday... Yeah, we all know how naps go....6 o'clock wake up and I was pretty much content with calling it a wrap. But I have a dedicated fishing partner who wasn't hearing it. When we got to the launch, one trailer, and the day went from beautiful, blue and sunny to overcast and a bit of chop. Musky chop. We worked a shoreline, and stayed focused knowing that it could happen at any minute. And it did. I saw the flash of my twitchbait, followed by a bright gold flash in the waves that could have been a hallucination. I made my change of direction and went into the eight, the water absolutely erupted, and on 3 feet of line I was hooked up with a nice fish. I'd be lying if I said the fight lasted 30 seconds, it was pretty much a blur, but I will never forget that moment. Right in the net, a few pictures, and a good release, my personal best 44"x21" musky, casting, on my favorite bait...Persistence pays!
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb12/iceburgh13/Pymie_2009_1_cp.jpg