Michigan Muskie Alliance

So lets hear the fish stories for 2010! what was the biggest and heaviest fish you caught this year? I wish I had a monster story to tell but I didn't have lots of time to get out. My biggest though was a 31in pike that weighd just over 5 lbs. It was the fattest pike I have ever seen. I dont have pics because I was alone when I caught it. post up the pics if you got them.

55 inch for my wife and 53.5 for me. Both personal bests,both on Lake St. Clair. Not real heavy fish as they were caught in July. both 30 pound class fish. We also got two other 50.5 and 51 this year. over 120 total fish. Mike and Michelle

Was not my year at all for muskie as I am still learning alot but I did get a big 23" smallmouth while I was just messin around with family which is a personal best of that species and an extremely overweight pike that was only 34 inches but weighed 9 pounds...

I spent more hours on the water this year than I ever have in any other year of my life and it was by far the slowest year I have had in a long time...funny how that works when you start fishing for muskie all the time, Ima hire Will next year and hopefully learn some things thatll change that

43 on Sanford and a 30" Pike on Chicagon Lake

47" - Thornapple

Caught a bunch of really nice fish this year and was very fortunate to share my boat with people that caught some nice fish. I'm already looking forward to 2011!!

...

54 fish caught (15 trolling, 39 casting)
260.75 hours fished
9 fish 44" or bigger
4 fish 46" or bigger
48.5 largest

Also thought I had a 50lber on one day, only to realize I had foul hooked one of Austin's infamous mega-carp. Only kept him on the hook for about 5 seconds but man did that fish have power! Bait came back with a couple GIANT carp scales on it.

I had a pretty good year out on LSC and my new boat brought me lots of luck...

Total fish I boated: 41 (all casting)
Total fish in my boat: 55 (inland lakes included)
My total LSC length average: 42.9"
Total boat LSC average: 42.7"

3 personal bests in my boat:

I got a couple 49.5" but best was a 49.5"x 22" girth from head to tail. My 1st honest 30 pounder.
My Dad's first Muskie was a 50" topwater
One of my fishing partners boated a 51"

Best story I have was fishing on a dead calm flat day. Later that day wind was suppose to pick up. The moment the wind arrived I hooked 3 muskies in 4 consectitive casts. First one hit and lost him half way to the boat. Cast out again and immediately hook another only to lose a few seconds later. Cast out again, nothing. Cast for the 4th time, hook and land a 46.5". That was the first time I really started to pay much more close attention to wind changes.

I also had a great day putting my Dad on his first Muskie which happened to be a topwater 50"er. It was an amazing fight and just an awesome feeling to see the excitement of my Dad.

Chasin50 wrote:Would love to see more detail on peoples successes and catch rates.

550 hours
Boat averaged 3.5 hours per fish
12 fish 48”+ (probably three or four more over 48 that were unmeasured)
6 fish 50”+ (50.5 up to 55.5)

I must be the worst fisherman in the club, because my catch rates were nothing near the previous few post. I averaged 1 fish in the boat every 20 hours. I only caught 9 this year 6 more in the boat by guest. 6 fish over 40" with the biggest being a 47.5" PB for my brother caught on the 8 on a day trip to LSC

Highlights were: a 3 fish morning on Austin with 2 over 40", my brothers PB, my first legal fish caught on the 8, learning quality LSC water fishable in my 14 footer, and some late season Thorn fatties.

Hopefully I can fish more with MMA buddies next year as I didn't much this year!

Scott

My first full season going after Muskies. Caught 14. Caught two that were 42" , my pb. Also caught a VERY fat 36" pike on Lsc with my father. All but three were caught with friends that were showing me the ropes. Next year will be the challenge to equal or better the 2010 season on my own.

Scott my hours per fish sure isn't good but I don't track it since I think I could get too pist off if I did! I'm not happy with numbers or sizes this year so I'd rather not even post a summary, though it seems the average size of the fish has increased the past two years for me, with the numbers down, at least for the time spent. But this is likely more a reflection of maturing fisheries where I fish than improving ability with better fish.

Anyway, I'm happy to keep trying for the meager rewards that come my way, and I am glad to hear of the success others have had. I'd say we shouldn't get discouraged if we think we should do better, because everyone is on different waters, and/or with different timing and lots of other variables are at play. Good anglers still tend to do well over the course of a year if they fish enough on their regular waters, despite the inevitable tough times that all experience. But I've been fortunate enough to fish with you and other very capable anglers from this club and I'd say you are a darn good muskie fisher, right there with the rest of 'em. So a given year not showing the results we'd like is not a setback at all, it's just more reason to keep learning and go back after those stubborn biotches and fish 'em as smart and hard as we can again next year.

My biggest was a very fat 48", I would say 35#, that Scott (DetroitHardcore) nicknamed "Miss Piggy". She destroyed all three hooks on my Tallwacker (does that sound pornographic?) A 46.5 with a tumor the size of a tennis ball on it's face. A 21" smallie that hit like a runaway freight train. Didn't fish July, once in August and my hours to fish would probably be worse than anyones. But I don't think about it. I was happy with the year I had.

Thats a good season Willbur, and Scott, you are the turn around angler of the year. You had a hell of a season! Ryan, Great Numbers!