Water temp 74-78

Clarity = clearer than when I was there in July 6-10 + ft

So friday 2 buddies and I headed east for a long exhausting weekend on the big water. The trip will forever be known for the what-ifs and could've beens. We did catch a 42 and 36 inch muskie as well as several off species including some solid pike. So good, yes? Well about those could've beens, it all started friday evening when I had a fish rocket at mach speed out of the weeds to clobber a jerk bait ten feet from the boat, hitting it so hard it left holes in the lure, however this particular fish had apparently acquired titanium plated mouth enhancements and was completely unharmed by the 3 giant trebles dangling off the lure. Guh!

Then on sunday with rain closing in we pulled up on Spot X and what happened next I'm still having a tough time comprehending. My buddies very first cast a 44ish fish appears out of nowhere to crash into his crankbait boatside while missing hooks. 5 minutes later 3 guys have their jaws resting on the bottom of the boat as they stare numbly at the largest muskie any of us have ever seen 15 feet from the boat with a 12 inch bait T-boned in its impossibly wide mouth. This fish is way over 50 and not getting off without help. WRONG! In slow motion the megaladon shakes its head and coughs out the bait as if it was never hooked to begin with and slowly swims off. We shook off the shock and commenced frantic rapid fire casting, trying to captalize on the big fish window. The next bite happens 15 minutes later as jumbo number 3 smokes a bulldawg. The fish wallows out aways on the surface, giving us enough of a look to realize its another personal best caliber fish before tossing the bait out. Devestation! A Mike Iaconelli-esque freak out insues. 5 minutes later it is pouring rain, the rain gear is in the truck, we keep fishing. 30 minutes later, soaked to the bone, the 4rth bite happens. With big fish anticipation running high the fish is played carefully to the boat. I stand ready with the net as a 31 inch pike appears with a now destroyed bulldawg in its mouth. The harness is ripped out and the tail of the bait is missing. More profanity. 20 minutes later the rain is done and the fish are too. Our dreams will forever be haunted by that hour of fishing. [smilie=brickwall.gif]