😯 I had to do a double-check and make sure it's not April 1st. What an awesome story! Congrats on a true HAWG, Ryan! I've done a few houses on West Lake, and wondered if it was really possible that muskies could get into it. Pre-spawn giant in a lake that's not SUPPOSED to have muskies. How cool is that! WOW WOW WOW. Nothing more I can really think to say. Congrats again. You deserve it!
"Chris Musselman" said:
Many of times I've tried something out of the box not thinking it would work… and everytime it doesn't.
Believe me, it usually never works for me either. Before these two fatties I had spent 25+ hours without a strike yet so far this year. My first couple full seasons were absolutely brutal. Thats why this was so rewarding for me. Like many of you I have put thousands of hours, dollars, and just an insane amount of effort into this crazy sport. My other buddies and family think I am completely insane. I have made huge sacrificies in my personal and professional life to allow me to fish as much as I do, and to see it pay off big was something I can barely put into words. If you could have seen my reaction once she swam away I'm sure you all would laugh.
Holy mother of Esox!!! Absolutely incredible, the fish of a lifetime, definitely. Gorgeous looking too, not just monstrous. I'd got the jon-boat through the culvert a few times to fish West and never saw much there. Someone at work had showed me a speared fish pic from the lake that also was a turn-off. Damn great work in getting that fish anywhere of course, but especially there.
Thanks for the compliments! I really wasn't going to post this, trying to stay "under the radar", but I was just too excited not to brag to somebody (or everybody).
My 14 footer scrapes the walls of the channel when I go under the road. If the boat was more than an inch wider I couldn't make it through. I think theres a few more fish for whatever reason that end up in that lake than people (including myself until recently) think. Maybe the old man was right, can't wait until I run into him again and tell him this story. The difference in clarity between West and Austin is like night/day. I still can't really say why I decided to dedicate an afternoon to it that day, but I know I'll be over there a lot more this year. Is it possible some of these fish just migrate over there to spawn??
Maybe they go there for the security of deeper & murkier water…? Maybe I'll have to ask my customers if I can use their personal ramp since my 18'er has absolutely no chance of getting through something narrow. [smilie=brows.gif] That fish deserves to be in the MI Super Fish category IMO with a girth like that. Congrats again!
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