It is getting to be that time of year so let's hear how your 2014 season went. Mine was pretty good with a decent amount of fish caught. Didn't catch a ton of fish, but caught a lot of really nice fish so was happy about that. Still no 50", but getting closer! Fished a couple new lakes including some on the Antrim Chain and looking forward to going back up there and hitting my head against a wall haha. Learned a lot about some local lakes so am excited to fish those more next year and learn them even better. I partially lost my drive for these fish during the summer, but got it back this fall so cannot wait to get back out there next year.
I didn't keep track of any numbers this year, but hours fished (for muskies) and number of fish boated were down for me. I still put in a lot of time compared to many since my schedule allows for it, but not close to as many as previous years. I made 3 trips to LSC in my own boat this year, and although we didn't tear it up by LSC standards, each trip still provided more action than about a month of inland lake fishing. After that I slowed doen fishing the inland lakes. I have spent most of my fall salmon/steelhead fishing and deer hunting, and didn't make my normal sucker run this fall so I have only been out about twice since Labor Day for muskies. I also got on a ridiculous slip bobber/minnow bite on a local lake for walleyes and bass over the summer and did quite a bit of that as well. I still love muskies more than ever but unless I am traveling east or somewhere new, I have a feeling next year my hours may drop a little more.
Green Bay – Awesome.
Michigan – Not awesome.
That pretty much sums up my year…
Getting married in July definitely put a damper on my fishing time this summer but I was able to put a decent amount of time on the water this fall but nothing to show for it. Hoping to get out one more time before the end of the year and definitely planning on doing a lot more fishing next year.
Can't complain except for a SW Michigan skunking which included barely even raising a fish on Thornapple, Lower Crooked, Austin, Bankson, Campau, and Murray. I miss the Antrim Chain.
Highlights included a personal best that just barely failed to reach the 50" mark, all time high of fish in one day (7 on the Tahq river), and a Skegemog fish with sexy shoulders.
Next year I am going to invest more time into this sport than I ever have. I am relieved to be single and free which will allow me to invest more money and time into what I actually want to do. I managed to observe multiple spawning fish on Long Lake (Grand Traverse) this spring and it inspires ideas of a documentary style video trying to fullfill a lifelong dream on catching a mega tanker out of this water.
A down year for me in numbers, size, and hours fished. A second child, born late August really slowed down the fall for me, but it is all good. Only 6 fish in the net in my boat this year which is the lowest in my 10 years chasing muskies.
A fairly challenging year personally, but still had a few memorable moments. Only catching 2 fish in SWMI (and both the same night) was a bummer, but calling a fish on the upper chain was pretty cool. Had a buddy birds nest, and then I proceeded to tell him I would catch the fish he would have had with that cast, dropping my cast where he wanted to go… twitch, twitch, boom (he is still fishless for muskies).
I was bummed not to fish Canada this year, but that will change next September. Cannot wait to go to the Upper French next year!
Everybody be safe this winter, and good luck next season!
I had my best year in terms of fish boated and hours on the water. We put 44 muskies over 30" in the boat at around 6.5 hours/fish. LSC and the UP accounted for most of the fish boated and tried to focus more effort to them as inland lakes continue to decline. No 50" fish but friend got one that was 49.5" and I got a 48".
2014 has been, by far, my best year of muskie fishing. My son and I spent many evenings and weekends fishing. We were very blessed to be part of this group, and the info, tactics, and methods shared by some of you guys helped us put 41 muskies in the bag. We had 3 people catch their first muskies, and 3 new PB's (no 50" yet,,,,, need Jim T to take me to LSC). We caught fish in LSC, 4 SWMI Lakes, and Wisconsin, on rubber, gliders, blades, cranks, and top water. These fish completely wreck me, and I can't wait to get on the water in the spring.
It was a slow season for me for the most part too. Low hours, low fish. I was hoping to get out a few more times, and get back into the double digits for the year. Most of the slow part is fishing with kids too, which is totally acceptable in my book. I did get 10 nights straight Hex fishing though, and got multiple PB's in the brown trout category throughout the week. I did not however make my annual trek to the UP, and missed a week on the chain as in a couple days short here and there. A new house and workshop and a 1 year old thrown into the mix made for lots of other priorities this year.
My highlights were a PB on the upper chain, that only lasted a couple months because I then blew that out of the water with a 50.5 a couple months later. The best part was I didn't have to drive Detroit to do it! That kind of thing makes it completely worth it! Also got my 7 year old onto a 39" Northern, and my 4 yr old onto a 36" northern, both great fish, and great experiences. But I have to admit I was trying really hard to get them excited, I Was really hoping for muskies, but they are great fish either way.
My goals for next year are to get both of my brothers onto fish, as its been a bit of a drought for them, and also get into the double digits again. Also, to catch a fish on rubber… [smilie=bangtard.gif] My last goal is to fish the chain a little more than last year, and try to get a fish out of every lake in the upper.
Muskies pitch a perfect game against me!! First time I haven't gotten one. Only got out about 10 – 12 times, never on a full or new moon. Took a back seat to the wife lure coursing the Whippets. Can't complain she has one at number 6, one at 8 and another in the top twenty. Got 6 cats on cranks 32" – 34" and LM 22" – 23". I guess I can only go up this year!! 🙄
Michele and I got out once and had some fun. Her ankle is still a frogged up mess and we are headed down the dreaded road to social security disability. Once she has a steady income again we will return to some early and late season adventures . I am very happy with the local stocking efforts in our lake shore drowned river mouths but after waiting 14 years for fish it is kind of bittersweet with Michelle's disability. I hope we can pursue them when they come of age. Mike and Michelle
Good year for me, 3 fish in the net. Am happy with how things evolved over the year: upgrades to rods, reels, lure inventory. Got the 9.9 kicker, TrollMaster, and rod holders sorted out by mid summer.
Looking forward to starting again from this level in 2015. Hope it isn't like my golf game where every spring was like learning it all over again!
Numbers and sizes down for me overall, I did boat fish every month from April through November which I don't think has happened before. The cooler summer helped. Got lazy some on the musky front with other outdoor pursuits so much fun too; including hunting, pike and smallmouths, but always trying to balance that and a darn nice problem to have.
Had a average to below average year…..a chunk of hours in the spring, a few LSC trips, half dozen local outings, and some early fall time on the Upper Chain. (probably 10 fish total but I don't really keep track) Prioritizing w the family and keeping the passion / sickness in check. Moderation won the battle, didn't make Canada…but never again, life is too short to miss those big adventures…. On the bright side my ten year old had his first follow / boat side strike, my wife got to net a nice fish for me, a new crop of GLS babies are swimming, and really looking forward to a big trip next year.
A fun year, but fishing time, and number of fish caught was down. I did get to put 3 peoples PB into a net (all 50+) so that was awesome. I don't think I fished any new waters, and I never got to take any overnight trips anywhere.
On the bright side, my kids are older, they still know me, love me, and want to hang out with me. [smilie=biggrin.gif] They haven't reached that "too cool for Dad" stage yet. Also, our family business is growing almost too fast. (Which is the main reason for less fishing time). Our CPA says we have too much money, and that we have to buy more stuff to keep our taxes down. 😯
This year was probably my lowest hourly total on our inland lakes. My trips were short typically 4 or 5 hours after work if that.. But I caught the most per hour on the water than I ever have with 19 fish. Also got a 51 incher in Canada and lost another. Hoping to get my season video done soon. But been busy with moving into my house. Had a good string of 7 fish in 7 trips on our inland lakes in June too. Typically catching one right away. Several multi fish days as well. Fun year but hope I can get out more next year
Well, I was holding off until I was sure I was done but alas I think the fat muskie has sung. 2014 was about as weird as I can remember with absolutely no consistency, the super late spring with fish actively spawning in May in S. MI, colder than normal November, lost net, not a single November 50"er in my boat, etc., etc. The only pattern for the year was that each trip was going to be feast or famine from May through September and nothing made it predictable, not moon phase, not clouds or sun, wind or calm, nothing seemed to put the fish on a pattern for more than a couple days and it was rare to get on the water and not have to spend a good part of the day trying to figure out what happened. Oddly enough, the most consistent water for me was some of the lowest density water in the state. In the end my hours were below normal at just over 650 hours and hours per fish was quite a bit higher than normal at a touch over 7.5. It was a good year with a bunch of first muskies and pb's. The biggest negative was that I didn't spend enough time with my family in the boat and that will change in 2015. The only personal muskie fishing goal I had for the year seemed well within reach in mid-July but the rug got pulled out (I blame the ridiculous November weather) and I'll have to take care of 98, 99 and 100 in 2015. Thank you to everyone that I was fortunate enough to share my boat with in 2014, great friends and good people seem to be rare these days and I feel so lucky to know so many – you know who you are.
I wasn't able to fish much this year due to a variety of reasons. It wasn't such a bad thing as it made me appreciate my time on the water especially the fishless days. Even though it was a tough year the best was saved for last two trips. My daughter caught her first muskie (thanks again Will), and I got to share a boat with my two brothers on my last day of the year. Three fly flingers in a boat is not a good idea, so we took turns fishing. We just wanted to get out together. Turned into a five fish day on LSC in which we all landed at least one fish. Not bad on a cold breezy day in December. Good way to end it.
My 2014 season was more multi-species and saltwater fishing. It's probably easier to list my fishing by month and species…
March: Everglades and Oceanside Tarpon, fished 4 days and hooked, jumped and landed few between 4 guys in the 130-140# range.
April: River Steelhead, fished a handful of times wading the river with a fly rod and landed 4 Steelhead.
June: Oceanside migrating Tarpon, fish 4 days solo, forgot how many I hooked, jumped, fought but landed 2. One in the 130# range and one in the 60# size. All sight fishing migrating fish along the beaches. Some of the most technical, need to be accurate fishing ever and a ton of fun.
August: LSC Muskie, only fish 3 times this season for Muskie and was lucky to stick an open water beast with a deformed hump back that would have made her in the 53" size range.
September: Louisiana Marsh Redfish, fished 2 days and landed over 50 redfish. Sight casting in 35 mph winds way up in tiny shallow marshes. We'd find pockets of fish and the waking fish strikes were awesome! Back to back to back fish caught.
September: PM River King Salmon, fished the PM 4-5 times and caught 10-15 Kings on fly and an absolute blast. Good friends, beer and fish after fish fought on 8 and 10 weight rods
October: Everglades and Oceanside Tarpon, fish 4 days and fought, jumped and landed several fish. Got 1 landed in the 130# size range and a fun but tough fishing trip.
November: Everglades Tarpon, had a 3 day trip planned but only chased Tarpon on day 1. Hooked a few boatside but nothing landed. Massive coldfront and red tide forced all the Tarpon offshore and had to change species. Fished day 3 in tiny creeks in the Everglades for Snook. Landed over a 100 in one day on light gear. Precise mangrove casting and many back to back to back to back Snook. Totally saved the trip.
Looking forward to 2015 with some more Tarpon on Fly trips planned. Also looking forward to Winter and Spring Steelhead and more time back chasing Muskie. All in all a decent season happy to get another year of putting my time in with fishing for Tarpon with lots of different techniques. Still waiting for the 175#er or more to get my first Tarpon replica. A goal set by me when I first got into Tarpon fishing. I was lucky to hook and fight one for awhile in the 175-185# only to watch her throw the plug right at boatside nearly putting that plug in my face. 2015 fishing efforts will be more focused on fish on Fly. Been practicing religiously at home for Saltwater fly fishing over the last 1.5 years and had some good fly shots but open to being an all around good stick no matter the technique. Being a well versed angler in any technique and species is my goal which I'm happy to report is coming along great!! Adapt and land fish no matter the technique required.
368
44
1 Guest(s)