There is no crying in baseball and no lying in musky fishing. Just tell it like it is. Chasing muskies is a humbling pursuit. If you start to get an ego and think you know what your fish are doing they will smite you bad and put you in your place.
Last Saturday was a fantastically organized Muskies Canada Event put on by the Ottawa Chapter. 81 anglers from across Eastern Canada came for the challenge and the comradry that is a big part of these events. Larry Lambourne put together a wonderful meal and expansive prize table for the benefit of all. The only minute detail that wasn’t organized was cooperative muskies. 82 anglers boated seven muskies up to 45.5 inches from sun up until 5 pm. This represents possibly the worst total ever for an Ottawa outing.
My day was spent ‘most excellently’ with Mike M and Jarrett C who are two of the most fun guys you could share a boat with. Best of all are team was due! I had eight muskies in the boat the previous two days before the tourney. What could possibly go wrong. We fished all day for not even a follow. That hurts. With an hour left I chose to run 12 km to fish one spot. When things are tough go to your best spot because the muskies are there and fish with your best baits. Jarrett played hero for us with 15 minutes left on the water and feeling beat and beat up turned into WE ROCK!!!!! Musky fishing is always a ‘WE’ sport. Jarrett’s fish was good enough for fourth place. All was right.
Epilogue….. My buddy Jay who has appeared with buddy Danny is a couple of fantastic posts this past week was out on the MCI tourney day. The fish didn’t go in the day for him but while I sat eating my dinner and annoying my friends by making two many trips to the prize table, Jay began texting. One, two, a giant one, three, four, and then five. Jay and Danny caught a better score sheet of muskies in 4 hours in the evening than 81 largely experienced musky hunter caught all day. Sucks to be us. Jay, hats off to you and Danny.
Some people think fishing is about the fish. Really it is about the people. Thank you my friends.
John
BIG FISH photos and stories for the next two posts!!!!!! July is out of control for GIANT muskies…….
Ottawa River Musky Factory 