# Pineview 6/27 - pure dumb luck



## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

I went to Pineview sunday, mostly as an excuse to get the boat out on the water and make test it out. But what's a trip on the water without fishing a little right? So I ran the boat around for a bit and then decided to drop the electric trolling motor and poke around in the flooded timber in the back of one arm and try to get into some of the bass there. Anyway, I did get into a bunch of the dink 8 to 10" smallies, and it was pretty fun. As I was crawling along looking for the next shaded tree to cast under I saw a huge submerged log that looked like it might be good cover to hold a couple bass. I got a little closer to make the cast and the log swished it's tail! Holy crap I'm thinking to myself. I took a quick picture of the fish submerged over the weeds, thinking that it would spook and run any moment. 









So I set down the camera and pick up a rod that has a 6" watermelon seed lizard tied to it. AT this point, this is where the smart man would pull out a pair of pliers, jaw spreaders, maybe a net, you know, just in case. Yeah I must have been a bit excited, because I skipped that step. So I climb up in the seat on the bow and make a cast, and jig the lure right in front of this beast. One twitch, nothing. I let it sit for a second, thinking it will be like any other time you can see the fish but it sees you and won't eat.... I twitch the lure again...BAM! He exploded on the lure, feels the pull of the line and starts tearing off for deeper water. The reel starts singing as he pulls the braided line off the spool like the drag doesnt exist. I actuall have to put my hand on the spool to give it more drag, and realize how under equiped my setup is. We battle for a good ten minutes while I hoop, and holer, and the boaters that are sunning in the cove around me look at me like I'm half mad....until this beast jumps out of the water. Then all of a sudden it's worth watching.

Anyway, to make a long story shorter, I get the musky to the boat, realize I have no net ready (which probably wouldn't have mattered because my net is only big enough to cover his head) , no pliers, I'm totally unprepared. I decide to tail the fish, and lift it up onto the boat, I start lifting him out and he's long enough I can't get him one handed, he starts thrashing, and I'm thinking he's going to kill himself on the side of the boat, so I lower him back down into the water. I snap a quick picture of him, reach out tentatively hoping I don't get hooked, and grab the lure, it's BARELY in the edge of his lip. one twitch and this beast is gone. 









Unbelievable fish, I can totally understand how guys get hooked on chasing these fish. Can't wait to try to do it again, but I'm thinking my next musky is probably a long way, and a lot of luck away.


----------



## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

Awesome story and incredible fish!!! Nice work!


----------



## Steveb (Sep 11, 2007)

Very cool


----------



## Dagwood (May 12, 2010)

Awesome!


----------



## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Great report and pics. 

When you hook into one of these now you know why folks fish for them as you clearly stated. Top of the food chain and a very impressive fish...a catch you'll not soon forget...based on my experience catch'n these fish and your pics, that fish easily appears to be at least a 45" incher if not more including one hell of a girth based on the size of the back and cabbage weeds as a prespective. Now just upgrade your tackle/equipment arsnel and get a pic of you holding a beast like that. Thanks for sharing the impressive story and pics.


----------



## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

k2muskie said:


> Great report and pics.
> 
> When you hook into one of these now you know why folks fish for them as you clearly stated. Top of the food chain and a very impressive fish...a catch you'll not soon forget...based on my experience catch'n these fish and your pics, that fish easily appears to be at least a 45" incher if not more including one hell of a girth based on the size of the back and cabbage weeds as a prespective. Now just upgrade your tackle/equipment arsnel and get a pic of you holding a beast like that. Thanks for sharing the impressive story and pics.


Thanks! I had guessed it at 40, but only because I knew it was at least that. What I do know is I'm 6'1, I've got a little 19' bayliner, so I'm not clear up on the water, but pretty close to it. But when I pulled it out shoulder high, by the tail, trying to somehow boat it, it's head was still all the way in the water. And you're right about the girth, I tried to grab it behind the head to unhook it, I've got pretty big hands and I couldn't get my left one around it. I think I might be addicted to tiger musky fishing now.

If you ever have any pointers on how to find and target a fish like that one again, aside from my pure dumb luck, you'll have my attention....


----------



## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Holy crap, that thing's massive! Most of the TM pics I've seen don't show a fish that wide. Not even the mid to upper 40 inchers. Ridiculous fish!

Way to go!


----------



## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Congrats on the fish it is an addicting sport! I don't fish for trout anymore unless that's all that there is!


----------



## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

I want one!!!


----------



## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

:shock: Nice Fitshy.


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

you need to get you a big rubberised net or cradle, thick pair of gloves, jaw spreader, and long nose pliers to handle those fish. 

I use barbless lures and once the fish gets in the net he usually spits the lure or the lure gets yanked out in the net. 

I don't put your hand in the mouth before the lure is out!! it hurts when the fish put the lure in your arm or hand!! 

get them in the water as fast as you can cause they stress easy.

I don't mess with bait fish "bass" anymore if there are tigers in the lake. One tiger is better then 500 bass in my book.

also resist putting to much pressure with your pole when the fish is almost out of the water next to the boat. I had the misfortune of trying to lip a small one and it spit the lure right into my face. I got it all on video!! I was using a big lure with a gamgetsu hook and it did go past the barb "this is why I use barb less now" into my face just below my eye. an inch higher and I could have lost an eye. well the hook wouldn't come out and then it got stuck to my shirt and then it got ugly. needless to say I had to get it cut out in the emergency room. 

that fish looks like a 40-42" er to me.

My best fish is 51.5" long and 31 lbs. Ive caught numerous fish up to 48" and they are by far the funnest fish to catch in Utah except maybe when the lake trout are hit'n good.


----------



## brookieguy1 (Oct 14, 2008)

Now that was a great story with pics to boot!


----------



## Christopher30 (Nov 9, 2007)

Finally a fish story that's validated with pictures, i'm sick of the ones where the person forgot their camera or they would've told you it was 2 pounds if he was a hundred. Cool story man!


----------



## flyfish1096 (Oct 9, 2009)

I would love to hook into one of those monsters


----------

