Honeymoon Muskie
Reva L. Schneider
Dateline: 6/14/99
18 years ago...my DH had been fishing off a coupla piers a coupla times, but was not real into it at all. However, he was very into wilderness hiking and camping. Our honeymoon, at my prodding (and lack of funds) was basically a month of fishing and camping from the upper Peninsula to Canada back down to Iron County WI. Husb had already eaten the results of me and dad's fishing trips, and was quite compliant when I insisted we bring tackle on our camping trip.
Up in the UP, I have no idea where, but it was not far from Iron County campground in WI, I spied some phenomenal looking crappie water, and tied on a jig. We had a small grill that would handle a fryer and I figured we could ice down the catch, buy some oil and cornmeal and eggs at a grocery store and have fried crappie and eggs for breakfast. I caught about 10 nice crappie, and managed to con new hubby into tying on another little marabou jig and trying for a few fish of his own.
Well...DH picked up a few crappie and was really enjoying himself and seemed pretty under control. It was very buggy and hot and I was very tired as I'd been doing all the driving in "my old haunts". So I decided to try to cop a nap in our tiny Toyota Starlet. I'd just dozed off when I heard DH bellowing to beat the band and I just flew out of the car in a heartbeat. There was DH with a heavily bowed rod and a definite "V" wake heading out toward Canada. I was a bit confused so asked DH if he had any idea what was on the line. His response? "It's an alligator, I swear it!" Apparently, he'd hooked a small panfish and was reeling in in a hurry to release it, when something really big blasted it. I talked him thru the fight and netted his "alligator"....which turned out to be a 28lb muskellunge. DH had seen it roll and jump, and all he saw was green and long body and huge teeth...yep, it was an "alligator" for sure. We let Mr. Musky go, and apparently my feelings about releasing muskies really took hold, and years later, when living in TN, DH hooked a lovely 8lb chain pickerel, and let it go..."it was a baby "muskie"" ya' see...
Yet, laugh as I will at DH and his being a fishing newbie 20 years ago: For 8 years living in Germany...we fished for free on some of the finest fishing "lets" in Europe. Why? Simple. Y'see...PIKE are vermin in managed trout streams in Europe. Not only that, they are viewed with the same distaste that many american fisherfolk view carp and bullheads. DH is a helluva pike fisherman, and we had 5 different fishing clubs that gave us free fishing rights for trout and grayling...IF we came out in spring and "cleaned out" the pickerel and Northern Pike before they stocked for that year.
BTW...the two most effective tactics we had (using live bait is illegal in Europe) were DH's old "Daredevils" from his dad's garage sale days, and me and my flyrod and a couple of 'mungous "streamers" made from red and white feathers.
Fishtales One Year Ago: 06/15/98 - Boats We Have Known and Loved - Mommyfish shares her memories of her first boat, and the effects it had on her children.
