Gary’s Blog 11-18-08 Muskies
gengberg November 19th, 2008
Gary’s Blog for November 19, 2008This is the time of the year when outdoorsmen and women have so many choices of what to do with their spare time. The hunting and fishing opportunities are limitless and continue through the end of the year. Deer hunting opens this weekend and over 650,000 hunters will be in the woods chasing whitetail deer. There is still pheasant, duck, goose, rabbit, squirrels, and grouse seasons open. Like I said, what do you do?
Tuesday, I happened to go muskie fishing with friend, and guide Wally Banfi (608)-644-9823). We decided to go on the Madison Chain of Lakes. The temperature yesterday morning was 14 degrees here at my Wisconsin River home when I took the dog out at 6:30 AM. Wally and I decided to wait till things warmed up and do a few errands before fishing. I’ve been trying to get some video of muskies before I start editing my TV pilot.
We met my cameraman, Daniel Robinson at 12:30 at the boat landing. There still was thin ice around the lake and a few other boats fishing. Our plan was to drift and fish suckers on Bait Rigs Quick Set rigs. Wally had some nice dark suckers from 12 to 14 inches. We had only been on the lake for 5 minutes before we had our first strike. The muskie didn’t have the sucker and got off after biting the tail and our blade attractor. Wally and I had 3 suckers out with two on Thill floats and one with just a rubber-core sinker. All the suckers were attached with rubber bands through the mouth and in front of the dorsal fin to the quick set rig.
Our efforts were concentrated on fishing just outside the weedline. We found some green cabbage and fished in water 8 to 10 feet deep. After losing another fish, we decided to let the fish have the sucker a little longer before setting the hook hard. I got a nice 40 inch fish on the float-less rod right under the boat. A nice chunky fish was photographed and filmed. It was released and swam away. We also had another 4 fish on that came undone soon after the hook set. Then, Wally got another nice 42 inch fish before we left the lake at 3:30 PM. Two fish over 40 in the boat and 5 others that got away.
It was a great day and the photos will soon be posted on this website! Keep fishing till ice comes. The water temperature on the Madison lakes was 39 degrees. As we were fishing, they pulled the piers. But, that doesn’t stop a muskie-hunter! Dress warm!!
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