No decent pike for me yet this year… the search continues… Found quite the formidable predator in one of my creek/pikes holes tho… 44-45” Musky… 1st ever bowfin surprised me the other day also… Both girls were fresh off the spawn…
2024 Toothy Critters
- Thread starter wednesday13
- Start date
Beautiful! I love Muskies! My number one Grail Fish when I was a kid, my main target species for most of my dedicated fishing trips when I lived in Ontario, and still a fish that puts a goofy grin on my face. It's been about 50 years since my first...which was much smaller than that one in your pic...and I remember it like it was yesterday. I'd estimate I've caught another several hundred in those intervening years and yet they still thrill me, although I no longer live right in their range and need to travel a ways to get to good Muskie waters.
Do you have Tigers in your area? For some reason, they are more commonly encountered in some areas than others. For the past few decades, my dream fish has been a large Tiger Muskie, and I've seen them, hooked and lost them right beside the boat, been fishing with friends while they caught them...and have never caught one myself. I have a nagging fear that my first Tiger will be a little tiddler in the 20-inch range. A couple of years ago, I caught my first Tiger Trout (a hybrid Brook X Brown trout) on my first cast into the lake to which we had travelled specifically for that hybrid form. It was tiny, perhaps 7 inches, and I carefully unhooked it and released it, then looked up at my fishing buddy. He was standing with his phone in his hands, looking utterly aghast, and incredulously asked "Didn't you want a pic?!?!?"
I snorted and replied "That was too embarrassingly small to take a pic. Besides, that was one cast; we're obviously going to catch plenty more today, and some will be big!"
We fished for another 7 hours and caught nothing else all day.
wednesday13
, if you catch a Tiger, I really really really want to see it...but I also almost kinda sorta don't...
Do you have Tigers in your area? For some reason, they are more commonly encountered in some areas than others. For the past few decades, my dream fish has been a large Tiger Muskie, and I've seen them, hooked and lost them right beside the boat, been fishing with friends while they caught them...and have never caught one myself. I have a nagging fear that my first Tiger will be a little tiddler in the 20-inch range. A couple of years ago, I caught my first Tiger Trout (a hybrid Brook X Brown trout) on my first cast into the lake to which we had travelled specifically for that hybrid form. It was tiny, perhaps 7 inches, and I carefully unhooked it and released it, then looked up at my fishing buddy. He was standing with his phone in his hands, looking utterly aghast, and incredulously asked "Didn't you want a pic?!?!?"
I snorted and replied "That was too embarrassingly small to take a pic. Besides, that was one cast; we're obviously going to catch plenty more today, and some will be big!"
We fished for another 7 hours and caught nothing else all day.
wednesday13
, if you catch a Tiger, I really really really want to see it...but I also almost kinda sorta don't...
There are a few natural tigers floating around ohio, ive yet to encounter one. Im pretty certain this girl just made me some on my home stretch tho lol. She was covered in typical spawning marks and its a prolific pike area. Just found some YOY in the same hole alsoBeautiful! I love Muskies! My number one Grail Fish when I was a kid, my main target species for most of my dedicated fishing trips when I lived in Ontario, and still a fish that puts a goofy grin on my face. It's been about 50 years since my first...which was much smaller than that one in your pic...and I remember it like it was yesterday. I'd estimate I've caught another several hundred in those intervening years and yet they still thrill me, although I no longer live right in their range and need to travel a ways to get to good Muskie waters.
Do you have Tigers in your area? For some reason, they are more commonly encountered in some areas than others. For the past few decades, my dream fish has been a large Tiger Muskie, and I've seen them, hooked and lost them right beside the boat, been fishing with friends while they caught them...and have never caught one myself. I have a nagging fear that my first Tiger will be a little tiddler in the 20-inch range. A couple of years ago, I caught my first Tiger Trout (a hybrid Brook X Brown trout) on my first cast into the lake to which we had travelled specifically for that hybrid form. It was tiny, perhaps 7 inches, and I carefully unhooked it and released it, then looked up at my fishing buddy. He was standing with his phone in his hands, looking utterly aghast, and incredulously asked "Didn't you want a pic?!?!?"
I snorted and replied "That was too embarrassingly small to take a pic. Besides, that was one cast; we're obviously going to catch plenty more today, and some will be big!"
We fished for another 7 hours and caught nothing else all day.
… Ive fished this particular hole and body of water for over 20+ yrs. This is the first Musky ive ever seen in it. Hole usually holds a half dozen or so pike. She’s got them all cleared out. Creek flows into a river that holds lots of musky. Im a good 6-7 miles up stream from where it enters the larger river. We had a good flood this spring and im sure she must have traveled up to spawn then. Def. Surprised me to say the least. Ive heard “fish stories” but have only seen 1 other recorded musky from this particular creek in my lifetime and it was less than a mile up from the river. Best part is she was taken on one of my original hand made paddle baits. Shes since eaten it again 
and also a larger version. I like seeing her, kinda wish shed leave tho lol. Its a small area and i miss my pike friends. Id also rather not take her out again intentionally. She was banked on the orange paddle. Bit smarter now so she’s followed in and short struck the other versions/colors. #CreekPikerLures
Decent low 30’s lady yesterday in dirty water… my original PikeSnakSlim7 got it done for me in Japan Red.
Fall into winter Piking… cracked a nice 39” and a decent 36” in a snow storm… mostly dinker jacks this fall into winter tho sadly. Still looking for a hefty egg wagon before spring lol… 
Looks like the same fish to me, lol. It's amazing what you can do with a quick change of clothes and an assortment of backgrounds, lol.
Congrats, nice to see. Most of those are pretty slim, not packing on the poundage for winter.
Do you carry a small tripod to hold your phone or camera when fishing? Those low-angle shots all look very consistent, and it's a good angle for trophy fish shots.
But...what's that weird stuff behind you in most of those pics? Almost looks like...well, like liquid of some sort? Is there something pooling on top of the ice?
We're really late this year in terms of cold weather and ice. We have about 6 inches right here on the big lake, 10 or 15 minutes from my house. Lots of fishermen out there but not many vehicles. Guys are catching some okay pike and walleye, and one guy was coming off the ice when I was watching with a big Ling, easily over 30 inches. Me? I am waiting for the ice depth to be measured in feet rather than inches before I take my truck out.
And what's with the T-shirt in some of those pics? We're currently in the negative double digits most days up here in Paradise.
Do you carry a small tripod to hold your phone or camera when fishing? Those low-angle shots all look very consistent, and it's a good angle for trophy fish shots.
But...what's that weird stuff behind you in most of those pics? Almost looks like...well, like liquid of some sort? Is there something pooling on top of the ice?
We're really late this year in terms of cold weather and ice. We have about 6 inches right here on the big lake, 10 or 15 minutes from my house. Lots of fishermen out there but not many vehicles. Guys are catching some okay pike and walleye, and one guy was coming off the ice when I was watching with a big Ling, easily over 30 inches. Me? I am waiting for the ice depth to be measured in feet rather than inches before I take my truck out.
And what's with the T-shirt in some of those pics? We're currently in the negative double digits most days up here in Paradise.
Im pretty superstitious… always the same hats, same clothes
. The hat is very important lol
I get it, completely. Back in my angling days when I was out every weekend I always wore the same comfy gear.Im pretty superstitious… always the same hats, same clothes
You can always tell when it's time to wash it when the unmistakable smell of fish slime becomes unbearable, lol.
