Double Down

87 Inches Of Musky

On October 28, 2007 my wife Nicole and I visited one of my favorite small lakes and were pleasantly surprised to find that the high temperatures and algae bloom that had plagued it all season were both gone.  Visibility was 10’ and the water was 51 degrees F.  The lake, which is fairly void of structure has a few areas that consistently hold adult muskies.  We immediately began raising fish off of these locations.  Less than an hour into the day, while rounding a minor point, we raised a few large fish on consecutive casts.  Just afterward, our sucker was taken and while I looked to see were the musky was taking it, I continued my retrieve all ready in progress.  Within ten seconds of the sucker strike, my Manta Hang 10 was taken as well. 

I quickly netted my fish and went back over to the sucker strike.  Nicole made an excellent hookset and we quickly put that one in the net as well.  They were 44” and 43” respectively, and were both quickly and safely released.  We only spent about three hours on the water that day, but in that time we raised eighteen muskies at 40” or better, with three double follows, and a few on consecutive casts.  We only boated the double, but it was easily one of the best days of musky fishing I ever had.  Obviously, the positive environmental change had the muskies on a feeding rampage.