January 20, 2006

Muskie Fishing at Spring Lake North, near Peoria IL

Dad's 34 inch Muskie !!!

my 33 inch Muskie !!! (caught 8 minutes after his)

(dig that groovy Russian hat !!!!)

January 19, 2006 was the first time we ever saw Spring Lake North, but I've been hearing about it for several years, and now I know why...  It's infested with Muskies !!!!

When we got to the lake yesterday morning, there was skim ice forming around the dock, and the temp at 6 inches was a balmy 34 degrees. I had the good luck of bumping into Thad Hinshaw at the dock (local muskie guide, see his website on the "Links" page), he gave me a couple of pointers (Thanks Thad !!!), and we hit the water.

Things got off to a quick start with this 30 incher (my first Muskie of 2006)

  30"

Unfortunately, that was the only one in the boat on the 19th. I had one come unbuttoned from a crappie pattern Manta, and had a couple of follows, but that was all she wrote.

Over dinner that night, we came up with a new "pattern" that we were 100% sure would work the next time out, when ever that might be.....

Day 2, January 20th 2006

The trip was actually over....  I was going to get up in the morning and start driving home......but when I got up it was 45 degrees, sunny, and not an ounce of wind. Dad gave me that "get in the boat" look, and we were off to the lake. We hoped we could squeeze in a few hours with our new "pattern" before the cold front blew in.

We were wrong.

By the time we got to the dock, the temperature was down to 40 and falling, the clouds had moved in, and the North wind was howling.

After 10 minutes on the water, the 39 degree rain started.

But man, our new pattern had them snapping Mad !!!

In 3 hours on the water, we had Dad's 34 incher, my 33 incher, 2 more nice ones that gave Dad the old "hook-up/spit-you-out" routine, and at least 6 or 7 follows. NICE !!!!!! But after 3 hours of constant 39 degree wind and rain, we'd had enough... for today. We will definitely be back in the near future.

I'd love to tell you what our new "pattern" is, but until Ace and Hawg Czar get a chance to drag one in the boat, I have to keep it to myself. Sorry.

   33"

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