2016 Summary

NumenOn the Water


Heavy rain and a warm front have written this on the wall; my fishing is done for 2016.  I've no complaint for 2016, but of course, hope for more in the future.  Maybe safe ice will return, but at the very least I should have the boat out in another 100 days; Here's to 2017!

My fishing in 2016 had a good amount of variety, but black and striped bass dominated my efforts.  I was lucky to get in other saltwater efforts and some good pike fishing, too.  My muskie efforts fell short and Lake Michigan was tough, but overall it was a very solid season.  I didn't really catch any giants, but I caught a lot of very nice fish.  I found some new species, some new waters, and some new techniques.  Here's to building on this, and an even better 2017!

Bonus Skunk!

NumenOn the Water

Date:  11-29-16

Body of Water: C Lake

Boat:  Numenon

With:  Alone

Target:  Muskellunge

Time: 8:30 AM - 3 PM

Conditions:  Clear and Bright; unseasonably warm (to 59 F) with persistent southerly winds 15-20 mph.  Water was brown and reasonably clear; 42 F.

I'd already stabilized the fuel and fogged the engine, but given an unexpected day off work while at home, combined with the prospect of comfortable fishing conditions, I made a final attempt for the season. I targeted muskies at local C Lake.

The nearby bait shop had no suckers, and the ramp's dock was pulled from the water for the season, but I was still on the water and over a historically productive weed bed by 8:30 AM. I threw a variety of jerk- and crank-baits, as well as a big rubber Shadzilla over the weeds and edges, but never raised a fish.

I chose to work in some trolling.  I was consistently marking panfish and/or baitfish immediately adjacent to the weeds in about 12 feet of water.  I alternated through a fair number of baits, but I always ran a Bucher Deep Raider; at about 50 feet back, it was just occasionally ticking weeds, but certainly running closest to bottom.  My trolling speeds ranged from about 2.7 to about 4.5 mph as I tried to dial in.

On my second lap of trolling, I saw this rod jump; and then the drag started slipping.  Fish On!  I carefully played this heavy fish.  The fight was not fantastic, but I was still extremely pleased to have, perhaps, saved my muskie season!  About halfway to the boat, I could tell the fish was oddly hooked; this probably accounted for the strange fight.  Still, it was a heavy fish, and it provided a variety of surface swirls and hard digs.  Just as I was reaching for the net, the fish came into full view; and there she was, a monstrous carp, snagged by the head.

I suppose this was, in the big scheme, less likely than actually having hooked a muskie on this lake.

Somewhat deflated, I returned to casting, with more of the same results.  I trolled again, too, and had a short but solid rip (while on the phone with K!), but did not hook up.  Perhaps that had been my fish.

I tried; but I still had to get the boat back on the trailer and re-fog her engine, gas up and store her.  I was off the water, skunked, by 3 PM.

What do I have to say about this?

It was a skunk, but it really was a bonus skunk.  It was an unexpected day on the water, with the lake all to myself.  I tried to salvage my muskie season.  While I failed to do so with a fish, I realize that there's no shame in getting skunked by these fish; and my overall season had been filled with many other nice fish of a variety of species.  Numenon was likely done for the season, but I knew that it had been a good one!