I'm DONE! I think...... (Kinda OT)

Well, it had to happen, today was my last guide job of the season, barring an unforeseen warm spell
and some crazy clients. Two guys from Wyoming wanted to go muskie fishing, and the weather
forecast called for 25 degrees with winds from the north at 15-25 mph. I couldn't let them down, so
I picked them up at we went to my favorite "Action" muskie lake. It was COLD when I picked them up,
but I thought we'd give it the old college try.

We arrived at the lake, and I went to launch the boat in the channel, but it had ice on it. I
walked out on the dock and as far as I could reach, I could easily break through the ice, with only
about a 1/4 inch of skim ice. Into the water the Cobra went, breaking ice as it backed in. I fired
it up and we went to run down the channel to the main lake, We went maybe 30 of the 250 yards
needed to get to open water when the boat started climbing the ice and breaking though, like a Coast
Guard Icebreaker. We got another 10 yards or so when I had 19 feet of the 21 feet, 6 inches of the
boat on top of the ice! So much for that lake! On to Plan B.

This lake was still soft, so we were able to launch without incident. We pushed off from shore and
I rigged up two 12-14 inch suckers on Quick Strike Rigs. I quickly taught the guys to cast baitcast
reels and had them working lures like pros. The only problem was there was a routine to follow.
Take 10 casts, un-thaw the guides. Another 10 casts, un-that again. After a while, I'd have to
change reels because they were so iced up. It's a good thing I have the amount of tackle I do on
board. 10 minutes later, the first sucker was eaten by a muskie.! While it wasn't a big muskie by
any stretch of the imagination, under these conditions, with 37 degree water, I was tickled. It
measured 30 inches and weighed 12 pounds. The client was thrilled!

About an hour after that, one of the guys set the hooks! He had been throwing a 9 inch crankbait
and had an 18 inch smallmouth hit! It came off when he tried to swing it on board, but it was close
enough that we called it a catch. (So this is on topic, there was one crazy bass in this story)

Around 3:00, another sucker got hit. The client set the hooks and the battle was on. I knew it
still wasn't a big fish, but as before, any fish on a day like today was a good one. I get the net
in the water and he fought the fish to the boat. As I scooped the fish, it let go of the sucker!
The darned muskie wasn't even hooked, but he fought like a demon, stubbornly refusing to let go of
the sucker, fighting until he was netted!

The guys wanted me to fire up the outboard and "Take them for a SPIN" around the lake because they'd
never been in a boat like mine. After I asked them several times if they were sure, they said "Yup,
open this rascal up." So I let all 250 ponies out to play, keeping the speedometer just under 70
mph. We didn't even make it to the other end of the lake before they were asking me to slow down!
They said that they were cold! Hmmm Imagine that!

So, they both caught their first muskies, went faster in a boat than they'd ever gone before and had
a great time, swapping stories all day long. I wasn't that cold, having dressed properly (i.e. more
layers than a hen house), but when we were coming home, we heard the weather guesser on the radio
talk about the high of 17 degrees today!

I wonder what the wind chill was, going 70 mph, heading into a 20 mph wind was? All in all, not a
bad day, but one that I'm glad is over!
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote in message
...
It measured 30 inches and weighed 12 pounds. The client was thrilled!

Steve, in no way, shape or form, do I disbelieve your numbers, but I assume
that was one fat pig. Here in NY, the DEC says that an "average" 30" muskie
goes 7 1/4.

"Marty" wrote in message ...

Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote in message
...
It measured 30 inches and weighed 12 pounds. The client was thrilled!

Steve, in no way, shape or form, do I disbelieve your numbers, but I assume
that was one fat pig. Here in NY, the DEC says that an "average" 30" muskie
goes 7 1/4.

It was a little piggy! That's the neat thing about November muskies in this area, usually they're
pretty heavy at this time of year.
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

I feel your coldness from here. As I write it is 30 degrees and the winds
are blowing hard. So much for bass fishing today. I figured if it was in the
low 40's I would have givin it a shot, but for now it looks like my next day
out might be in FLA. in April.

Randy
"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in message
...

"Marty" wrote in message
...

Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers wrote in message
...
It measured 30 inches and weighed 12 pounds. The client was thrilled!

Steve, in no way, shape or form, do I disbelieve your numbers, but I
assume
that was one fat pig. Here in NY, the DEC says that an "average" 30"
muskie
goes 7 1/4.

It was a little piggy! That's the neat thing about November muskies in
this area, usually they're
pretty heavy at this time of year.
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Wind chill temperature = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75V (**0.16) +
0.4275TV(**0.16) In the formula, V is in the wind speed in statute miles per
hour, and T is the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

I can't do this calculation, but I tried and the following was what my
calculator showed when plugging in the formula with 17 degrees and 70mph

"you crazy %$%@#$% ; It's too cold to be fishing." I never saw such a
message on a calculator. My suggestion is make this the last trip for sure.
And. . . .

That's the difference between where you are Steve and where I am. You have
to wait till winter to walk on your waterways ! g.


--
God Bless America

Josh The Bad Bear

Chart only goes up to 60mph! I agree with Josh's calculation. ;-) Joe Z.
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/index.shtml

"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in message
...
said "Yup,
radio
talk about the high of 17 degrees today!

I wonder what the wind chill was, going 70 mph, heading into a 20 mph wind
was? All in all, not a
bad day, but one that I'm glad is over!
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

I flew into McMurdo one time to supply the wintering over
party....temperature was -20, and a wind of 60 mph., the last thing on
my mind was going "fishing"! Steve, Ya got more enthusiasim for the
sport than I! g

I went fishing today. On the very first cast i tied into and landed a nice
pike. That was the only hit and catch of the outing. At days end I was packing
up and pulling the line through the guides and it was hung up on the top guide.
On closer inspection the line was frozen solid within the guide. It was natures
way and it was being somewhat metophorical (sp) in telling me i'm done for the
season....well not really i'm going out tomorrow.

"Gone Angling" wrote in message
...
I went fishing today. On the very first cast i tied into and landed a nice
pike. That was the only hit and catch of the outing. At days end I was
packing
up and pulling the line through the guides and it was hung up on the top
guide.
On closer inspection the line was frozen solid within the guide. It was
natures
way and it was being somewhat metophorical (sp) in telling me i'm done
for the
season....well not really i'm going out tomorrow.

On can.rec.fishing didn't I see where you were looking for a place in BC
where you could fish all year round?
Moving soon?
....Jim

My brother spent 3 summers at Antarctica. He said they had -50 temps and
high winds storms. Did not go outside during these days. Just cranked up
the reactor a little.
Bill

"John Kerr" wrote in message
...
I flew into McMurdo one time to supply the wintering over
party....temperature was -20, and a wind of 60 mph., the last thing on
my mind was going "fishing"! Steve, Ya got more enthusiasim for the
sport than I! g