OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Some have asked, so I apologize if I told it before, or if you are already familiar with it.
My buddy Tom and I had just finished duck hunting and we’re getting ready to pull his pier for the season. He had just introduced me to his neighbor who was doing some maintenance on his own pier about 30yds away. While Tom was inside the house putting on his dry suit I was planning the tools required, etc as there was no way I was going in the maybe 40 degree water on a 40 degree day. I had a couple minutes to wait and saw Tom’s Daughter Kay’s spinning rod in the boat house with a black and silver #7 Jointed Shad Rap tied on. I grabbed the rod and walked to the end of the pier to make a few fan casts. On the THIRD cast, I had a strike about 20yds in front of me. I must have cast it on top of her head as it hit just as the lure hit the surface. The tail broke the surface and I set the hook. The POS L action rod doubled over and I yelled for the neighbor to please come over and also to grab the net (on his way) which was 50’ away in the boat house. Brandon (the neighbor) showed up, net in hand as I had coaxed the fish to about 10’ from the pier. Knowing I only had 6# test, I did a lot of back reeling as she was trying runs in all directions. Tom came flying out of the house, halfway into his dry suit and darn near knocked Brandon into the water as he wrestled the net away from him. We had to look like we were the 3 Stooges trying to catch dinner, but luckily, I kept her from diving under the dock and breaking me off. After about 10 minutes we got her into the net, onto the pier, measured her length (at 43 1/2”), got a few pics and released her. Since we had no scale (as usual) I looked at the length x girth (20+”) / some factor on our DNR website and conservatively estimated her at 24+lbs. This was the Sunday before gun deer season and I shot my biggest buck ever the following Saturday. It was a pretty good week!

Larry M Loc: North Clairmount, San Diego

bknecht Loc: Northeast pa

OJ, I’m guessing it was a Muskie or a really nice northern. I’d agree that you had a damn fine week!

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Sorry, yes it was a Muskie
She may still be out there.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

So, was it a Musky or Northern, OJ? It was a lucky week for you, for sure.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Great story

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

A Muskie

I felt good about catching it on 6# test, but I saw a guy post a pic of a 55” Muskie he caught and released on 6# test later the same week, about a mile away.
My buddies Daughter refused to go swimming off the pier after that 😂

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

Well, they DO have some mighty sharp teeth! (Neat "back-story")

Smokypig Loc: Cheyenne, wyoming

Nice story, heckuva fish, great day.

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

Never read it before but glad I did today OJ. Great week indeed! 👍
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Proves my theory that one should always have thier rod and reel handy, you never know when and where you might have a chance to catch a PB. Just Sayin...RJS

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Good story OJ, and a he!! of a good luck week for you.

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Nice story OJ. other then the Avatar, where is a pic of that beauty

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

I can ask my buddy Tom if he still has it somewhere. It was on a site called Lake Link under Lake Wisconsin for a while, anyway. I think only a few pics were taken as I wanted to get her back in the water ASAP so she could give someone else a thrill. It was 9 years ago last November. Time flies!

Fish Dancer Loc: Guntersville, Alabama

Nice story OJ. Hadn’t read it before so glad you reposted it.