Went out ice fishing today...targeting yellow perch. Over the past few days the large ones have been ignoring my lure/bait offerings so I changed things up today with some small jigs and scented rubber tailings.

Things were off to a good start, and larger fish were taking the new baits...however they were grabbing anything I put down so I was unsure if the new tackle was really the solution or not.

All of the sudden the perch I could see below me in 13' of water vanished like they had been beamed up to meet Scotty on the Enterprise. Hmmm...must be a large predator coming in. Sure enough, a massively proportioned muskie showed up and sat still right under my feet for about all of 30 seconds. My heart was pounding and I wished I was set up with a spear...although this particular fish was by estimation somewhere in the mid 40 inch inch range. They need to be 50 inches in this lake to make them a keeper. Besides, I would only do catch and release anyways.

I had two holes bored, both eight inches in diameter. I kept jigging the small perch rig with my right hand, and in my left began to jig the larger "attractor" spoon that I typically deploy when getting started for the day. It tends to bring more fish in from around the circumference of where I am set up in the shanty.

The muskie came over and stared down the 4" Rapala jigging Rap and then coasted away. I had a hunch that it would return, and sure enough...it came back a total of 14 times over a 2 hour period! Each time I was ready with a new lure deployed, and on the 4th visit (let's call it a "she"), she grabbed a tiny perch spoon that I had down in the other hole. I paused, set the hook, and she came zooming straight up at the hole at me! I freaked out, trying to quickly reel in slack, and before I knew it she was gone. Oh my gosh was I shaking!

On the eighth visit she came up to my second boring again to check out a tiny perch jig that was tipped with a 2" Gulp scented minnow. She touched it with her nose as I watched...and then all of the sudden...grabbed it with all her might. Again, I paused, set the hook, and she began to do a series of alligator rolls beneath me to show off her beautiful side bars. Next...she throttled North and disappeared from view as the tiny little perch rod was starting to bend down to the cork handle. As soon as this happened, and the line went more taught, the jig popped out and it was over. Oh my...two good chances and I missed them both! Shame on me!

Figured that would be the end of it for the day, but much to my surprise she came back to continue checking out new lure offerings 6 more times! Muskie have a reputation for having huge appetites, and going after very large baits...but today she was in the mood for mere tidbits.

I completely gave up on going after perch and made a mission out of catching this behemoth. Alas...it was not to be. Tomorrow is a brand new day...and I plan to head back out there to spend the entire day...from sun up to sun down! Catching her would be the pinnacle of my ice fishing season! The yellow perch are going to take a back seat this week as I comb thru my tackle tonight and bring out a new series of offerings!

They also added to the three game total in the league. They bowled three games each time. And this was a coal miners league so as for as anyone else even having handicap’s I don’t know. I don’t bowl This could have just been them. I do know when my dad struck in the 9th the whole bowling alley quit bowling and watched. My father has been gone four years and I know he’s smiling at me telling the story. Sorry if it took away from the young man’s great accomplishment didn’t mean to Just bought back that memory and I thank him for it That young nan has a future in bowling if he chooses to pursue it. Good luck and you go young man 🇺🇸🐠on. Sorry for the long post