June 18th is Go Fishing Day. Fishing is the perfect opportunity to spend time outdoors with friends and family. Without deadlines, rush hour, and the weekly crunch, it provides a chance to connect with nature and relax. Fishing can provide an enhanced appreciation for the world around us and for the finer things in life. Studies have shown that in addition to a great pastime, fishing can help boost your immune system, improve cardiovascular health and balance, and teach self-reliance. All eight Buchheit retail stores will have a Buchheit Buddy fishing workshop, Casting Call on Saturday, July 8, from 9 am to 11 am. You can register for the event here. At Buchheit’s we understand the joys of fishing and you can find the perfect gear for your next fishing trip in our Sporting Goods section. In honor of the day, here is the latest fishing story from muskie fisherman, Merle Schmierbach.
I made my first cast with the jerkbait near some weeds just barely visible beneath the muddy water. Popping the rod to make it dance nearly in place, a large wake suddenly appeared 15 yards to my left and sped directly toward the hapless lure.
A couple of hours earlier I had arrived at Kinkaid about midafternoon and was shocked to see the normally clear blue water heavily laden with mud and about the color of strong coffee with a dose of cream. I stood in the parking lot for some time wondering if it was even worth launching the boat and trying to fish in that mess. The debris line on the shore marked the location of high water over the weekend and even though the lake was still above its normal pool it had been at least a couple of feet higher within the last day or two.
What was the point of making this trip if I was not even going to try to fish? I worked to psych myself up to at least make an attempt but was not having a whole lot of luck. Mark Twain once said that the Mississippi River was too thick to drink and too thin to plow. I could definitely relate to that looking at the coloration of this water. Snapping on a bright white spinnerbait, I slowly lowered it into the water. About 3 inches down it disappeared from sight. Visibility was about 6 inches in a lake where you normally can see 4-5 feet or more. How would the fish relate to this rapid and drastic change in their environment? I motored around and tried to get my bearings in the muck and finally decided to move as far as possible back into some coves in search of clearer water. Once I got there I really couldn’t tell much of a difference but began fishing along the bank with that same spinnerbait.
An hour later I hadn’t moved any fish. Pairs of Canada geese, scattered about the lake, were herding groups of fuzzy young goslings. Some of the adults occasionally objected to my presence and kicked up quite a ruckus until I was deemed no longer a threat or they simply lost interest. I drifted for quite some time trying to get in tune with what the fish might be doing. I headed for a large flat and began fishing a noisy topwater bait slowly and methodically, reasoning that the wake it created along with the gurgling tail spinner would announce its presence to any interested parties despite the diminished visual cues. I worked through the area for nearly an hour without any success. I decided to switch tactics again and this time put on a jerkbait with an exceedingly gaudy color pattern called fire tiger.
The fish was moving so fast toward the bait that she broke the surface of the water and was clearly visible. She accelerated and her head came up in an arc in a final lunge toward my lure. I watched her toothy jaws open wide and viscously crush the jerkbait as it was floating upward and about to resurface. As the hooks connected she immediately somersaulted backward into the air once and then again before diving toward the bottom with my jerkbait in tow. Line stripped off my reel as she made several sizzling runs. My heart was pounding and I was having a hard time getting any air into my lungs as the adrenal surged through my body. What a rush!
Having no confidence in the lake conditions can have negative consequences. I suddenly realized I did not have my landing net deployed. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the size of a muskie net, I use a StowMaster TS116Y, which folds to 18” x 50” but once the handles extend and the net rims unfold it measures a whopping 116” long with a hoop that is 36 x 38” across – the net is at least 60” deep and functions as a boatside livewell for the fish. Deployment normally requires both hands but in this instance, I had to hold onto the rod with my right hand and keep the line tight to the fish while putting the net together with my left. For future reference, it’s a good idea to deploy the net before you begin fishing. It took me a little while to achieve but fortunately, the fish cooperated and calmed down considerably. I got all 43” of her into the net on the second attempt and easily removed the hook. After taking a couple of quick pictures I lowered the net and sent her on her way.
