A few years back I was looking for a new landing net. I traded a few emails with Dean Marshall looking for suggestions regarding the Beckman series of landing nets. At this point Dean said; “PT 262443. That is what all of us use, works great on the pond as well. There is cheaper stuff that will work or get ya by….but just not a Beckman. One of those muskie or big pike on the pond will destroy most of the other products.” This net has served me well. I really like the telescoping handle for scooping fish when I am pulling leadcore.
Enough with the back story…
Yesterday Tyler, Peggy and I braved the predicted 13-16 MPH winds and 30% chance of rain. Remember that on Mille Lacs you always use a multiplier of two for the wind prediction. We got out to the deep gravel and drifted rigs with leeches and crawlers. Peggy struck first with a nice 18 incher. A short while later she picked up another at around 20 inches. It was at about this point that I could see that the heavy wave action and rocking of the boat was getting to Peggy. We made a change to pulling spinners thinking that trolling at about 1.3 MPH in the same direction as the waves would ease the pitching and rolling of the boat. We made two passes and were able to pull a few keeper sized fish before Peggy had had enough and needed to get back to shore. Once back to the landing we had a sandwich and some chips. Peggy instructed Tyler and I to go back out while she took a nap and lay in the sun while reading a book once she woke.
Tyler and I picked up where we left off catching keeper and a few over size fish on most every pass. And then it happened…… Tyler’s rod was in the holder and doubled over. He picked it up and started reeling, but I noticed that the he was not making any progress and line was actually going out like he was snagged. I tightened up the drag some and he started bringing in some line, but at this point I thought he had snagged something off the bottom of the lake, so I took over for a short while. Well, it didn’t take me long to figure out the he did indeed have a fish on. The rod was immediately given back to Tyler and the battle was on. The fish was finally close enough to the boat where we could see the fish and attempts at netting it were possible. Tyler’s eyes were as wide as silver dollars and words of disbelief kept falling from his mouth. After one stressful attempt I thought we might lose the fish because the bell sinker on the 3-way found its way into the mesh of the landing net when the fish made a run. Luck was on our side as we gingerly pulled in the net and unwrapped the sinker freeing the rig for Tyler to fight the fish again. It took two more tries and we were finally able to get the fish into the net and haul it in. At this point Tyler was whooping, hollering and fist pumping. That was definitely a high stress situation getting that fish into the net. It was nice to actually breathe again.
This fish was caught in about 30 feet of water. I have never caught a toothy fish of this caliber and am amazed at the sheer girth and strength of this fish and the dang thing was heavy. I had nothing in the boat to measure its length as I’m a walleye guy with a bump board that only stretches to 30”. Based on the numerous sturgeon trips I have made, I’m guessing this fish was around the 48-50 inch mark. Its back had to be 8” across. I have no idea of the weight of this fish other than it was heavy.
The fish did leave us a souvenir lying on the bottom of the boat. It was a large tooth that fell out of the muskie’s mouth.
The first picture was taken once I handed the fish to Tyler. I love the expression on his face.
Well done Tyler!! 
