My son Alex, myself and our neighbor (Glenn) went to LK Zumbro yesterday. Alex got skunked, Glenn got a mixed bag. I got two N Pike.
This one is a 30″, est. weight in the 6-7# range (depending on whose chart/formula you use). Caught this on a brown spinner bait w/ a orange brown skirt and #4-5 gold willow leaf spoon. Felt a sensation of weight, and the line moving off, then the fish got more active once I set the hook – it made several good runs – took some line, and had to play on both sides of the boat, etc. Rod is one by Mike Fisher, which I bought at HOF late last summer – reel is a Amb.4600. This one is back in the water for another fight.
This is the other pike I caught – this one is 25.5″ and 4-5#(depending on the chart) – also weighed it on a spring scale at 4#. We were drifting in the Dry Run Creek area – chasing suspended blips on the sonar – Glenn had got a nice sunfish and white bass, so I switched to a collapseable 16′ crappie rod (cane pole style – no reel) w/ 6# test, and a #6 gold hook tipped w/ a small leech, about 14′ of line on the rod. Felt a hit, set the hook – and nothing moved except the rod tip – downward! I couldn’t budge it for about 20 seconds, the line was just a singing, it was so taunt. I was starting to think “snag” when it finally it started to come up, but it was a long way from being played out. I tryed to get it in fast once it was up, but missed the net on the 1st try. At that point, the fish was out of the water entirely (leap), but managed to keep it hooked. Then, I saw the line wrapped around a gill plate and was figuring the line would get cut, but it rolled free, and we finally got it netted. As we got it in the boat – the line parted! What a rush! That was the most tugging I’ve felt on a rod in a long time. I’d like to try that again. This one I kept for the frying pan.
Right after that it started to rain, so we headed in.
UG
Thanks for the report and with specifics too. Way to go! Thanks, Bill