Dare I say it……The Rumors are TRUE!!!

I was afraid (although some what anticipating) this day might come sooner or later (it looks as if sooner rather than later)……but I’m a big enough man to admit when I am wrong…..I guess you guys were right…..Lake Zumbro is a TRUE trophy musky lake

HERE’S THE STORY:

Tonight two buddies and I were leisurely fishing crappies along the high banks……casting small jigs and such…..We were having a pretty laid back time, catching a fish here and there, when all of a sudden I hear my buddy gasp………MUSKY!!!

I look to my left (half thinking it was a joke, or that he actually saw a northern)…….but there he was, a gaint spotted MUSKY lying up next to the shore under an over hanging tree. “Catch him!”, I yell, knowing all we have on are crappie jigs . He casts up at the fish anyways, landing the jig right on its nose…..I’m expecting the fish to be scared away by the splash, but to my suprise the musky turns……looks…..and then attacks the poor defenseless crappies jig !!!

My buddy sets the hook and the battle is on …..how he was lucky enough to get this beast in the coner of the mouth is beyond me……But with 4# test line on a wimpy little panfish rod, the fight was a tense one (to say the least) . The fish made several suspense filled runs…..we hold our breath as we no one tooth to the line and it’s over .

Finally, after an epic battle, the fish supsides and slides on his side to the edge of the boat……Without a net ( ) I have the daunting task of getting the fish in the boat (I have enough trouble getting fish in the boat WITH a net )……but with trembling hands and tensions still running high, some how, some way, I’m able to gently cradle the beast with both hands and lift him over the side of the boat!!!

HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND!!!

What a thrilling experince! I can see why some guys go nutty for these things. A truely special catch, I’m just glad I was along to witness it (alhough somewhat jealous it wasn’t me hauling in the beast )

No ruler or scale in the boat, so we really have no clue or length on weight…….maybe you guys have a guess

I know everyone says it, but the picture just does not do this fish justice

Jake,
Great story too bad you had a camera.
by next week it will go 22 pounds I’m sure.

Reelly had me going there. Thought it was one of them great musky stories that would cause a mount to be made. Low and behold…….
Long way to go yet sad to say. Just think – if you caught that with a crappie jig, guess how big of a fish you’ll get when you use a spinner bait for bass
Sure is a good looking fingerling thou.

And that my friends is MY HERO!!!!!!!
I may need to find someone else…
good story until i got to the picture though
hilarious

Was that the musky, or what u tipped the crappie jig with??? lol

I’d say it weigh about the same as a bucket of bullheads!!!

Made me laugh and wake the kids! Great story!

Yep, I can see it took both of your hands to craddle that big one. I imagine all your TFCs are that big hey. Now all you have to do is catch a northern that big and I, like Mark, will have to say you are my hero. I hope when I grow up that I can be just like you Jake. Congrats!

Thanks, Bill

They put the dang things in my fave crappie lake a few years back. I have caught them up to 40 in on 4 lb with a 9 foot eagle claw rod. I would rather have the 15-17 inch crappie back. Meanwhile I am waiting for a shotgun season on these vermin…

you screw ball!!!!!!!!

You’ve spent way to much time in school. How to write a 1000 word essay with only a sentence worth of info. Been there buddy. Nice story.

That was great

Thanks Jake. Had a bad day at work, read that and chaged my whole outlook.

Hey, I do what I can

and at least this story is clean enough that the DNR guys can’t get mad at me…….

Great story Jake.

Jake Jake Jake!!!!!!!

Oh geez……maybe I was wrong again

Some people just can’t take a joke!!! (hence, the new signiture)

I just had to post the following. Congrats to Jake for defending himself:

———————————————————–

On another note. In the day of computer technology and all of the wonders we can get from it, we have seen of late the picture of a fingerling muskie , caught by anglers in a boat captained by someone professing to be a guide for the lake where this fish was taken. And presumably returned to the water. For those who do not know, the muskie seaon begins in June…on the 4th. The poster of the picture gave a detailed account of how this small fish was targeted by those in his boat. Doesnt matter legally that they were using crappie gear, they saw this fish and targeted it. This is a violation of game laws. The whole thing may have been done for fun, but the laws are in place to protect small fish for a reason.

Elsewhere on this site it was just mentioned that FishingMinnesota is the #1 fishing site on the internet documented proof to back up the claim. One of the reasons that FM has the distinction of being #1 is that it does not promote or tolerate this kind of illegal activity. It sure makes me glad to be in the company of those who care enough about the sport of fishing to obey the rules.

___________________________________________________________

On the musky note, I have read about the instance you mentioned, and boy has it got me peaved. I’ve printed out a copy of the report and plan to send it to our local DNR authorities. Here the DNR is trying to develop and bring a musky fishery to SE Minnesota and we have people like this stressing these young fish just so they can get a picture and brag about it on the internet.

___________________________________________________________

Gentlemen (and I use the term loosely),

This will be my only post on this site concerning the subjects at hand. I will try my best to stay within the guidelines.

Honestly, I would like to know your motivations for bringing this issue over to this site in the first place. I know this site prides itself on good clean info. with little to no bashing of others, although you seem to be doing just that?

Crappie Tom:

I am not nor have ever “professed” to be a guide on Lake Zumbro. This title was given to me in jest after a casual website gathering of sorts on the lake last winter, in which I choose the location to fish. I do not guide for money anywhere.

If you knew me, which you clearly do NOT, you would know that I have the utmost respect for all fish and game species. I do not poach and I do not knowingly break or bend any laws. I consider myself to be a sportsman of sportsman’s, practicing catch and release almost exclusively (I spent over 100 days on the water last year, keeping only two meals of fish for myself). As I am sure you do, I truly cherish the resource we have available to us in Lake Zumbro.

Now, as far as the alleged post that is in question, this was quite obviously made up and meant to be viewed in a humorous fashion. We did not “target” this fish, just as I did not “gently cradle the beast with both hands and lift him over the side of the boat” nor did “the fish make several suspense filled runs”. The whole entire story was false!!! The fish was caught on accident on a crappie jig while fishing for crappies. The fish was released immediately after a quick snap shot was taken. I thought it was pretty clear that the story was completely made up, but if you did not understand this, I apologize.

But from now on I am politely asking you to leave whatever beef you may have with others or me on that site to private messages or e-mail.

Down to Earth:

Could you please explain to me how me handling this young fish would be any more “stressing” to it now than it would be in 2 weeks?

Also, if this so called incident has got you that “peeved”, I suggest you take a deep breath and count to 3. I may be young, but I do know there are many things in this world that one could get upset over (poaching is one of them for me), but this was defiantly NOT one of those things. Lighten up and take a joke for a joke.

If you still truly feel this is worth the time and effort of our hard working DNR men out there, I would be more than happy to speak with them. But in dealing with them before, I know they don’t like petty internet disputes like this disrupting or taking away time from their real job.

If either of you or anyone else has anymore questions or concerns, please feel free to post up or contact me through the other site, as that is where I’ll be.

Good Day,

Jake

———————————————————–

Good Fishng,

Mike

Jake,

Can you send me your email address? I couldn’t find it on your profile. I’d like to discuss further off line. thanks.

Andy

This is utterly ridiculous. If you people can’t handle a “fish Story” then you need to take up a different hobby. Everyone that checks this board on a regular basis knows Jake wouldn’t be so dumb to fish for fish in the wrong season, have you ever caught a fish that you werent fishing for? I know this very rarely happens to people that thye may be fishing for walleye and catch a perch or fishing for bass and you catch a northern, but it happens boys get over it, we all had a little fun with the story and that is all it is, a story. Lay off and if you are really worried about the fisheries then take your families to any lake or stream in the area and clean up for a few hours, do this weekly that CAN HELP, Yelling at someone on the internet THAT CAN’T HELP, do something that matters in life don’t live life mad at others, you can’t change their behavior (nor in this case do you need to change any behaviors) you can only make your own choices, cleap a loacl fishery, that will help. One more thing, RELAX and enjoy life more.
Mark Moranyou have beef with me, pm me directly with a phone number and we can talk, but remember Jake is my hero and that story was hilarious

Even though I have heard many stories of why, for the first time I ”see” with my own eyes, why many people have left another site and are upset with them and now truly know why their audience is greatly declining. Its plain to see in Jakes post that it a joke yet some chose to cause trouble over this joke. After a post made last winter by Jake on ice fishing on Lake Zumbro ”I” changed Jakes title from member to Official Lake Zumbro Guide for FUN. Jake is a college student with a great imagination and ability to express that imagination in words and a friend of mine and I know, along with everyone else who knows him, that the musky post was a joke. Lets lighten up here please, fully read the post and you will fully understand its fun, and lets all get along and enjoy and go fishing. We ALL love our sport so what do you say we stick together promoting fishing because a house divided falls and Peta would love to see that. Our love for fishing should bind us all together and the future of our sport depends on just that happening. We ALL have the same goal of sharing fishing with everyone so lets concentrate on that which is important and go fishing.
Thanks, Bill

Jake, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Those of us who know you, know that no, you are not on the DNR’s top 10 list of violators. Rather a fun loving kid with a great imagination and a real fondness for the sport of fishing. The story was a hoot and unfortunately, a couple of holier then thos didn’t get it. Attacking you in that fashion is totally unexceptable and they committed personality suicide in doing so.
I do find it very amusing that the so called #1 site is over here reading our posts. Interesting to say the least. But then again someone has to track down hardened criminals and bring them to justice.

Jake, I think you handled that very well. Bill your reply was right on. Lets all go fishing.

Sadly Jake, I knew someone wouldn’t see the humor in your post. I honestly think your hilarious. As far as FM goes, it’s full have half truths most of the time. They have a true hatred for this site and the foundation it has been built on. They were making up lies about James and Dustin at a landing on the Pond. I was standing there waiting in line, watching all this unfold. There were so many guys from FM that started jumping in making it up as they went. I, of course, couldn’t stand the BS. I proceeded to set them straight on the events and suddenly the thread got very “quiet”. FM is full of bs and liars in my opinion. If the owner or moderators don’t like your opinion, they delete your posts. I can proudly say I haven’t been on that site for months and don’t plan to ever again.

So, the next time you decide to stress one of those poor muskies, keep it to yourself!!!

The only reason I’m posting a reply here is because I know Jake, and his sense of humor. He makes me laugh. Thanks buddy.
I also know that as a website gains in popularity, it also gains in numbers of members.
Each site user has thier own set of values or characteristics, personality, or whatever you want to call it. That, in itself can be a problem when we can’t see who we are typing to when making a comment or joke or asking a question. Unless we know them well. Basically, you never know who is going to read your post and how they will interpret it. Some people will take it in a way opposite of how it was intended. Some will not read between the lines to see exactly what is being said.
Don’t be too hard on these guys. I think at one time or another, we’ve all made the same mistake.
Well, maybe not me.
All I’m trying to say is, the guys from the other site that got on Jake’s case about his story are probably pretty decent fellas and just didn’t see the joke like the rest of us did.
I got yer back Jake, but yer still a Whippersnapper.

Quote:

---

the guys from the other site that got on Jake’s case about his story are probably pretty decent fellas

---

Unfortunatly for the parties involved, I know a couple of people that would disagree with that .

Anywho, I’m over it. I vist that site very rarelly since I was banned over 2 years ago , and when I do I usually only check out the duck hunting forum…..I was actually directed to the two threads in question by a fellow member here . The comments that really had me “peeved” were on another thread that I see has already been deleted ..

But here’s to the real #1 fishing site on the web and all it’s wonderful members !!!

Now back to fishin

Jake
I have to say in a strees filled world that it is today we need more good humorus stories like yours. You are a talented writer. I hope to read more great stories. Some people are just too anal to take a good joke.

Jakes response has now been deleted from their website.

There are some good people at that website too.

Good Fishing,

Mike

Imagine that…….Banned again

All is can say us unbelievable. Some people really need to get a life.

Post deleted by ajw2