I got a chance to get back up to Big V for one last trip this fall. We had some major fronts on the way when I left on Thursday morning. Knowing that the weather was going to get cold, windy, and the rain was going to turn into snow, only made the drive up seem to take forever. This time of year for me, is when I really get fired up. The water temps are dropping and the whitefish and cisco’s are moving up on the stones, and right behind them are some of the fattest muskies the system has to offer up. These are fish that I call basin fish or suspendo’s. They will spend the bulk of the summer months chasing the big schools of whitefish and cicso’s out over deep water. Suspendo’s are big fat eating machines, and this first fish of the trip was just that. She hit the bump board at an even 51 with a 23 inch girth. Man do I love fall!
There are a few things that I key in on at this time of year. Stones, stones and more stone. The piles with a feeding flat and deep water adjecent are where I focus my attention. These fish have a tendency to push up really shallow on the stones during the low light periods. If your not hitting rocks, your not going to see fish. That at times requires a cast to be placed as shallow as 2-3 feet of water. Working the bait back slow over the edge. This time of year when the water temps are dropping, I like to make a cast out, let the bait drop in the water, and then work it back slow. The fish are more glued to the rocks and the bottow. Keeping the bait in the stick zone longer is the name of the game in cold water.
Bait selection and color choice is also something to take into consideration. I like to use blue/silver, black/white and also pearl white this time of year. Match the bait fish and the fish will follow. I was really excited to hit the water this trip, I had a new package from Dunwright show up just prior to leaving for this trip. In it was a bunch of new colors in the Lifelike series. There was a cisco color. Blue and Silver and I knew right away that this bait was going to produce, and it did a number of times for me on this trip. I got a pike to come up and eat it right at the side of the boat. Looking down into the stained water as my bait was just about in sight, open mouth, full of teeth, and the blue and silver bait completely disappeared, all right at my feet. I did not get a measurement on the pike, just wanted to make sure we had a health release, and that we did.
This time of year the most important thing is being safe. That requires a hand full of things on the checklist prior to ever hitting the water. Life jackets and a few throwables in the boat are a must. Rope is always something that I have in the boat too. Handwarmers to put inside my gloves while casting. I also have about 4-5 pair of gloves along. The list is long, but my point is, this time of year is not the time to wing it. Make sure you are prepared for the worst and hope for the best. As this trip came to an end, and an early end due to the weather. Reels where freezing up on us very fast in a wind that was 25-MPH, and any spray off the boat froze instantly. The boat floor was a skating rink, and that was about where we put the fork in it. Be smart and be safe. We were only able to fish for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday was a wash as well. We packed up and hit the road early on Sunday. If you are going to hit the water yet this fall, please be safe and smart, and fish with a partner.
Happy Lunge Hunting!
here are a few more pics
Pimp daddy slick is at it again! Nice
Only one word comes to mind when I see you holding that mega ski…….DESERVING!!
Can’t wait to get my hands on that cisco squirrely tail, that should be good on any lake
Great report Bob and props for a reminder on cold water saftey.
Nicely done doood! Musta been a little chilly out there.
Toad-o-saurus!
Nice fish buddy…Those windy cold days are tough to pound through, but when you have a chance at a fish of that caliber potentially awaiting your determination….its all forgotten!
You’ve got a great season going, Bob. Way to go!
Real impressive fishing, Bob! Makes me wanna move up there!
Very nice fish ,great report,fishing in weather like that one deserves fish like that…
Awesome fish, Bob! Great job!
The musky version of a 200 class buck!
Very nice fish Bob! Biggest of the year? I am amazed that when the hooks poked into her she didn’t explode!!!
Thanks for all the kind words guys
Chris, I am not sure about weight, but the biggest so far in length this year was a 52. I think this fish runs really close in weight with this one I got in September.
This was the 52, however she was not holding the girth like the others
Wow Awesome fish!
Excellent report Bob and congrats once again on a successful trip!
I keep on thinking that you’ve had an unbelievable year but then I remember that this is just a normal thing for you day in and day out putting 50 inch fish in your boat! 
Thanks man, but this year has been FANTASTIC for me. I would not call it the norm, this has been the exception, and I am loving every minute of it. I just hope the horse shoe stay lodged right where it is at
Great Report Bob, very impressive Fish!!
Holy Cow Bob
You’re a machine
Nice Fish
If you’re hoping for that I’d suggest stocking up on the preperation “H”
Congrats again man
Man, I don’t generally post a lot on this site, but I think this calls for one. I’ve been following your muskie reports all summer, dude you are a muskie fishing beast! I caught one ski all year, 46 inch tiger, which was nice, but I gotta step it up next year! Congrats on an awesome year man, I hope I can conjure up a fraction of those fish sometime in the future…
Pics are great. Video is better. You need to check out some of the video from this trip to Vermilion Lake!
Click here >>> Bob Bowman – Vermilion Lake
Thanks
I am glad that you have enjoyed my reports. Feel free to post or ask questions. There are a lot of great folks on this site, with a lot of really good info to share. Over the years I have had a chance to meet up and fish with a lot of new friends from IDO. Thanks, Bob
46″ tiger, now that is one big tiger. Congrats
My good friend Max also found some success on this very same trip. His partner had to cancel last minute, but Max was not going to let that stop him, nor was he going to let the weather stop him either, and in return he was reward with 2 very nice fish. Max stayed with our group, but fished alone in his boat. There is one thing that you will notice in the photos of Max, and that is a safty rope that he attached to the boat and also to his bibs. Max also had a life vest on the entire time he was out on the water. The vest he had on was under his jacket, but trust me it was on all the time. There is one thing I have to mention about Max, he is an animal. Max came back in on Saturday about an hour after we had docked the boat. Every piece of him was frozen. His jakcet, his boots, his boat, everything was glazed over. Being out alone Max knew that being safe was his main focus. Max found his fish shallow on rocks as well. He trolled one up with a big Dunwright Crank, and the other came on a Cisco colored Dunwright Lifelike. Sorry for the delay in the photos. Max had his camera out in the boat and filmed himself land both of these fish, and it took a little time to get the still shots of his camcorder. Congrats on your catches Bud, you worked you butt off for both of those fish
Great looking fish Max, congrats on the hard work too!
Surprised I didn’t see any crab pots on deck