Muskie Time 2011...
Travis Frank
Ready. Set. Fish! In case you have been living under a rock for the past few days, Saturday was the final Minnesota opener of the season. The "official" opener for 2011. For many of you, it's the only season that matters. It's muskie time!
Judging by the view of the metro lakes this weekend, many of you got the memo about the opener. I feel kind of dumb admitting this, but I might have been the last muskie diehard to wet a line this year. I didn't start my season until about 7:30 PM on Sunday night. Approximately 43 and a half hours into the game. Several factors kept me from chasing the toothy fella's sooner. As it turns out, the old saying still holds true. Good things come to those who wait!
Call it mojo, luck, or "the right place at the right time," but we got it done last night. Joined by my muskie friend Matt Hennen, we were both primed for the game. Fish numbers 1 and two reminded me why they are the toughest freshwater fish to catch. "Fish on," followed by, "fish off" were repeated twice. Maybe it was rust, but that's how it goes in the muskie world. Truthfully, I didn't deserve a fish in my first 30 minutes of casting. It just wouldn't have seemed right. As the sun set and darkness fell over us, Matt was hooked up on the figure eight and mayhem ensued. Perfection!
The muskie Gods were smiling on us and 5 casts later, I hooked another. Both fish were in the 43 inch range. Nothing massive, but a good way to start our season and end the night. In our short 3 hours of muskie fishing, we managed to catch 2, lose 2, and see 5 others. I feel pretty good about that kind of action. Now, if I can only keep this average up? Ha, I wish! I am once again looking forward to a great year on the water. It promises to be filled with many great people, laughs and trophy encounters. I hope to yell "fish on" over and again. I also hope that you enjoyed your muskie opener and found a couple of takers. If there is anything I can do to make your 2011 season a little brighter, please let me know. Until the next muskie strikes, keep on living your dream!