My first "BIG ONE"

[KJSnider]

I just recently moved to Albany and checked out a lake in the area to see if I could get any bites. Went out twice last week for about 4 hours each and never came home with an empty bucket. Usually one or two of nice eating walleyes, so I was happy.
Then on Sunday morning, after sitting there for a couple hours, with only getting a little cigar, my ice-buster slowly dropped below the ice. So I reel up my other line with the angle-eye a little bit, and proceed to grab the other pole. I set the hook, and something is on the opposite end. I could tell it was pretty decent size, because it made a couple of good runs. I was thinking ok, it must be a northern. After a couple of minutes, because of the warm weather on Saturday I could see it a little bit under the ice, I could see under my feet. And what my eyes saw almost made me dump my pants. This thing was huge. Now my heart was racing. I have caught a 24" in the open water before, but this was even bigger. When I got it through the hole and onto the ice, I think I did a little jig. This walleye was 30". I had to measure it twice. I was ecstatic. Only thing though was that I was alone. I had mentioned to my fiancé last week that I needed a disposable camera to throw in my tackle box. I thought about taking it home to get mounted, but only have one freezer right now, and it would not have fit in there. So I looked at it once more, measured it again, took a mental picture, and put it back. What a rush.

This little lake will remain nameless for now, but is in the Albany-Avon area. Not many people there at all. You'll just have to look for yourself, and know that there is a 30"er in it waiting to be caught again.

KJ

[SpikeRoberts]

Great story KJ. Congratulations on the 30" It's a milestone many anglers never reach. I'm happy to hear she's swimming but certainly couldn't hold it against you if you'd chosen to have it mounted.

[Aquaman01]

Nice fish, man! That calls for 3 WooHoos!

WooHoo!
WooHoo!
WooHoo!

Rob

[BDR]

Great fish KJ, It's never to late for a replica!

[Dan Wood]

Congrats KJ, that is a real nice fish. Next time bring the darn camera, eh

[rod bender]

Atta Boy KJ. Love the play by play, I'm still playing it in my own head. It takes a true sportsman to watch that one swim away!

[City_Slicker]

Awesome man!!. I fisht the area also. So many lakes around there I could not even guess what lake.

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Keep the fryin pan hot

[fishin9911]

Nice fish!!!!
I caught a 20" smallmouth this summer and didn't have a camera. I always have one now!!!!!!

[Mark Christianson]

KJ
Aint it a great feeling to catch something like that????
Better yet, letting it go, makes your chest stick out a bit more too.
(The last couple years my gut is still visible even when my chest puffs out after a nice released fish.)

A replica is just what the doctor ordered for you.
1. They aren't all that much more money than mounting the real thing.
2. The replicas last forever, where mounted fish can dry out and start looking cruddy.
3. If a replica falls off the wall because your kid was playing football and knocked it down, it can be fixed; where a mounted fish is only good for the garbage can.

You may not know the weight on it, but its pretty easy to figure out what a 30 inch walleye caught and released in late December would weigh.
Call a taxidermist and ask what the average weight is, or call your local DNR Fisheries office and ask them.
Or the guy you chose to have a replica made probably has a nice idea.
You can get close to what it should be.

It will look great on your wall.

Congrats.

[cvikes80]

Great story. Congrats and thanks for sharing it. Its fish like that that keep us coming back for our hand at it. Me though, i would have found a freezer to use .

[LocalGuide]

GREAT FISH!!!!!!!!!!
That had to be a huge rush! Were ya shacking a little bit after that one? LOL
Like when I caught my 29.5" it was a ton of fun! I also let that one go. Still looking for that 30" mark.

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AKA PikeEye 300