Whats your most memorable fish?

[icebum1]

Mine would have to be with grand dad . He was 92 at the time. we didnt catch any big ones but did we ever get into some nice gills. That was the last time I was able to get him out. plenty of fish and cold beer. It doesnt get much better for me.

[TV BOY]

A Northern I caught last summer, and I have the scar to remind me of it. We were fishing bass and a slime rocket grabbed the spinner. After getting him to the boat I was going to show my wife how to grab him by the jaw "as seen on TV" style and let him go. I got the hook out... he spazed and his gill plate sliced my thumb wide open. Blood running down my arm I said I think we will be having shore lunch today

[cliffy]

Mine would have been a 43 inch musky my father caught last summer. I was fishing for musky and he was fishing for bass.....he caught his first ever musky and I caught nothing. However, watching him battle that fish on lite tackle and seeing the smile on his face when he got it in the boat was priceless!

[Walleye Guy]

A 50.5 x 26.5 muskie I caught on a crappie jig and 6 lb line back in 1983!!! I battled it for 50 minutes before finally landing it.

My dad was so nervous that he took at least 20 pictures in a 2 minute span and most of them have a good portion of the top of my head cut off.

I released the fish and 10 years later bought a replica.....

[Harmonica Bear]

Oh... there are so many.

Hmmm.. Winter camping in the BW, did the snowshoe thing, and camped on Duncan Lake for a few days. A couple of small lakers were caught, but on the 2nd to last day I nailed a 17lber (using a tip-up/dead smelt) It was absolutely incredible. Brought that pig in hand over hand, and everytime I even got it close to the hole, off it would go again on these line-burning runs. I will never forget it. By the time I got it in (and it took a while), everyone who was fishing and camping with us had gathered around. When it came out of the hole all I can say is the big fish dance began and the party on ice hit new extremes. Me or any of us had ever caught or expected to catch a trout of that size. It was like a religous experience. I'll never forget it.

[This message has been edited by Harmonica Bear (edited 01-27-2004).]

[upnorth]

My most memorable fish was probably a 10# Steelhead caught on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It was a fresh chrome bright hen caught in early April shortly after ice out on the rivers. Ain't too many of them floating around the North Shore anymore, at least not native Steelhead.

[uffdapete]

Only one?? How about 3.

First would have to be the biggest northern my dad caught on what would be one of his last fishing trips at about 80 years old.
It was only about 15 lbs. but the smile on his face was priceless. I don't ever remember my dad losing a fish to a broken line and he didn't this time either.

Second would have to be a 38" x 25" King Salmon on Lake Michigan. He ripped off 250 yds of 20 lb. mono like there was no drag and after 45 minutes finally came to the net.

Last would be a 52" sturgeon on Rainy River on a medium light rod with 6 lb. mono. while fishing for smallies. That battle took 70 minutes.

[EBass]

Good topic, but yeah only one??

Well if it's only one I guess I'll go with my biggest fish to date which is a 38" Flathead on the MN river at the cat gathering last late summer. I caught it on cut bait (going for channels) and tangle with this pig of a beast. I don't know how much it weighed, but it fought so hard. All I could do is hold on tight when it decided to make it's runs. Also caught a largemouth a little over 21" that same day. Not there though. OK so I put two on here

[phin101]

I'd have to say the 24" steelhead I caught out of the blackhoof while fishing with my boss. He's a fly fisherman and is always telling me I should start fishing the real way. I tie my own jigs, called the Johnny Craw, and tell him he has to give the fly rod a rest and try a Craw if he really wants to catch a big fish. I got the best of that day. Hasn't fished with me since... Maybe I should have let him win, eh.

[Ole1855]

I agree, only one.

First would be the first big walleye my son caught on Mille Lacs when he about 8 years old, it was around 5# and you should have seen the smile on his face.

Second would be the 32" Walleye I caught on Mille Lacs in June of 2000, it was immediately returned!!!

And last would be the 35" Walleye my buddy and I found floating dead on top of the water, off Hunters Point on the east side of Mille Lacs, we tried to bring it in and have my taxidermy friend mount it but it was so decayed it started coming apart. One thing I'll never forget about that fish is the eye sockets, the eyes were gone, but the sockets were as big around as a silver dollar.

Ole

[LocalGuide]

Mine would be a 38.5" 16lb Pike I caught 2 years ago on a small lake.
It was the best fight I have ever had for a fish that big. That fish was released.
For walleyes it was a 29.5" fish that I caught in Sask on Lake Diefenbacker. That fish was very heathy and fought nice'n hard. That was when I was younger so I let it go again but only b/c it was a 1/2" short (Dads Rules!).

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AKA PikeEye 300

[Dan DAN the fisherman]

Mine would be my first 10lb+ walleye I caught fishing with my Dad when I was 10 years old. We were fishing the St. Lawrence river below the Robert Moses Power Dam In an old boat my Dad had bought that year. After we landed it the motor konked out and we floated way down river through rapids before we could get the boat over to a dock down stream about 10 miles from where we had started.
Dan

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[76k20]

hmmm... I would have to say that the most memorable fish i caught was a 16" crappie. The biggest crappie I have ever seen in person which was also the first fish caught in my new boat.

[This message has been edited by 76k20 (edited 01-27-2004).]

[deputydan]

Without a doubt it was the 51 inch muskie that I caught in the metro area two years ago. I was with my two brothers and it was one of the best experiences of my life. They took a roll and a half of pictures (since none of us thought I was going to land it)and then released it. I have never fished without a camera since then. It was a once in a life time experience.

[opsirc]

my was several years ago. My brother in law and I were fishing up on basswood. we crossed over into canadian waters without knowing it. any way I hooked and landed a 8+ lb walleye. up comes a boat with a game warden and a canadian warden. needless to say it costs us $30 each. got to keep the fish, most expensive fish dinner I ever had.

O
"work is for people who don't fish"

[andy j]

I have a few also,
1) Biggest bass I have ever caught, I was probably about 13 years old, was out on the lake I grew up on in Iowa, hot day, calm, 24 inch largemouth, old fish, huge head, caught her probalbly right after see spawned out. I was shaking like a leaf, only bass I have ever kept. On the wall now
2) 30 inch walleye I caught on hebert lake north of brainard a few years back, hot, sunny day fishing for bass with shallow running crank. Super clear water, saw the fish follow and at first thought it was a pike, hit about 10 feet from the boat, saw the whole thing, just hammered that crank. The goldest, prettest walleye I have ever seen.
3) the best action for big fish I have ever seen, I have caught a lot of big pike, but one morning on one small cabage weed patch, My friend and I caught at least a dozen pike over 37 inches biggest 40 inches, in about half/hour, all on one spot, they were just stacked that little weed patch. Unbelievable action.

[cloudfisher]

Mine would be fishing with my family at Pelican Lake next to Orr. My dad said mounting size for a bluegill was 2lb or more. I was 10 yrs old at the time. My fish came in at 1lb 14oz. Man, did we catch fish and have fun though. Every blue we put back was at least 1lb. and getting our limit in 4-5 hours at these sizes was easy, too easy. Now I go to the Copper Lantern and see what would have been my fish hanging on the wall.

[cattailcrew1]

Mine wood have to be a fat 44 inch Northern. It was in the BWCA. We were trolling back to camp in our canoe. I thought I had snagged a log at first, then she ran. It took 15 minutes to hand land. My buddy had to land with bare feet and a spilt tackle box (you know the results). We were both shaking as we nursed her back to release her.

[Bobb-o]

i have a tie for my two most memorable: one was a 36" northern that left some pretty scars on my hand, and the other is a 17 1/2 inch crappie i caught while bass fishing one day. both were released.

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Diplomacy - The art of saying "nice doggie" while you find a rock.

[Steve Foss]

My most memorable fish is the last one I caught. In this case, a 21-inch, 3-lb laker football that tasted wonderful.

Maybe I'll have another most memorable fish next time out. Hope so.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Matt Breuer]

Three are tied for first:

1) Last weeks 41.25" piker on 4 lb. test.

2) The wife's first 16"+ crappie.

3) The wife's 1 lb. 13 oz. bluegill last summer.

The most memorable fish I never touched:

1) MJ5's head-shaker at the Winnie event.

2) A 40" + musky I fought for 65 minutes which was almost caught on a crappie which was coming up to the boat.

I also had a client hook a loon last summer pitching jigs for 'eyes. The loon picked it out and tossed it at the boat, thank god!!

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Matthew J. Breuer
Northcountry Guide Service
[email protected]
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Custom Jigs and Spins
Phelps Tackle
Stone Legacy
Ice Leaders

[This message has been edited by Matt Breuer (edited 01-27-2004).]

[icebum1]

I think every one so far has had a good moment. Does'nt it make you happy to remember the times you had with people you care about? Not about slot limits or who is drilling a hole next to me, or even yet the demise of the human race all together(LOL) I'ts just about going , Catch a fish don't catch a fish Ijust love the outdoors. Still like to fill the bucket though

[rockhardinmn]

for me the best ones are the ones my kids have caught. although none of the 3 have caught any fish that were big enough to be mounted .for me,i have a 16-1/2" crappie on the wall. i set inch standards for myself years ago . missed haveing walleys and smallys on the wall by 1/4 " . as for the kids : the girls having to watch dad clean fish and squeal every time one wiggled;the oldest liz handing her grand parents the sunnies and crappies her and i caught on different trips ;Kate's best was on red lake.with her ,joe and i in a fish trap2 fishing crappies and her catching in her words " stinking walleyes instead. broke my heart to tell her she couldnt keep them . Hence the term "stinking walleyes";for my son joe it is his 1st walleye hands down. just got his line in the water after untangling our lines and rebaiting my linehe says " dad i could use a little help here " i looked to see which way his line was going and there was a 24-1/2" 4.5lb wally waiting to be netted.all i could say was holy dump joe . there was a few good friends on the lake at that time and he had to go show off his catch on the lake and at the bait shop.
big fish or little fish ,, for me it dont matter ,, its the people i have been with that have made the fish best

[The Yeti]

I have 3:
- 9 1/2 walleye. Lake of the Woods. One of several fish between 7-10 pounds in our group in 3 days. Unbelievable. Trip of a life time!
- 40+ inch musky on Tonka last year. My first musky ever. Very cool.
- My girlfriend (now wife) caught her first ever walleye, 4 pounds, on her first ever ice fishing trip. I took her to Mille Lacs 2 years ago. She was jumping around on the ice she was so excited.

[kingkidfisher4431]

Well my bigest fish was a 28 inch 8 pound walleye, my biggest crappie was a 3 lb fat 16.75 inch crappie, a 39 inch 15 lb pike, seen many others too, my dad caught a huge muskie with me in boat almost 42 inches big steelies on the ester river and salmon, some big brookies out of an old miners lake in ely that were 17''+, all fun and all released besides the 3 craps we caught out of bear Island lake they are getting mounted, a 16.5 and two others right up in that range!