True Fish Tales
As Told By: Nam Nguyen

Two Trophy Muskies - One Weekend
Year: 2006

47-Inches (length), 24-Inch (girth)

Upon venturing into a small bay with the wind coming from our backs my first encounter with a musky was slowly following my brother's red Mepps spinner out of from the shallows. The fish wasn't active but after my brother casted his spinner in the direction of where it had gone the fish followed it again back to boatside. At the time my lure was half way back to the boat and the musky was in proximity of the lure. I twitched it once and let it flutter down when all of a sudden the musky opened his mouth and inhaled the minnow and swam with it... I set the hook and the fight was on! The fish ran from one side of the boat to the other and at one point had wrapped the line around a tree stump. Maneuvering the boat and keep a tight line the fish unwrapped itself and after a brief battle and quick photo the fish was released unharmed.

47-Inches (length), 22-Inch (girth)

This second one I encountered upon venturing into a small bay I made my first cast in the reeds, twitched it twice, and just like a torpedo the musky came out of the water and exploded on the lure! Unbelievable! I set the hook and connected. The fish took off and went deep. For a minute the fish didn't seem to want to come to the surface. My legs were trembling and after about 3 minutes I got the fish to the boat and landed it briefly for a photo before I released it.


Monster Musky at Boatside
Year: October 2001

The sun had just went down and the dusk started to settle in... It was a cool evening and my partner and I were out for a little musky fishing. I cast out a black topwater lure called the Hi-Fin Twin Teasertail over cabbage weeds in 7 feet of water and as I cranked a couple of turns on my baitcast reel I saw a large wake behind my lure that seem to follow with every turn of my reel handle... As the lure approached the boat I made a quick L-turn with my rod changing the direction of the Teasertail and out of nowhere a giant musky slammed the lure missing it by a few inches! KABOOOSH! Gone! In a split second... My body was shaking and my heart pulse racing. Although it's hard to say I really believe the musky I missed at boatside that evening would probably have been my biggest musky.

 

Practice Catch & Release.