It is the work and the result which makes muskie fishing special. “A grind well spent,” in all the years I have chased fish from homes in the north and south, and during travels across Canada too, there are some species which I’d consider ultimate angling experiences, and muskies are surely one of them.

As usually scheduled, this year my muskie season got underway in September. Through the following six plus weeks I gave myself, family and a few friends ample time to get plenty fishing in. Here are their stories and mine…
.

KEITH.

Keith and I have fast become friends having met a few years back on Lake Nipigon. Great company and a wonderful family to spend time with, from Thunder Bay he flew east to see me and fish muskies for a week. Having never caught one before there was only just this little spider monkey on my back from our onset. Find Keith one muskie first and hopefully keep going from there…

Keith is a walleye crusher! Prior to Covid the dude was often and well known for being atop the leader boards and a repeat champion of the NWO walleye tournament scene around Thunder Bay. During the pandemic he switched gears, stepping away from that commitment and more into the relaxed times spent camping, trout fishing and hunting too. Keith’s an angler with a very fishy sense and, I think because walleye was his strong suit for so long, he’s not afraid to take some slower approaches to things. He can really dissect the water with his arsenal of techniques and his experience bodes well to thinking things apart. Whereas I might be a little too run-and-gun on some stuff, relying on my own proven methods, I have known Keith to use different approaches and methodically make spots produce fish which I’ve otherwise abandoned. We both open each others eyes to new ideas.

Aboard to muskie fish Keith was the patient but persistent partner who endured six out of seven days with tougher winds. He would get his first muskie, graduate to bigger then bigger again and finally find himself over that “fifty” benchmark and into the club many want to join. The day Keith caught his fifty-incher happened to be on the 10-year Anniversary of my first St. Lawrence muskie and still, my personal best! Neither of us will forget the date.

We didn’t slay a lot of skis yet remained consistent after taking the only skunk on our day one during huge, almost unfish-able blows. On the very last evening together we both had a giant come unbuttoned on us, these fish do win from time-to-time. But, I fully believe Keith went home to Thunder Bay feeling rather satisfied with his trip and trophies and it’s my bet he’d fish ‘em again if he can.
.

.

.

.

.

.

MACK.

Past couple autumns Mack and I have spent a number of days in the boat together. What’s weird is we can’t hardly catch fish in Bambalam but once we’re out in his rig, we only catch giants!

Mack showed me a few lures he’d collected for muskie fishing when we first met last year. Admittedly a walleye angler, he’d connected with the odd muskie which developed into a bigger interest the seasons to come. Initially looking over his lures and gear, I remember Mack held out this one bait you could tell he liked the most. (I liked it alot too) Take that lure Mack I told him, troll it this far back behind the boat at this depth over this much water… of course I was much more specific. Well, he did as suggested and immediately started boating muskies, including some big ones! When I finally caught up to him again this year it was evident he’d come down with the fever reeeeal bad! New boat, new rods, reels, lures… Mack had grabbed onto alotta new shit to go along with his growing intentions for boating bigger skis.

An entire season on a rather relentless chase, Mack had been right off to the races and getting some W’s. Young man with great energy, talents and fishambiton he surely has me believing that whatever he wants to reach out for, he’ll turn it to gold. We’d spend plenty time talking on the water getting to know one another and he was always most kind to listen to the ramblings of this older fish nut, our days did always tend to fly by. I have been with Mack when he’s reeled in his some his biggest and best fish these past two seasons, both occasions quite special for us as the fish were just total brutes. There is so much time and effort invested in this fishing that the muskies very big and momentous provide such a heavy rush they become impossible to forget. I’m happy to be a part of that with Mack, and I know full well the rest of his long life he is going to be making countless more muskie memories.

.

.

.

.

.

.

JAMES.

Known James online quite a long time. Exceptional multi-species angler, talented and successful lure maker, gentleman! I think it best to simply copy and paste what James himself had to say about his days aboard Bambalam.

“I had absolutely the most EPIC night of musky fishing of my life last week! Got an invite to fish with Andrew for part of the week and chase some muskie around. See if we couldn’t slide the net under a few for some quick pictures.

Overall it was an amazing time and adventure, one I’ll never forget! Hope you enjoyed the read as much as I enjoyed the adventure!”

.

.

.

.

CHRISH.
.
My buddy and most regular muskie fishing partner, when we met some years ago there was an instant chemistry and mutual appreciation for the skills and experience each of us as anglers could bring to the table. We’ll talk of that first day, that first hour fishing together with ease, like it was yesterday, and over the short few years I can honestly say we’ve since had many great times chasing a variety of fish. Chrish has certainly opened up my muskie angling to new things which in turn has built confidence and increasingly better results. He too has benefitted, improving some his own muskie fishing, gar, and surely growing a bit more within the multi-species spectrum.

Muskie fishing I’ll often call Chrish “a beast” or “a warrior.” He truly has a younger, stronger man’s stamina than I do, which he can use on a whim to beat muskie waters into submission. And yet although he is capable of this, at the same time I’ve often used the word “cerebral” to describe his fishing too. Muskies are his thing and he’s proven it time and again. To be so good one surely realizes that it takes great effort, many years and experience to sculpt a vast knowledge for any kind of fishing, Chrish has done this with muskies. I sing his praises often with others, boasting his abilities and awesome results. He both humbles and stumbles me, as well as motivates.

We’d get out and fish twice before a tournament arrived in late October. Having had more recent hours on the water there were some spots I knew held big fish and figured come day one we’d step into the boat and just go bang one or two out quick. Tourney starting at 6am it was still dark when we set out. Right off the bat I caught glimpse of a muskie on the LiveScope but it disappeared in a flash. I called out to Chrish the sighting when he answered that it’s “right here!” A big ski had it’s lips to Chrish’s bait, only inches away its gills flared just before it dropped and bolted below. Chrish’s headlamp shone down on the ski and it scared off.

The next two days we’d move a dozen fish! Some follows, rips and LiveScope sightings. One ski had my bait right in its mouth and when I set the hook it was entirely missed. A number of pre-fish spots we had chances but NONE got on the line. It was the fuckiest of shit luck at the worst time for us both. The leader board had a low fifty-incher I think and the leaders a few fish in the mid to high forty range. Chrish and I had easily moved and marked several muskie that would have toppled these.

Day three we came out swinging and on a newer spot banged out a mid forty. I don’t think we’d ever been so happy to see a dinkski hit the net. By days end we’d put three more in the bag once taking quick advantage of an hour long bite window. Just like that we moved into second place and found some confidence heading into the final round.

Early start Chrish, myself and Brenda along too, we plied some waters on route back to that day one spot where Chrish had the big follow. We had rested it and figured big weather had too. I was stupid nervous about making the right approach on the fish holding there. Not just one muskie was around, but more like three or four, and I had already pegged one at 52.5-inches about two weeks prior. A little bit of a shitty breeze pushed the boat about more than I wanted but when we came in I got a first then second ski to show up on the electronics. I watched as Chrish reeled in his bait and the deeper of the two rise up from bottom on a slow follow. It didn’t commit. Fuck!!! Not on any major, minor, barometer drop, wind shift, lunar eclispse, cosmic event and totally absent of any miracles too, that fish just wasn’t hot to hit in that moment. We kept after ‘em despite this sinking gut feeling that one or two skis had either been burned or we just weren’t on good timing.

Out of the blue on a cast of mine from the back of the boat I had a follow right to the transom. A large ski easily high forty if not low fifty tracked in behind the bait from about two feet back. Went to the figure 8, it turned sharp to the left at first looking to hammer but then suddenly ghosted to the deep. The entire rest of the day we moved some slow-rollers on the LiveScope but sadly blanked. Few anglers in the tourney were able to improve their positions that day, despite a couple nice ones being caught. We remained and finished in 2nd place.

.

.

.

.

BREN.

In 2022 Bren struggled to connect with a tank ski. She’d been spoiled with some fifty plusers in the years leading up and so was hopeful this season to reconnect.

.

.
Over the span of six weeks Bren would join me six different times in the boat. Together we’d suffer a couple of skunks but they were worth it to net solid numbers of fish over fifty inches, as well as three more high forties during our better days. Bren would get her wish of capturing a giant and I’d add some greats for myself too.

I rented a cottage for awhile this fall and was fortunate to have all my girls visit often. Campfires, pumpkin carving, big meals, card games and quite importantly just down time for anyone and everyone however they wanted to spend it. My eldest daughter Summer stayed a long while, made a rare appearance by coming out to fish an afternoon but otherwise she just chilled, read books and kept me company. Leah stopped by several times on her own and with her boyfriend Nick too, they even tent camped one night. Bren vacationed a week and also returned on weekends when she could, it was awesome and we enjoyed it so much we’re all hoping to do it again.

Bren grew up near the water, nature and an outdoor life always in her blood. She’s at peace by the window in the cottage, crafting and looking out upon the river at times. She loves fires! In the boat Bren is the most patient, relaxed and helpful fishing partner anyone could ask for. Content to just be, happy to reel in fish, but especially BIG fish like muskies and giant lake trout. For some time she was more of a troller but in recent years has taken to casting, this the case for everything we fish together. Her ideal day has a good mix of both and also includes a hot meal like a chowder, chili or stew and an insane amount of snacks. The single burner camp stove with bowls and utensils is always stowed away in the boat, at the ready. I’ll fish ti’ll the end of time with my woman, should she want to.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
.

This autumn’s muskie season felt right. Entertaining a few friends and family, time was spent both partnered up and some solo. This is how I like to fish really, always have. The early years so much time fishing was spent alone, getting away exploring, it has always been both an escape and fun challenge. Though never truly needed anyone along, I am surely with some company when it comes. This season really boosted confidence as not only did everyone with me in the Lund catch great fish but I also did very, very well for myself. New toys like the LiveScope opened my eyes more as to what’s actually going on below. Within this short season it was incredible to view and learn as much as I did. There are far more muskies swimming in places than I ever imagined.

Through the nearly seven week season I pushed it. “Approaching” age fifty, this season there seemed to constantly be some old or new little ailment to pop up or bother. I whine, haha! Felt a bit beat up man! Getting on it’s kinda tough to go all day as often as I do, but during fall I’m just obsessed with the challenge muskies provide and so drive hard to the finish. I’m left rather spent as each day and week passes and yet oftentimes still want more, it’s fucked up! I tell myself one of these two things now and again, each of which are oddly contradictory of another… #1. “Fish smarter, not harder.” Meaning of course to use experience and knowledge to fish more with the head and not strain and drain myself as much. Less time and effort for more fish because eventually, life will come to just that. Grinding for muskies; or any fish for that matter, isn’t getting at all easier on the body so quit beating on ’em as much, and rather just better pick the battles. And yet on the flip-side, long has it been ingrained to #2, “never surrender to aging!” Keep pushing, keep working, keep those muscles and joints active, just keep giving it the all cause if you don’t… well, you’ll exhaust even easier when moments come you do need to work hard. As this season came to an end I honestly felt more relief to be done with it than I did aching to keep going. I’d had my fill, a good run. Numbers 1 & 2 both came into play depending on time or energy but we all know muskie fishing, it always requires much of both for catching these fish… “A Grind Well Spent” there are no regrets here though, the fish and smiling faces in all these photos pretty well sum it up best. Autumn 2023 big muskie memories were made and I greatly appreciated every inch of it.

Some of the gooders!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Thanks for stopping by the page here!
.
Bunk.