# Spring Fever Muskies



## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Here we go again! Another anticipated spring as the water warms, weather clears and fish come out to play. What a feeling huh? Get the boat all broke out, shaken down and ready to run. Wipe the cobwebs off the gear, oil up those reels and tend to those baits. It just amazes me how my wife just shakes her head at me every year around this time. What baffles me is the hard time she has relating to my passion and has the slightest clue of my un-ending excitement. I simply cannot fathom fishing not being a part of my life. Kind of like imagining her not in my life, although she sometimes feels that she falls lower on my priority list sometimes. She doesn&#8217;t, but fishing just excites me a little more these days is all. The novelty has never worn off for me and never will. One of the things that scares me most about growing old is the possibility of not being able to fish and still be alive. It scares me even more than death itself. Is there EVER a day that goes by when you don&#8217;t think about something that has to do with fishing? I don&#8217;t have those days&#8230;so does that make me crazy? If so, I should be committed ASAP, or so my wife thinks&#8230;ha ha ha. I&#8217;m sure YOU know all the feelings, that&#8217;s why you&#8217;re here reading this, that&#8217;s why I&#8217;m here writing it. I&#8217;ve had a hard time explaining/figuring out my passion over the years. I finally gave up and that&#8217;s when I really started enjoying the passion so much more&#8230;.no more tournaments, no more competition, no more stress about what I love so much. Just like the day I gave up trying to figure out women soon after the divorce of my first marriage&#8230;.Then I fell in love! So now, I'm just enjoying it all with good friends, my kids and family. My wife now may not understand, but she sure respects it and I appreciate that and consider myself lucky.

So here we are, its 2010 and another season upon us. They fly by don&#8217;t they? This will be #24 for me and I look forward to it no less than #1. I&#8217;ve seen so many changes in the sport in 24 seasons. Some positive some not, but the positives certainly outweigh the negatives. Everything from techniques and tactics to electronics and equipment. I remember when you could buy a brand new, fully equipped, top of the line aluminum boat for around $10,000&#8230;..Wow! Have things changed. Muskies are still muskies though, they still make my knees knock every time they rip the drag or explode right at the boat. They are still and always will be unpredictable; I don&#8217;t care what anybody tells you or how long they&#8217;ve been fishing. I&#8217;ve caught them on bluebird days, cold fronts, warm fronts, full moon dark of the moon and anytime in between. One major factor that I&#8217;ve learned over the years is that if I want to catch fish it is totally up to me to make the time and choice to be out there doing it&#8230;..the rest is up to the fish. Of course conditions are tougher in inclement weather, so we tend to choose milder days to get out. The true keys to success are, in my opinion; confidence, persistence, versatility, observance and learning from your experiences whether successful or not. Success has little to do with a shiny new boat, the best fish finder, the prettiest lures or the most expensive equipment. Its all about putting time on the water. However, not putting in time blindly stumbling along hoping you run into a fish, but rather learning while you&#8217;re out there putting the time in. Don&#8217;t just do what makes you feel comfortable, do what is comfortable for you along with giving you some feeling of success. For some, success is just getting out on the water and enjoying the time fishing, for others it is getting that fish in the net. Then there are those who feel success is a happy medium of both. What category do you find yourself in? 

In closing, I wanted to express my passion and hope some of you share yours in this thread as well. I wrote this for the passionate muskie fishermen out there that I know are feeling the same way I do today. It is Friday, I&#8217;m excited and I want to go fishing&#8230;.Just like you! I have met a lot of good people on these boards and I&#8217;d like to wish you all a safe and successful season in 2010. Most of you know me as a &#8220;tell it the way it is&#8221; person, passionate about the sport and stand behind what I believe to be true. So, whatever it is that you find to be success for you, I sure hope you find it. I find it every year as a new season begins in the excitement and anticipation for my first trip on the water. I found it every time I see my little boys get excited over catching a little trout or bluegill. That&#8217;s what its all about for me anymore&#8230;.I have found success and I&#8217;m glad that my life journeys have led me with fishing involved within them. We are truly fortunate. Hope you enjoyed this read, it was for you and the excitement we share for muskies. I&#8217;ll be fishing a lot this year, so if you see me out on the water, don&#8217;t hesitate to stop by and say hello. I&#8217;m always willing to talk and BS a little about our passion. Always willing to teach AND learn. You never know enough.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Nice post....For me , its just great being on the water. Catching is a bonus. The best memories though always seem to be the ones that got away. The big ski that nudges your plug on the retrieve back to the boat. The muskie that chomps on your flatfish and bits a hole in it which causes it to fill with water. The big one that walks on its tail and sends your spinner back towards your head. And the one that bites off your perch or walleye and you're reeling them in. Those are what keeps me coming back.


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Well Done Paul-
For me fishing is getting more and more exciting... i took a long break from it when I was in my late 20's- now here I am, lucky as heck that i found a woman that supports my habit and joins in 3-4 times a year. We bought a 20' Thompson this spring, so along with my 14' Lund I have all the toys needed to put fish in the net! So LSC and alot more trips to West Branch I see in my future. Can't wait to hook that first skie from LSC.

Muskie fishing is such a quest.... its a quest for that next fish to bite- however it may happen and whatever it hits- you just want to know so bad how big it will be and will it jump or run or spit the lure? I absolutely LOVE the challenge of getting fish in the net... It is such a mind game and confidence thing... Almost a chest match. I remember when bowhunting for deer was the "hardest" thing that i did.. Scratch that... i still love my times i n the treestand around halloween but man.. give me a brisk morning at Leesville with the sun just starting to peak over the trees and the fog rolling through.... ahhhh paradise.

Last night i was on the river for the first time this year and what a great time I had- didn't sniff a fish but had fun and like you said: I enjoyed that precious "time" on the water.

Besides....All others..... are just bait.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Great post Paul. I put a similar one on a different board earlier in the year. I am learning this year the true definition of the term "musky nut". The more I fish for these crazy creatures, the more consumed with it I am becoming. In particular I have never caught one casting and I am hell bent to change that this year. I have fished a total of 25 hours so far this spring and all but 4.5 hrs was targeting musky. That short break was to chase smallies in the river(another passion of mine). I used to fish for a myriad of different species. Saugeye, walleye, LM bass, crappie and catfish all got pursued. None of that interests me at this point. I mostly want to chase and tangle with muskies. If I am not catching something then I ought to not be catching the mighty musky. When you work so hard for something and get rewarded with that EXPOSIVE hit that jars your whole body. It's quite a thrill! You can't buy that in a store or duplicate in some video game. I am also going to do a few more smallie floats on a small stream near me that houses musky as well(hoping for a bonus fish or two!). If I don't get out this weekend, I'll be on the water on Monday after work. This year's season does give me promise that my hours on the water will increase and that has me extra fired up for this season. Tight lines and best of luck to all you guys.


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## woodyandarron (Nov 24, 2009)

Good posts here. You should post them on our site s.o.m.a.56


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

I post on that board Woody, but I use my real name.


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## nicholasburnsworth (Oct 23, 2007)

Wow, you just described about 90% of the guys on here to a T. I feel the same way. I've been fishing every year since I was 4 years old. I'm 30 now and couldn't imagine having to go a year with out fishing. My wife doesn't get it, and wants nothing to do with it. I can't even get her to put a rod in her hand. This really bothers me, but then again it's my time to share with my creator, myself and my kids, or with my dad, brothers and friends, or people I've lost in my life. I never really got into cat fishing much until a couple of years ago when I attended a neocats tournament and despite the rain, 40 degrees, 30-40 mph winds from 8pm-8am, I was hooked. I attended 7 more catfish tournaments and didn't even catch 1 the entire season. For some reason I was still determined to learn the gear, the fish, and the lakes and try to win a couple. Last year my friend and I did end up in third pace for the points division. My passion for fishing had just been boosted. Due to some unforeseen circumstances a group of us had to create Twisted Whiskerz catfish tournament trail, and my wife is not happy but I am and that's what counts, right??? Because if daddy ain't happy ain't nobody gonna be happy! LOL!!!
I often ask myself if I might actually be obsessed or have an addiction. Well hell yeah I am!!!! But at least I'm not at the bar on the weekends, or every night getting DUI's, into fights, or thrown in jail, or coming home not knowing where I was. This is my escape, so let me be. 
Thanks for the post, It made me take a minute to reflect on why I like to fish!


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