Hotspotoutdoors

Now is the time of year when most guys put away the boat for the year and move to the deer stand until the lakes freeze over. Some of us, like me, haven't put the boat away, nor will I until there is sufficient ice on the local lakes for ice fishing. However, now that the season is coming to a close, I am looking back at the 2009 open water season and there were many highlights. What is everyone's biggest highlight of the open water season? Whether is by a personal best walleye, northern, first Muskie, slab crappie, etc.

for me, i had several highlights of the open water season. first of all, this was my first year with my own boat, so i have thoroughly enjoyed that. Here is a pic of my boat after completely redoing it

as for highlights, in early spring, I was fishing on Island Lake reservoir in Duluth for walleyes when my buddy hooked into a little 14 inch walleye, and as he was realing it in, a 36in muskie ate the walleye. After a couple minute fight, we had both fish in the boat. Here are some pics.





Also this summer, I got my first muskie. Although it was a tiny one, it was still my first and only muskie and it felt pretty good. (got it trolling at shallow shad rap in about 5 feet of water).


Another highlight of my open water season was figuring out how to fish the river. I got on the St. Louis river a bunch of times in July and August, and caught several 2-5 pounders, however, nothing over that range. Here are a couple pics from my boat.


And lastly, my trip to Alaska was the biggest highlight of my fishing season. We went around the Wasilla area and fished for Kings for a week. Here are some pics







And the single fish highlight of the summer, my little brother’s 38lb king on our last day in Alaska.

those salmon are amazing, looks like you had a lot of fun this season.
My highlights this season all include muskie fishing, my first was a week or two after opener I was out with my buddy, and a my cousin from Nebraska, who was never seen a muskie, and he was able to watch my friend get a follow and see the fish take the bait on the figure 8. We were all pretty pumped, but my cousin was the most excited.

Second highlight was with us three in the boat again, My friend had a hot bait on and had 4 follows in about 15 minutes, one fish came in super hot but didn't commit and in his frusteration he pullled the bait out of the water and rested his rod on his shoulder with the bait dangling over his back. A second later my cousin yelled "HE TOOK IT" and he ended up setting the hook over his shoulder like he was splitting wood. It was a hectic fight but we boated her and it was great.

Third highlight, and funniest night of fishing I've had in a long time was late July I invited my sister to come out with us for a little night fishing, she just sat in the middle seat most of the time and watched us fish. About 5 minutes into the trip I had a big fish come up to the boat and she got to see that, even though it didn't commit, i felt pretty satisfied and was glad she was able to see that. But later that night probably about an hour later after it was pitch black, my friend in the front of the boat saw a shooting star. Jokingly, I told him to wish for a big 'skie, and so he did. Seconds after that we see some commotion on top of the water about 50-60 feet away so I head towards it, casting the whole way. Not 3 minutes after he made the wish, he hooked into a beast boatside. During all of this my sister is still in the middle seat of the boat freaking out, it was a fairly short fight with some huge headshakes and tail slaps, but we got her in the net. My sister loved it and I think she's kind of hooked for life now.


---2 weeks later I caught that exact same fish again-also a personal highlight for me, and my biggest fish on the season.

Bronzeback awesome story!! I cant believe you caught the same fish a couple weeks later! Congrats those are some neat stories

Sorry about my pics being so large. I dont know how that happened, i use photobucket, can anyone help me out?

My highlight for open water season this year was that I had several +20 bass days out on a local lake when other people wernt catching fish. Most of the fish I caught were bigger than 2lbs

Nice fish Jake! I took Greg out on a walleye fishing trip, a few days after you guys came back from AK. All he talked about was the king fishing up there and I see why. Hopefully Friday you'll have another highlight to add :)Good Luck

Thanks KTRAX! Yes, the Alaska experience was unbelievable and a once in a lifetime experience, even though this year was considered a "slow" year for the Kings. Greg is planning the trip again for next year, although we might target some reds and silvers as well as the kings next spring.
Yes I really hope I can add a nice pic or two to the collection after this Friday.

While my year wasn't the best I had a good year with friends and family. Got my daughter her first smallie, nice spring time 17.5". Got her started muskie fishing and while she hasn't hooked one yet shes had a few follows. Got an old friend hooked on muskies, first trip was a bust but 2nd one he lost 3 and finaly landed his first a nice 42", followed by me getting a 40" a couple hours later. Got to net my partners 4th 50" of the season, a fish several guys were after, we just were in the right place right time. Took a trip to Vermilion and fell in love with the area and lake, nothing landed for me but I will be back. Hopefully 2-3 more days on the water before I have to get the auger out.

Got my wife a new personal best Walleye. She upped it three times this year and it finally settled on a 25.5". I'd like to see it moved up a couple more inches and maybe get her in the 30"+ and 10 pound plus club, like me .

I was out on Tonka jiggin' for pannies when something curled my pole good. I thought "well, I got a bull on the end of a ML rod with 4# test, this oughta be interesting" I kept coaxing it in and after a bit I looked into the water with my polariods and saw a mad looking Muskie with a mouth full of fish. Down it went again, musta spit it out I thought. Ended up with just a small beat-up bass on the end of the tube. But what a thrill!

I had a good year trolling Lake Superior ,,,The hilite there was a day back in august when I landed 3 brown trout 2 kings and 2 nice walleyes ,,,nice mixed bag and a flat day on the big water

LAS

thats a really nice day loonasea! how big are the kings you catch out there? you been out on the big pond lately at all or is the boat put away?

Jake ,,,the kings ran 5-7 lbs,,,the browns were around 6ish ,,,I havent been on the big lake for a while as the boat is put to sleep but I did go chasing muskies on the river a few times in oct,,, landed 4 ,,,now its time to get ready for the hard water season

LAS

Randy,
congrats on the kings, browns, and skies. how big was the biggest muskie? where do you do the majority of your ice fishing? you stay true to the river or are you more of a reservoir guy?

Jake
I will hit Fish Lake and Yellow Lake by Webster for early ice but once the ice thickens up I'll be in the spear house ,,after that I'll be shore fishing Superior for loopers

LAS

i'll share my highlights when i'm completely finished open-water fishing for 09

i'd say for me it was definitely my PB muskie of 52 inches on a metro lake. I was happy to get out as much as I did this year and I look forward to getting out even more next year!

It's small in comparison to the skis on this thread but I got my first musky every just a few weeks ago. This was at 3am while walleye fishing with 6lb test and no leader.

AWESOME metro 'ski goblueM

and congrats jimjim, that muskie has some sweet colors!