I am not much of a warm water fisher guy (or a coldwater guy for that matter- hah) but I don't think this guy was either. This might fire you guys up. Saw this in the paper this morning.
Altoona man catches record muskie on hooked trout at Canoe Creek Lake
Sunday, April 27, 2008
By Deborah Weisberg, Special to the Post-Gazette
Stephen Ross with his 501/2-inch muskie.Opening day of trout season landed Stephen Ross of Altoona a big, unexpected bonus.
While reeling in a trout at Canoe Creek Lake, he hooked a 50 1/2-inch, 44 1/4-pound muskie who was after the same fish.
According to Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Waterways Conservation Officer Craig Garman, it is the largest muskie catch ever documented at the 155-acre Blair County impoundment.
"I thought I was hung up on something," said Ross, 46. "When my younger brother said you have a muskie on, I loosened my drag and the fish started running.
"It went out into the lake 40 yards and started swimming on top of the water, and stayed there the entire time I fought it, which was 45 minutes. I was standing near the boat rental when I started and, when I landed him, I was 60 yards down the bank."
Because it was opening day, Ross had quite an audience.
"There were 75 to 100 people around me all the time. Folks were running up to me every time I got [the fish] close to shore with cameras and cell phones. I got sort of an attitude and finally told them, 'Stay back. You can get all the pictures you want when I get him on the bank.' My adrenaline was really running. It was total chaos."
A dedicated trout angler, Ross has never targeted muskies. He was fishing 8-pound test and a No. 10 trout hook.
"The muskie swallowed the trout pretty deep," said Ross.
The fish's weight was certified at Gerhart's Meats. Ross plans to have his trophy mounted.
First published on April 27, 2008 at 12:00 am