Mid-Summer Bruiser

This afternoon I decided to try a little pike fishing on Little Bay de Noc. It was a cloudy, overcast day — the kind of day that seems to bring out the big pike even during the most inopportune times of the year, such as early August. I just had a feeling as I was trailering the boat to the launch that I was going to get a big one. It didn't take long either. I started casting a White Cabela's Pike/Musky Spinnerbait over some weeds in about eight feet of water. Within 15 minutes this bruiser clobbered it within 10 feet of the boat. Due to the fish's close proximity I didn't get much of a fight out of her. She had time for a couple of headshakes, but that was about it. I was very quick to get the net under her. I followed typical musky handling techniques, removing the hook with the fish still in the water, then cradling her into the boat for a measurement and a couple quick pictures. After that she was released as good as new. She measured up at 41.5 inches, my biggest so far this year. To my surprise, this fish wasn't the end of the excitement for the day. Within a couple of hours I tied into another bruiser pike in a different location. This one nailed a Red and White Cabela's Canadian Pike Spoon, and measured up at 39 inches — one inch short of a second Master Angler catch! In closing, I would just like to state that I underestimated the power of a dark, gloomy day in mid-summer. I not only caught one big pike like I envisioned, I got two! This of course being the time of year that most anglers in my area don't think pike fishing is worth the effort.