Post By: Juggalo505 Posted: 5/22/2012 11:17:17 PM Points: 188
Went out Bear Creek for a couple hours this afternoon and after a bit of walking looking for a spot I thought a spotted a Tiger just above some Weeds. Went to cast and he hammered my lure and my drag started to scream. After about a 15-20 min fight got him in. Broke me off right on the shore luckily. bigritty happened to have a scale and a tape measure with him and the fish turned out to be 42 in and around 16 pounds. Fish was caught on a Chartreuse Shad HD on 6 lb test and an ultralite rod.
Great catch juggalo now time to start the casts over to catch another you have had some great luck. Pending on the boys we might meet you saturday for some kitties. It's funny how people say there isn't big fish in bc but that's the proof. And so everyone knows my son is 3 foot 7 inches
Reply by: FloatTubeGuy Posted: 5/23/2012 7:01:06 AM Points: 294
Awesome juggle. Was nice meeting you and when bigritty called, couldn't be more happy for you. Congrats. That photo next to ritty's kid is priceless. Enjoy the memory. FTG
Reply by: tbblom Posted: 5/23/2012 8:40:01 AM Points: 211
NIce catch, Congrats to the kid on a 'real fish'. I've been out 6-7- times looking for musky now, slowly approaching 10K casts. I've been to gross, stearns, N. Teller (unlikely still there).
I've heard the really big ones are senior citizens on their way out... legal over 36", but I wouldn't eat it! (ie top predators do the most bio-accumulation of toxins)
And yes, super jealous. i have not even seen one yet. Looks like the last musky stocking program was a few years ago in CO.
Reply by: TigerHunter Posted: 5/23/2012 9:22:33 AM Points: 111
Hell of a fish, and bringing it in on such light line is a real acomplishment!!! I've had bite offs using 20lb fluoro a few times....Six pound test must have been sitting right between that bruisers teeth. Skill and luck combined to land a species that most anglers in Colorado never will. Great Job!!!
I guess I'll also weight in on the C&R brought up in this thread...As much as I would have loved to see this fish released I completely understand the young man keeping it. I really hope you decide to mount the fish! Thats a story you'll tell your entire life... I hope the next one you catch you'll consider releasing...As an older guy who's landed a few of those toothy critters the release is the best part.
Reply by: Flyrodn Posted: 5/23/2012 9:28:31 AM Points: 48321
I've cleaned out a few of the responses that were negative. And for those that persist in hi-jacking threads and turning them into C&R debates I may give you a cooling off period.
It is long past time for this practice of "bashing" folks for showing off a perfectly legal catch.
To the original poster, on behalf of Fish Explorer, I apologize for the actions of a few of our members.
Reply by: dmccull2000 Posted: 5/23/2012 10:10:08 AM Points: 258
Congrats! Now that is definitely a catch of a lifetime. I was so sure that there were none left in BC. Amazing fish Still on my list, 3129 casts to go...
Reply by: ifishallday Posted: 5/23/2012 10:54:31 AM Points: 249
Great Fish Dude! The HD Trout is a great lure. It saved the day for me last saturday. Here I thought it was only a trout lure and behold I caught 5 Species (Perch, Pike, Bluegill, Smallmouth, and Crappie) on it not including any trout. Plus on 6lb test it was a hoot to fight the bigger pike.
Reply by: Cuttbow Carlos Posted: 5/24/2012 7:12:16 AM Points: 50
That is an amazing catch! I also use 6 lb. test, but have never landed a monster like that with it. Would love to hook in to one like that at Pinewood.
Juggalo, fabulous job. Congrats. I also apologize for the C&R comments from some apparently jealous guys. Legal catch is yours to do what you will. When it is time to shop for a taxidermest, I recommend having a fiberglass replica built. I did that with a 10 and a half pound LMB a few years ago and couldn't be happier. It will never show any aging and will always look just as good as new. A fish like that deserves to be commemeorated and displayed in a place of prominence in your home. Congrats again!
Cool, glad you took the bait. It is of nobody's concern, as to what he did with that fish.
Wanna know what I think?
I think its crap, that a beautiful, old fish was not released, and that obviously would not have tasted good if he did eat it. I also, think that people are entitled to do what they want, under the guidelines of the law. He in no way, broke the law, either by fishing laws, or federal..
It's not about what you feel sometimes, but what is right. He didn't show a picture of it cut up on his counter top, it is still a respectful post. He didn't get that fish illegally, so if you want to change things, write the state, and don't waste your time voicing concerns on a fishing site that has no political sway.
If you need confirmation on what he did with it, look above. He is getting it mounted.
Like I said, I don't like it, but what I hate worse is somebody flaming a guy that didn't do anything wrong by the law.
I personally don't care if its from the "dark ages" been happy all week about finally catching a Muskie. Been wanting to get a fish mounted and it just so happens to be this one.
You should be happy about it all week Juggalo. I have fished in Colorado my whole life and never even seen one of those beasts. Great job man. Just keep doing what you are doing and one day you will be lucky enough to get paid to do what all the rest of us only get to do for fun...
Reply by: esoxrocks Posted: 5/25/2012 5:54:09 AM Points: 365
Juggalo...in hindsight, my comments yesterday were harsh. I had a knee-jerk reaction and apologize. Catching a Musky on ultra-light tackle is really an accomplishment and if you want to keep the fish, that’s your prerogative.
My concern is that for years the Musky fishing community has been stressing C&R for this species and it has had a huge payoff. The fact is, however, that this fish is a Tiger Hybrid which does not reproduce, and based on stocking dates for that lake would probably have died of natural causes in the not to distant future anyway.
Much better to honor the old guy on your wall than in some seagull’s gullet…congratulations.
Just for future reference (as I am sure this will not be your last trophy)…with good pictures and measurements (i.e., length, girth and weight) you can have a very accurate replica made of any fish…and know that your trophy is still swimming… and hopefully breeding and passing on those "trophy genes" to future generations of monsters.
Reply by: Stalls Posted: 5/25/2012 9:19:47 AM Points: 21
Hey Juggalo, I dont know if your aware but the Colorado Parks and Wildlife does a Master Angler Award Program to recognize anglers who have caught a trophy quality fish. The current qualifying length for Musky is 40" if I am correct. If your fish is indeed 42" you should look into that, Just saying that would be a nice addition to that beast hanging on the wall. You have sixty days from date of catch to submit pictures as well as witness testimone . Check out Master Angler Awards info on [log in for link]
Hey folks, I have a thought and or question. I have heard from the park ranges that there has not been a report of a mucskie coming out of bear creek for many years. Last year, Harriman Park lake was drained and the fish relocated to bear creek. They have(or had) muskie in that lake. Does anyone think it is possible that this muskie was a transplant?
nice catch! not sure on the quality you want done on the mount, but for some advice i would take some measurements of girth etc and get a replica mount done, they last longer and are cheaper in most cases than a skin mount. The guys at Lax reproductions in WI are one of the if not the best around...a one sided mount for your fish would cost around $600 after shipping to your house. I personally know a lot of people who have gotten mounts from them and they look real! Either way you will be enjoying this fish for years!
just a thought , im not burning you or anything but doesnt any pike bigger than 36 inch have to be released at bear creek? I know it said something like that with a giant sign near the boat ramp....So correct me if im wrong
Catch and release debates should be allowed on here on reports and threads like this, because anglers should be educated on the rarity and purpose of fish like tiger muskie, which are unable to spawn due to being hybrids.
I'm tired of posts that only serve to drag fisheries down and encourage lurkers to crowd lakes in hopes of an easy catch. I'm also tired of the "it's perfectly legal" argument because all that does is encourage the decline of our lakes. How about we push education of conservation on here alot more?
