True ( Honest ) Fishing Stories

[Bobby Bass]

  I thought there might be a need here to post true ( Honest ) fishing stories to help us get through winter. Hers is one of mine    It's called I just want to catch a fish.

Several years ago I was at the Duluth Boat Show with a bud of mine who had another bud of his working the concession stand who was selling Bud well my bud had already had a few to many Buds and was telling me about his special way of catching trout from the pond. He then put down his .75 and went behind the rope. His idea was to snag them... He tossed the little fly out which he had weighted down with three bottle tops from the Buds and proceed to rip the fly thru the pond. On his 2nd time thru he latched on to a trout which he then reared back setting the hook and yanking the fish out of the pond thru the air to land on the top of an elderly lady who had a stocking cap covered in yellow beads. The next rod action was to yank the fish back taking the stocking cap off the head of the now screaming lady and hat and fish fell back into the tank. I guess the yellow beads look like corn as now the 500 trout attacked the stocking hat sending waves of water over the side of the tank on to the floor. Well it was pretty much down hill from there. Women started screaming men started ducking. Kids chasing flopping trout on the cement floor then you know a guys falls into another guy and that guys takes a swing at that guy and misses and hits another guy who falls on the girlfriend of another guy who hits the first guy who falls into the pool. Then security comes and drags the guy in the pool out but they slip on the edge of the pool and then the pool splits and before you know it a couple of thousands gallons of water is flowing into the main arena and then sail boat get floated and the mast hits the big net holding the balloons for the final night drawing and they fall all over the place and the band starts playing Danny Boy and it's like the Titanic all over again.. And there I am just standing in line with my 75 cents ticket and all I want to do is catch a fish. 

[JackpineRob]

Small world Bobby!  My wife and I were the couple standing on the bow of the sailboat, screaming. 

My wife still makes fun of me, claiming I have seen a few too many pirate movies.  Well, I had no clue what was happening at first, and when people were trying to grab the sailboat I assumed we were under siege.  Maybe I got a little carried away when I screamed "AAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!  PREPARE TO REPEL BOARDERS!!" and then started bopping heads with the bumpers hanging over the side......

[Duckslayer]

Small world Bobby!  My wife and I were the couple standing on the bow of the sailboat, screaming. 

My wife still makes fun of me, claiming I have seen a few too many pirate movies.  Well, I had no clue what was happening at first, and when people were trying to grab the sailboat I assumed we were under siege.  Maybe I got a little carried away when I screamed "AAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!  PREPARE TO REPEL BOARDERS!!" and then started bopping heads with the bumpers hanging over the side......

So YOU are the one that schmooked we with the bumper!  I floated all the way to Superior and out into the lake about a quarter of a mile.  I was dang tired after I came too and swam back to shore and it is a good thing that I did not find you that day.  We can laugh about it now but on that day I may well have gone to the gun show next door and came back looking for you!  Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Fawkinnae]

This is incredible. I've tried to tell this story to others and they think I'm full of sh#t.

I was also washed out to sea (lake) and was eventually dragged under the a violent whirlpool. Incredibly as I was going down for the last time (I could see the light) the biggest lake trout I've ever seen swam by. I somehow manage to grab ahold of his dorsal fin and he swam me up to the surface. I thanked him and he said, "Hey by the way do you have a smoke I could bum off you." I said sure. Turned out he preferred Marlboro lights to. We ended up talking for hours. Eventually he dropped me off in the harbor. What a night.

[Bobby Bass]

Let's keep this going-

I'll tell ya a muskie story. We were fishing a lake near my uncle's farm back a few years ago. It was close to the end of October and we were told that a huge muskie was on the bite and the thing had a handkering for mush mellons. Well we loaded up a few of them mellons in the old wood row boat and a really nice pumpkin. Out in the lake me and my buddy went, we took turns trolling, one holding the rod while the other rowed. After a while I got a tad bored and when it was my turn to troll I would hold the rod between my legs and I started to work on that pumpkin. I carved her out and then tossed the guts over the side just like they did in that JAWS movie. Well it must have worked cuz just as the sun when down my line started to scream out the reel, Well to make a long story short we got the monster in the boat. It was getting dark and a fog was rolling in so we put a match to the candle we found in the tackle box and stuck it in the jack-o-lantern so we could see what we caught..I put it on the bow and I got to tell you it was kind of erie with that lite shinning down into the boat and the long body of that Muskie with it's one eye just looking at us. We were catching our breath and keeping our hands and feet away from this monster when suddenly it came alive and start to trash the boat! With a swing of his tail the tackle box went flying over the side and with the return my buddy was swept overboard. Backing towards the stern the muskie followed me swinging his tail from side to side. As he hit the sides of the old boat the boards started to come apart and water was pouring in. Running out of room and seeing my buddy needed help I jumped overboard and swam to his side. We treaded water and watched as the old wood boat moved away from us, slowing sinking into the lake with the gleaming jack-o-lantern on her bow as she disappeared into the fog...they still say she is out there, at least that is the story I hear at the camp fire.....

[D.T.]

Here's my story. Some of you may have heard it before as it has been told and retold so many times.

I was fishing a lazy summer day in a back bay of Lake IWTBT. I had enough fun with the 14+" crappies and 10+" gills and decided to toss a sucker minnow out on a softball size bobber. I disengaged the reel so I could sit back and relax. That's when I noticed a squirrel hanging off a low branch that extended over the water.  The dang thing was reaching out for something. So I grabbed my binocs (always handy for checking out ummm... things) and noticed it was reaching for a walnut that fell out of the tree and was sitting on top of a protruding rock. That poor thing tried and tried but couldn't quite reach it. So the next thing I see was it let go from the tree and landed on the rock. Then it grabbed the walnut and  proceeded to swim the 20 feet or so back to shore. That's when it got crazy. A huge swirl and then a mighty explosive surge something leaped out the water. It was a huge muskie and it has that squirrel in it's mouth. Almost like a great white shark eating a seal. I couldn't believe what I just saw. Not every day a guy will witness something that incredible.

The real strange part was what I saw next. That monster muskie was swimming near that rock again. I could see the wake from it's body. I grabbed the glasses again and noticed something strange in the mouth of that mighty fish. It was another walnut and he was pushing it up on to of that rock!

And that is my (honest) fishing story.  D.T.

[deadeye]

Last fall I headded out to a favorite fishing spot.  It was so foggy I never did get on the lake, however, I did pick up a few road killed carp on the way home.

[repoman]

Last fall I headded out to a favorite fishing spot.  It was so foggy I never did get on the lake, however, I did pick up a few road killed carp on the way home.

like the story 

[Bobby Bass]

With hard water here it reminds me of a story that I was a part of. We were out fishing a few years ago on a small little lake north of Daluth. Ice fishing that is, I am not much of an ice fishermen always thought it was to much trouble getting the chainsaw out to make a hole in the ice to put the boat in and then of course if you were trolling then you had to cut out even more. Casting was bad enough, making that big fan cut so you could work the area just right. Well anyway we were just going to fish funny like and just make a few holes and drop down some minnows and jigs. Well my uncle was with and he said there was some good size perch in this lake so we decided we needed some stout rods for jigging. So we dropped a few 40' jack pines and trimmed off the branches. Packing snow and slush around the base we then secured some of that dacron light #500 line and tossed the jig into the hole. It was kind of slow so we decide to make a fire to keep warm, good thing we were close to the rail spur and there was a mess of them ties soaked in that black stuff. They burn just fine as long as you can split a few for kindling. Well we were there for a few hours when we got a bite! Using the four wheeler we managed to get a perch up and out of the hole but that is when the trouble started. When we pulled the perch up it left a big air bubble under the ice and the with a big whoosh all the air went up out of the hole like one of them gushers. Well it started a chain reaction as fish started to pop up on to the ice and the lake sank deeper till with a large crack the whole ice on top of the lake just fell. Well now we were in trouble cuz we could see that new warden heading our way across the bridge and we could not get up the bank cuz now it was 10' over our head and fish were flopping all over the place and my uncle was yelling that the second line had just gone down! What to do what to do....That is when my buddy said out loud to no one special that he could not find his fishing license..

[The General]

Fishing stories and truth?   

[Bobby Bass]

I got lots of true stories like the time I went up North fishin. We took one of them there fly in fishing trips. Well I was pretty new to fishin up north so I bought some new lures. I had this one lure that was touted as being great for those small mouth bass. Well I started to use it right off the dock and boom I got me a 3 pounder, tossed it again and another 3 pounder. Well my friends were all cracking some of that imported beer that we had up there in Canada I think it was Hamms and just stood and watched me catch fish all afternoon. We never even got the sleeping bags into the cabin. So after maybe a hundred fish or so I said to my buddy " yup, this one catches fish" and I took it out of the box..... A few days later the float plane came back to pick us up and I got myself in trouble. We loaded the plane up and made our run across the lake, there was sweat pouring down the pilots face as he was pulling back on the yoke but nothing was happening. He killed the engine and we coasted to a stop just short of the far shoreline. He turned to us and said we had a problem, he could not get the plane up! Then I remembered, I had tied my stringer to the float... 

[Bobby Bass]

No one has any fishing stories to share?

[JackpineRob]

My cousin and I were doing a little spring beaver trapping one year, and one of the rivers we were set on flowed into a large lake known for its big northerns.  The first night out we set our traps and got camp set up, preparing to stay for 3 or 4 days. 

The next morning we had several beaver, and an extremely large northern had found its way into a 330 conibear - held securely, but still alive.  The fish was easily 25 pounds, and nearly 4 feet long.  We were able to free the fish, but found ourselves getting real wet in the process!  At some point, my cousin pulls out his trusty 110 Instamatic camera, and snaps several shots of me and the fish.  Pretty cool!!

We took a break, built a fire and ate our lunches while drying out.

Finally hopping in the canoe again, we came up to a set and saw the chain stretched tight down into the deeper water, so we dragged the canoe up on the muskeg, grabbed the drown pole and started pulling the beaver in.  "NICE ONE!" yells my cousin as the beaver appears out of the depths and then he screams - jumps back into me knocking us both down - and starts babbling and pointing.....

Swearing, I get up grab the chain and notice that the there is a large log tangled up in the chain.  Tugging harder, the log slowly surfaces, and I realized that the "log" was as big a northern as had ever been seen, and it had swallowed the beaver, together with the #14 jump trap.

"Well don't just sit there!" I yell "Grab the frigging chain and help me pull this SOB in!"

"ITS FREAKING SCARBACK!!!" hollers my cousin, and doggone if he isn't right.  We had run into this same fish (and I do mean literally ran into) with the canoe and the 6 horse a couple of years earlier.  The impact that time sheared the pin on the lower unit, darn near swamped us, and left the fish with an ugly prop scar on its back.  About a year later the bugger ate 3 mallards we had dropped, and made off with 6 Flambeau decoys, as we watched helplessly.  The following week we found some chunks of plastic from the decoys, but they were totally mangled.  I swear, that fish had it in for us!

Now the bugger was trying to steal $40 worth of beaver!!!

We pulled and tugged, and managed to slide the fish up onto the floating bog.  Now its not fishing season, so we obviously just want to get the beaver and the trap and push the fish back in, when my cousin decides we need a picture.

While he rummages in the Duluth pack and gets the camera, I cut a couple of lengths of pole to pry the fish's mouth open with.  The first pole snaps like a twig, but finally I manage to pry the mouth open and yank the beaver out.  As the beaver slides out, I slip and the fish's mouth snaps shut, cutting the beaver's tail off cleanly.

"Turn and smile" orders my cousin, but as I turn the northern goes berserk, trying get that beaver again.  In the rumpus, my pants leg gets snagged on the northerns teeth, the northern starts sliding back into the water, and as my cousin tries to grab me the camera flies out of his hand and winds up in the creek.

Wound up with chomped up beaver, a ripped pair of duck pants - but at least we got the trap back.

[Bobby Bass]

I love true, honest beaver fishing stories!    A good one.. Bobby

[Fish Guide]

Heres a couple of out of the ordinary "fishing occurances", if you want more let me know, I m getting tired LOL

1.  While looking out over Leech Lake one day, I witnessed a Bald Eagle swimming on the water like a duck for about 10 minutes and occasionally trying to take off.  Turns out the eagle was attached  (talons embedded?) to about a 10 lb norhtern that was still alive and swimming about with the Eagles Talons embedded in the fish--pulling the eagle around.  After a few pecks to the fish, the eagle managed to kill it and barely get air born with the fish.

2.  While pitching jigs for reef walleyes on LOW one day, a seagull flew to low to the water mid cast and guess what--I hooked the sea gull and proceeded to reel it in as it was trying to fly like a kite.  Reeled it in about 20 ft from the boat before the gull finally bit the jig off and flew away with it--it was hooked in the wing.

3.  After catching a walleye while "surf fishing" in the spring on the shores of Ottertaial lake the line broke at the jig and the fish took it with. Three days later, I caught the same fish and removed my jig.

4..  After fighting a Salmon for 15 minutes out of Baileys Harbor WI (lake Michigan) it finally managed to bite the line off stealing the spoon.  1 hr later and about 2 miles further down the shore, hooked and landed the same salmon and again retrieved the lost lure.
5.. 5 years ago my brother and I hooked into a "freak" salmon out of Gills Rock WI (L.Michigan) The battle took place over 120 ft of water, basic 9' rigger rod, a Diawa 47H Sealine loaded with 400 +/- yds of 20 lb test Trilene Mono.  Calm seas and an audience of 10 or so boats.  Why--it took 2 hrs and 10 minutes to land what we thought would be a 60 lb salmon.  Turns out it was your basic 23 lb King--what the *^%$##?  Still cant explain it.

6.  After fighting yet anothet salmon for 10 minutes or so, it decided to make a full speed airborn charge at the boat.  It leaped out of the water full speeed ahead 30 mph?  and hit the side of the Lund , putting a dent in it and thus killing itself in the process, scooped it up with the net--in the box.

7.  One afternoon while on LOW rigger fishing a finch of some kind flew from across the big lake from the north.  The bird proceeded to land on the handle of the rod which was in a rod holder.  The bird was so shot and beat up looking from flying for who knows how long that it let me pet it and get right up next to it so that we could get some good pics with my smiling face about 4" from the bird.  It rode along with us for about 15 minutes before it decided to fly away. 

8.  Caught a 3 lb northern a couple of winters ago that was extremely bulky (had something in its gut) and planned on having a fish boil.  upon cleaning the fish, there was a 1lb northern inside (still alive) and inside the 1 lb northern was a bluegill  (still alive) .  Talk about food chain.

9.  3 clients on opposite sides of the boat caught the same fish (it ate all three baits)

 

[JackpineRob]

FishGuide:

I think those are tall tales, and not actual fish stories.  Floods at sportsmans shows washing guys out to sea - rescues by lake trout - tree trunks as jigging rods - muskies baiting for squirrels -  northerns eating beavers - these are REAL TRUE fishing stories.

No one could possibly believe your stories.

Now if you want me to tell you tall tales, I'm sure I can oblige!!

 

[Fish Guide]

jackpine, not sure what you mean, and what is a fish story defined?  Tall tales in my book are made up stories or myth, --which mine were not.  As far as Im concerned, if it happened while fishing, wether it included catching a fish or not can be put into the fishing story category.  Just like deer hunting stories, they may just be stories that happened at the deer camp, and had nothing to do with harvesting a deer at all.  Based on what your saying, a deer camp story is not a deer hunting story but it is a tall tale?  Maybe I just misunderstood you, ,

[JackpineRob]

Geez Guide, I wasn't ripping on you.  Not at all. 

Go back and re-read the earlier stories.  You'll get a laugh or two.