Throssel: Waiting for the Musky Encounter
I'm a Musky fisherman, and every year I look forward to heading up to Hayward, Wisc., and the fishing lodges.
I soak my Musky jigs in anchovy oil and usually stay at Northland Lodge on Long Lake, fishing the connected Teal Lake.
Both lakes have great water and bottom structure, but Teal Lake is rockier with more drop offs.
Bringing the fish into the boat is the traditional end of the fight.
After becoming handicapped, I decided to quit bringing Muskies into the boat to avoid harming them.
I use a mechanical gripper to hold their lower jaw as I release them still in the water, estimating their length and weight.
I sometimes participate in the Musky tournament in October, but the last time it snowed 3” and I was frozen with zero fish.
Author's summary: A Musky fisherman's annual trip to Hayward, Wisc.
- Location: Hayward, Wisc.
- Lodges: Northland Lodge on Long Lake
- Lakes: Long Lake, Teal Lake