10th Annual Muskie Derby

This weekend marks the 10th annual Fort Kent International Muskie Derby and I wanted to remind everyone that if you want to see these toothy critters up close and personal, stop by Quigley's this weekend and join in on the festivities.  For those of you who are fishing the derby, see you on the water!  Have fun and use caution.  The large treble hooks found on a muskie lure becomes a dangerous weapon when a fish starts to roll.  I also encourage catch and release for all of the fish that don't meet the 36" minimum required for the derby.  We have a valuable resource at our disposal and everyone needs to do their part to preserve it.

Stay tuned this weekend for updates and...

Again use caution with those teeth!

Trophy Room ... Den ... Man Cave

There are many names that people use to describe the area that contains their personal collection of mounts or photos, but all are synonymous with a trip down memory lane.  Many a time I find myself sitting in my recliner glancing over the fur, fins, feathers and antlers that I have accumulated in my short, modest outdoor career and a smile will cross my face as I recall the feel of the rod flexing in my hands as that fish takes off, or recall the first glimpse of an antler as the deer emerged through the grass.  This appreciation for photos and “trophies” has always slightly  intrigued me, but as I age I appreciate the memories of these adventures more and more.  Taxidermy has a special place in my heart and I really enjoy having mounts to recall those memories, many would rather have a picture, but either way I would encourage you to capture that moment somehow so in the future you have the opportunity to relive it.  I just picked up a couple of my mounts from the taxidermist this week and decided I would post some pictures of my “den” the term I most commonly use to share with everyone.  I have a couple more still there and I will post them as I get them.  Feel free to send along pictures of your room to hustonswildlife@yahoo.com and if I get any responses I will post them for others to enjoy as well.

I took the pictures as I was walking into the room and then worked around in clockwise rotation, so without further adieu here are the pictures of my den:

 

Heading Downstairs

Base of the Stairs Looking In

New Addition - 2011 Buck

43 Pound Rusty Colored Coyote

A Beautiful Buck Inherited from my wife's Grandfather

Camo Recliner - Complete with Beaver Pelt

Handmade Coffee table from Allagash, ME

Pine Marten and Small 8-Pointer

Bobcat Wallhanger

"Busy" Shelves - Lots Going On Here!

Gray Fox

First Moose

3.5 Pound Brookie

The Woodstove Collection

Muskie, Moose Antlers and Fisher

Monster Muskie

Brent and I pushed off from shore in our typical fashion and wasted no time putting the lures to their intended use.  We had just settled in when Brent's rod struck with such force we were sure it was on bottom, until "bottom" started moving.  The fish rolled on the surface with a distinctly unique sound I had only heard a couple of times before, and I knew it signaled a good fish.  Brent did a nice job playing the fish and we quickly got her into the net.  We then went to shore so it would be easier to handle the monster, which we could now clearly tell was huge!  As we lifted the fish it quickly became apparent that this fish was heavy!  As we stretched the tape our jaws dropped as it surpassed the 44" mark.  This was Brent's largest ever muskie and the largest one to ever come to my canoe.  We slipped the tape under her belly to show a 20" girth and then snapped a couple of photos before lowering the behemoth back into the water for the slow revival process.

After a couple of worried minutes she started to regain her spark and once I felt confident in her swimming abilities I released my grip.  She swam off on the surface for a ways before submerging back into the depths.  It is a good feeling to see a fish of that size swim off and know she is there to catch again.  Exchanging high fives, we jumped back into the canoe and immediately started fishing again.  On Brent's first cast, I heard the familiar hum of a drag slipping and looked up to see a smile plastered on his face.  I couldn't believe it Brent had a two fish night.  This fish was also very nice and taped in at 35.5" with a thick girth.  This one was also released to be caught again.  Enjoy the pictures and videos of these two beauties caught by Brent.

Brook Trout ... River Smallmouths

Around the 4th of July I was fortunate enough to have a long weekend off.  On Friday, I found myself knee deep in a clear, cold, babbling brook which was very refreshing as the thermometer in the dash of my pickup showed 86 degrees!  Our target for the day was brook trout and they did not disappoint.  We couldn't get any numbers on flies, but as soon as we switched to the tried and true "garden hackle" (worms for anyone unfamiliar with the term) the numbers of fish jumped through the roof.  My father-in-law Gary and I both hooked at least twenty of these feisty little brookies.  What they lacked in size, they made up for in attitude.  We had a great time catching and releasing most of them, but we did keep three which were badly hooked.  These served up a delectable treat in the frying pan with butter and pepper.  Sometimes simplicity is better!  I captured lots of video footage, but I tried to pull only a few pieces out that I thought someone would actually watch, so enjoy.

The next day found my canoe scraping the banks of the St. John River as Brent and I headed back out in pursuit of muskie.  Be careful, because once the muskie bug bites you it is hard to get rid of it!  While the muskies failed to show their presence, the smallmouths didn't disappoint and we landed half a dozen of these slab sided, hard fighting acrobats.  The heat drove us off the river early, but not before we noticed an odd bird in the tree line.  As we neared, it's size was impressive, this thing was bigger than some dogs I've seen!  Finally getting close enough, we clearly identified it as a Golden Eagle!  This was a first for me and I couldn't believe how awe inspiring this bird was as it took off right over us.  I couldn't help but envision a large fish hanging from those massive talons.  I was able to get a couple of pictures, but I apologize for the quality as my camera doesn't do well at that distance from a moving canoe.

Muskie Video

This is the first of several videos I am currently working on so stay tuned.  I have some good stories yet to come as well.  Can you say 44" muskie?  Check back soon!

Finally! Muskellunge!

After many hours this year in pursuit of the toothy fish that call the St. John their home, I finally was able to connect with one. It was my first one of the year.  Brent and I were fishing one of our favored bass locations when we saw a yard long fish rushing the shoreline.  As the fish rolled it was apparent that it was a nice muskie.  We proceeded to cast everything but the kitchen sink over the area.  While we did hook into a couple of nice bass, the muskie was no where to be found.  After half an hour we assumed it was long gone.  As we started the motor, I decided to troll the current line along the edge of the hole before we headed to the next hole.  Trolling the whole length of the hole, there were no strikes, but just as I prepared to reel in, the rod doubled over and the fight was on.  The fish was a nice one, good and thick and over 37" long.  Now I have caught the first one of the year.  That is always the toughest one, so hopefully there will be lots more to come.  I have some really nice video footage of the fish that I should have functioning early this week.  Stay tuned, as there are also a couple more trips to catch everyone up on!

Fish, Fish and More Fish!

The last month has been a whirlwind.  I have fished all kinds of water bodies from the smallest brook to the Atlantic Ocean as you saw in my last post.  After logging many hours, I am fortunate to say I caught lots of fish!  I will try to bring everyone up to speed in sequential order from the first trip since I last posted right up until my trip today.  It will be in stages throughout the next week, so check back often.  I will also have video capabilities back on Monday so I can get everything posted!

As the raging St. John river started to recede to a more seasonal level, Brent and I wasted no time in launching the canoe out into the current.  We hadn't fished for long, before I felt the line tighten with the unmistakable head shake of a fish.  As the smallmouth began it's acrobatic display, Brent tightened his line with a start and he had a battle as well.  Quickly measuring the fish and releasing them to prowl the depths again, we continued on our quest for these voracious fighters.  As we worked the water, it was fish after fish, for several hours of non-stop fish catching fun.  It was one of those days that we all wait for.  We tallied up 12 bass over 13 inches, with the largest being just over 18".