Tony Buzolich
02-16-2015, 06:55 PM
The other day Andy from Kiene’s calls me up and says he has a guy here by the name of Brad Bohen that just gave a presentation at their shop about fly fishing for muskies and pike. “ While he’s here he’d like to explore some of the local waters and maybe take a striper if possible. How would I like to show them around a little on the Feather tomorrow? We can even use his boat, Andy say. It’s kind of small but he brought it with him all the way from Wisconson.” “ You betcha”, I say, “that’ll be fun.”
I’ve been planning a trip to New Mexico in April to fish Tiger Musky and this would be a great chance to talk with an expert on the subject. Brad, on his way out here actually stopped and fished Bluewater Lake, New Mexico where we’ll be fishing next month.
We got to the Feather still in the dark but could see several fish already busting the surface. Brad showed up pulling his boat which was nothing like anything we have around here. A Towee about 14’. Barely wider than a canoe, flat bottomed with a 20hp Mercury jet, and oars which extended past the gunnel. Hmmm? Cute. It ought to work great in the shallow water we’ve got here. And off we went.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/019_zpssabfbxid.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/019_zpssabfbxid.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/021_zpsivxkrkb5.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/021_zpsivxkrkb5.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/020_zpsijebo1u2.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/020_zpsijebo1u2.jpg.html)
The Feather had dropped some more and there was hardly any currant to move us along. Brad elected to row while Andy and I fished. We worked along the bank like usual hoping for that first grab. Finally I get a good take and it’s heavy. Yahoo! It stays deep and doesn’t take off quick like a small fish. The fish is actually turning Brad’s boat and doesn’t want to come up. Maybe a BIG striper? Maybe a musky?
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/009_zpsp4uz40mf.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/009_zpsp4uz40mf.jpg.html)
Finally it comes up and into the boat.
I’ll call this my first Feather River Musky
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/011_zpss4oojk2g.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/011_zpss4oojk2g.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/010_zpsdwgq1s9t.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/010_zpsdwgq1s9t.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/012_zpshwuqhqxw.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/012_zpshwuqhqxw.jpg.html)
After a few laughs we head up to the falls at Shanghai and hit a few more HPS along the way. Drifting downstream Andy hooks up to a nice schoolie striper and gets the skunk off his rod too.
Quite a nice day getting to fish with a couple of friends and learning a ton of stuff about fishing for a fish I’ve never taken before. Come to find out Brad Bohen is quite the Musky guru around the Wisconson area and has produced several Vimeo and YouTube videos about fishing and tying flies for muskies and pike in that area.
Tony
I’ve been planning a trip to New Mexico in April to fish Tiger Musky and this would be a great chance to talk with an expert on the subject. Brad, on his way out here actually stopped and fished Bluewater Lake, New Mexico where we’ll be fishing next month.
We got to the Feather still in the dark but could see several fish already busting the surface. Brad showed up pulling his boat which was nothing like anything we have around here. A Towee about 14’. Barely wider than a canoe, flat bottomed with a 20hp Mercury jet, and oars which extended past the gunnel. Hmmm? Cute. It ought to work great in the shallow water we’ve got here. And off we went.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/019_zpssabfbxid.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/019_zpssabfbxid.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/021_zpsivxkrkb5.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/021_zpsivxkrkb5.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/020_zpsijebo1u2.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/020_zpsijebo1u2.jpg.html)
The Feather had dropped some more and there was hardly any currant to move us along. Brad elected to row while Andy and I fished. We worked along the bank like usual hoping for that first grab. Finally I get a good take and it’s heavy. Yahoo! It stays deep and doesn’t take off quick like a small fish. The fish is actually turning Brad’s boat and doesn’t want to come up. Maybe a BIG striper? Maybe a musky?
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/009_zpsp4uz40mf.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/009_zpsp4uz40mf.jpg.html)
Finally it comes up and into the boat.
I’ll call this my first Feather River Musky
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/011_zpss4oojk2g.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/011_zpss4oojk2g.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/010_zpsdwgq1s9t.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/010_zpsdwgq1s9t.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/012_zpshwuqhqxw.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/012_zpshwuqhqxw.jpg.html)
After a few laughs we head up to the falls at Shanghai and hit a few more HPS along the way. Drifting downstream Andy hooks up to a nice schoolie striper and gets the skunk off his rod too.
Quite a nice day getting to fish with a couple of friends and learning a ton of stuff about fishing for a fish I’ve never taken before. Come to find out Brad Bohen is quite the Musky guru around the Wisconson area and has produced several Vimeo and YouTube videos about fishing and tying flies for muskies and pike in that area.
Tony