huge mystery fish

[Irv Johnson]

2 weeks ago while we were in Canada we were going up a small channel between 2 lakes when my son who was motoring spotted what looked like a large marker bouy, then he yelled at me that it was really a large northern floating exactly upright. The I saw it and grabbed the net. He was going too fast, and swerved into it when I missed with the net and it just sunk out of sight in about 3-4 feet of dark water. This fish must have been 40+ pounds as his head was out of the water 12-15" and was about 12" across it appeared. We had 2 northern in the boat; a 38 and a 39 1/2 inch so we could compare. What was the trouble here? was the fish injured, dead or nearly or had he swollowed a large fish and could not get it fully down??
Also, on the note of large fish; a friend just got back from the Ignace area where we go. He caught a 33" walleye on a Bobby Bait--its a large plug bait like a Suick or Bucher Bait. He was fishing for northerns with this a typical muskie bait. I believe you cannot use too large a bait for large fish. Any thoughts on that?

[cisco]

I've seen many big northerns swim with their heads extended up out of the water. I have no idea what causes it, but it does happen, and I've not seen other species exhibit that behavior.

The old saying "big bait, big fish" is applicable to your other observation. Just yesterday I caught a big crappie on a 3/4 oz spinner bait. In the old days when it was "OK" to fish muskies with live bait, we would often use 16 inch sucker "minnows."

[dave]

sounds like a big fish, are there musky in the lake?

why did you have two large northerns in your boat - do 15 pound plus northerns taste that good?

[SUPERTROLLER]

I have a couple of friends that swear that northerns taste better than walleye to them. I don't eat fish myself but I do love to catch'em.

[bob oh]

Northerns are excellent to eat. And if the laws allow him to keep 2 or whateve and he wants them why shouldn't he keep a couple??
Bob

[Eyecatcher]

Just curious Bob Oh, does the catch 'em and keep 'em apply to muskie as well?

[Backwater Eddy]

Are there sturgon in that watershed?

Backwater Eddy...><,,>

[RD]

Gut 'em, bake em' with white wine, butter, garlic, mushrooms, rosemary & oregeno. Life does not get any better!

RD

[cisco]

We know northerns taste good. Does anyone know why some northerns will swim with their heads out of the water?

(No, I don't keep big northerns for food, just in case someone wanted to get on that.)

[Hunter]

Sure northerns taste great, but a 39" Pike is almost trophy fish anywhere. If you normally eat 8-9# walleye from your home waters be my guest and enjoy that pike. You are taking out prime breeders, this should be a consideration of all fish you plan on consuming. Eat the dinks and wait for that once in a lifetime for the wall. I dont want to start an arguement, but ive seen lakes all over be destroyed by everyone keeping the good ones and throwing back the dinks.

[Joe C.]

I don't know about Canada, but netting a gamnefish around here is illegal and not looked upon as particularly sporting. I'm glad it got away.

[ohio]

ya where were all you guys during the RCL in Ohio. I sujjested the RCL should be done after the spawn period (it was in april) and everyone on this site tried to eat me alive. Everyone crying about their tourny (where the big females are targeted and culled and harvested)with no thought of if it was a good idea for the fish. I don't believe a single person supported me. Now this person harvests a couple northerns in mid summer and bam. Confusing..Sorry I guese I'm still sore over the RCL belogne. Sounds like a monster fish you saw.
Take Care

[pete]

Always wondered myself why big northerns swam slowly on the surface with their heads out of the water,seen this on one of Lake Onterio'S bays several times.

[Dr. McGillicuddy]

Aye laddie, 'twas no northern you saw that day. 'Twas the Monster 'o Loch Ness, for sure.

[Nash Buckingham]

Maybe those pike swimming with their heads out of the water were duck hunting.

[Cangl]

Have always wondered what and why it happens but it does, probably not for any good reason I suspect, in the case of that individual fish. May have been choking on a larger food then normal. I have seen three fish together swimming along with most of there heads out of the water a a 45 degree angle. Baffled everyone. But unfortunatly on the lakes now a days faster is louder? Some mentality less and baffle less motor head, is burning 700-1500 hundred decibels into and over the water. Sound being what? 10 x louder underwater is destroying many fish through shock and inner ear damage. It seems to take a bigger toll on larger fish, seen alot of nice pike in paticular swimming on top in circle and I suspect most other fish sink and swirl down. Nothing more beautiful then watching a quick outboard run circles around those rumble pigs.

[Mike]

I guess it's gotten to the place where you cannot even ask a simple (and very good) question without having the C&R police climb all over you. Lighten up people!!!

[CRN]

That big Northern was trying to look out for his buddies that you had in the boat. Keeping large Northern that are just short of trophy is a sure way to get people ****** at you.The fish gods were frowning at you. Could never figure why people would do that in this age of enlightenment. Read your regs Netting fish is illegal here in Ontario.

[sib]

Haven't eaten one for about 10 yrs, but they're pretty good. There's a difference in "eater" size between pike and walleye. Walleye eaters are best 17-19 inches, but pike eaters tend to be more mature. Most people I know who eat pike are looking for a size large enough that the cursed Y-bones are easy to work around.

No shortage of pike in my waters, keeping a few will only insure a few more walleye will make it to maturity.


"go outside and play"
sib

[bob oh]

Get a life

[RANGER]

BINGO!


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"!

[Shutup]

>Could never figure
>why people would do that
>in this age of enlightenment.

Let me help you "figure" it out.

Because you can if you want.

You do your things your way and let others do it there way.

[Gumbo]

Sound isn't 10x louder underwater! It travels faster underwater, but it certainly isn't louder.

[It is me Arnold]

Ya and now I suppose the local Fisheries people do not know what they are doing when they set the daily limits. Surely there is no science involved here, they just guess. And in case you say "I buy mine from the store," where do you think they are coming from sparky??

[terry]

Isn't it illegal to net fish?

[Wow!]

I really can't believe how these forums are turning into a bunch of whiny crybabies when it comes to keeping a couple fish. Must be the yuppies.

[Geez!!]

Could be the ones with good replies are fishermen and the rest of the dinks are tree huggers trying to start something.!!!!!

[CRN]

Yes it is illegal to net fish. Anyone who would net a fish like this would also shoot a swimming Moose.

[AquaMan]

Irv, I am sorry that your post generated the kind of irresponsible, immature, foolish string that has developed here, but some people were born in a outhouse with minds as small as their jewels. Shooting moose on the water? common guys, you don't even know the guy.

What does any of this have to do with Irv's question??????? Can't any of you see past the little things and answer the fricking question????

TBO, this has exceeded the authors original intention and I think it time to dust it. Save the poor guy some dignity.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.·´¯° --- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

Eric@crowncomputerinc.com

[julio]

Or even shoot a bear over a pile of jelly rolls.

[cisco]

I'll ask it once more. Does anyone know why northerns sometimes swim with their heads fully extended out of the water?

I've seen it in Wis, Minn, and Ontario. Always wondered why, and thought perhaps someone here might know. How about it?

[Mean Mike]

Personally, I have never seen this happen, but for those of you who did, have you seen any pattern or clues to help figure out why? Is it always during spring, summer or fall that you usually see this happen? prespawn or postspawn? Weather? always big pike or sometimes small pike?

[cisco]

For me it has been during summer (late June, July). Most have been large (by that, my guess is 8 lbs and up). I've seen it in large lakes (e.g. Leech) and small, but never on a river. Still a mystery -- never any other species besides northern. The others jump, obviously, but don't swim with head exposed.

[bigfish1965]

Many years ago, while fishing Stoney Lake in the Kawartha Lakes in Ontario, I was casting to a spot where a musky attempted to 'catch' the lure in air. I casted back to the same spot, and three times the near sighted fish missed. It would not pick the lure on the retrieve, but sure seemed to like the game of a mid-air catch. I know these fish will eat small ducks. Maybe they just stick their heads out for a peek, looking for some tender mallard sammiches.

[Mr. Sauger]

I once saw a northern with his head out of the water eyeing a log sloping into the water. Soon, a squirrel climbed down the log to the water's edge to get an acorn. Yup, the northern snatched em up. But that's not the half of it. The pike then reappeared and put the acorn back on the log.
Mr. Sauger

[Frank from TBay]

We commonly see big Northern high in the water like a log. A number of years ago we were edging along a weeded area casting for large Northern and I went to steer around a log. I looked again and the log was staring at me. Huge Northern over 30#. The stare put the hair on the back of my neck on end. He sunk out of sight. We casted for him for quite a while but she was not interested.

[water_wolf]

Several years ago when I was just a young lad I was fishing off a bridge that connected Washington Island with the main land on the St. Lawrence River. I noticed a small wake moving in toward the marsh near the island. As it drew closer I saw one of the largest Muskies that I have ever seen. She was coming in with her head out of the water and heading straight for momma mallard and her little youngins. She also saw the musky coming and scurried to get her little ones up on the bank of the island. It truly was a very cool site to witness. Ducks 1 Musky 0.

Rich Ferguson