1st Musky on the fly

[2LMKR2]

I tried doing it one summer a few years ago but never hooked a fish, then had some shoulder problems and couldn't cast my larger fly rods. Now my shoulder is better and I have been working with the heavier rod to get my arm strength back so I can cast for a few hours at a time. Gave it a try today and the stars must have aligned and lady luck must have been smiling because it all came together and worked out. Not a really big fish, 36”, but what a rush!

[taxid]

I tried doing it one summer a few years ago but never hooked a fish, then had some shoulder problems and couldn't cast my larger fly rods. Now my shoulder is better and I have been working with the heavier rod to get my arm strength back so I can cast for a few hours at a time. Gave it a try today and the stars must have aligned and lady luck must have been smiling because it all came together and worked out. Not a really big fish, 36”, but what a rush!

I bet that took some line off the reel!

[2LMKR2]

Just a lot of thrashing until I got it close to the boat, Then it made a few hard runs!

[Raquettedacker]

Great accomplishment..   Congratulations..

[fishinator]

Now that's an accomplishment!  They are tough enough to catch using casting gear or trolling. Cool fly, probably not something they have seen a million times.

[2LMKR2]

Thanks guys.

My dad taught me to fly fish at a very young age, tying a fly and getting a fish to take it is something I've always enjoyed doing.

[2LMKR2]

For anyone who might be interested in the fly here is a better picture of it.

It is an articulated fly. All of the body and materials are from Niklaus Bauer's Top Water Pike Popper (which is also a great bass fly). But rather than using the foam popper head I used a dubbing loop of strung fuzzy fiber for the head, from Gunnar Brammer's Chosen One Bulkhead. These guys have some great YouTube videos. The tail is a large Paolo Pacchiarini's Dragon Tail which helps to give the fly an amazing amount of action!