Nov 6th solo night mission

[John Pensyl]

Ended up finally launching sometime after 630 pm last night. The winds had laid right down and the rain disappeared leaving the river a glassy paradise. I ran full throttle across the river to the triangle and put down the gizzard shad candy that took my last couple night trolling fish and lost a pig last week. After about an hour covering the area in front of frenchmans creek thoroughly my rod went off and I put a super thick 42 inch fish in the bag. I bet her girth was all of 23 as she hung way over the board. She came unhooked easy and released quick but definitely reminded me I needed all my release tools right on the back deck for easy access. I slowly worked all the structure heading down river as I crisscrossed the river trying to cover every inch I could with a search and destroy grid pattern. I switched up my bait to a "white belly niagara wowleye" Veiders candy that I had just talked out of his personal collection a few hours earlier. I worked my way back in to the corner behind strawberry and did a tight little circle to turn the boat back into the current before I got to shallow and the rod went off steady like I caught bottom. I picked it up and felt the big headshakes that I've felt a couple times in the past month or so and lost them before the net. She fought hard for a fall fish and when I got her boat side she cooperated and swam right into the bag for me. Nothing like a huge fish coming out of the darkness into the light of your headlamp. I snapped a quick pic of her in the net and went to work cutting the hook to get her free and down in the water. I knew getting pics was out of the question alone so I got the bump board wet and turned on my video on the phone. The vid turned out kind of cool and ended up recording what is my largest niagara fish at 49.5 inches. I pulled her off the bump and set her right in the water where I had to hold her tail firmly long enough to snap a couple poor release shots because she wanted to go. Off she went with a little upper jaw reconstruction but hopefully some good years left. The split rings and hooks were trashed on the bait so I got cleaned up and reorganized and started back up current with the gizzard candy back out after drifting down toward the beach. I kind of let the boat steer itself along the 14ft drop as I changed out hooks and prepared my new favorite bait for redeployment. I made it about half way up the run when my drag started singing and I dropped the split ring pliers, candy and 7/0 hook to the floor. This one came right to the surface but was pulling hard so I knew it was another decent fish. Unlike the 49.5 it did not cooperate at the net, it went ballistic and left me falling all over the boat trying to get leverage on the handle trying to get her stuffed in. Finally she dropped in and I got the hooks out and turned on the video again. This one bumped at 45 and swam off like a shot. Trolled another half hour or so before the adrenaline started to wear off and j realized both my arms were soaked from releasing fish and I was covered in slime so I decided not to get greedy and get out before the rain got me. Moon phase muskies once again on the Niagara. Vids are on my facebook and I'll try to host them somewhere and post the link here later.

[thomas reinhardt]

great night!!! fun by yourself landing a big fish !!! 

[John Pensyl]

It really is Tommy. I love my solo missions. Your the master when it comes to midnight 1 man shows tho.

[thomas reinhardt]

thank's john,there's no adrenaline rush like when your the only boat out there ,then seeing that big head coming from the depth's. sat home like an idiot (nite before full moon) believing the weather report. dream night!!!MREAM...probably see you and lar out there tonight.

thanks john.there's no better adrenaline rush when your the only boat out there, seeing that big head coming up from the depths. sat home like a wussy idiot,(nite before the full moon) believing the weather report. dream night! MREAM  probably see you and lar out there tonight.

[John Pensyl]

Won't see me until Sunday afternoon. Get that 40lbr!

[Bob Piazza]

Nice job buddy. Great write up and nice solo net jobs. I know how hard that is. Way to go!

[Cory Krawczyk]

Well done John!!

[carl schenk]

Congrats on a great sounding night.  Sure makes me wish deer season was in January.

[Josh Ketry]

Nicely done!

[Josh Ketry]

Also, next time you want a camera man and a safer trip, hit me up!

[John Pensyl]

My buddy dave was supposed to come out around 9 and backed out. Glad he did. Lol