Using Humminbird Side Imaging for suspended muskies
This will sound like a fish story...but believe me, it's not!
My 5-year-old daughter spent a piece of the day with me recently while I was pre-fishing for the FLW Walleye League championship on Lake Wissota. My plan was for her and I to target some pieces of the system that I had left untouched until now. I thought that our trip would be an opportunity to eat a bunch of snacks, listen to some Disney music, and maybe work on our tans in the warm September sun.
Navigation:
Our first area to work was a stretch that features some relatively deep water....in the 40-50 foot range. As we deployed our baits, I immediately noticed the large suspended fish that was identified by my Humminbird 997. That fish, noted with the red arrow, is in the screen capture at right. The fish was marked on the left side of the boat, perhaps half-way between the bottom and the surface in this deep portion of the lake.
After seeing that fish, I quickly changed the depth of the bait running on the left hand side of the boat, bringing it closer to the surface rather than running much closer to the bottom. Within moments, that left rod buckled like it had snagged a sunken log...and believe me, there are plenty of sunken logs to snag on Lake Wissota.
Not seeing any shakes or jerks from the rod, I left the rod in the holder and asked my daugher to start reeling the bait in. She had a heck of a time turning the reel handle, and asked for Dad's help after a couple of moments. She held the long handle of the rod while I cranked. After half of the line was in, I felt the first hard *thud* from whatever it was that we had hooked. Then I felt another. It was after I felt the third that I said, "Caroline, we're going to need that Beckman!" It's important to keep in mind that Wissota is chock full of big cats. My boat has seen more than its share of 12-15 lb channel cats this summer, and our biggest flathead for 2009 was 35 lbs. I was thinking cat all the way. I was wrong.
Now, a big fish caught in warm weather needs support to ensure a successful release. This fish was out of the water only long enough for a couple quick pictures, and then went right back in. Sully and I took turns supporting the fish in the water, spending at least 15 minutes with her before her strength returned. Eventually, she swam away from the boat, and after circling her at a distance for another 5-10 minutes, we saw her dive out of sight. Caroline got a good lesson in conservation, and we built some great memories for the future.
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Now that the story is told, let me get back to the title of this page: suspended predators and Humminbird Side Imaging. In my mind, my ability to see that large fish riding high up off the bottom with my Humminbird 997 was the key ingredient that allowed Caroline and I to share the experience of catching and releasing this fish. Humminbird Side Imaging excels at identifying structure; as you've seen in this article and in others, Side Imaging is fantastic at locating fish as well. It's a tool that I simply refuse to be without, and once you use it, you'll feel the same way.
Dr. Jason Halfen
Professional Walleye Angler
Navigation:
I first saw our Musky when it was about 40 feet out. Its big red tail pierced the surface and disappeared with a swirl. I noticed at this point that our other line had become involved in the battle. Would that be enough additional tension to pull the hooks from Esox's mouth? Luckily for my daughter and I, the answer to that question was, "no". As the musky slid alongside the boat, Caroline and I traded jobs...she had to hold onto the rod with "two hands please!!!!" while I corralled our prize with the Beckman. Her reaction upon seeing the fish for the first time? "Daddy, let it go, it's WAAAAYYY to big!"
Before doing anything else, I called my tournament partner and good friend Jason Sullivan, who was working a different part of the lake. "Sully," I said, "I need your help. We've got a 40"+ musky in the net, and I'd like to snap a few pics before we let her go."
Sully sped to our location, came alongside and helped us take a few priceless photos. Terrific memories for Dad and daughter alike! Not a huge fish, but this 42" Wissota musky was nearly as long as Caroline is tall, and is the biggest fish of her young life. It should put her on the path to a 50 by the time she's 10, right?
