Muskies have a strong, thick body that enables them to move through the water very quickly, and very efficiently. They strike fiercely and have tremendous torque that allows their bodies to pull on a rod and reel quite hard. These fish are known for their explosive acrobatics, and it is an well known fact to many Musky anglers that once you catch one you are hooked for life.

This is the case for both my father and me. We are hooked on these fish and the total amount of dollars spent on tackle and equipment is approaching $10,000. It was once a hobby that quickly turned into an obsession and once you feel the power of a Musky, you will never look back.

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This species of fish is not abundant like many other species of fish like Walleye, Perch, panfish, ect.. and that is why the Muskie is so difficult to catch. There are a number of effective ways to catch muskies. The most common method is standing up in a boat and casting a lure hudreds and maybe even thousands of times before catching a fish. This method is grueling and can play hell on your back, arms, legs, and hands, but us deicated Musky maniacs will put up with all of these symptoms if it means we have a shot at a 50-plus incher. While novices find any size Musky a feat of its own, we true Musky anlgers are always looking for one of 50 inches or over.

Another way to catch Muskies is much easier and takes little to no effort to do is fishing with a big bobber, with a big sucker hanging underneath free-floating in the water. Many Musky fisherman regard this method as the lazy man’s way and therfore frown on it. I myself have seldom used this tactic for that same reason.

The last method that has a great impact on your sucess rate is that of trolling. Trolling can be very effective and it lets you relax while fishing. The fish in this picture was caught while trolling in late October of 2007 on Cass Lake. There is a difference though when trolling for Muskies as compared to trolling for Walleyes or some other species. For Walleyes, the speed at which you troll tends to be anywhere from 1- 2.5 mph. For Muskies the normal trolling speed is anywhere from 4-7mph. Trolling is starting to become more in our go to plan with every fish we catch using this method. Musky fishing is based on confidence and whatever method gives that confidence is the one you tend to stick with and go back to over and over again.

As I lay here in the darkness of the night,
The thoughts dwelling around in my head erupt.
Thoughts jolt out from every direction,
I close my eyes, with one last sigh, all is silent!

The young adults that I work with definitely have problems, but as you start to establsih trust in your working relationship with them, you start to realize  that they really are good people that have seemingly fallen off the right path. What I try to do as a corrections officer is try and make them realize that the mistakes they made don’t have to be made twice. I tell them that life is about choices, and though most choices are very hard, the rewards of making a good choice as compared to a bad one are neverending.

I was skeptical when I first started this job, but it seems as though the kids grow on  you, and instead of dreading going to work, I look forward to going to work. It is fun to see young adults correct their wrong behaviors, and actually try and contribute to society. I know that not all of those young adults will, but I truly know that some will and knowing I am a part of that makes a person feel good!