1st legit 50" fish

[Bfuller]

Last yr being my 1st yr targeting the tooth Fairy, having lots of follows on spinners, hooking 9 total and landing 4 all year, biggest being 46". I worked my tail off for those few fish. Blue eye sent me some big musky lures last yr to paint, and was nice enough to invite me up to Waneta to fish a few hrs in the evening. I watched him hook 2 and boat 1 onone of the lures I painted him which was awesome. That day also lit a fire under my azz. All I wanted to do since was fish these things even harder. This year, after upgrading my gear, and custom painting a few dozen gliders I was ready! Boated 14 fish this year, hooked and lost at least 15 if not more. But Monday was the day! I had found this leviathans lair. 4 days prior it ate a custom perch glider, beat the Crap outta me. Leaped like NOTHING I've seen before and threw the lure straight back at me. Monday morning knowing the water was clear like tap water, and knowing he wouldn't touch a glider again as long as he lived, and seeing there was a NW wind which would create the perfect chop right on top of his house of pain, I custom brewed a spinner. Painted a size 9 Indiana blade front and back transparent green pumpkin, used a giant wad of green pumpkin magic bass skirt tabs rather than bucktail or flash, the put a giant corkscrew I made from spinner wire on the split ring which I put a zoom super fluke watermelon red flake paddle tail for extra wiggle. That spinner went with that water color like butter and toast. I knew he was going to eat it! 15 minutes after launching I bombed it over the house of certain death. Slowly rolling it across the bottom, and it got ugly FAST! I've never set the hook so hard in my life. Having a 5/0 4x permasteel hook I knew he had met his match! I coulda read a book while fighting him I knew that's how well it was hooked. Even took some video while it was kicking my azz! My 1st legit 50" fish. I never actually taped it. But intentionally cut a tape measure off at 50" and have it on the side of the boat, and being alone as always, and not wanting to hurt my new found friend. When I set my phone up for the picture, and the way it came out was fitting. Grim reaper, holding the grim reaper!

[Tigerhunter]

Awesome write up, pics and fish.....congrats!!!

[Nalod]

Absolutely love the pics!  Congrats on your 50.

[Ivan]

Very cool action shots.  Congrats

[Nautitroller]

Congratulations Bobby!!! Awesome story, kinda like patterning a big buck and then being able to harvest and release. Way cool!

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[Sk8man]

Nice going and great fish....once again persistence pays off

[BSmaster]

Bob, you look like the grim reaper.  Nice going! 

 

Joe

[muskiedreams]

Great story and pics. And congratulations.

 

Do you write professionally?

[edt]

Great story. And a great fish been thinking about fishing for them they are a awesome fish.

[glenm]

Congratulations! Fantastic fish and story!

[old man]

VERY nice

[Ivan]

You should post some pics of your paint jobs on muskie baits.  Your spoons look great...I'd like to see your work on some muskie crankbaits, gliders, or the spinners you are making.  Maybe you could paint up some of those Swim Zag spoon blanks Raaven was talking about in the spoon thread last week.

[JOE ESOX]

Awesome fish! And agree with Ivan on posting some paint jobs

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[brent fingar]

Awsome fish what body of water did u pull that beauty from

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[chasdc1]

Congrats!

[Missdemeanor]

OH NO!!!!!!! Chad, you have created a monster!!!! Congrats on the Essox Maximus

[ray koziatek]

cool thanx

[Bfuller]

This was the first batch of cattle I made this spring. 1st time painting a strange style lure. Bottomed is a sucker, 2 above perch. Both have been chewed to pieces. Next one up a copper carp tone. Looks spooky as hell in the water, I'm too scared to use it. 2 above that are a walleye tone, and another brighter pearl perch.

Flash perch

Clear water perch

Fire perch

This one is sweet. Great in clear water. Only 1 take, and one follow on it. Hybrid bait. Can represent suckers, smallmouth, Chubs, shiners, small buffalo, walleye. First time running it on the susky got a 5+lb smallie to devour it.

Pics aren't as good on this phone anymore. She's getting old, time for a new one

[Xxx]

What a great story and pics, you are truly gifted in your craftsmanship of lure making, and not only do they

look awsome, they work, 50 inches of proof!!! Congrats.

[rougarou]

Those gliders look like sea cows ??

[BlueEye]

OH NO!!!!!!! Chad, you have created a monster!!!! Congrats on the Essox Maximus

Haha I know! Bob is an LOU Sponsor ( http://www.fingerlakestackle.com ) and a very talented painter. He also delivers a story like no other! I feel like I'm there in the action reading this post. Congrats on your giant bud!!

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[Bfuller]

Those gliders look like sea cows ??

yeah sea cows, and calfs. Tackle.industries sells me blanks for painting. No time for chiseling and widdling wood. Only issue I run into is the cows, the weight transfer system breaks free and ruins them. So they take a lot of prep time just securing the weight so it doesn't become loose. Only on the cows though. Calfs won't do it.

[ERABBIT]

WTG Bob , great fish and loved your story thanks for sharing............    

[Nalod]

This one is sweet. Great in clear water. Only 1 take, and one follow on it. Hybrid bait. Can represent suckers, smallmouth, Chubs, shiners, small buffalo, walleye. First time running it on the susky got a 5+lb smallie to devour it.

 

I knew I was missing a color in my tackle box...small buffalo!  

 

--Joe

[Ivan]

Nice stuff Bob.  I'm sending you a pm.