"Keep the line tight, don't give him any slack, let him fight out from the boat," I shouted as I shut the engine down, cranked in the other line and got the camcorder running.

There is a lot to be said for experience, especially when it comes to fighting big fish. All of the on the spot instruction in the world can't begin to replace it. Unlike myself, who had started off on pan fish from rivers and inland lakes and gradually worked my way up to bigger game, she had cut her teeth on walleye and smallmouth bass. She was still not prepared for the fighting antics of a muskie.

The fish fought in wide circles about twenty yards from the boat taking line in short, strong surges. Angie would regain line when the fish turned direction. This went on for several minutes before the fish switched tactics. He ran with the lure into deeper water and then shot upward clearing the water like a sea world dolphin. I missed that first jump with the camcorder, and what a shame because the first jump is almost always the most spectacular. Not content with that first jump, he made a couple more barely reentering the water before reemerging in a showering spray, fortunately I was able to record these latter jumps to be shared with mom later.

"I think I'm going to need some help with this fish, " Angie said glancing over her shoulder.

"You can do it Angie; he's given you his best already."

After a couple more surges, I had her bring the fish next to the boat where he finned docilely. Muskie are usually lost when they are brought to the boat too green.

Putting the camcorder down I landed him by hand. After a quick picture he was returned to the water where he swam off in no apparent hurry and as though nothing unusual had occurred that day.

Angie's first musky was a thirteen pounder, not really big by muskie standards, but still a wonderful first fish. Gratifying were the words, " now I understand how you can fish all day for one of these, dad."

* Note that at this time we hadn't made the jump to serious monster fishing which I'll get to in a later story.

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