I got one of those Artie muskies that guys have been talking about. Even a blind squirrel will eventually find a nut! Got him on my bass rod, so had a 10# leader and not my panfish 6#. Enough to get him in. Not as much of a fight as I thought. Definitely some weight, but a wiper half of his size would pull him around the lake…. Guessing just a wuss? He/she (I have no clue) did 5-6 gator death rolls in my boat inside of my net that caught the line of my other rod. I definitely spent more time untangling than fighting. Was pretty awesome though. I don’t target by any means and only my third of my life. First on Arthur. Only 30”, but made my day (week/month)…. 😀

Nice job on the Arthur muskie. I’ve never caught a muskie but I’ve caught pike. Pound for pound those long skinny fish don’t seem to fight as hard fish with a deeper body like a wiper or smallmouth. But I think the appeal is that they are one the larger freshwater gamefish. Biggest pike I’ve ever caught was around 30”, and it was fun. It tired out quicker than a 20” smallmouth but I’d take pike like that all day if I knew how to catch ‘em consistently.

I’m ready to get out. Planning on splitting my time this spring between taking the boat to Arthur and wading the yough for trout and prespawn bass..

I’m thinking Arthur in the early spring isn’t the zoo that it is in mid summer. And I got some better wading gear for Christmas that I can use in cold water. Now I just need some free time to go.

 Congrats on the Muskie Tim.
 
 Made it out Tuesday afternoon with my youngest son. He caught around 20 or so Gills and Perch on small plastics. Told him to let everything go for today. The Perch looked very close to spawning. As for my efforts one LM and had one good run using a live Gill before dropping it. Didn't even put the chest wades on today.

Got out today for the first time this year. Hit the yough near whitsett. Tested out the new wading gear.

Was hoping for some bass and trout, only managed to catch a few bass, nothing to brag about. But I’m not used to pre spawn fish so catching anything at all felt like an accomplishment, and no skunk.

The water was low and clear for this time of year, even after that rain the other day. Had to fight the wind a little bit. If it wasn’t for that the conditions would have been absolutely perfect for late March. Pretty good start to the year.

Congrats on the smallies. I don’t have an area that I am comfortable wading in cold water that isn’t summer level, beyond 100’ sections. Such a good fishery, but the typical spring rains make it unfishable half of the spring. Usually the half that I can make it out.

I was hoping to get out this week. Work is just not allowing and really not happy about it. Kids’ sports schedules are getting to the point of taking the rest of my free time. Was nice having the early spring. Probably not making it out as much as I’d like in the next month or two now.

The Yough is a wonderful fishery. When I retired twenty years ago I would fish various parts of it about 5 days a week. My favorite all around area was near Dawson below the bridge. I never knew what the day might bring. Could be trout, bass, walleye, cats, carp or sheepshead. Primary baits were creek chubs, small suckers and worms that I collected myself. Sometimes when fishing for carp with my our homemade doughball I would stand in waist deep water and watch the carp actually pick up the bait and how they would play/test it before actually eating it. They could actually pick up the bait, taste it and spit it out faster than I could set the hook. Quite a learning experience.
 
Trout were everywhere in the river, you just had to put in the time and effort to tease them out of their hiding places and get them to chase your offerings. Even the days that I caught the skunk were enjoyable and often entertaining just watching nature unfold.  
 
 

Wondering what the yough is gonna look like after all the rain this week. I was hoping to get out again but this weather is looking crap.

They are saying up to 3” tomorrow!!! If even half of that falls, every body of water around here is going to feel it. Since most of the lakes in the region are reservoirs, they are all going to be mud. I guess it will spread out any of the trout that have been stocked.

To add to the kick in the pants, after the rain, the temps are going to tank. I guess this is the payback for February feeling like April.

Wow I had not heard 3” tomorrow. And it looks like Wednesday Thursday and maybe Friday too.

Definitely gonna be a while before I can get out again.

Yough is already shooting up. I didn’t think we got that much rain yet but it’s over 5’ at sutersville already.