A small but special Musky trout

[Doug Vitale]

Today was too nice of a day not to do some fall troutin'. I hit three spots on the Musky in the Bloomsbury area from 2:00 - 5:30. The conditions were ideal - weather was 59 degrees, the water was clear, 51 degrees, and pretty high for autumn (the river depth today would be considered low in the spring). There were quite a few leaves to contend with but I only hooked one about every 5-6 casts.

The fish either weren't there or they weren't biting. The three spots I visited have usually produced in the past and I was using lures that have always worked: Panther Martin, Mepps XD spinner, Thomas spoons. Finally I was able to get a strike, and this trout made me smile not only because it helped me break a fall "skunk streak", but also because you guys know who was in my thoughts as I reeled him in. You really have to put your time in on the streams to get a pay-off in the fall because of low water conditions and because there are simply far fewer trout living in the streams compared to the spring.