MUSKIE!!!!

On our second day out with Brad, we went for Muskies.  He warned us they were super hard to catch, if we landed one fish it would be a good day.

Coolest fly box ever, we tossed huge 8-12 inch flies on 9 wt. rods.  Casting the flies on sink-tip lines was some of the hardest but funnest casting I've ever done on a fly rod.

I ended up hooking the first muskie within a few casts from the boat launch.  I was just getting the hang of casting the parrot-sized fly when a huge mouth came out of nowhere and inhaled the fly.  He came off before I knew it and thought had blown my only chance for the day.

Finally hooked and landed this beast after what felt like a thousand casts.  Not big by Muskie standards, only 30 inches and about 12 pounds, but my best fish on a fly to date. Definately didn't fight like a trout, more like tug of war with a bulldog.

The fly and the damage done, I'd worn a hole in my finger from all of the casting, stripping and fighting.  All worth it for one of the best days I've had on a fly rod.